Chelmsford Ushers in the Festive Season
The countdown to Christmas officially began in Chelmsford with the cheerful switch-on of the city's Christmas lights. The event, which started on the main stage outside Shire Hall, transformed the High Street with a vibrant, uplifting atmosphere. Crowds thronged through the city centre, enjoying the festive offerings from pop-up traders and managing to stay dry while exploring the shops. The successful event was a collaborative effort from teams at Chelmsford For You and BBC Essex.
A Week of Community Engagement and Key Openings
For local MP Marie Goldman, the lights switch-on capped off an exceptionally busy week. It began with a visit to Farleigh Hospice to meet its new chief executive, Michelle Kabia. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss sector-wide challenges and meet the dedicated team.
Following this, the MP performed the official ribbon-cutting at the long-awaited Beaulieu Healthcare Centre. She expressed her delight in helping get the project over the line in recent months. This new facility, run by the Elizabeth Courtauld Partnership, was created through a partnership involving Chelmsford City Council, the NHS, and developer Vistry, providing much-needed additional healthcare provision for the area.
Advocating for SEND Support and NHS Staff
On Tuesday, Marie Goldman attended a community event for parents of children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), organised by the parent-run group Bright Futures. The meeting, which included representatives from Essex County Council's SEND Operations, was dominated by parents' frustrations over poor communication, leaving many feeling ignored. The MP highlighted the urgent need for action from the council's politicians, stressing that children's education and life chances are at stake. She also noted the disappointing delay of the Government's SEND reform White Paper until spring at the earliest.
Later that day, the MP met with the Care Quality Commission to discuss a damning report on the Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. The report, which assessed how well the trust is led, revealed critically low staff morale, with employees feeling their concerns were not listened to or acted upon. In response, Marie Goldman is organising roundtable discussions with NHS staff to hear their candid feedback and work with the trust towards solutions.
Focus on Community Safety and Local Business
The week also included planning for next year's Chelmsford Science Festival and a sobering visit to the Community Safety Trust (CST) in London. The CST provides security for synagogues and Jewish schools and works on counter-terrorism focusing on anti-semitism. The MP heard firsthand from Year 6 pupils at a Jewish primary school about their experiences of anti-semitic hatred, which she described as totally unacceptable.
To round off the week, she hosted a dinner in Parliament for local Chelmsford and Essex businesses, organised by the Essex Chambers of Commerce. Discussions centred on challenges posed by the new Employment Rights Bill. The MP also outlined the Liberal Democrats' policy for a temporary windfall tax on big banks, which could raise £30bn over five years to lower VAT for hospitality businesses to 15%.
It was another packed and impactful week for the MP, highlighting both the festive joys and the critical community issues facing Chelmsford.
