Essex County Council today rejected an Inquiry into the spending of £5.1 million on Council charge cards. This followed revelations in the local press regarding spending £87,000 in hotels and resorts, £3,000 spent in bars, night clubs and discos and various other items.
Lib Dem County Councillors David Kendall and Barry Aspinell are celebrating the news that the 73 Evening bus service, that runs between Pilgrims Hatch and Warley via the High Street, has been saved after a long running campaign and a petition signed by over 200 bus users and residents.
Following the revelations in the local press that have highlighted the potential misuse of the Purchase Card scheme by some Essex County Council employees, Liberal Democrat County Councillor, David Kendall has put down a Motion to Full Council on 10 July 2012 calling for an independent inquiry to scrutinize the reported £5.1 million spend since the Purchase Card was first introduced back in December 2009.
Brentwood's Lib Dem County Councillors David Kendall and Barry Aspinell have slammed the cost of the new Bus Timetable Book which is selling at £13,50 when the last one only cost a £1. Whilst the new book may cover the whole of Essex including Southend and Thurrock, the price will be way to expensive for many bus users, particularly for pensioners on the basic state pension who may have no internet access and who rely heavily on the book for their bus information.
Lib Dem councillor Karen Chilvers is claiming victory as a controversial road to serve the proposed extension to the London Road cemetery was kicked into the long grass last night.
Brentwood Lib Dem County Councillors David Kendall and Barry Aspinell have slammed Essex County Council over the delays some residents are experiencing with their Blue Badge applications. The County have said some of the delays are out of their control however the Liberal Democrats believe they could have been far more proactive in trying to address the problem. The issues have arisen following new legislation which has seen Independent Medical Assessments (IMA's) replacing the previous medical assessments completed by the individuals' General Practioner. Essex County Council have appointed Essex Cares to undertake the IMA's for the County's Blue Badge scheme.
