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 June 26th 2022
• Councillors Present: Cllrs Gooch (Chairman), 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 5 members of the public.
1484. Apologies for Absence: Cllr. Gill
1485. To discuss and approve the minutes from last May 2022. Approved
1486. Police report. PC Cook is on Annual Leave, no update given.
1487. Clerks Report
1) We received an email from a member of public, making us aware that the condition of the pavements in Thrifts
Mead have become very bad. They were concerned with how the pavements were disintegrating, causing trip hazard,
and weeds were growing through the cracks. This is an area of the village that needs attention if fund permit.
2) We received a CCTV inquiry from the police, we were able to provide them with the footage they needed.
3) We now have access to the Playground CCTV via Essentials App on the Parish Mobile phone. Last week the
playground equipment was vandalised, and we were able to watch the teenagers in action graffitiing the equipment
and identity the High School from their uniform. We liaised with the High School, and they followed up with school
punishments and notified their parents who made the teenagers clean the graffiti off.
4) A large amount of fly tipping has been dumped along Station Road yesterday, we have reported this to Epping Forest
District Council (‘EFDC’).
5) The Limes Surgery contacted us this week to say that the Limes Medical Centre in Theydon Bois would be closed in
July for maintenance. We have put a notice on the Parish Council’s noticeboard in Coppice Row and on the website.
6) The City of London (‘CoL’) have invited Councillors to meet over at the Deer Sanctuary to provide an update about
works to Birch Hall Pond. This will be taking place on Tuesday 26th July. Attendance will be: Cllrs. Morris, Gill,
Hannibal and Purkiss.
7) Purlieu Way has a Traffic Regulation Order (‘TRO’) at the moment to introduce double yellow lines (No Waiting At
Any Time) on both sides of Purlieu Way from the shared boundary of Nos. 21 and 23 to the shared boundary of Nos.
44 and 46. It will be advertised on 7th July with a consultation period ending 31st July 2022.
1488. Reports from Parish Representatives on outside organisations.
Cllr Peter Gooch: At the last Village Association meeting they agreed to contribute 50% of the new CCTV camera soon
to be installed on Coppice Row by the Village Hall.
1489. Reports from District and/or County Councillors
Cllr. Holly Whitbread, County Councillor for Epping and Theydon Bois, attended the meeting in person to
give an update. Cllr. H Whitbread is now responsible for Health and Social Care at Essex County Council, working on
providing care packages and helping people with learning difficulties across the district. Work is happening on
restructuring around healthcare boards. A new hospital is coming to Epping Forest land. Cllr. H Whitbread has a
budget to fill 18 potholes in the district and has asked for nominations of the worst potholes in the area that need
filling. There is work happening on Community grants, with the idea of levelling up the area.
Cllr. Clive Amos, District Ward Councillor for Theydon Bois, provided an update on the recent AGM of EFDC, which he
attended in May 2022. Councillors elected were: Chairman of the Council: Mary Sartin, Vice-chairman: Darshan
Sunger, with the membership of other District Committees also decided.
1490. Finance and General Purpose
1490.1 Approve Payments – Approved
1490.2 To appoint Auditing Solutions as the Parish Council Internal Auditors for the present financial year.
Cllr. Hannibal stated that we had been happy with the auditors and our intention would be to continue using them.
Cllr. Gooch seconded and all Councillors agreed and approved
1490.3 UK Prosperity Fund
Cllr. Gooch provided an update from a meeting he had earlier that day with Cllr. Purkiss, Parish Clerk and Paul
Messenger and Duncan Haslam from EFDC to learn more about the UK Prosperity Fund and how it could be used in
the Parish. EDFC have been offered £1 million to spend over three years on improving the district, with the focus on
community and legacy. Cllr. Gooch said that one idea that came from the meeting was to apply for money to be spent
at the cemetery as this is an area that needs money for projects. The Councillors agreed they supported the idea.
1490.4 Community Initiative Fund (CIF) – Cllr. Hannibal explained that Community Infrastructure Fund (‘CIF’)
grants of up to £10,000 are available to support projects that benefit the wider community and demonstrate a real
community need. These projects may be new amenities, equipment, new local services or cultural initiatives all of
which contribute towards strengthening communities. The deadline for full applications to the main CIF round this
year is 19 August 2022.
1490.5 Micro Grant Fund – Micro Grant Community Chest Fund with grants of up to £500 available to help grassroots
groups reduce social isolation, improve wellbeing or help communities connect. Applications to the micro grants fund
can be made on a rolling basis until all funds are used. This was discussed and decided that we would advertise on the
website, since this may be suitable for other groups in the village such as community Cuppa. Deadline 19th Aug. The
suggestion made was to create a new dedicated page for the website.
