OPINION POLL RESULTS - Eleanor Laing MP

Question: Do you think Eleanor Laing will be re-elected MP for Epping Forest at the next General Election?

Yes 59%
No 29%
I honestly don’t know 4%
I couldn’t care less 8%

Total Number of votes cast during a 7 day period: 48

YOUTH DEBATE INSIDE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Young people from across Essex will make history as they debate in the House of Commons this Friday. Six representatives from the county will sit on the famous green benches as part of the UK Youth Parliament. It will be the first time anyone other than MPs have debated in the chamber in 300 years!

The elected 12-to-18-year-olds will explore several key issues affecting people of their age across the UK, including the cost of university education, youth crime and how it can be tackled, and why over-60s get free transport but young people do not. They will also discuss the current state of job opportunities for young people and the possibility of lowering the voting age to 16. Justin Kempley MYP is the elected member representing Epping Forest.

Councillor Stephen Castle, Essex County Council's Cabinet Member for Education, said: “The House of Commons is a fantastic arena for young people to debate the issues that really matter to them. We should do all we can to encourage participation in the politics and by giving the UK Youth Parliament such a prestigious stage we are sending the message that the voice of young people really counts.”

PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

The following planning applications will be considered by Epping Town Council's Planning and General Purposes Committee on Tuesday 3rd November 2009. If you wish to express your view to the committee on any of the application below, you can either email info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk or attend the meeting in person at Epping Hall, St. John's Road, Epping, CM16 5JU.

EPF/1917/09 - Mr. & Mrs. J. Firman, Roscommon, Hemnall Street, Epping - Single story side extensions.
EPF/1483/09 - Mr. G. Stevens, 82 Ivy Chimneys, Epping - Vehicle Crossover.
TPO/EPF/2008/09 - Mr. R. Fraser, 12 Kendall Avenue, Epping - Lime: Reduce crown by up to 4 meters. G2 Lime x 4. Reduce crown by up to 4 meters.
EPF/1078/09 (Revised) - Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, Bury Farm Cottages, Bury Lane, Epping - Demolition of two existing houses, single garage and outbuildings and closure of existing access. Construction of 2 detached four bedroom houses, 2 detached double garages, new internal access road and hard standing with associated landscaping.

THE REMARKABLE LEGACY JADE LEAVES BEHIND

Local resident Jade Goody's high-profile battle with cervical cancer has led an extra 400,000 more women to be screened for the disease in the past year.

A report released by the NHS Information Centre this week shows the number of women aged 25-64 having smear tests rose by 12% from 3.2 million to 3.6 million. The number of women being tested had been falling and this is the first rise since 2002. The most significant increase was among the younger age groups, clearly highlighting the effect Jade Goody‘s experience has had. As well as smear tests girls aged 12 and 13 now receive the HPV vaccine in school which provides protection against getting cervical cancer later in life.

Jade, 27, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008 and died in March this year after the disease spread to her bowel, liver and groin. Before she died she spoke about the importance of the screening procedure which is thought to save around 4,500 lives a year in England.

Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP said: "Jade's bravery and openness in her fight against cervical cancer has brought home to young women across the country the importance of regularly going for these checks.”

MP ELEANOR LAING WINS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

The membership of the Epping Forest Conservative Association tonight returned a massive vote of confidence in Epping Forest MP, Eleanor Laing and rejected a motion to deselect her as their Member of Parliament. Eleanor won both a vote of confidence and a motion to deselect her by a substantial margin, (164 votes for, 32 against, 1 abstention giving a 83% return). Many members spoke highly of Eleanor for not only the good work she has done over the past 12 years but the support she is able to give as a sitting MP in the future.

This follows months of speculation and innuendo that the membership no longer had confidence in her following the MP's expenses scandal. The meeting was attended by 200 members of Epping Forest Conservative Association as well as regional officers from the Conservative Party and the Party's National Chairman, Eric Pickles MP, who was sent by Leader David Cameron to support Mrs. Laing. Mr. Pickles described Eleanor as "an outstanding woman, an excellent Member of Parliament and a key player in the next Conservative Government."

When asked how she viewed the result Eleanor said:
“I am happy that this matter can now be put to behind us and I can get on with the job of representing ALL my constituents, I have always said that I did nothing wrong but accept that the whole MP's expenses issue has made many of the electorate very angry with MP's in general and I endorse that view. Hopefully we can now concentrate on our task in hand to remove the Labour government and return David Cameron into office and get the country back on it's feet again. I will continue to work hard for the residents of Epping Forest as I have always done and look forward to meeting many of you on the door step over the next few months.”

