A Brentwood Gazette investigation into the casework raised by councillors has shown some pretty impressive statistics for Lib Dem councillors and some very poor results for the borough's Tories.
Casework records reveal that Conservative councillors, on average, have raised 14 cases each over nine months compared to 38 for the Lib Dems.
Liberal Democrat councillors have condemned the pay bonanza for top staff at Essex County Council.
The Liberal Democrats, who are the main opposition to the Council's ruling Conservatives, have uncovered shocking figures which show that the number of Council employees (excluding school staff) paid £80,000 or more has nearly doubled in a year.
The news that Brentwood will no longer be sharing joint Chief Executive Joanna Killian with Essex County Council has been welcomed by Lib Dem leader Cllr David Kendall and his colleagues on the Borough Council. The controversial County Partnership was supported by both Conservative and Labour councillors.
2011 saw Brentwood North Lib Dem Cllrs successfully persuade the Highways Committee to approve extended residents parking hours until 9pm. This is important as we need to ensure that residents living on North Road Avenue can park their cars upon arriving home late when the William Hunter Way Development has been built.
As the refurbished clock was unveiled in Brentwood High Street on Wednesday (25/1/12) it was great to see that Jill Hubbard, former Lib Dem councillor for Warley, was there to see it happen.
It was Jill who saw the clock lying in a sorry state at the Council's Depot in Warley, alerted the press and asked for it to be returned to it's rightful place in the High Street.
Further to the Brentwood Gazette's claim that Brentwood North's Cllr James Sapwell is considering joining the Conservatives, Cllr Sapwell has issued the following statement:
"In light of the puzzling tip off - presumably recieved from the Conservatives - and published in the Brentwood Gazette today, I wish to confirm my 100% committment to the Liberal Democrats and their commitment to Brentwood.
The decision by Cllr Nigel Clarke to leave the Liberal Democrats and defect to the Conservatives has left me and many of his former friends and colleagues feeling very let down and disappointed because we have worked closely with him and supported him over a number of years and shared many highs and lows.