March 2007

Residents don't have long left to register for a postal vote in the May local elections.

There is Easter fun for both adults and children this April as Chelmsford Museum hosts an Easter Egg Trail around the museum during the holidays. (Monday to Friday 13 April, except Good Friday)

Chelmsford residents are urged not to miss the chance to vote in the local elections on May 3 2007. Anyone who is not registered to vote must do so by 18 April to be able to vote in the elections on 3 May - where there are 57 Borough Council and more than 200 Parish Council seats to be decided.

To celebrate the Public Grand Opening of the Stables Centre, Hylands Estate is hosting a fantastic free event for visitors and residents of the borough. The Grand Opening will take place over the Easter Bank Holiday on Sunday 8 and Monday 9 April, from 11am to 5pm.

Beautifully hand-crafted work by members of the Essex Handicraft Association will be displayed throughout the magnificent rooms of Hylands House on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 April 2007. From 11am each day until 5pm, visitors can view a wide range of beautiful Essex handicrafts providing plenty of inspiration for taking up a craft of your own.

Representatives from Chelmsford Borough Council attended a glittering award ceremony in London on Tuesday, along with other short-listed organisations, for Beacon Status across 10 local government services. Chelmsford was short-listed for Beacon Status in Emergency Planning, but narrowly missed out on scooping the award.

Living in a modern world of the internet, blogging, mobile phones and camera and video phones, Chelmsford Borough Council is planning for `Celebrate Chelmsford' to make the most of some of this technology to enable a truly interactive summer of events, fit for the 21st century.

A formal presentation ceremony was held on Wednesday 21 March to grant the title of Honorary Freeman upon Councillor Delmas Ashford. The Ceremony was held in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre and was attended by the Bishop of Chelmsford, Councillors and family and friends of Councillor Ashford.

On Saturday 17 March the impressively restored Stables Centre at Hylands was officially opened. The event marked the culmination of more than 10 years of planning, investment and hard work to restore Hylands House and Estate.

This Easter holiday Chelmsford Borough Council will bring science to life by hosting unique, hands-on, imaginative science sessions for children aged 5 to 11 years. The fun, interactive and educational sessions will be a great way to capture the imagination of children.

The Civic Theatre is delighted to welcome the moving, musical drama Elgar - Stirring the Spirit (Saturday 31 March), which offers a compelling tribute to the life and music of one of England's finest composers.

If you or your family visit the Civic or Cramphorn Theatre, we are looking for your views - and you could win a £25 voucher!

A Benfleet resident has been fined by Chelmsford Magistrates for littering in Chelmsford High Street.

Chelmsford Borough Council is once again organising the popular spring clean litter pick event in Chelmsford town centre on Saturday 31 March, and is encouraging even more local residents to join in this year.

A giant lozenge will appear in Chelmsford's high street when a major campaign is launched to showcase the county town. Pavement artists will chalk the lozenge-shaped icon on the High Street on Friday 23 March to start the initiative by a group of business leaders to highlight Chelmsford's attractions to visitors, businesses and those who live and work in the town.

At a Chelmsford Borough Council Cabinet last night, Members agreed to an exchange of land in New Writtle Street, which will allow Essex Cricket Club, to proceed with a comprehensive redevelopment of its facilities, in conjunction with its development partner, MCD.

Chelmsford Borough Council's website - www.chelmsford.gov.uk - has improved its ranking for the third year in a row according to a top industry body.

Works to bring Chelmsford Borough Council's CCTV control centre into a new and exciting era have now been completed. The system, which originally went 'live' in 1996, has now been transformed using state of the art technology.

Some important figures in the world of street theatre were in Chelmsford on Thursday 8 March. The promoters and producers were in town to attend a meeting of the Independent Street Arts Network (ISAN) being hosted by Chelmsford Borough Council.

Press and photographers are invited to attend the official opening of the Stables Centre on Saturday 17 March, 11am - 3pm. After two years of estate restoration work, the Grade II listed Stables Centre, located next to Hylands House, is now open to the public. To mark this special occasion the Mayor of Chelmsford, Councillor Margaret Hutchon will be presiding over the opening ceremony on Saturday 17 March.

Chelmsford Borough Council is hosting a series of free information seminars for businesses wanting to find out more about the new 'Smokefree England' legislation, coming into force from 1 July 2007.

Chelmsford has yet again been selected as a filming location, this time Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre was used for an episode of the hugely popular "Brainiac: Science Abuse" TV show.

Chelmsford Borough Council has appointed a new Town Centre Marketing Manager. Mike Wray, who has been caretaking the role for 3 months, has been appointed to help market and promote Chelmsford. He will work closely with local business and retailer associations, market traders, voluntary organisations and emergency services on town centre issues.

Chelmsford is celebrating St Patrick's Day this year in style with a day of fun and entertainment for all the family. Organised by Chelmsford Borough Council's Town Centre Management team, Market Square will host the St Patrick's Day event next to the indoor retail market on 17 March 2007 between 11.00am and 3.00pm.

Chelmsford Museum, run by Chelmsford Borough Council, will be running a series of workshops for schools which link with the Civic Theatre's run of 'Horrible Histories' this week.

Businesses within Mid Essex (Chelmsford, Brentwood and Maldon) are being asked to have their say on the current issues affecting them, as part of a piece of research commissioned by the Heart of Essex Business Group.

Chelmsford Borough Council is delighted to announce the final programme for Celebrate Chelmsford. The festival will feature more than 80 unique and entertaining events taking place across Chelmsford Borough during May, June and July.

Representatives of the Scout Association from around the world came to Hylands Park on Friday 23 February to visit the location of the 21st World Scout Jamboree taking place in July and August this year.

This April Chelmsford Borough Council's sports centres have over 70 different courses running. Activities include gymnastics, trampolining, dance, arts & crafts, cricket, climbing, go karts, swimming, rugby, athletics, football and ice-skating.

More than 170 candidates had been nominated for election to Chelmsford Borough Council when nominations closed at noon today (Wednesday 4 April).