Mayor of Chelmsford visits Scooter Mobility Training Centre to get the facts.

Cllr Bob Shepherd MBE has a long history of support for charities, including Riding for the Disabled and, as a former senior Police officer was particularly shocked at the recent mobility scooter/express train incident at Kelvedon (Essex Chronicle 28 July 2011).

He asked to visit a mobility scooter training course as a matter of urgency and visited Disability Essex today, 3 August. He met Mrs Cathy Shinn, a trainee on the latest course. She is a former Parish Council Chairman and was most keen to improve her own skills and raise awareness in the rural community. She brought her own 'eco-scooter' that has a solar panel to keep her batteries charged throughout the day.

Whilst at Rochford, Cllr Shepherd and his wife Doreen took the opportunity to go on a full tour of the low-energy building (www.centrefordisabilitystudies.org). He undertook to bring more parish councillors from theChelmsford area to look at the techniques used to save energy and reduce costs. The new Parish Centre at Highfields is, like the Rochford Centre, a 'PassivHaus' design - following the growing trend of low energy buildings being built in Essex.