Your council
Chelmsford: what’s happening where you live
What the council itself has published on the five things it most shapes for a household: homes, getting about, the bill, the local environment and schools. Each line is quoted from the council’s own document, with the link. This page says what was decided or proposed; it never says whether it was right.
Chelmsford City Council: Non-metropolitan district (lower tier), England, East of England; within the county of ESS. GOV.UK lists it as a district council, within Essex County Council.
Council website · Publication scheme · Disclosure log
Do it online
- Household waste collection: Providing information
- Household waste collection: Reporting
- Bulky household waste collections: Applications for service
- Household garden waste: Providing information
- Recycling bags and containers: Providing information
- Flytipping: Reporting
- Noise pollution: Reporting
- Council tax annual notification: Providing information
- Council tax annual notification: Collecting revenue
- Council tax discount: Applications for service
- Council tax benefit new claim: Applications for service
- Housing benefit new claim: Providing information
- Electoral register: Providing information
- Electoral register: Applications for service
- Parking permits: Providing information
- Planning decision notices: Providing information
- Councillors directory: Providing information
- Complaints procedure: Providing information
Housing
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Transport
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Council tax
Band D set by Chelmsford for 2026–27: £234.85 of a £2,300.18 total bill in the area.
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Environment
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Education
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Changes to schools in this area recorded by the Department for Education Updated automatically
No school here is currently recorded as proposed to open or close.
In the last twelve months: 2 opened (1 academy converter, 1 fresh start), 2 closed (1 academy converter, 1 fresh start)
- Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (primary) — closed; reason recorded: academy converter, 31 December 2025
- Lift Columbus — closed; reason recorded: fresh start, 31 August 2026
- Downham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (primary) — open; reason recorded: academy converter, 1 January 2026
- The Bridge Columbus — open; reason recorded: fresh start, 1 September 2026
What the council plans to spend, 2026–27
| Service | Budget |
|---|---|
| Education services | none budgeted |
| Highways and transport services | −£5.3 million |
| Children's social care | none budgeted |
| Adult social care | none budgeted |
| Public health | none budgeted |
| Housing services (general fund only) | £12.9 million |
| Cultural and related services | £7.7 million |
| Environmental and regulatory services | £9.4 million |
| Planning and development services | £3.6 million |
| Police services | none budgeted |
| Fire and rescue services | none budgeted |
| Central services | £8.2 million |
| Other services | none budgeted |
| Total service expenditure | £36.6 million |
Chelmsford in numbers
- Total population
- 188,803 people
- Median age
- 41 years
- Gross disposable household income per head
- £28,603
- Gross median weekly pay
- £715
- Children in relative poverty after housing costs
- 16.7%
- Claimant Count
- 2.6%
- Average house price
- £378,080
- Housing affordability ratio (residence-based)
- 8.9 affordability ratio
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- 4.7 tCO2e per capita
- Gigabit capable broadband
- 87.9%
- Public electric vehicle chargers
- 105.4 per 100,000 population
- Active businesses
- 8,710 number of enterprises
Who runs the council
57 seats in 2026. Run by: Liberal Democrats, with a majority.
Councillors by party: Liberal Democrats 31, Conservative and Unionist 19, Independent / Other 4, Reform UK 2, Independent Network 1.
Next scheduled council election: 6 May 2027.
All 57 councillors, by ward
- Mark Taylor (Independent / Other) — Bicknacre and East and West Hanningfield
- Sue Dobson (Conservative and Unionist) — Bicknacre and East and West Hanningfield
- James Raven (Conservative and Unionist) — Boreham and The Leighs
- Victoria Canning (Conservative and Unionist) — Boreham and The Leighs
- Mike Steel (Conservative and Unionist) — Broomfield and The Walthams
- Philip Wilson (Conservative and Unionist) — Broomfield and The Walthams
- Seena Shah (Conservative and Unionist) — Broomfield and The Walthams
- Rose Moore (Liberal Democrats) — Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park
- Steve Hall (Liberal Democrats) — Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park
- Susan Sullivan (Conservative and Unionist) — Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park
- Nicolette Chambers (Conservative and Unionist) — Chelmsford Rural West
- Janette Potter (Conservative and Unionist) — Galleywood
- Richard Hyland (Independent Network) — Galleywood
- Hazel Clark (Liberal Democrats) — Goat Hall
- Linda Mascot (Liberal Democrats) — Goat Hall
- Andrew Sosin (Liberal Democrats) — Great Baddow East
- Kieron Franks (Liberal Democrats) — Great Baddow East
- Pete Davey (Liberal Democrats) — Great Baddow East
- Janetta Sosin (Liberal Democrats) — Great Baddow West
- Sue Young (Liberal Democrats) — Great Baddow West
- Jacob Armstrong (Reform UK) — Little Baddow, Danbury and Sandon
- Julia Jeapes (Conservative and Unionist) — Little Baddow, Danbury and Sandon
- Steph Scott (Conservative and Unionist) — Little Baddow, Danbury and Sandon
- Jude Deakin (Independent / Other) — Marconi
- Smita Rajesh (Liberal Democrats) — Marconi
- Charlene Adutwim (Liberal Democrats) — Moulsham and Central
- Helen Ayres (Liberal Democrats) — Moulsham and Central
- Seán Manley (Liberal Democrats) — Moulsham and Central
- Ashley Thompson (Liberal Democrats) — Moulsham Lodge
- Simon Goldman (Liberal Democrats) — Moulsham Lodge
- Chris Davidson (Liberal Democrats) — Patching Hall
- Lynne Foster (Liberal Democrats) — Patching Hall
- Vetri Pappa (Conservative and Unionist) — Patching Hall
- Paul Clark (Reform UK) — Rettendon and Runwell
- Steve Davis (Independent / Other) — Rettendon and Runwell
- Gillian Bonnett (Conservative and Unionist) — South Hanningfield, Stock and Margaretting
- Roy Whitehead (Conservative and Unionist) — South Hanningfield, Stock and Margaretting
- Ashley John (Conservative and Unionist) — South Woodham-Chetwood and Collingwood
- Bob Massey (Conservative and Unionist) — South Woodham-Chetwood and Collingwood
- Malcolm Sismey (Conservative and Unionist) — South Woodham-Chetwood and Collingwood
- Donna Eley (Liberal Democrats) — South Woodham-Elmwood and Woodville
- Murrough O'Brien (Conservative and Unionist) — South Woodham-Elmwood and Woodville
- Terry Sherlock (Liberal Democrats) — South Woodham-Elmwood and Woodville
- Chloe Tron (Liberal Democrats) — Springfield North
- Dan Clark (Liberal Democrats) — Springfield North
- Ian Fuller (Liberal Democrats) — Springfield North
- Ann Davidson (Liberal Democrats) — St Andrews
- Joanne Hawkins (Liberal Democrats) — St Andrews
- Stephen Robinson (Liberal Democrats) — St Andrews
- Natacha Dudley (Liberal Democrats) — The Lawns
- Richard Lee (Liberal Democrats) — The Lawns
- Eleanor Sampson (Liberal Democrats) — Trinity
- Julia Frascona (Liberal Democrats) — Trinity
- Jennie Lardge (Liberal Democrats) — Waterhouse Farm
- Nora Walsh (Liberal Democrats) — Waterhouse Farm
- Andrew Thorpe-Apps (Conservative and Unionist) — Writtle
- Barry Knight (Independent / Other) — Writtle