Eleanor Laing has launched a new 'Misperceptions v's Facts' sheet, which you can find by clicking here.

FULL SUPPORT FROM CAMERON FOR MP LAING

I have, today, received a letter from the Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP, Leader of the Conservative Party, confirming his support for Epping Forest MP, Eleanor Laing, which reads as follows:

“Dear Ben,

I understand that there is to be a Special General Meeting of Epping Forest Conservative Association on Monday 26th October to hold a vote of confidence in your Member of Parliament, Eleanor Laing. I am just writing to say that I sincerely hope that you will support Eleanor Laing at that meeting.

The issue of MPs’ expenses has been very damaging to politics. I have tried to make sure that the Conservative Party, and Conservative MPs, have responded to the public’s anger about what has happened, and I have taken a very firm line in cases where that has been necessary.

In Eleanor’s case, however, I want to make clear that she offered to make a substantial voluntary repayment at her own initiative, which she felt was the right thing to do under the circumstances. This should not be held against Eleanor. I too have made a voluntary repayment. What Eleanor has done is an indication that she, like the rest of the Party, takes the expenses issue extremely seriously. As you know, Sir Thomas Legg has written to Eleanor making clear that she has no issues to answer in relation to her expenses.

Eleanor works hard both as a Member of Parliament and as a member of my Front bench as Shadow Justice Minister. As we approach the General Election, it is very important that we pull together as a single team, and focus relentlessly on winning that election.

I want to make clear that Eleanor has my full support. I hope very much that you will go to the meeting on Monday, and vote for Eleanor to continue as your Member of Parliament, in the interests of both Epping Forest and of the Conservative Party.

Yours ever,

David Cameron"

LAUNCH OF EPPING’S POPPY APPEAL 2009

This year’s Poppy Appeal is underway in Epping and the Royal British Legion are reaching out to local residents to ask them to buy and proudly wear a poppy over the next couple of weeks to show their respect for those who have fallen whilst serving their country and also giving some thought to those who have been injured, but whom have returned home.

I, personally, will be especially remembering and paying tribute to the late Royal Marine Georgie Sparks from the Epping area, who was tragically killed in the north-west of Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, Afghanistan on Thursday 27th November last year. Our community were shocked and saddened by his sudden death and many of us were incredibly moved at his funeral, which took place on what would have been his 20th Birthday. To me, Georgie’s bravery and his complete willingness to pay the ultimate price for the freedom of others epitomises a true hero to me. Someone who should be held up as a shining example to young people throughout our community. Renowned Filmmaker Chris Terrill describes his own experiences with Georgie Sparks for The Telegrapher here.

Please take the time to remember those who gave their tomorrow for our today and make every effort to attend one of our Remembrance events in Epping, which you can find by clicking here. For more information about the Poppy Appeal and what your money is used for, please click here.

LORD MAYOR OF EPPINGEN COMES TO TOWN

The Lord Mayor, or Oberbürgermeister, of Eppingen in Germany, Klaus Holaschke and his wife are due to arrive in Epping tomorrow and shall be spending the week attending official functions in and around Epping Forest with the aim of strengthening links between the twin-towns.

Some of the engagements will include an Oktoberfest dinner at Copped Hall which is being held this Saturday (24th October) at 6pm. Music will be provided by the Epping Forest Band, with a wide selection of food and drink on offer. There are a small number of tickets still available at £12.50 per head. If you are interested please email me by clicking here.

On Wednesday the Mayor’s of Epping and Eppingen will meet along with members of the Epping-Eppingen Town Twinning Association and Epping Town Council at a reception at Epping Hall.

For more information about the Town Twinning Association, please click here.

