The Chelmsford Times is an independent news and information site for Chelmsford and the towns around it. We work from documents, we link to them, and we are not connected to any of the councils involved.
Our patch
Chelmsford is the anchor: the city centre, Springfield, Moulsham, Great Baddow, Galleywood, Writtle, Broomfield and the new housing on the edges, all under Chelmsford City Council. Maldon, down on the Blackwater, and Witham, up the road towards Colchester, are in separate district councils. We cover them and we are clear about which authority answers for each, because it decides everything from the bin day to who rules on the application next door. Essex County Council is responsible for roads, schools and social care across all three.
What we report
Planning registers and committee papers from each council, licensing notices, police.uk crime data, HM Land Registry sold prices, Food Standards Agency hygiene ratings, Environment Agency flood warnings for the Chelmer, the Can and the Blackwater, and company filings in The Gazette. Every fact links to the original document, and where a record is ambiguous we say so instead of picking the more interesting reading.
Reorganisation
Essex is due to be reorganised into a smaller number of unitary authorities from April 2028. That will change who is responsible for planning, bins and council tax across this area. We will report what the published documents say as the detail is settled, and keep the reference pages on this site pointing at whoever actually answers on the day you read them.
Tips and corrections
Email hello@chelmsfordtimes.co.uk with a tip, an event worth listing, or a correction. We read everything, tips are treated in confidence, and corrections go up quickly and are noted on the page.
The Chelmsford Times is part of the GOB Media Group.