Essex County Council is offering local residents who wish to improve their computer skills an opportunity to take a class at Epping Library on Thursday 23 February 2012, from 2pm to 4pm.
George Yerosimou, the Headteacher of St. John's School in Epping has written to all parents today informing them that the school is to be the subject of a Section 5 Ofsted Inspection on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th February 2012. The last time the school was subject to an Ofsted Inspection was back in June of 2009 when the school was given an overall rating of "good". To read the previous report, please click here.
demonstrate to OFSTED the high quality of education we provide for our students, which is achieved through the excellent support of our parents and carers, the dedication and expertise of out teaching and support staff and the commitment of our students to their studies, the school and our community."
Are you aged between 13 and 17 and want to give young people a voice in the community? If yes, the Epping Forest Youth Council (EFYC) are looking for candidates like you to stand for election to be a Youth Councillor to represent young people in the Epping Forest district. There are 20 seats up for grabs - 2 for each of the 8 secondary schools in the district and 4 independent seats for candidates who either attend school or College outside the district, or are excluded from school, home educated or even working. Youth Councillors are elected for 2 years. They are required to attend 2 evening meetings a month at the Civic Offices in Epping. They will also have to organise a community event at their school, encouraging pupils to volunteer and to give something to the community, embracing the Big Society 
theme. The Youth Councillors will be trained to develop skills in public speaking and giving presentations. The schools will be invited to visit the Civic Offices to meet their local Councillors, participating in a question and answer session to boost their understanding about local democracy in the district.
Epping Forest Youth Council are an elected group of non-party political young people. Formed in 2007, it was set up to involve young people in the decisions made by Epping Forest District Council on services and issues that affect their age group. If you are interested in becoming a Youth Councillor please read a complete the EFYC candidate information booklet and return to us by Friday 24 February 2012. If you would like more information contact Diane Butler, the Young Persons’ Officer by telephone on 01992 564365.
A range of activities for children will be available in Epping Library during school half-term. There will be stories and crafts themed around penguins and polar bears at the library in St John’s Road on February 16 from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. The activities are suitable for children aged from four to 10 years old and are free. For more information call Epping Library on 01992 573504.
Epping Town Council is currently advertising the vacancy of Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer.
given to applicants with CILCA or the Cert. H.E. (Local Policy).
Salary Scale 45 - 49 (£38,042 – £41,616), dependant on qualifications and experience. Applications are invited for the post of Town Clerk to Epping Town Council following the retirement of the current Clerk in January 2012. The closing date for applications is Monday 3rd October 2011. Please contact Bob Whittome for further information and an application pack on 01992 579444 or at rwhittome@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk
Essex Police’s West Essex Division Commander, Chief Superintendent Simon Williams, is due to attend Epping Forest District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Tuesday 6th September at 7.30pm. The meeting will take place in the Council Chamber at the Civic Offices, High Street, Epping.
be giving a presentation to councillors about reforms to the police service in Essex. I would therefore encourage residents to become involved. If anyone has any queries on the future of operational policing in Essex, I would suggest they contact their local ward Councillor so that questions can be put to Superintendent Williams on their behalf. Should there be insufficient time to address all issues during the meeting, Councillors can follow up any outstanding queries at a later stage. I hope as many residents as possible will either attend or watch this meeting so that they are aware of what to expect from the police in the future during a time of having to find savings in the police service."
For those of you who are not already aware, the ‘Talk About Epping’ magazine is Epping Town Council’s official quarterly community newsletter, packed full of information from the Council as well as dozens of local organisations.
Buckhurst Hill based Holly House Hospital has played host to a community open day today, giving local residents a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes of the private medical centre, including theatres, outpatient consulting rooms, diagnostic centre, day unit, decontamination department and physiotherapy unit. The event has taken place as the Hospital embarks upon a £21 million redevelopment and expansion project. 
hallenge, having your blood pressure and BMI checked, carrying out a laboratory test and so much more! Healthcare staff were available throughout the day to meet visitors, offer advice and answer any questions, including a former Paralympic gold medallist and physotherapist, providing tips on getting fit and preventing injuries.
properly – all very useful information.” Further information about a career in healthcare or to ask about any job vacancies or work experience opportunities are available from Holly House on 020 8936 1214 or e-mail at info@hollyhouse-hospital.co.uk
Immediately following the district council elections last night, the controlling Conservative Group met to elect / re-elect their leadership team for a period of 1 municipal year. This meeting takes place in private and only elected Conservative Councillors on Epping Forest District Council are entitled to vote.
e post withdrew his candidacy following Cllr. Mrs. Collins’s defeat. Theydon Bois Councillor, John Philip, was proposed and elected to the post of Deputy Leader.