FREE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL AVAILABLE

FOOTBALL - Epping Forest District Council, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation and the Essex FA, is offering all adults the chance of getting back into playing football for free. The six weeks of training sessions will be coached by a Tottenham Hotspur Foundation coach and will help participants get back into their stride and back up to speed. Local clubs will attend each week, looking to recruit new players for the season. These sessions take place every Monday starting 19 October to 23 November 2009 at 8pm until 9pm on the Astroturf pitch at Debden Park High School, Willingale Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 2BQ. For more information on either the basketball or football activities, please contact Fabrizio Luca Ferrari by telephone on 01992 564220 or email fferrari@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

BASKETBALL - The eight weeks of free basketball training will take place every Thursday from 15 October to 3 December 2009. These non-competitive fun taster sessions are for all those who wish to learn how to play the sport or for anyone who wants to get back into playing. The sessions will run from 6pm until 7pm in the Sports Hall at St John’s CE School, Tower Road, Epping, Essex CM16 5EN.

DATE FOR THE DIARY - Sunday 1st November 2009

The nearest fireworks display to Epping is taking place at Harlow Town Park this year from 6.30pm on Sunday 1st November. The bonfire will be lit at 7.15pm and the firework display starts at 7.45pm.

Admission is free and the event also features a live music, a fun fair and hot food and drinks for sale. There's no public parking on site, although there are plenty of nearby car parks in the town centre. Limited disabled parking will available on the Showground up to 6pm. Fifth Avenue will be closed between the Sainsburys roundabout and Edinburgh Way for pedestrian safety from 6:00pm until approximately 10:00pm. For more information on the event telephone 01279 446404.

FUNDING RELEASED FOR VOLUNTARY GROUPS

If you are a community or voluntary group operating in Epping, you can now apply for funding for capital community projects such as works to village halls, skate parks, play areas or, public open spaces, etc. The CIF (Community Initatives Fund) for Highways is also open to applications and you can apply for projects such as zebra crossings, roundabouts, crossing points, village gateways or, new stretches of pavement.

The deadline for applications for both grants is 6th November 2009 and you can download guidance notes and an application form from the website by clicking here or you can contact Beverly Davies on 07929 543523.

County Councillor John Jowers, Cabinet Member for Localism said, “The Community Initiative Fund is a great opportunity for Essex County Council to help the local community in lots of different ways, and I would encourage anyone who thinks they have a worthwhile project which requires funding to apply straight away.”

OPINION POLL RESULTS - Club One9Five

Question: Do you think Club One9Five should have it's license revoked?

Yes 12%
No 51%
I think The Edge should have it’s license revoked 12%
I think both the Edge and Club One9Five should have their licenses revoked 22%

Total Number of votes cast during a 7 day period: 131

CONSERVATIVES TO CONFIRM CONFIDENCE IN MP

Today, I have received a letter from Cllr. Matthew Colling, the Chairman of Epping Forest Conservative Association, inviting me to attend a General Meeting of the Association on Monday 26th October to consider the following motion:

‘This General Meeting of the Epping Forest Conservative Association confirms its confidence in Eleanor Laing MP as the Conservative Candidate for the next General Election.’

An enormous number of residents contacted me shortly after the Telegraph claimed that Mrs. Laing has not paid Capital Gains Tax on her London home at the point of sale in 2008 to complain and to express their anger at the trust which they believed had been abused and broken.

I have attempted to share as much information as possible on this issue, which has included a letter from Mrs. Laing to residents which can be found here. Some comments from the Leader of the Conservative Party, Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP which can be found here and a copy of the letter which Mr. Cameron sent to Mrs. Laing on the issue which can be found here.

Mrs. Laing has spoken on the issue, saying, “I welcome the opportunity that a General Meeting will provide for me to meet directly a large number of our Conservative members here in the Epping Forest constituency. I have been touched by the very many messages of support I have received in recent weeks and I hope that that support will be reflected in the outcome of the meeting. I am also pleased that I will have the chance to set the record straight.”

CHARITY FUNDS PRESENTED TO ST CLARE HOSPICE

Today, Keeley and I have had the pleasure of visiting St. Clare Hospice in Hastingwood to present a cheque for £2,775.00 to Richard Cowie, the charity’s Chief Executive.

The funds were raised by Keeley and I during my term of office as Mayor of Epping where I pledged to support this amazing charity which desperately needs to grow and develop its facilities to cope with the overwhelming number of patients who wish to use the Hospice as their final resting place.

The money has been used to purchase new flat screen televisions for each of the 8 patients bedrooms. The previous TVs had become very out of date and took up an enormous amount of room which is often needed for bulky equipment and space for relatives to be close by.

Thank you to everyone who supported my charity and for those of you wishing to learn more about St Clare Hospice or to make a donation, please click here.

