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 30th March 2023
Councillors Present: Cllrs Gooch (Chairman), Purkiss, Amos, Blake, Burn, Cowup, Gill, Hannibal,
Wood.
• Officers Present: Julia Gale Deputy Parish Clerk
• Members of the Public: The meeting was attended by 9 members of the public.
1583. Apologies for Absence: Cllrs Morton, Morris.
1584. Apologies for lateness: Cllr Burn
1585. To discuss and approve the minutes from 23rd February 2023.
Approved. Subject to amendment made to 1582.2. Change from “only be willing to contribute it’s usual amount of 50%
towards this cost.” To “revert to applying it’s pre-Covid term that upon application it would consider a contribution of
up to 50% towards this cost.”
1586. Disclosure of Interests with regard to specific items on the agenda (existence of any Disclosable Pecuniary
Interest, or existence and Nature of other Pecuniary Interest or a Non-pecuniary Interest). The Council has adopted
Essex Public Law Partnership Code of Conduct.
Cllr Gill being a member of the Donkey Derby committee expressed a non-pecuniary interest regarding Item 9.
Cllrs Gooch, Hannibal and Purkiss being trustees of the Buxton Trust expressed a non-pecuniary interest regarding item
10.
1587. Public participation session with regard to specific items on the agenda.
Member of public spoke up regarding a planning matter. Cllr Gooch stated that he would throw the floor open to
members of the public to speak about Planning matters when we reached that point in the meeting.
1588. Police report.
PC Cook provided an update:
Crime was up last month due to a spate of burglaries.
There were:
Three dwelling burglaries, one in Forest Drive where entry was gained through the patio doors;
One in woodland Way and one in Theydon Park Road where entry was gained by using ladders to climb up onto a flat
roof extension and then into a first floor window.
There was an attempted burglary in Piercing Hill.
One theft of tools from a transit van;
One theft of a transit van on The Green.
A report of vandalism from Theydon Bois Golf Club, where motorcyclists had ridden on the 17th Green churning it up.
PC Cook thought this could be related to complaints about teenagers riding electric motorbikes in the village.
PC Cook will be warning residents about the first-floor burglaries through the neighbourhood WhatsApp.
There has a been a number of these type of burglaries in the local area and the burglars rely on there not being an
alarm sensor on the first floor. CID are investigating.
1589. Clerks Report
1. An email was sent to Essex County Council (ECC) following last month’s meeting stating the Parish Council’s dismay
at the new requirement to pre-book visits to the recycling centres. So far, we have received no reply from Cllr C.
Whitbread of ECC with any answers to our questions. However, Cllr Avey of Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) did
reply, he also believes that this will lead to more lay-bys in the area being covered with small domestic fly-tips.
2. NetWise have been instructed to build a new website for us and this is now underway.
1590. Reports from Parish Representatives on outside organisations.
Cllr Burn, as one of the Parish Council’s two representatives on the Epping Forest Branch of the Essex Association of
Local Councils, attended the Local Councils’ Liaison Committee meeting, hosted by EFDC, on Tuesday 28th March
2023.
Items on the Agenda included a presentation from Essex County Council (‘ECC’) Cabinet Member for Highways
Maintenance and Sustainable Transport, Cllr Lee Scott, who responded to a number of questions put by Local
Councils in this District.
He noted that the Members’ Pot Hole Scheme is running again, for the nomination to one’s County Councillor, in
relation to particularly detrimental pot-holes for repair within a parish (Theydon Bois County Councillor being Cllr
Holly Whitbread), and that an additional £14.4m has been allocated by ECC, this year, for highways maintenance. The
present contract with Ringway Jacobs expires in 2027. He also wished to clarify that some of the recent work, relating
to highway damage after the unseasonable conditions this winter, has been undertaken on a temporary basis only,
until further assessment, and the allocation of funds, has been determined.
Cllr Scott also intends to take forward projects in relation public footpaths, highway signs and fingerposts, whilst
councillors were assured that no ULEZ cameras are to be allowed on ECC land!
The Monitoring Officer provided details of forthcoming Training Sessions, to be held at EFDC, during mid-may, in
relation to Planning, Enforcement, and the Code of Conduct, to which local councillors are invited to attend, by
request.
The recent adoption of the new ‘Epping Forest District Local Plan (2011-2033)’ was noted, and hard copies will be
made available in local libraries. Mr Richardson (Head of Planning Services) was able to confirm that 6 members of
staff are now allocated to Planning Enforcement cases, whilst further amendments are to be made to the Arcus
Planning Portal (which records details of planning applications), after concerns were raised by local councillors and
clerks.
There was a brief mention to a new ‘on demand’ bus service being trialled in other parts of Essex, for which an
update will be given at a later stage.
1591. Reports from District and/or County Councillors’
Cllr Amos provided an update from EFDC.
The budget has been agreed and invoices have now all gone out.
The Local Plan has been agreed and passed by Council.
Our ward from 2023 will be Theydon Bois and Passingford, a district covering 6 Parish Councils.
EFDC will be carrying out condition surveys on their properties, to ascertain what needs to be done to keep them in
good condition.
Cllr Burn asked about the cost of the new sports centre in Epping going up by £8 million. Cllr Amos confirmed this.
1592. Application for Donkey Derby permission to use the Green.
Cllr Gill set out the proposal from the Donkey Derby Committee.
He stated that the City of London were happy with everything for this year, but that next year the Parish Council may
have to take ownership of this event and it would be much harder to get approval.
All approved.
1593 Update regarding grant to Buxton Trust
Cllrs Gooch, Hannibal, and Purkiss left the room.