1491. Planning
Planning Committee Report – June 2022
Of the 10 planning applications considered by the Planning Committee since the Full Parish Council Meeting of 26th
May 2022, objection was raised to four: two applications relating to proposals for outbuildings in rear gardens, both
of which the Committee felt would fail to protect the amenity of residents in neighbouring properties; one
application for an extension to a semi-detached property was believed to be of an incongruous design that would be
detrimental to the street scene; and the fourth objection was to an application in the Green Belt for the construction
of a large pond and associated landscaping and drainage works: the Committee questioned the necessity of this
proposal in terms of its siting, size and scale.
With reference to the Epping Forest District New Local Plan, the Planning Inspector has issued Advice Note ED141,
with respect to further modifications to be made to the Plan. The issue of these will be followed by a period of public
consultation, during the summer, since the Inspector anticipates that the New Plan could be adopted by the autumn
of this year. Meanwhile, there are some key requirements with respect to revised wording to elements of the main
strategic policies, including those relating to the Epping Forest SAC and the South Epping Masterplan Site.
The Planning Inspectorate has dismissed an Appeal submitted by Next PLC against EFDC’s refusal of planning
permission for planning application EPF/2503/19 – being the development of Land to the North of Dowding Way in
Waltham Abbey for a distribution centre and a photographic studio. The Inspector found that the benefits of the
development collectively would not clearly outweigh the harm to the Green Belt, and any other harm (namely the
harm to the character and appearance of the area).
Epping Forest District Council’s (EFDC) digital iPlan Planning Portal was offline from 28th May due to a system
upgrade. The new EFDC Public Register system launched on 13th June. Going forward, all new planning applications
will be available on EFDC’s Public Register – the weblink for the main planning portal is: Register View (force.com)
Three planning breach enforcement enquiries have recently been submitted by the Planning Clerk to EFDC – all three
enquiries relate to intrusive front boundary treatments to three village properties, that do not conform with planning
permission, where granted, nor with the General Permitted Development Order, 2015.
Changes to Ward Boundaries, and the number of District Councillors. were discussed and concern raised over
community identity in Theydon Bois if the boundaries are changed. During the second phase of public consultation
(between October – December 2022), the Boundary Commission will present its proposals. The Parish Council needs
to think about potential issues and the topic will be discussed further at the next Planning Committee meeting,
before the submission deadline (for the first part of the consultation) of 18th July 2022.
1492. Highways, Cemetery and Environment Committee
Cllrs Purkiss and Gill are due to have a long overdue Meeting with the TFL Crime Prevention Officer and PC Andy Cook
to discuss the continuing problems in Station Hill and surrounding area. These problems include car theft, fly tipping,
fly parking and drug dealing some of which could be deterred by CCTV and the re-instatement of the TFL gate.
Essential Security have been repairing and upgrading the CCTV at The Bull Public House. A new pole is to be installed
in the Village Hall grounds near the entrance for new CCTV cameras to be focused on the Piercing Hill crossroads and
there was discussion regarding a newly sited camera at the top of the Avenue of Trees to discourage anti-social
behaviour.
There have been two positive Cemetery Meetings held with one on site in the Abridge Road. Various upgrades and
projects were discussed and it was agreed to consecrate at least half of the un-consecrated section of land going up
the entrance to the left to provision for future burials. Further areas were identified to increase capacity in the
Remembrance Garden and to re-site the shelter further back to the hedge line. It was also agreed to bring power to
the entrance gates and a Grant will be applied for to assist in this matter.
Following discussions NEPP and their outside Consultants are proposing double yellow lines in a section of Purlieu
Way which would only displace parking and not solve the current issues. Further discussions need to be sought with
the representative from Purlieu Way and NEPP.
1493. Community Engagement Committee
Cllr. Morton provided an update on Community Engagement activity in the village. The celebration of the Queen’s
Platinum Jubilee over the period 2nd June – 5th June. The project was led by Cllr. Peter Cowup, who has ensured that
all the volunteers who helped make it a success have been properly thanked.
The event has been considered a resounding success throughout the whole village. Feedback has been universally
positive, and it has been fully celebrated in the ‘Village News’ magazine.
We came in significantly under budget. As some invoices remain outstanding, we will be able to report by exactly
how much at our next Full Council meeting. We took what we were given, that might have seemed in prospect to be
a rather pedestrian and formal event and turned it into a proper community celebration. People brought their
goodwill, and their families made it something that I hope will be long remembered.
Litter Picking was discussed: Felt that overall, it is working well, but may needs a review and revitalising if it is to be
suitable and involve more members of the community.
Theydon Bois Open Gardens’ Day returned on the 26th June after a seven year break. This project was coordinated
by Theydon Bois Horticultural Society, Theydon Bois Village Association and Theydon Bois Parish Council. The event
was a great success, having over 430 visitors to the Open Gardens and raising around £2000 for St Clare’s Hospice.
1494. AOB
1495. Public Participation – Sue Sowerby said the Open Garden’s Day was a great success. Richard Risdon felt that
Litter Picking needs Council leadership.
Cllr. Gooch closed the meeting at 9:16PM
Signed: ……………………………………….. Dated: 28/07/2022
Cllr Peter Gooch
Chairman