EPPING'S CLUB ONE9FIVE - Have Your Say Now

Over the last two weeks, I have spent an enormous amount of time reviewing why Club One9Five has had its various licenses revoked pending further investigations by Epping Forest District Council‘s Licensing Committee.

Some residents that I have spoken to have been angry that the club is shut. Some have said good reddens. Some don’t understand why One9Five is closed, but The Edge is still open. Some still think someone was killed! Many are just concerned that not enough information has been made public and that the licensing committee has decided to review the matter in private instead of in a public committee setting. However we look at this situation, lots of residents seem to have an opinion and I believe it is very important that your opinions are heard on this matter and that your concerns are taken into account by the committee prior to any final decision being made.

You can do so by writing to: Kim Tuckey, Licensing Section, Epping Forest District Council, High Street, Epping, CM16 4BZ or by emailing ktuckey@eppingforestdc.gov.uk All responses must be received by TUESDAY 13th OCTOBER 2009.

DATE SET FOR ALLNUTS POST OFFICE TO REOPEN

It is with great pleasure I can confirm that after a long campaign, Allnuts Post Office in Allnuts Road, Epping, will reopen its doors to local residents on Monday 23rd November with a brand-new look after 18 months of being closed. The store was one of six branches in Epping Forest to be closed down following nationwide cutbacks.

Essex County Council Leader, Lord Hanningfield has been working for over a year to have this and other stores across Essex reopened with great success. He had managed to persuade a very reluctant Post Office Limited to find a way around European law and allow him to use £1.5 million of council tax money to reopen 15 branches, which has also included one branch in Station Way, Buckhurst Hill. He said, "Perhaps we should all do more of that - listen to what people want, and provide it!''

I do hope local residents will give the Post Office a warm welcome and remember that we have to use these services, or we will certainly face loosing them again in the future.

HOW CAN I REGISTER MY HIGHWAYS ISSUES?

Many of the emails and letters I receive from Epping residents relate to what we refer to as ‘highways issues’. These range from potholes, to street lights, to kerb drops, to blocked drains to bus shelters, to footpaths, to road markings and signs right the way through to overgrown hedges.

All highways issues are the responsibility of Essex County Council and as a way of helping you to report issues you may have or have noticed within the community, they have recently launched a new section to their website to help speed up the process of getting problems logged and sorted. To visit the site, please click here.

Alternatively, you can contact a member of our local Highways Office by calling 0845 603 7621 or by emailing highways.westarea@essex.gov.uk. Finally, you can write to them at: Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow, Essex, CM19 5DX.

COPPED HALL “APPLE DAY” - Sunday 11th October

The beautiful Copped Hall mansion is once again hosting it’s ‘Apple Day’ this Sunday, which is part of a national annual celebration of our apple orchards and local distinctiveness initiated by Common Ground in 1990. It is a way of celebrating the variety and richness of orchard fruits in linking particular apples with their place of origin and hopefully ensuring that they are not lost.

The Copper Hall Trust invite you to come and join in the fun, play some traditional games, help with the juicing and have your own apples identified (leaf and stalk attached) by our experts from the East of England Apples and Orchard Project team. There will be a large display of apples from the Essex and Hertfordshire counties and you can taste before you buy some of the delicious different apples that will be on sale. There will also be Morris Dancing, refreshments, sales, cakes, lunches, bar, trees to buy, and more.

Gates are open from 11am to 4pm. Entry tickets £3.50. Entry to mansion £3.50. For more information about Copped Hall, please click here.

IT'S TIME TO APPLY FOR PRIMAY SCHOOL PLACES

Parents or carers of children born between 1st September 2005 and 31st August 2006 must apply for reception places in primary schools by 30th November 2009.

Applications can be made via www.essex.gov.uk/admissions. The site enables parents to search for school information, check admissions criteria, read OFSTED reports, and submit an application right up to the deadline. Parents preferring a paper application form should call 0845 603 2200.

Late applications will be given lower priority, and only considered after all those submitted before the deadline. Parents or carers are advised to indicate more than one preference and to include their priority admissions or catchment school as one of their preferences.

Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Stephen Castle added: “This year over 90% of parents obtained their first or second choice of school, so give yourself the best opportunity of securing one of your preferences by submitting your application on time.”