Cllr Blake asked for approval of recommendations from the subcommittee to waive repayment of grant and adopt
the recommendations. All approved.
Cllrs Gooch, Hannibal and Purkiss returned to room.
1594. Finance and General-purpose Committee
1595.1 To approve the payments made since the last meeting.
Approved.
1596.2 To Approve Asset Register for year end.
Approved.
1597.3 To note change to one item on next year’s budget due to typing error.
Noted. Change Grass Cutting EFDC in Cemetery budget from £3000 to £5000.
1598. Planning Committee:
To receive an update on Planning matters since last month
Cllr Burn gave a report:
The Planning Committee has considered 14 applications since the Full Parish Council Meeting of 23rd February 2023.
Of these, the Planning Committee raised strong objection to the proposed demolition and larger replacement of a
storage building, and retention of containers, on a site within the Green Belt.
The Committee found objection to two further proposals: (1) A revised application for railings and gates to the front
of a property which in the Committee’s view would be out-of-keeping with the street scene in the locality; and (2) A
certificate of lawful development application for a complex front boundary treatment to a property in the Green Belt
which was believed to be of a height that would require assessment under a full planning permission.
In addition, an extraordinary meeting of the Planning Committee was held on 23rd March 2023 to consider
amendments recently submitted re. planning application EPF/0292/21, for ‘Erection of 38 residential dwellings with
access from Forest Drive, and provision of associated open space, services and landscaping’. More than 30 villagers
attended the meeting to express concerns about this proposed development on land adjacent to the Green Belt.
These concerns, together with the views of Councillors, and any further written comments received from residents,
will be taken into account in the Parish Council’s response to Epping Forest District Council.
Epping Forest District New Local Plan, 2011-2033 has now been approved by Epping Forest District Council.
Cllr Gooch asked the residents who wanted to speak about Planning matters to ask their questions:
One resident spoke about the ongoing planning matter regarding Blunts farm and the proposed new development at
Forest drive. Cllr Gooch promised to speak to the new head of enforcement at EFDC James Stubbles about these
matters.
A resident spoke about the proposed Ultra Low Emission Zone extension to the borders of Essex and the Clean Air
Zone in Epping Forest. As a driver of a car that did not meet the low emissions required he was concerned about the
consequences. He also stated his belief that this would lead to more vehicles cutting through Theydon Bois to avoid
these restrictions. Cllr Gooch agreed with the resident but said that at present there was no date set for the Clean Air
Zone. He also stated that the committee at the City of London that was looking into the Clean Air Zone was a secret
committee and so very little was known about their proposals, so we would have to wait and see what came out of it.
1599. Highways, Cemetery and Environment Committee
1599.1 To receive an update on Highways, Cemetery and Environment matters.
Cllr Purkiss updated the Parish Council on the next stage regarding the project in Loughton Lane. He has met with Cllr
Lee Scott of ECC and is hopeful now that an officer has been appointed to push this forward, that the match funding
will go ahead.
1599.2 To Discuss and approve purchase of replacement dog bin for village.
Cllr Purkiss explained that the company who empty the bins had reported that one of the bins on the Green had
rotted through on the bottom. They have quoted £236.75 to replace.
Approved.
1599.3 To discuss and approve £5 increase in Allotment rent from 1st April 2023.
Cllr Purkiss explained that the allotment rental had been £45 for three years and to cover increasing costs he wanted
to increase the rental by £5 to £50. Cllr Burn asked that the rental be held, if possible, after this for another three
years. Cllr Purkiss stated that he would try, but it did depend on costs.
Approved.
1600. Community Engagement Committee
Cllr Morton being away, Cllr Cowup did just ask that as many people as possible turn up on Saturday at 9am for the
litter pick from the village hall.
Cllr Gill asked when an Emergency Planning Committee meeting would be taking place. Cllr Cowup explained that he
had emailed the experts who conducted the recent online training course and asked for their overview of our
Emergency Plan. Once their thoughts were in, he would convene a meeting.
1601. Any Other Urgent Business for report (without decision)
Please note that no decisions can be lawfully made under this item. The Local Government Act 1972 section 12 10
(2) (b) states that business must be specified; therefore, the Council cannot lawfully raise matters for decision.
Cllr Gooch reported that following our recent discussions with the Care Quality Commission, the inspector had
telephoned to say that they would not be carrying out an inspection, but that they had spoken to The Limes Medical
Centre about the provision of GP services at the Thrifts Mead practice in the village. He understood that the centre
was now up and running and even doctors’ appointments were now available at the surgery. A resident confirmed
that she had indeed had an appointment with a young doctor at the Thrifts Mead Surgery and thanked the Chairman
and Parish Office for all they had done to help bring this about.
Cllr Gooch asked the Parish Clerk to write to the Limes to ask what services were being provided at Thrifts Mead so
that we can advertise them.
Cllr Amos asked what had been done regarding the “No Cold Calling Zone” after last month’s meeting. The Clerk
explained that the Parish Office had emailed the resident to say that the Parish Council supported the initiative and
would be interested to see what happened in Morgan Crescent first before trying to roll out in the rest of the village.
1602. Public Participation
A resident complained that the recent planning application for the Forest Drive extension development was dense
housing, and not the bungalows that were needed. Cllr Gooch explained that the Parish Council supported this view
and did think that sheltered housing or bungalows would be ideal. But unfortunately, the developments were being
referred to the Urban Planning department who were encouraging increased housing density. This is something that
the Parish would be taking up with Planning at EFDC.
Cllr. Gooch closed the meeting at 9.05pm
Signed: ……………………………………….. Dated: 26/04/2023
Cllr Peter Gooch
Chairman