, Gypsy and traveller pitches, North Weald airfield to name but a few. She has also fought the Government tooth and nail on the huge number of directives which have been issued by Whitehall and the Government Office for the East of England (GoEAST). Di has ensured that the Council is well capitalised and that it is providing the best possible value for money for local residents. It was always Di’s intention to step down as Leader and, indeed as a Councillor I believe, next year, so this opportunity will allow her a well-earned break.
incredible wealth of knowledge of working with central government departments to get results. She has significant experience in planning law which will prove invaluable to the district council and the many challenges they face from having such wonderful green belt land and the ancient forest which is forever under threat of development. She has a very analytical mind and an attention to detail that will put her in good stead for the mounds of paperwork which will shortly flow her way. I think she will make an excellent Leader and I wish her the very best of luck.
Residents in Epping Forest have joined the rest of the UK in voting overwhelmingly to reject changing the way MPs are elected to the House of Commons. 
overwhelming. We had a very respectable turnout in Epping Forest. I am not surprised at this because I know that large numbers of people do care about preserving our effective democratic system. I have campaigned and worked in Parliament against AV not just for the last few months but for many years so I am delighted that the people have spoken and that and the issue of changing our voting system is now dead for 20 years."
Although I have been unable to have been as visible on the campaign trail as I would like this year, many people have approached me to ask about the forthcoming "Alternative Vote" or "AV" Referendum which is due to take place on the same day as the local elections this year, on Thursday 5th May. It's very easy for me to respond with: "I shall be voting no to the introduction of an AV voting system", but explaining the reasons why are somewhat more complicated.
s who are second or third or forth on the list people actually want to elect. That is so fundamentally wrong in my opinion. Worst still, it means the end to any form of a decisive government with a clear publicly endorsed mandate. At the last election, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats views were almost totally opposed, yet deals were done in a closed room by a handful of politicians to form a coalition agreement and a mandate for the government. That is not good for either parties, it's not good for democracy and it's certainly not good for the country!
It's all very well and good criticising the proposals, but what do I think could improve the current system. Well, I believe in a much more open way of selecting candidates, much like they do in the US, via open primaries. This process allows every member of the public, not just paying members of a political party, to engage in selecting parliamentary candidates. Public meetings, Q&A sessions, proper campaigns with each candidate on a level playing field. This is really democratic, open and transparent. One person and one vote. The Conservative Party used open primaries in many constituencies to select candidates before the last general election with great engagement and success.
This is certainly not the first time I have used this blog to support the fantastic work of the Rhys Daniels Trust; a charity which has very deep roots in our town. Once again, the Trust will host to an annual 5 mile family fun run, which will begin at Epping Sports Centre in Hemnall Street at 11am on Sunday 10th July, before following a well trodden route through the beautiful Epping Forest.
appeal. The Trust are not only looking for entrants for the race, but they are also looking for volunteers who are willing to act as marshals on the day. To contact the Trust, please click here. To add this event on Facebook, please click here. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 10th July.
Well, the answer for me is actually two-fold. My day begun by hearing that the BNP in Epping Forest are unable to find a single candidate to stand for election this year. It was just 4 years ago that the BNP had 7 District Councillors and fielding candidates in Epping, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois and Loughton. Now their support structure has come tumbling down around them and not a moment too soon in my opinion. For me, the BNPs "stronghold" in Epping Forest was absolute nonsense. The old socialist vote, coupled with apathetic voters who were frustrated with the government's inability to get a grasp on the country's immigration and asylum issues created a protest vote which very dangerously gave a racist party a form of credibility and a public platform. As a Councillor, I always wanted the residents who had voted for these BNP Councillors to come to Council meetings and witness first-hand how utterly atrocious they were at making any valid points at all on behalf of local residents. For me, the whole point of being a local Councillor is to try and make a difference and help local people with the issues they face. It was very clear the BNP Councillors had no such interest! I will never forget the BNP Group Leader, Pat Richardson denounced attacking a local Muslim's home by suggesting, "Firebombing is not a British method. A brick through the window is a British method, but firebombing is not a 
way of showing displeasure." Sometimes you actually don't need a picture to say a thousand words. Let's sincerely hope this is the end of the BNP in our community for good. 
lly have an enormous effect nationwide. Day in, day out, ideas for brilliant community events have to be shelved because of the legislative requirements associated with them. Health and safety laws really have caused this country more trouble than they were worth, in my opinion. In Epping, to erect our Christmas Lights in the High Street requires more documentation that most residents would believe. Something so simple, which is carried out by generous volunteers has become so onerous, costly and so tainted. Something which was so wonderful to be part of has really lost it's sparkle. If we can stand up with the support of the Prime Minister behind us, perhaps we can say "enough is enough". Who knows what we are capable of in the future. Perhaps some of that Great British spirit may well reappear!
