Epping Forest District Council have launched a public consultation, asking local residents for their thoughts on their existing licensing policies, which they are required by law to review every three years. The Council’s current policy can be found here.
The Licensing Act 2003 became law on 24th November 2005 and introduced a single license scheme for all licensed premises which supply alcohol, provide regulated entertainment and provide late-night refreshments. The objectives are to prevent crime, disorder and nuisance and to protect public safety and children from ha
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Given that many local residents have spoken to me recently about licensing issues, especially those who asked how Club One9Five was able to regain its license after it had been closed simply by a new body applying for the license, this may be a good opportunity for people to express their views. The deadline for comments is 31 July 2010. You can send your comments by post to The Licensing Section, Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4BZ or by email here.
Epping Forest College in Loughton has been reclassified in a recently published OFSTED report, which grades the college as “satisfactory” from its former “inadequate” classification.
In the report, OFTSED Inspector, Lindsay Hebditch states: “The college has recovered well since its previous inspection when overall effectiveness was judged inadequate. The majority of its provision is now satisfactory, and improving. Staff morale is high and the majority of learners work hard and are happy.”
The report singles out Jeannie Wright, the college’s interim principal, and the new senior 
management at the college for special praise in turning round poor results. Ms. Wright explained: “Staff have a great deal to be proud of. They have worked extremely hard since the last inspection to drive through significant improvements. We are already working on the inspectors’ recommendations of what we need to do to secure further improvement. Our staff are committed to further progress.”
The college has an Open Event on Saturday, June 26, from 10am to 2pm and is taking applications until September 2010 for courses where places are still available. For further information call 020 8502 8778.
Sitting Town Councillor, Miss Olive Dunseath has been elected as the new Mayor of Epping with Councillor Mrs. Mari-Louise Whitbread, the wife of District Councillor and Cabinet Portfolio Holder Chris Whitbread being elected Deputy Town Mayor.
Miss. Dunseith (pictured with Janet Hedges and I) has sat on the Town Council for 11 years and has fought hard to ensure Epping retains it’s traditional character and appearance. She 
described herself as “a back room worker” who finds the “thrust to the forefront as a figurehead somewhat daunting”, but explained: “I want to help improve the look of the High Street and focus on the things which the local populace are concerned with.” Cllr. Miss Dunseath will serve in this role for a period of 12 months.
The Returning Officer for Epping Forest has declared the following results of Epping’s District Council elections held on Thursday 6th May 2010:
EPPING LINDSEY & THORNWOOD COMMON WARD
Will Breare-Hall - Conservative - 1,692 (49%)
Lorraine Collier - Lib Dem - 1,264 (37%)
Simon David Bullough - Labour - 341 (10)
Barry George Johns - Green - 133 (4%)
Total Turnout - 71%
EPPING HEMNALL WARD 
Janet Hilda Whitehouse - Lib Dem - 1,632 (47%)Kenneth Avey - Conservative - 1,348 (38%)
Michael Finan - Labour - 234 (7%)
Andrew George Smith - UKIP - 232 (7%)
Jam Berecutt - Green - 62 (2%)
Total Turnout - 71%
You may also be interested to note that Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Epping Forest, Ann Haigh, who was also standing for re-election for the Buckhurst Hill West ward on Epping Forest District Council lost her seat to Conservative candidate Sylvia Watson, pushing the Lib Dems out of the role of ‘Official Opposition’ being replaced by the LRA. The BNP also lost all of the seats they were contesting in Loughton, leaving them with just one Councillor in Pat Richardson who spoke about the party’s losses suggested this was “down to poor schooling.”
The new make-up of the Council’s 58 seats are as follows: Conservatives: 36, Loughton Residents Association: 11, Liberal Democrats: 7, Independents: 2, Labour: 1.
The results for the UK Parliamentary election for the Epping Forest Constituency have been declared by the Returning Officer, Ian Willet, at 3.35am on Friday 7th May 2010 and are as follows:
Katie Elizabeth CURTIS - The Labour Party - 6,641 votes.
Ann Mary HAIGH - Liberal Democrat - 10,017 votes.
Eleanor Fulton LAING - The Conservative Party Candidate - 25,148 votes.
Simon Benjamin PEPPER - The Green Party - 659 votes.
Pat RICHARDSON - British National Party - 1,982 votes.
Kim SAWYER - English Democrats “Putting England First!” - 285 votes.
Andrew George SMITH - UK Independence Party (UKIP) - 1,852 votes.
The turnout was 66.95% compared to the 2005 turnout of 62.88%. Therefore, Eleanor Fulton Laing is re-elected Member of Parliament for Epping Forest with a significantly increased majority.
Eleanor Laing has issued a statement outlining what David Cameron’s Conservative Government would do about Gypsies in Epping Forest, in which she highlights her commitment to giving power back to local people. As the Conservative Party policy paper states: "Conservatives believe in social responsibility. Different people from different communities should be free to lead their lives in different ways. But this freedom must come with a responsibility to the wider community. The vast majority of traveller accept this, but a very small minority do not." Conservatives will act to ensure that this becomes a reality:
Against unauthorised sites: "Where councils have made appropriate provision for authorised sites in their area, which reflect local need and historic demand, we will provide them with stronger enforcement powers to tackle unauthorised development and illegal trespass. In addition, we will introduce a new criminal offence of intentional trespass."
Gypsies to contribute: "At the same time, it is important that settled council tax payers do not foot the bill for the construction of new authorised sites. The Conservatives will reform the syste
m so traveller site funding to councils so that they are properly compensated for new sites and will require travellers to make a contribution to to the cost of services on authorised sites."
A British Bill of Rights: "The Human Rights Act has made it more difficult and expensive to evict trespassers from private and public land and has overridden planning law by allowing travellers to proceed with unauthorised developments. Conservatives will replace Labour's Human Rights Act with a new British Bill of Rights which will help to address these problems."
Scrap the Direction: "The Labour Government has used the regional planning system and top-down targets to force local authorities to build new camps for the travellers, often on Green Belt land. Conservatives disagree with these top-down building targets, for traveller camps and for new houses. As part of the abolition of regional planning and the Regional Spatial Strategies, targets for the provision of traveller camps will be scrapped. In addition we will also scrap John Prescott's controversial guidance on travellers."
"Only a vote for the Conservatives will deliver the change we need and bring power back to the local people. Labour have neglected local needs and allowed the traveller problem to grow over the last 13 years. Please don't let them do it again", Mrs. Laing explained.
Epping Forest District Council have launched a public consultation, asking local residents for their thoughts on their existing licensing policies, which they are required by law to review every three years. The Council’s current policy can be found here.
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