News in Maldon

Lockdown restrictions are slowly easing in England and some things will be changing from Monday, March 8.

The biggest change is that schools will be reopening and all children can return to the classroom. Wraparound childcare, such as breakfast and after-school clubs can also re-open.

Maldon Tesco is putting on an Easter egg hunt in the car park - socially distanced and with safety measures in place.

The event at the Tesco Extra store will take place on Easter Sunday (Sunday, 4 April) and will involve children hunting for clues to make a mystery word.

Heybridge Parish Council has reduced the portion of annual council tax that residents pay for parish services by 4.8 per cent for 2021/22.

Just a small fraction of the total amount paid by residents goes to parish or town councils, with more going to the district council and the greatest part going to Essex County Council, as well as payments for police and fire services. Maldon District Council collects the total amount in and then distributes it to all those authorities.

A popular Maldon tearoom has welcomed news in this week's budget and told how pandemic grants have provided a lifeline to helping them open up for business again.

Charlie Goss, of Mrs Salisbury's, said the announcement of the restart grant is helping the business make preparations for serving outside, with restrictions lifting to allow that on 12 April.

The decision to turn down an application to convert Maldon's former police station into five apartments is being appealed.

Maldon District Council refused the plans to turn the imposing building in West Square into the self-contained flats "with associated parking and landscaping" on 7 October last year.

A plea has been made to residents across Essex to show waste collection and tip workers respect after it was revealed they are facing increasing levels of abuse.

Essex County Council (ECC) told in a statement this afternoon (Thursday, 4 March) how waste collection workers and recycling centre site staff across the county are facing increasing abuse from drivers and members of the public.

A key Maldon figure has urged residents from across the district to get on board with a new drive to help people affected by dementia to feel part of the community.

Sarah Troop, Director of Maldon District CVS (Community Volunteering Service), is well-known for her work for local people and was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) last year for her services to the community during the pandemic, co-ordinating the efforts of numerous volunteers and organisations.

Maldon District Council's licensing sub-committee will decide next Thursday (11 March) on whether to allow a vineyard to extend its wine barn opening hours until 11pm each day.

When not under pandemic restrictions as is currently the case, Crouch Ridge Vineyards in Fambridge Road, Althorne, is allowed to sell alcohol between 10am and 6pm daily, allowing consumption on the premises.

The Rose and Crown pub in Maldon High Street is not on the list of Wetherspoons pubs re-opening on 12 April, announced by the chain today (Thursday, 4 March).

The pub giant J D Wetherspoons released a list of 394 of its venues that will open when restrictions lift enough to allow serving outdoors - and the Rose and Crown isn't on it, given the small size of its outdoor area.

A decision on whether to introduce parking charges at Heybridge Basin's Daisy Meadow car park has been put off until after the May elections.

Heybridge Basin Parish Council (HBPC), created in 2019, does not currently have the full quota of councillors elected to it, with vacant seats up for grabs on 6 May and currently filled by two district councillors 'drafted in' to carry out the roles until the local elections can be held. For this reason, a meeting of HBPC on Tuesday (2 March) decided that a decision on the possible car park charges should be put off until then.