News in Maldon

Reports have been posted on social media of the death of celebrity, nightclub owner, property developer and businessman Mick Norcross.

Police and emergency services have been at his Bulphan home in Thurrock.

The leader of Maldon District Council has told how staff are 'working tirelessly' on business grants through weekends to try to get cash help to those who now desperately need it - and thanked businesses for their patience at a challenging time.

More than £3million of grant payments will now be going out to businesses in the next few days.

Maldon Police and Dengie farmers have been thanked for their help with suspected hare coursing activities in the Maldon district.

A Twitter post made yesterday evening (Wednesday, 20 January) by the Essex Police Rural Engagement Team reads: "Busy day today for the team, another suspected hare coursing vehicle off the road.

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon says it expects its pubs - including the Rose and Crown in Maldon - to remain shut until April as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

The company reports "zero" sales in 2021 so far, as all of its 872 pubs have remained closed since 31 December. In Maldon, all pubs closed except for take-aways when the district went into Tier 3 on 16 December.

The first full week of the New Year saw the highest number of Covid-related deaths recorded for Maldon district since the start of the pandemic.

In the week to Friday, 8 January, 12 hospital deaths and one care home death related to Covid-19 were recorded for residents of the district.

Doctors at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford have spoken of the "battlefield scenario" medics are facing in the fight against Covid-19.

During a period in the first week of December the hospital's A&E red zone – where the most serious cases are treated – was seeing cases of Covid-19 once every couple days, explained Ed Hope in his popular vlog (video blog) – Dr Hope's Sick Notes. Now Dr Hope speaks of the "sheer number" of Covid-19 patients.

Almost 200 student nurses have been welcomed at the Trust that runs Broomfield Hospital.

Mid and South Essex NHS Hospitals Trust released news of the new starters today (Wednesday, 20 January) ahead of them beginning their work placements in March at Broomfield, Basildon and Southend hospitals.

The proposed Essex County Council (ECC) budget for 2021/22 would see Maldon residents in a Band D property paying an £19.80 annual increase in the ECC precept on their council tax bill.

The ECC precept is only one of the charges that is included in the amount of council tax paid each year and the 2021/22 charges for Maldon District Council, parish and town councils and the Essex Police and Fire Service precepts will all go towards making up the final amount.

Maldon Town Hall will no longer be offering Covid-19 testing kits and will close the service today (Wednesday, 20 January) at 3.30pm.

Any completed tests not returned by then will have to be posted for testing and cannot be left at the Town Hall.

Essex Police are urging rural communities across the county to be vigilant after three deer were shot dead by poachers.

The animals were killed shortly after 3.30pm on Sunday, 3 January in Little Yeldham Road, Great Yeldham.