News in Burnham and Dengie

Maldon district's policing team have been out and about in the villages and rural areas in and close to the Dengie today (Friday, 5 March) on the lookout for fly-tippers.

The team have been patrolled Cold Norton, Stow Maries, South Woodham Ferrers, Bicknacre and Battlesbridge as part of a drive to reduce the problem after residents recently reported fly-tipping in the area.

The county council has given an explanation of how some children living in the Dengie Peninsula were this week allocated secondary school places as far away as Brightlingsea.

It appears that the potential demand for places in September this year was calculated on the basis that the need would be exactly the same as that for 2020. Officials are now looking into why that has not been the case.

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.

The Dengie's new 'Tri-Service Rural Community Officer' will be plunging straight into the role at Southminster tomorrow (Friday, 5 March) with a door-knocking visit in response to concerns over criminal activity in the village.

Les Davis is working collaboratively for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS), Essex Police and East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST) - in a role that's been created as part a 15-month pilot to reach out to some of the more remote rural communities of the Dengie Peninsula.

Ormiston Rivers Academy has given a reaction to news this week of the disappointment of a number of Dengie parents when their children were allocated secondary school places outside the district - many miles in some cases.

The school confirmed that it is working with Essex County Council to come up with a solution to the problem this year and of the hope that the academy will be able to expand student intake in future years.

News of more government funding pledged for domestic abuse victims has been welcomed by Essex County Council, which has vowed to "grow" the support services available locally.

The announcement by the Government yesterday (Wednesday, 3 March) comes amid a growth in reported domestic abuse in Maldon district during the pandemic, revealed in a report by Maldon's policing team to Maldon District Council back in October.

There is hope that this evening (Wednesday, 3 March) that Dengie parents will not now face having to send their children miles out of area to school.

There was an outcry on Monday when Essex County Council allocated secondary school places - with some children living in the Dengie area receiving places as far away as Brightlingsea and Rochord.

Essex Wildlife Trust has submitted plans to create a 20 hectares wetland habitat for wildfowl and waders at Blue House Farm nature reserve in Fambridge.

The proposal, submitted to Maldon District Council, would create wetland habitat for breeding and overwintering the birds.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed his budget in the House of Commons today (Wednesday, 3 March).

The Chancellor spoke of how Coronavirus has 'fundamentally changed our lives' and promised to do 'whatever it takes' to help the economy.

The air ambulance serving Burnham-on-Crouch and the Dengie is looking for 60 people to help it raise £30,000 so that the charity's critical care teams can continue carrying blood to patients who need it most.

Each year Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Trust (EHAAT) treats approximately 60 people in need of a potentially life-saving blood transfusion at the scene of an incident.