Theydon Bois Parish Council Cemetery Highways & Environment Links
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Parish Council News
16th May 2012 First Parish Council Meeting Post Election:
Last nights Annual Meeting of our Parish Council was the first following the election on May 3rd. In Theydon the Parish Council election was uncontested, but two new councillors Chris McDonald and Rob Young replaced two who had stood down this time, Jenny Berry and Sue Sowerby and this was an opportunity to introduce them to villagers attending the meeting.
Out going Chairman, Sue Jones thanked Jenny & Sue for all their efforts over the last four years and as her last act of office presented John Eaton with the award of 'Villager of the Year' (see below). John Philip was elected as the new Chairman of the council and Peter Gooch as Vice Chairman.
13th May 2012 Revised Date for Parish Council Annual Meeting:
13th May 2012 Introducing Theydon's New Parish Councillors:
Two new councillors were elected in the uncontested election for Theydon Bois Parish Council on 3rd May, previous Parish Councillors Jenny Berry and Sue Sowerby having stood down.
Chris McDonald: Chris is very much a local boy – educated at Chigwell School, he has lived in the village for over 20 years. He was vice chairman of the ‘Playground at Theydon’ project, has served as both Chairman of Governors at the Local Primary School and as a Parent Governor at Davenant. He spent a number of years on the PCC. As his three sons passed through both cubs and scouts he was a regular ‘dad helper’ for our local scouting movement for about 15 years.
He is soon to retire from the Metropolitan Police where his long and varied career has involved such responsibilities as, looking after UK interests in New York after 9/11, and being Chairman of the Police Superintendents’ Association in London and the City. As a Detective Chief Superintendent he was recently seconded to the Home office for a year to be a Government advisor on violent crime. His final role before retirement has involved a review into aspects of the disturbances last year.
He is married to Gill and looks forward to representing the views of villagers, as one of the newest members to the Parish Council.
Rob Young: Rob was born in Walthamstow and moved to Theydon from Loughton some 10years ago. He has his own
retail shop in Epping High Street . He has 2 children, a boy and a girl who attend Theydon Primary School where Rob has been a school community governor for 5 years and as a result knows the people and area very well.
He has just reached the youthful age of 40 years and is looking forward to playing with the new family IPAD (when his wife will allow him a go!). He is keen on motor sports in general, especially Formula 1.
He is very much looking forward to serving the community in Theydon as a Parish Councillor.
Contact details for all of the Theydon Bois Parish Councillors are on the Parish Councillors page.
12th May 2012 Official Returning Officer Results for Theydon Bois District and Parish Elections:
As there were only 11 nominations and that is the required number of councillors for Theydon Bois Parish Council voting for the Parish Council was not required on May 3rd and the Returning Officer has declared the result uncontested. The elected councillors for our parish are shown above.
Christopher McDonald and Rob Young are the two new Parish Councillors from May 2012 replacing Jenny Berry and Sue Sowerby who stood down at this election.
1st May 2012 Parish Council Chairman, Sue Jones's Annual Report
Sue's Report for the year 2011 - 2012 is now available here.
25th January 2012 Parish Council Office Opening Hours 2012:
The Acting Parish Clerk, Assitant Parish Clerk or Responsible Financial Officer are normally available weekday mornings at the Village Hall. As from January 2012 Greville Norman (Responsible Finance Officer) will be in the Parish Office on Mondays from 10.00 a.m until 12.00 M/D, Assistant Clerk Margaret Lechley will be in the office Tuesday from 10.00am to 12.00 M/D and Parish Clerk Sally Crone will be available in the office on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10.00am - 12.00 M/D or thereabouts.
Officially the office will be open to the public to visit from 10 a.m until 12 noon Monday to Friday .
At other times, or if the clerk is out of the office, messages can be left on the answer phone,
No. 01992 813442. Faxes can also be sent to the same number.
8th December 2011 Parish Council Tender for New CCTV System:
Theydon Bois Parish Council intend Replacement/Upgrade of the Village CCTV System and associated Maintenance Contract. The council invites Contractors wishing to Tender for this work to contact The Parish Clerk before 12 noon on Thursday 5th January 2012.
3rd August 2011 Up Date to Council’s Meeting Dates Schedule for 2011.