It was, with great sadness I received the news that long-standing Epping resident, Ted Ellis had died this week aged 82. Ted and his wonderful wife Mavis had lived in Egg Hall for over 40 years, relocating to Southampton only last year to be nearer to their children and grandchildren. Their departure left an enormous void in the exemplary way Epping’s voluntary community has operated for so long. It’s very difficult to talk about Ted without mentioning Mavis – as a couple, they were inseparable. Wherever one took the lead, the other was right behind them, which is precisely why in 2009 I had the honour of presenting them with a joint ‘Townsperson of the Year’ award, for services to the community. Ted and Mavis had held some form of position in just about every organisation, charity and voluntary group Epping has seen! If it wasn’t the Cine and Video Club, it was the Epping Society, or the Cancer Research UK organisation, or organising forest walks, or planting new trees in the High Street or protecting the town’s historic character…the list goes on.
Despite the fact that both Ted and Mavis were in their 80s, they would regularly volunteer to deliver information leaflets or newsletters for local organisations or the Town Council, walking miles across the town. Every year, they would be the first to sign-up to put-up and take down the Christmas tree lights. For years the spent hours decorating carnival floats for the fireworks procession. Ted was a genuine gentleman, who had respect and kindness for everyone he came across. He was encouraging and generous and a shining example of what a “good Samaritan” should be.
The Leader of Essex County Council, Cllr. Peter Martin, has reminded me today of the ‘Visit Essex’ website, which is a fantastic resource for visitors and those wishing to explore our county more thoroughly. The UK’s latest tourism figures show a 5% increase in visits to UK attractions so I hope this website continues to sell ‘Essex’ and the many things we have to offer here. Cllr. Martin explained: “Our tourism team works hard to keep this up to date with all sorts of things to do in Essex to make the most of the remaining summertime…if we get any more sunshine!”
Essex Pride is an annual event which showcases diversity, encourages acceptance and promotes equality, respect and community engagement. This year it takes place on Sunday 5th September at Central Park in Chelmsford from 12 noon to 11pm and Epping Forest District Council are sponsoring the event. The Council will have a marquee in the community area between 12 noon and 5pm and Community Play Workers funded by EFDC Community Development will be providing face painting for children. In addition, a consultation exercise by council staff will be undertaken.
Epping Forest District Council has launched a public consultation to gather views on how the executive governance of the Council should be structured in the future posing the question: ‘Should EFDC be run by a Leader of a Mayor’.Under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 all Councils with a Leader and Cabinet have to consult on executive arrangements. Although the new Coalition Government has said it intends to repeal this law at some point (letter here from Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps MP), Councils still need to comply with
the current Act and carry out this consultation.
Ian Willett, Assistant to the Chief Executive at Epping Forest District Council, said: "The main difference in the options is how the head of the Council is elected. Under the current system of Leader and Cabinet, the Leader is appointed by Councillors. A Mayor would be directly elected by residents of the district. Councillors are able to remove the Leader from Office whereas a Mayor could only be removed by residents at elections every four years, unless they resign or become disqualified."
The options are:
Op
tion 1 - Leader and Cabinet: The leader is elected by the District Councillors. They serve up to four years unless they cease to be a Councillor or are removed as leader by a resolution of the Council. The Leader appoints up to nine Councillors to the Cabinet. He or she decides which areas of responsibility (portfolios) each member of the Cabinet will hold. The Leader can sack members of the Cabinet or change their portfolios at any time. The Leader can delegate some or all of their powers to the Cabinet, Committees, individual Councillors or Council Officers.
Option 2 - Elected Mayor and Cabinet: Residents vote to decide who 
should be elected as Mayor to run the Council. The Mayor is elected for four years unless they resign or become disqualified. Candidates do not need to be Councillors but if a serving District Councillor is elected as Mayor their seat on the Council automatically becomes vacant. The Mayor holds a range of powers (except for those reserved to the Council by its constitution). She or he can appoint between two and nine Councillors to a Cabinet and decides what, if any, executive powers they will exercise. The Mayor can sack any member of the Cabinet at any time and appoint a replacement. The Mayor appoints one member of the Cabinet as Deputy Mayor. That person exercise the powers of the Mayor in his or her absence or if he or she no longer holds Office. The Mayor drafts the Council budget which can only be overturned by a two thirds majority of the Council.
The online consultation is a quick and easy way for you to tell EFDC your views. Paper questionnaires are also available as they want to encourage as many residents as possible to take part. If you live or work in the Epping Forest district, you can complete the consultation online here or alternatively, click here to download a paper copy of the response form.
