Michelle was joined for Brentwood Council’s 2021 Round up with Joint Chief Executive of Brentwood Borough Council & Rochford District Council Jonathan Stephenson.

UPDATE 

This year – 2021

** Handover of the Leisure Centre ** 5^th Brentwood Business Showcase 85 stands 500 visitors  – set up BEBA and it has held its first meeting ** Play Areas Hutton £320,000 KGPF Junior Play Area £265,000 ** Stars of Brentwood and Sports Stars ** Discover Summer; pop up market, Vegan market, Artisan Market (Ingatestone) Crown Street Festival, Family Fun Days & Safari trail and Discover Brentwood website ** Community Funding for community projects ** Community Hub and Community Trailer & Can in a Van ** Whittington Road (10 garages to become 3, 2-storey town houses and 33 parking spaces ** Brookfield Close – 62 zero carbon houses (22 flats, 16 new build and 70% affordable housing) ** Remembrance Parade ** Co-Wheels club set up ** EV charger installed at the Town Hall ** Hole Farm 150,000 trees to be planted (with Lower Thames Crossing) ** Election & Census * Council purchased Bay Tree Centre and Childerditch Industrial Estate * new Apprentices joined ** Click it Local ** Distributed £50m in grants and business rate relief ** council meetings & livestream option **ASELA **

Next year – 2022

** More tree planting and the development of the green initiatives through BEBA ** King George’s Adventure Play are to open around Easter £1.3m Splash Pad ** North Road, Crescent Road, Ingrave Johnston, Bishops Hall all to get upgrades £600,000+ ** Tree planting across the borough ** High Streets Conference in January to discuss the way forward (includes residents but number limited more details to come next year) ** Civic Award entries close February 14

1. Covid – face masks and work from home new rules

• If you can work from home, then you should from Monday
• From today (Friday) mask wearing will become mandatory for most indoor settings (except hospitality). We await further clarification
• From 15 December, introduction of mandatory certification for certain settings. This will mean a requirement to show vaccination status or a recent negative test to enter certain high-risk settings.
• Daily testing will be a requirement for those who come into contact with a positive case of Covid-19.

The guidance for a while has been to test twice a week, download the NHS App and to ‘check in’ via the QR code at every venue you visit.

1. The new round of business funding (Essex Business Adaptation Grants) closes to applications on December 12.

** An additional £200,000 has been provided to Brentwood Borough Council from Essex County Council for a new round of Essex Business Adaptation Grants  ** Companies can apply for up to £5,000 to buy new equipment or to support employees to work from home. Business owners must show that they will use the money to make changes that will protect the health and safety of employees and customers.

1. **  In January a new £250,000 Business Growth Grant which will award sums of £1,000 to £10,000 to grow their businesses in 2022. email business@brentwood.gov.uk.

Finally – Discover Winter –Thursday night late night shopping evenings – check www.discoverbrentwood.co.uk

The Naughty Elf trail is underway with Elves popping up in shop windows across Brentwood, Ingatestone and Shenfield.

Saturday sees Christmas entertainment in Brentwood high street including Santa and Sunday it is Christmas entertainment in Shenfield plus the Christmas market Ingatestone from 12-5

Saturday 18^th – more entertainment in Brentwood high street