The Council’s Meeting Dates Schedule for 2011.
With regard to changes to Diary Dates, the and the monthly Parish Council Surgeries/One to One. Cllr Sowerby did put an article in the last edition of VN (see page 6 of edition 74) explaining the change of format to asking residents to make an appointment in advance – the reason for this is that the surgeries have been poorly attended all this year. That is not to say that the Councillors aren’t happy to meet with any residents just that now this will preferably be by appointment at a mutually convenient time.
Regarding Parish Council Meetings, it is quite simple really and a change for the better which brings us up to date with best practice. At the Annual Meeting of the Council in May 2011 the Council decided to adopt the new model Standing Orders produced by the National Association of Local Councils with some amendments to tailor them to our Council. The main change is that whilst all Council Meetings have always been open to the public, the public are positively encouraged to attend on a monthly basis as they now have the opportunity to speak on any Agenda Items at the Meetings in February, April, June, August, October and December and both on any Agenda Items and any other local matters which they may wish to raise at the Meetings in January, March, May, July, September and November.
The Council also adopted 12(2) of the Code of Conduct which means that a Councillor who has a prejudicial interest in relation to any Agenda Item can speak on the matter but cannot vote on it – previously said Councillor could not even speak to contribute his or her comments on a matter where a prejudicial interest arose.
The Council has Committees as you know comprising the Finance and General Purposes Committee, Planning Committee (which meets fortnightly), Highways and Environment Committee and Community Liaison Committee. All these meetings are also held in public and the public may attend. The public may also speak in relation to any matters appearing on the Agenda of the meetings held by the Committees. Since the start of the new Council Year all the Committees have met (with the exception of the Cemetery Committee which is due to meet on 11th August and F&GP who are due to meet tomorrow evening). Thus far Councillor Sowerby has been re-elected Chair of the Community Liaison Committee, Councillor Gooch as Chair of the Planning Committee and Councillor Purkiss as Chair of the Highways and Environment Committee. As I am sure you know already, Councillor Jones was re-elected as Chair of the Parish Council and Councillor Hannibal as Vice-Chair.
23rd May 2011
Parish Council's Annual General Meeting Thursday 26th May:
This is the Annual General meeting for Parish Council business as distinct from the informal yearly Annual Meeting that took place on the 11th May (see below). All villagers are of course entitled to attend and are most welcome. Please note that before the start of the Meeting the Chairman will announce the winner of this year’s annual award of the Theydon Bois Community Rose Bowl to the Villager of the Year and will make presentation of this and other Chairman’s Community Awards. Come along to find out who are this years very worthy recipients. The full meeting Agenda is here.
13th May 2011 Theydon Bois Parish Council's Annual Meeting:
On Wednesday evening (11th May) the Parish Council held its Annual Meeting to inform villagers about the achievements of the last year and future projects planned for our village. The format of the meeting was that adopted last year with refreshments and the opportunity to chat informally with councillors from 7.30pm and then the presentations by councillors following at 8.00pm. The number of villagers attending the meeting was a little disappointing, but those who did attend came away better informed about the hard work put in by our Parish Councillors and Council Staff. Below is a brief video of the evening.
16th March 2011 Extraordinary Meeting of Theydon Bois Parish Council:
Extraordinary Meeting of Theydon Bois Parish Council atTheydon Bois Village Hall on Thursday 17th March, 2011 at 8pm The main purpose of the meeting will be to approve the grant of a Tenancy at Will by the Council to the Trust relating to The
Theydon Bois Community and Youth Centre. The Full Agenda is available as a PDF.
13th July 2010 Gypies and Travellers Site Requirements Lifted:
The Government has finally agreed to drop the formal consultation over extra gypsy and traveller pitches in the district after two years of worry, concern, and confusion. Full story on Parish Council Gypsies Travellers Page
1st July 2010 Parish Council Publish Freedom of Information Guidelines
The Parish Council believes in full disclosure of its activities and therefore minutes of past Parish Council Meetings and certain other documents are available to view on the Village Website. Minutes of other meetings as well as other Parish Council Documents that do not appear here are available to view on application to the Parish Clerk. The Parish Council has now published its Guidelines of Freedom of Information which are available below and fro the links on the Council Meetings and Council Minutes Pages.
