Agenda

Key to abbreviations:

Other venues are shown in full.

Currently meetings are subject to change, postponement or cancellation.

Many meetings will be held virtually but Democratic Services will advise arrangements for individual meetings.

Committee Management System

The members’ extranet facility for the Modern.Gov system is available at:

https://eppingforestextranet.moderngov.co.uk/extranet

Members may wish to save this link on their computer or mobile devices. Queries concerning login and password details for the extranet should be addressed to the Democratic Services Manager.

Constitution

The Council’s Constitution is available at:

https://rds.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=638&Info=1

Queries concerning the Constitution should be addressed to the Democratic Services Manager

ECC Highways Portal

Up to date details of all Highways work is available at:

https://www.essexhighways.org/Transport-and-Roads.aspx

Member Contact

Please be aware that all Member queries should be addressed to membercontact@eppingforestdc.gov.uk as this will ensure that your query or question is properly logged and chased up if you have not received a response within 5 days.

This is the last Bulletin of 2020. The next edition will be published week ending 8 January 2021.

We would like to wish you a very relaxing break and a peaceful New Year.

Almost six weeks since being hospitalised with Covid-19 Councillor Rose Brookes is still struggling to recover.

“People say it’s just like a bad flu, but it is not like flu at all,” she says.

Rose spent two weeks on a Covid ward at Princess Alexandra Hospital, receiving oxygen for 12 days.

Although she was released with a prescription for steroids she’s finding it hard to concentrate and gets breathless walking up and down stairs or to the post box, 100m from her home.

Rose has always been healthy and active as a keen swimmer and cyclist but a bout of flu seven years ago left her with late onset asthma.

A week after an enjoyable holiday in Cornwall with her sister in October she began to feel unwell.

“My energy was low and I just didn’t feel right, but I didn’t think it was Covid. I went about my normal activities but on the day of the October Council meeting I didn’t feel up to joining the Zoom meeting so gave my apologies.”

That was Thursday 29 October and by Sunday Rose was in hospital and feeling extremely poorly.

“Apparently I had high infection markers. It felt like a sumo wrestler was sitting on my chest.”

By the following weekend she’d started to feel better, but it was another week before she was allowed to leave hospital to convalesce with her brother.

“This virus makes you feel so very vulnerable,” she said. “I’d had my flu vaccination, take Vitamin D, have been washing my hands, always wear a mask and socially distancing, but I still got it.

“I’m very concerned that people just aren’t taking this dreadful pandemic seriously. So many people are asymptomatic or taking the attitude that they are not going to get it so don’t bother wearing a mask…and it’s spreading fast.

“I realise we are all very weary of restrictions but I feel quite passionately that the mantra Hands, Face, Space is still critical if we are going to beat this pandemic and halt the spread and rising death toll not only across Essex, but the whole of the UK.

Before and after photos attached.

Please see attached.

Fly tipping of wooden units in June 2019 lead to £3891 costs shared between two Enfield residents after a hearing at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 1 December 2020. 

Evidence gathered by the Council’s Environmental Enforcement Officers, part of the Community Resilience Team led to a prosecution for fly tipping against Mr Mohsen Azizi and an additional prosecution against Mr Reza Sava for aiding and abetting the fly tipping which occurred in June 2019. Both gentlemen live in Enfield

Mr Azizi pleaded guilty to the offence in December 2019, but Mr Savar pleaded not guilty. The sentencing of Mr Azizi was adjourned pending the trial of Mr Savar, which was delayed until 1^st December 2020 due to COVID 19.

Neither defendant attended at the hearing on 1^st December 2020 and the trial of Mr Savar took place in his absence.

The Magistrates stated that they were sure that Mr Savar had aided and abetted Mr Azizi in the fly tipping and had acted as his lookout.

Mr Savar was ordered to pay a fine of £480. He was also ordered to pay a contribution towards the Council’s prosecution costs of £1411.50 together with a Victim Surcharge £48

Mr Azizi was given credit for his guilty plea and was ordered to pay a fine of £1173. He was also ordered to pay a contribution towards the Council’s prosecution costs of £661.50 together with a Victim Surcharge £117

(Further information: Michael Richardson ext 4422)

As a landlord, we are required to comply with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handing Code, ensuring we have good processes in place to respond swiftly and effectively to complaints. We have been asked to self-assess against the Code and publish the results on our website.

The Complaint Handling Code asks us to demonstrate that we comply in the following areas:

·         Definition of a complaint;

·         Accessibility and awareness;

·         Complaints team, procedure, timeliness and responsiveness;

·         Fairness in complaint handling;

·         Putting things right; and

·         Continuous learning and improvement.

Our self-assessment against the Code has led us to make some small changes, such as communicating details of our complaints process in all our tenant newsletters and standard correspondence. We have also added more details and inter-page links on our website.

In order to ensure ongoing full compliance with the Code we will be considering some amendments to the Complaints Policy in its review, due early 2021.

Click here for link to the webpage with our completed self-assessment form.

