North Weald Bassett Parish Council will receive £50,000 from the Government regardless of whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal.

The money will be used as part of the 'HGV Brexit checkpoint' being set up at North Weald Airfield.

In an email to North Weald parish clerk Sue DeLuca, Epping Forest District Council chief executive Georgina Blakemore, said: "The North Weald HMRC Customs arrangement (£50,000 to the parish council) "is in place regardless of EU exit or non-exit. Therefore the funding will be paid to you whether the operation goes live or not.

"HMRC (Border Force) had to have a Brexit solution in place so therefore all contracts and permissions have been entered into on that basis."

Councillor Terry Blanks told the parish council at their meeting on Monday, October 7, that he had asked Ms Blakemore a request.

He asked that lorries using the checkpoint should use the A414, Rayley Lane and Merlin Way and not go through the village.

Councillor Andy Tyler said the council should ask parishioners what they would like the money to be spent on, and council chairman Alan Buckley added: "We will need to give some serious thought as to how it can be used."

Councillors have been asked to come up with preliminary ideas in the next two to three months.

Councillor Baden Clegg said it was his understanding that some 30 applicants had been recruited by HMRC to process the lorries should the 'no deal' Brexit happen on Thursday, October 31.