Lib Dem council leader Chris Millington and Cllr Lorna Spenceley were on hand to meet government minister John Healey MP yesterday, when he came to Harlow to see at first hand the story of Harlow Council's improvement.

Mr Healey, minister for local government at the Department of Communities & Local Government, toured Harlow and met councillors, officers and partner organisations at the Civic Centre for a presentation on how the council moved straight from being a Poor council to a Good one - a step taken by only four other district councils in the country. Cllr Millington says:

"The improvement demonstrated by Harlow Council is clearly of interest well beyond our boundaries. It's great news that ministers are keen to visit us to find out how we achieved it, and to hear about our ambitious plans for the future and the regeneration of Harlow."