The Parish Council Guidelines on Freedom of Information.
PARISH PRECEPT/BUDGET 2010
The Finance Committee and Responsible Financial Officer, have been, over the last few months, poring over spreadsheets preparing the budget and precept for 2010/11 to recommend to full Council. At the January Parish Council Meeting a precept of £103,280 was ratified. The budget Theydon Bois Parish Council set for the new financial year represents the financial plans, policies, priorities and aspirations for the coming year commencing April 2010.Residents should not be unaware of the Parish Council’s aspiration to purchase the Community Centre formerly known as the Youth Club, in Loughton Lane. Essex County Council has agreed to sell the property to the Parish Council for £300,000 and to pay the resultant Stamp Duty. It is intended that the funding of the purchase price will be via a Public Works Loan (PWL), similar to the arrangements made for the development of the Village Hall. At the time of writing the loan has not yet been fixed and interest rates are subject to fluctuation, however at a current fixed interest rate of 4.52% a £300,000 loan spread over 25 years would require annual funding of £20,152. The total cost over the lifetime of the loan would be almost £504,000.
As Theydon Bois Parish Council are also committed to fund the PWL for the Village Hall at an annual cost of £34,981, our total annual payments for both loans when and if we complete on the purchase of the Community Building will then be approximately £55,133.
In the June 2009 edition of the Village News, the Parish Council explained that ‘In order to buy the site we will need to apply for a Public Works Loan which will be paid for through the rates. Our current estimation is that it will cost each household in the order of an additional 25p per week.’ The Council then invited your views, as support from the community to fund the project was essential, the council did not receive one negative comment and therefore resolved to proceed with the purchase. Throughout the budget process the Council ensured that the budget for the Community Centre would not exceed that 25p a week for a Band D house.
In order for Theydon Bois Parish Council to fund both PWL, to run the Parish Office efficiently, to continue to contribute £5,000 to match fund highway improvements, to underwrite a potential £1,500 short fall in the Village Design Statement Association’s budget for printing, to improve our communication to the village and to budget £5,500 for any potential short fall in funding for the Community Centre it is necessary for Theydon Bois Parish Council to increase the precept from £74,731 to £103,280 an increase of 38.2%. Excluding the provision we have made for the Community Centre and an exceptional item associated with a potential shortfall in the Village Design Statement Association budget the increase on the precept is 1.9%.
The full increase equates to a Band D charge of £52.27 per annum, a total increase of 27p per week. On an average Theydon Bois property the annual charge is £62.10 a total increase of 33p per week. The increase associated with the purchase of the Community Centre is 30p per week for an average house and 25p per week for a Band D property.
The dramatic decrease in interest rates has necessitated we budget for a significant decrease in income derived from interest on our reserves. In addition to designated reserves for specific budgeted projects that we have yet to spend - like the commitment to contribute £5,000 for legal and planning professional expenses should any of the potential Gypsy and Traveller sites be selected, we also have to hold a percentage of our precept in a general reserve. This is common practice across councils. Our reserve policy is to hold 50% of precept. The unusual increase in precept this year to fund the purchase of the Community Centre has had an effect on our reserve. As a result from the financial year 2010/11 our reserve will stand at 4 months of precept. The Parish Council is implementing a plan to address this. It is our current intention to manage our finances especially prudently and keep further precept rises to the bare minimum to enable us to work towards our goal of a reserve of 6 months by the end of financial year 2012/13.
General expenditure for the Parish Council includes the management of the cemetery and allotments and ongoing CCTV maintenance. We fund the Village Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and quarterly Elderly Tea Parties and contribute to various local charities. We pay for the cutting of the grass on the Village Green, hedge cutting, contribute to the maintenance of the Churchyard and pay for the emptying of the dog bins. We have to meet insurance expenses, pay for internal and external audits, membership of professional organisations as well as election expenses. We also view and comment on all planning applications in the Parish. This is achieved with three very committed members of staff and eleven councillors. Councillors work voluntarily, they have elected not to be financially recompensed and claim no expenses!
The residents of Theydon Bois will have a twenty five year financial commitment to this exciting new project. The community will have to pull together to ensure the Centre is utilised and that the village derives the full benefit from the facility.
PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE
Last Updated: 1st May 2012