News in Maldon

MALDON motorists should be aware that the schedule for planned resurfacing work to the A12 has been changed – with closures extended to Thursdays and Mondays over the coming two weekends.

The plan for the works originally involved closures of the busy route between junctions 19 (Boreham, Chelmsford) and 25 (Marks Tey) at weekends running up to Christmas, but Highways England is now carrying out the essential repairs over two extended periods instead – with the plan to be finished up before lockdown comes to an end.

FUNDS from a Government lifeline grant will be used for a Maldon project to help train apprentices in the methods of restoring, maintaining and operating historic boats.

The Heritage Marine Foundation, based in the Downs Road boatyard, will put the £17,500 grant cash towards obtaining and converting a drydock to house Torbay Lass, a 1923 fishing trawler owned by the foundation.

The battle against county lines drug dealing is more important than ever, according to the Essex crime commissioner.

Roger Hirst has also invited organisations that work to reduce crime and safeguard young people to apply for extra funding.

MALDON MP John Whittingdale has spoken of his sadness at the need for a second national lockdown – and also his hopes for the district's recovery.

In his latest newsletter to his constituents, Mr Whittingdale says: "I was very sad that the Government reluctantly decided that it was necessary to impose a second lockdown across England throughout the month of November. I am personally hugely resistant to restrictions on individual liberties and regret very much that these have had to be imposed. I am also very conscious of the distress caused to families and friends who cannot meet, as well as to those businesses that have been forced to close again just as they were starting to recover.

IT has been revealed that Maldon District Council has incurred a forecast overspend of £170,000 for refuse and recycling costs during the pandemic.

The whopping bill has come about largely as a result of extra domestic waste produced by residents working from home – and an increase in gardening activities while people have been furloughed.

A well-known Maldon quiz master and local radio presenter who has collected nearly every single in the Top 75 chart since November 1952 is looking for three singles to make his collection complete.

Kevin Briggs, known as Maldon's 'King of Quizzes', has organised countless pub quizzes in the Maldon district since 1981 and is the man behind The Maldon and District Quiz Leagues. He now presents a virtual pub quiz and music programme on Caroline Community Radio 94.7FM.

A VILLAGE school has asked Maldon District Council if two trees that are causing subsidence to a classroom can be felled so that building repair works can go ahead.

The large leylandii trees are taking so much water from the ground at St Nicholas C of E Primary School in Tillingham that they are disturbing the foundations of one of the Victorian classrooms.

The following is a news update from Maldon's Coronavirus Community Response Team and contains information on local help and support available.

This week we moved into a second National lockdown which included a return to advice to shield for some people identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable. New guidance for the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) was released on 4th Nov which includes recommendations to limit contact with others, avoid shops and pharmacies. Letters from GPs were sent out towards the end of last week.

Maldon district residents may soon get the opportunity to use the new rapid Covid-19 tests being rolled out across the country.

It was announced by the Government today (Tuesday, 10 November) that Essex County Council is one of more than 50 local authorities earmarked to receive the lateral flow antigen tests, with 10,000 to be received by the county this week. It is thought that there will then be a substantial number of the tests allocated to Essex each week moving forward.

When Covid-19 struck at the start of spring, many walkers on the canal path at Heybridge noticed the resident swans with their multiple cygnets.

The elegant adults and their fluffy offspring featured in social media posts and surely brightened some of the darkest days of the pandemic as local people took their daily exercise.