Theydon Bois Parish Council
Parish Office, The Village Hall, Coppice Row,
Theydon Bois, Essex CM16 7ER
Clerk to the Council: Mrs Jennifer Endean
Deputy Clerk to the Council: Mrs Julia Gale
Minutes of the Full Council Meeting of the Council held at the Village Hall 7:30pm on
Thursday 29
th September 2022
• Councillors Present: Cllrs. Purkiss (Vice Chairman), Blake, Burn, Cowup, Amos
Hannibal, Morris, Morton, and Wood.
• Officers Present: Jennifer Endean Parish Clerk
• Members of the Public: The meeting was attended by 8 members of the public.
1510. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs. Gooch and Burn
1511. To discuss and approve the minutes from 28th July 2022. Approved
1512. Police report. None
1513. Clerks Report
1) We have received some very positive feedback from the residents of Thrifts Mead.
2) The new Coppice Row crossroad CCTV Camera has been installed.
3) The Parish Council followed the advised procedures for the death of her Majesty the Queens death and the
Book of Condolence received well over 100 entries.
1514. Reports from Parish Representatives on outside organisations.
None.
1515. Reports from District and/or County Councillors’
Cllr Amos reported that EFDC employed a small police team to patrol the weekly Monday market along Epping
High Street. Cllr Amos has requested some police time gets allocated to Theydon Bois and attending Speed
Watch.
United Charities
Cllr Hannibal explained some background information regarding the United Charities, it has a small income that
hands out money to people in need at Christmas. The Parish Council can appoint two trustiesCllr Hannibal is
already a trustee, and an additional trustee is to be announced at next month’s Full Council Meeting.
1516. Finance and General Purpose.
10.1 To approve the payments made since the last meeting and ratify August payments. Approved
10.2 To note Conclusion of External Audit and Issue of AGAR section 3 Certificate. Noted
10.3 To approve appointment of external auditors by SAAA. Agreed to remain the same no change required.
1517. Planning Committee:
Planning Committee Report – 29th September 2022
It has been a busier than usual period for the Planning Committee. Following the Epping Forest District Council
(‘EFDC’) online planning system being offline in June, while a new system was installed, a consequent backlog
of applications necessitated the scheduling of two additional Planning Committee meetings in August and
September – the latter meeting being immediately adjourned following the death of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II.
Of the 32 Planning Applications considered by the Planning Committee since the Full Parish Council Meeting of
28th July 2022, strong objection was raised to two applications, with objection to a further ten, whilst no
concerns were raised with respect to 16 applications. The Committee also noted four Certificate of Lawful
Development applications that EFDC has found to be lawful. Two appeals against EFDC’s refusal of planning
permission have been lodged.
While most of the planning applications during this period were for extensions to village properties, six
proposals relating to properties in the Green Belt gave cause for concern: one being an unsympathetic front
boundary treatment in a sensitive location, another being the proposed change of use of agricultural buildings
to ‘B8 storage and associated development’.
Cllr Gooch has written to the Head of Planning Services at EFDC to request that the designation of Coopersale
Lane as a Protected Lane along its full length, as currently misrepresented on New Local Plan documentation, is
corrected prior to adoption of the Epping Forest District New Local Plan. Further consultation on the Main
Modifications is still awaited.
The Planning Committee also noted three recent planning breach enquiries, raised by residents, with EFDC
Planning Enforcement; these included works which appear to exceed dimensions permitted under General
Permitted Development Rights, or not constructed to plan, and the fly-tipping and subsequent burning of
materials on land adjacent to the railway line opposite Theydon Park Road. In the latter case, the EFDC
Environmental Team has visited the site and will write to the landowner. The Planning Clerk is continuing to
monitor, and follow up with EFDC as appropriate, a further eleven unresolved cases.
The Planning Clerk has also emailed the Service Manager, Development Management at EFDC, with the Parish
Council’s observations and difficulties regarding public use of the new Arcus Planning Portal system. The
Service Manager has acknowledged these comments and will respond in due course. Coincidentally, the Clerk
of a local Parish within the District recently contacted our Parish Clerk outlining some similar concerns with
respect to planning-related matters administered by EFDC.
1518. Highways, Cemetery and Environment Committee
Cllr Purkiss said there were ongoing discussions with TFL, Police and Essex Highways regarding Station Hill and
the surrounding area.
EFDC Enforcement is to appoint a new Officer as head of Department – James Stubbs who comes from
Chelmsford City Council in early October. A meeting was held with Cllr Lee Scott – Portfolio holder for Essex
Highways, Cllr Holly Whitbread and Cllrs Purkiss and Gooch regarding match funding the very poor sections of
pavement and kerb in Loughton Lane between The Green and Graylands. A fee of £7500 will be charged by
Ringway Jacobs to the Portfolio Holder to assess and design a scheme should it be agreed.
Cllr Gill discussed and promoted a new CCTV camera for the junction of Loughton Lane with the Green and
funding would be sought at the next Finance Meeting. A CCTV camera has now been re-instated in a new
position to cover the Piercing Hill crossroads.
Cllr Morris said that he was promoting under Highways a new “Waymarking” Scheme for persons exiting
Theydon Station and looking to walk through to Epping Forest at an outline cost of £5000. He explained the
importance to the Parish as Verderer to take ownership of the scheme. The route from the Station will proceed
along Coppice Row and across the Hoppit where a fallen tree will be cleared by the C of L so that there can be
safe access to the Plain and the Forest.
1519. Community Engagement Committee
14.1 Website update.
Cllr Morris discussed the positive outcome of changing the website. Council support the idea.
14.2 Warm Hub/Living Room.
Cllr Cowup discussed the national issue of the need for warm hubs this winter. Locations in the village were
discussed, but not conclusive. Clerk to email Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) and ask about how they need
support.
1520. AOB
Cllr Gill would like to start a repair shop in the back room of church hall, this would take place monthly,
coinciding with Community Cuppa. The project consists of a group of volunteers helping the community with
free repairs such as, fixing electrical items or haberdashery repairs. The project would need some funding
from the Parish Council for tools and insurance. The idea supported by the Council and Vicar.
1521. Public Participation
Resident commented that he was pleased to see the pavements in Thrifts Mead repaired however, weeds are
destroying pavements in the Village.
Resident would like to see the verge trees trimmed as they are overgrown.
Resident enquired why a pile of earth at the cemetery compound was overspilling.
Resident concerned about recent theft at the allotments and would like CCTV installed there or cut a tree
sight line from Cricket Club CCTV to prevent theft.
Cllr. Purkiss closed the meeting at 8:47PM.
Signed: ……………………………………….. Dated: 27/10/2022
Cllr Anthony Purkiss
Vice Chairman