Andrew Sinclair
BBC Look East political correspondent

Local councils are warning that they're facing a financial crisis because of a big drop in their income due to the coronavirus outbreak.

They're writing to the government asking for extra funding later in the year so they can afford to keep running services.

They say that with leisure centres and museums closed, tenants unable to pay their rent and motorists staying away from car parks, they are losing an important source of income.

Ipswich Borough Council makes £2m a month from its commercial activities while Norwich City Council earns £500,000 a month from parking charges.

I understand Cambridge City Council is warning it could be £10m in the red at the end of this crisis.

The government says it's giving extra help to councils and they should also think about using their reserves.

But councils say it's not enough - Ipswich's Labour leader David Ellesmere said "the government's given us £76,000 - that won't cover our loss of income for even a week".

Orla Moore
BBC News

City road projects across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been suspended in the light of the government's "stay at home" advice, the county council has confirmed.

Roadworks, including the development of the King's Dyke crossing and smaller inner-city projects, have been put on hold "to protect the public and workforce".

The A15 junction 18 Rhubarb Bridge works will end tomorrow as planned.

County council leader Steve Count said: "It is absolutely vital we all follow the advice from government and stay at home.

"We have assessed this impact on our highway services contracts and the ability to deliver on the ground and adopt a managed approach to the tightening restrictions and reduce risk."

John Holdich, leader of Peterborough City Council, said: "We have to be sensible and protect the public as well as our workforce.

"With a number of supply chains shutting down their operations, the need for social distancing, along with the pressure on resource, we have had to take this decision to close down our sites."

Video shows police removing councillor Joanne Rust from a swimming pool in Tenerife.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Every rough sleeper in Cambridge will be offered accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic, the city council has said.

It has identified some of its own properties and is in discussions with housing associations, hoteliers, bed and breakfast providers and private landlords "to ensure that the council is in a position to respond to demand as it arises".

Image source, LDRS

"Organisations providing front-line homeless hostel and day centre services may have individual cases where self-isolation is extremely problematic," said the authority.

The government has provided £24,750 to help it support those on the streets throughout the pandemic, said the council, with the option to bid for more if needed.

Cambridge City Council says it will be suspending the eviction of council tenants, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The council said the move was in order to protect tenants who were sick, self-isolating or suffering from financial hardship as a result of the virus.

Councillor Richard Johnson, executive councillor for housing at the Labour-run authority, external, said: "The council remains committed to continuing its financial support services to our most vulnerable residents who are affected during this time.

“We are working hard to operate a service which is as near as possible to ‘business as usual’ for these customers."

Tenants in need of support were invited to call the council on 01223 457000 to discuss their concerns.

Steve Shaw
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Image source, David Antiss/Geograph

Thurrock Council has taken the "unprecedented" step of allowing businesses to defer their rate payments until May.

The Conservative-run council, external has chosen to give businesses some relief from the tax as the country goes into lockdown conditions with only essential firms such as supermarkets being permitted to open.

Shane Hebb, cabinet member for finance, said the council "will make sure that our local businesses get the breathing space they need while the government’s plans are put in place".

All parks, play areas and open spaces are now closed in the Brentwood Borough Council, external area.

Public toilets in Brentwood High Street and Ingatestone are also shut.

The following closures are in place for Brentwood:

• Golf course
• Bowling rinks
• Multi-storey car parks, except to residents of Baytree Centre - season ticket holders to use William Hunter Way car park

Image source, Marathon/Geograph

All refuse services are running as normal, along with cemeteries and burials.

The move comes after the local MP urges tourists to stay away to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Derby City Council says the authority is facing an "unprecedented situation".

Dominique Russell, 30, is given an 18-month conditional discharge.

Swimming pools, sports centres and an Ed Sheeran exhibition in Ipswich are all shut to the public.

Liam Russell, 32, denied the manslaughter of Reece Hornibrook and was found not guilty.

The knitting group set up to bring comfort to dying patients and their families.

Liam Russell, 32, denies the manslaughter of Reece Hornibrook, who was hit in King's Lynn last July.

The aircraft will be replaced by another jet to mark 40 years' service of the Tornado force.

The 17-year-old died from a brain injury two days after being punched in the street.

The kindness shown when George Fawkes, 12, lost his cuddly kangaroo inspired his family.

Police said 15 arrests have been made, 25 stolen vehicles found and £150,000 seized.

The budget meeting was abandoned on police advice, the council says.

The school will be the first state-funded Catholic school built in England for more than a decade.