Essex County Council

BBCCopyright: BBC

Essex County Council has announced that the first 16 of its libraries will reopen on 6 July.

It is hoped a further 44 libraries can reopen on 16 July, but the reopening of the remaining 14 libraries will be kept "under review".

Susan Barker, cabinet member for Essex Libraries, said: "It has been vital to plan to reopen sites in stages in order to ensure that we could carry out appropriate risk assessments and put procedures in place to ensure our customers and employees remain safe."People will be able to return and borrow books, as well as have some limited time to browse the shelves.

• The Colchester Gazette is reporting statistics from Public Health England show 10 additional cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Southend with 30 more in the Essex County Council area and 12 in Thurrock
• The Southend Echo is reporting the county is set to sizzle in six days of sun and the Met Office has said temperatures are going to reach highs of 29C
• The Witham and Braintree Times reports a green-fingered great-granddad from Dovercourt believes he has grown one of the tallest garden flowers in the country - which now stands at an impressive 14ft tall

The government has said it would be willing to work with Essex County Council on any plan to set up summer camps to help pupils catch up on the teaching they missed out on during lockdown.

The idea was raised in the Commons by Harlow MP Robert Halfon, who welcomed the £1bn package to help pupils catch up on missed teaching.

But the Conservative MP - who is also chairman of the Commons Education Committee - wanted assurances that councils would have a say in the way that money was spent.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the government will look at the idea.

UK ParliamentCopyright: UK Parliament

Town centres across Essex are to be made more cycle- and pedestrian-friendly as part of the county council’s response to create a lasting legacy in the wake of the Covid-19 emergency.

Traffic restrictions will be applied to Wickford, Billericay and Colchester town centres – the latter of which will see wide-ranging street closures.

The on-street temporary measures, which may include barriers, signs and cones on routes in the town centre are due to start next Monday to assist further reopening of non-essential retail businesses.

Keith Edkin/GeographCopyright: Keith Edkin/Geograph

The changes are set to be introduced initially as a 21-day trial by Conservative-controlled Essex County Council. If they are effective then they will be continued for an additional 21 days.

It comes in the wake of a directive from the goverment's transport secretary Grant Shapps,who last month urged local authorities to grasp the “once in a generation opportunity”Covid-19 presents to alter how we make short journeys in our towns and cities.

Keith Edkin/GeographCopyright: Keith Edkin/Geograph

A number of Essex shopping areas are to be altered, starting on Monday, to get them ready for retail reopening a week later following further relaxation of lockdown rules.

Officials are hoping the changes will give people more room to practice social distancing.

In Chelmsford, pavements will be widened and an area around the railway station will be made one-way.

In Colchester (pictured), people will be asked to keep on the left-hand side of pavements and hand sanitiser would be available next to parking machines.

The deputy leader of Essex County Council, Conservative Kevin Bentley,said public safety was a top priority and he wanted to see people better segregated from traffic.