East Anglian businesses and councils prepare for a No Deal Brexit

East Anglian businesses and councils are preparing for a No Deal Brexit.

Companies and local authorities in the East of England have stepped up their planning for leaving the European Union without an agreement.

The Prime Minister has announced parliament is going to be shut down for five weeks in the run up to October's Brexit deadline.

Critics claim it's an attempt to block any vote to stop a No Deal Brexit - and could make that outcome even more likely.

At the G's Farm Group based at Barway near Ely they employ a hundreds of seasonal workers from the EU.

But they say uncertainty over Government immigration policy and the possibility of a No Deal Brexit outcome at the end of October bas made it very difficult to plan how they'll recruit for next year's harvest.

  • Click to watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Stuart Leithes

Concerns about recruitment are also affecting the public sector.

Papers obtained by campaign group The People's Vote have revealed that Cambridgeshire County Council has created a "risk register" to work out which services could be affected by a No Deal.

It includes the availability of care workers, cleaners, security staff and construction workers.

They're also concerned about the impact on the community of increased costs for products, materials and services.

The document also mentions the possibility of damage to community cohesion, and shortages of fuel and medicines.

Cambridgeshire County Council is spending an additional £87,000 on Brexit planning. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Cambridgeshire County Council told ITV News its plans were "advanced and well developed" with an additional £87,000 from the £20 million the government has set aside for Brexit planning.