CLUB ONE9FIVE - LICENSING COMMITTEE UPDATE

I have just returned from Epping Forest District Council’s Licensing Sub Committee meeting which met today to review the 6 separate entertainment based licenses registered to Club One9Five which is located just off of Epping High Street in Cottis Lane.

Reports were presented to the committee by legal representatives of both Essex Police and by the Club’s owners. Essex Police’s report included a rather extensive list of criminal activity which has taken place in or around the Club during the past year. Counsel for both parties also discussed the detail around the ‘brawl’ which took place outside of the Club during the early hours of Saturday 26th September 2009.

The Committee resolved, at the request of both parties, to exclude the press and public from the hearing due to the fact the evidence (including CCTV) which needed to be shared was specific to an ongoing investigation and could be deemed as detrimental to any forthcoming court cases.

To summarise, no decision has been made as to whether Club One9Five will have their license reinstated and it shall remain suspended pending a further hearing.

REMEMBERANCE EVENTS IN EPPING - 2009

Remembrance Day in Epping is always a large-scale affair. It is the one weekend each year where the whole community stops to think about the remarkable men and women who have laid down their lives for our country, for our safety and for our future. At this time, it is particularly important to think of and support however possible the many thousands of British troops commited to battles across the globe. For those who wish to be involved in this year’s commemorations, I have outlined the plans for our town below:

Friday 6th November
10.45am Rededication of the Garden of Remembrance at the War Memorial in Church Hill.
11.30am Service of Remembrance of the Commonwealth War Grave at Epping Cemetery in Bury Lane.

Saturday 7th November
For the first time, vintage World War II vehicles will be rolling into Epping High Street to promote the ‘Poppy Appeal’. The event will be supported by the Battle of Europe re-enactment group, who will be dressed in 1940’s Essex Regiment uniforms.

Sunday 8th November
2.00pm The Remembrance Day Parade will assemble at the Civic Offices in Epping High Street.
2.10pm The Parade will depart and proceed to the War Memorial led by the Epping Forest Pipe Band.
2.20pm The wreath laying ceremony at Epping’s War Memorial will begin.
2.40pm The Parade will march from the War Memorial through Epping High Street to St. John’s Church paying compliments to the Mayor, District Chairman and local MP along the way.
3.00pm Service of Remembrance will commence at St. John The Baptist Church.
4.00pm Refreshments will be served at the Hemnall Street Social Club.

For more information on this years event or if you would like to help with the Poppy Appeal, please contact John Duffell of the Royal British Legion on 07931 862336 or email johnduffell@live.co.uk

SUPPORTING HAVEN HOUSE CHILDREN’S HOSPICE

Today, Keeley and I have had the pleasure of visiting Haven House Children’s Hospice in Woodford green to present a cheque for £2,775.00 to Ian Sparks OBE, the Chairman of Trustees and Chief Executive and his colleague Christine Twomey, the Director of Care.

The funds which were presented were raised by Keeley and I during my term of office as Mayor of Epping where I pledged to support this amazing charity which has seen a financial impact from our troubled economy, but cannot afford to let the services it provides alter, because they are so very vital.

The money has been used to completely refurbish a ‘messy play’ room for the children which is accessible to all. The thought of helping children who are facing some horrific conditions and illnesses have fun brings an enormous smile to my face.

Thank you to everyone who supported my charity last year and for those of you wishing to learn more about Haven House or to make a donation, please click here.

PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION

The following planning applications will be considered by Epping Town Council's Planning and General Purposes Committee on Tuesday 6th October 2009. If you wish to express your view to the committee on any of the application below, you can either email info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk or attend the meeting in person at Epping Hall, St. John's Road, Epping, CM16 5JU.

EPF/1642/09 - Abbey National Plc, 273 High Street, Epping - New signage, including fascia sign, ATM sign and window sticker (White background, red letters).
EPF/1709/09 - Abbey National Plc, 273 High Street, Epping - New signage, including fascia sign, ATM sign and window sticker (Red background, white letters).
EPF/1665/09 - Spirit, 186 High Street, Epping - Retention of two replacement air conditioning units.
EPF/1737/09 - Mrs. Frances Maskwell, 16 Station Road, Epping - Loft conversion with three dormer windows.
EPF/1015/09 - Mr. R. Hall, 43 Bower Hill, Epping - Vehicle crossover.
EPF/1789/09 - Mr. G. Best, The Stables, Houblons Hill, Coopersale - Small glazed link between garage and main house.