Waltham Abbey Town Centre businesses have formed a new association to support each other, improve communication between the businesses and the Town Council, Waltham Abbey Town Partnership, District and County Councils and ultimately to increase trade in the Town.

The group has been named the Town Centre Business Association (TCBA) by founder members Gavin Ward, Chair (Henry Ward Property Solutions) and Shane Brown, Vice Chair (Waltham Abbey Opticians).  The group was formed following a meeting of traders and town council members last year when it became very evident that communication needed to be improved and working together was the best way forward for the town as a whole.

They held their first meeting on 2nd February 2011 and now have 45 members representing 39 businesses in the town centre and are hopeful more will join as news spreads of the group and their expectations.

Construction of a £6.1m flood protection scheme in Keswick is set to begin.

More than 180 homes and businesses at risk of flooding from the River Greta will benefit from the Environment Agency's scheme.

Keswick has a history of flooding, the most recent being in November 2009, which affected 140 homes in the town.

Work will begin on Monday and is expected to take up to 15 months to complete.

It will include the raising of flood walls and embankments along the River Greta through Keswick, including Crosthwaite Road, High Hill, Elliott Park, Southey Hill Industrial Estate and Penrith Road.

As part of the scheme, the wall along High Hill will be raised using a combination of Lakeland stone and glass panels which aims to protect views of the river, whilst reducing flood risk.