Baroness Ros Scott, Lib Dem President, was in town tonight talking to Lib Dem members at the South Weald Parish Hall.

Ros is an inspirational speaker and I’m sure the party will go from strength to strength as she steers the party with Nick Clegg.

Some of you may have read a press report regarding a Tory councillor reporting David to the Standards Board.  I’m pleased to say that David has been completely cleared of all charges against him by an independent report into the “incident”. 

It is a shame that someone decided to leak this story to the press last week and the story broke yesterday, the day after the report cleared him. 

Well done to everyone who attended and spoke at the Citizens Panel today.  It was refreshing to see hear new voices and see new faces debating matters in the council chamber and you certainly made your voices heard!

I saw a few Brentwood West residents there raising issues that were important to them and I applaud them for that!

I wasn’t allowed to attend - it was decided best that you were uninhibited by councillors and I agree with this stance.  But I couldn’t resist tuning in to the webcast!

We would like to make you aware that Weald Road, from High Street to Western Road, will be shut from 1st  February 2009 for around eight weeks for the demolition of 141-147 High Street (Sir Charles Napier pub etc.)

There will be a diversion via High Street, Ongar Road, William Hunter Way and Western Road. 

This is all the information we have at the moment but, as soon as we get updated, they will be posted on the site.

I’ve added a link to my site for my residents to help you save money in these tough times. 

Martyn Lewis’ moneysavingexpert.com site is one I have been using for a long time and it has loads of tips on saving from everything to petrol to high street discounts.

Click here: http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/

Parking issues are raised with me more than anything else!  Recently, I’ve conducted surveys in some areas, such as Clements Park, to canvass residents’ views.

If you have any issues you’d like to make me aware of, please send me a comment.

Hoping you all have a good New Year’s Eve!  Talk to you in 2009!

Karen x

We’re asking for the Conservative Leader of Brentwood Council to confirm whether he lives in Brentwood or Hemsby.  We’re just a little confused after this letter appeared on his website: http://www.brandonlewis.co.uk/ul/Hemsby%20letter.pdf

Full story here: http://www.brentwood-ongarlibdems.org.uk/news/000113/lib_dems_ask_tory_council_leader_brentwood_or_hemsby.html

In case of an emergency, here’s a link to the BBC Essex site with all emergency numbers from reporting gas leaks to domestic violence and the RSPCA to Floodline:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/essex/content/articles/2007/12/04/emergency_list_2007_feature.shtml

For the “I’ve run out of milk” type emergency, the BP Connect/M&S in Pilgrims Hatch is open all over Christmas.

It’s been a long day!  I’ve been up since seven this morning cooking dinner for our local party members. 

We’ve had a great day and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  I got lots of compliments on the food - which bodes well for Christmas Day when I’m cooking for the family!

I had the help of my lovely vice-chair, Nina Cutbush, and our membership secretary, Linda Price, also lovely and my mum too!

We do have a lot of fun socialising together so, if you would like to join and be part of the team then just give me a call!