Today is Carers Rights Day, and the Liberal Democrats are continuing to stand up for carers.

The Covid pandemic has shown that we are a nation of carers. But it's also shown how, for this Conservative Government carers are nothing more than an afterthought.

From Ministers' abject failure to protect people in care homes, to their refusal to raise Carer's Allowance when they put up Universal Credit, carers have been forgotten and ignored again and again.

At a meeting of the Executive last night, several new project proposals were announced to enhance the local environment. The proposals set out funding for a pavement cleaning machine, protective measures for parks, a major play area refurbishment programme, tree planting, footway renewal and verge protection.

A swathe of purple crocuses will appear in Chelmsford's Central Park next spring. The bulbs were donated by the Chelmsford Rivermead Rotary Club in recognition of World Polio Day and were planted by the Mayor of Chelmsford, Cllr Jude Deakin, and representatives from the Rotary Club.

Help was given by the Council's parks team, who prepared the flowerbed. The arc-shaped planting area is near the park's tennis courts, just before you reach the railway viaducts when walking towards Admirals Park from the lake.