For more information about the complaint handling code self-assessment contact our Complaints and Customer Satisfaction Team Manager tscott@eppingforestdc.gov.uk or for housing queries contact our Housing Information, Strategy and Policy Team Manager hpradun@eppingforestdc.gov.uk

We have been asked to circulate the Q&As from the Member COVID-19 briefing. ECC have asked that you note the following;

“This is obviously a fast moving situation and the answers were correct at the date of the session. They are circulated ‘for the record’, but haven’t been updated or changed to reflect the situation unless indicated.”

Installation of football goal in Limes Farm Estate. 

New goal post installed to bring a dis-used football pitch back to life for the community.

The installation was a request by Limes Farm residents who worked with Epping Forest District Council to organise the new goal post. Plans are also being developed to fully reinstate the pitch in the future.

The post was installed on Thursday 26 November 2020 on the football pitch at the Limes Farm estate, Chigwell and will benefit the whole Limes Farms community. A celebratory opening event is due take place once lockdown restrictions are eased.

Tree and Shrub Planting

Plans for planting new trees and shrubs around the Limes Farm Estate are underway.  EFDC is working with Limes Farm residents to agree plans for improving the estate.

Limes Farm residents recently suggested the planting of new trees. This is now being expanded to include large planting areas of different types such as planting new trees, shrubs and wildflower meadows. Plans are in the early stages but it is hoped that some works will commence in 2021.

None this week

Please be advised that the Licensing Unit has received the following applications to vary a Premises Licence made under the Licensing Act 2003 for the premises below:

Please ensure that any comments/objections are received by the Licensing team on or before the consultation end date.

Manager                                                         Kim Tuckey 01992 564034

Licensing Compliance Officer                        Debbie Houghton 01992 564336

Licensing Compliance Officer                        Handan Ibrahim 01992 564153

Licensing Compliance Officer                        Denise Bastick 01992 564334

Licensing Compliance Officer                        Hannah Gould 01992 564721

Licensing Compliance Officer                        Peter Jones 01992 564166

1.            None this week. Appeals Lodged

EPF/0019/20 Land adj. to Forest House, Vicarage Lane Chigwell IG7 6NA - Proposed construction of new detached dwelling, a single garage & new access off of Vicarage Lane – Ian Ansell – ext. 4481Written reps

EPF/0251/20 – 38 Queens Road Buckhurst Hill IG9 5BY - Alterations and extension to create 5no. one bedroom flats, with amended retail space to front – Ian Ansell ext 4481 – Written reps

EPF/0294/20 – 1 Theydon Hall Cottages Abridge Road Theydon Bois CM16 7NP- Temporary permission for a period of 2 years for the stationing of a mobile home and ancillary decking, fencing & small outbuilding in relation to ongoing renovation &  extensions planned for No.1 Theydon Hall Cottages & retrospective planning permission for the installation of a replacement septic tank – Marie-Claire Tovey et. 4414 – Written reps

EPF/1673/20 – Taw Lodge Epping Lane Stapleford Tawney RM4 1ST - Demolition of existing buildings; and erection of 6 residential dwellings and associated landscaping and infrastructure.(Revised application to EPF/0511/20) – Ian Ansell ext. 4481 – Written reps

EPF/1909/19 – 18 Russell Road Buckhurst Hill OG9 5QJ - Proposed erection of x 4no. dwellings with associated infrastructure and landscaping – Mo Rahman ext. 4415 – Written reps

EPF/2371/19 – Bush Grove Farm Mount Grove Theydon Mount CM16 7QQ - Conversion of a barn into three x 4 bed houses – Mo Rahman ext. 4415 – Written reps

EPF/3087/18 – Sarnia Nursery Avey Lane Waltham Abbey EN9 3QH - Erection of a single storey new Warehouse including on site parking – Written reps

2.         Forthcoming Planning Inquiries/Hearings -

EPF/1649/17 – White Rose Curtis Mill Lane Stapleford Abbotts RM3 1HS – Re determination appeal by new Inspector- date to be arranged.

EPF/2708/18 – High House Farm Stapleford Road Stapleford Abbotts RM4 1EG - Construction of 27 new dwellings, including 7 affordable dwellings, with associated infrastructure, parking, public open space and landscaping – Virtual Hearing 3^rd February 2020

3.            Enforcement Appeals

ENF/0034/20 Oakleigh House Hamlet Hill Roydon CM19 5JZ - Without planning permission the erection of a retaining wall with gates and piers along the northern and western boundaries of the land, the wall being over 1m in height where adjacent to the highway (between the points marked B & C on the plan. and over 2 metres in height between the points marked A & B on the plan – Clare Munday ext. 4114 – Written reps

ENF/0034/20 Oakleigh House Hamlet Hill Roydon CM19 5JZ - Without planning permission the construction of a vehicular access from the highway on to the land including the erection of gates and fencing and the laying of hardstanding – Clare Munday ext. 4114 – Written reps

ENF/0150/20 Oakleigh House Hamlet Hill Roydon CM19 5JZ - Without planning permission the erection on the land of a retaining wall and the laying of hardstanding – Clare Munday ext. 4114 – Written reps

4.            Appeal Decisions

EPF/1537/19 Carisbrook Farm Kiln Road North Weald CM16 6AD - Outline Planning Permission for the redevelopment of the site to provide x10 no. dwellings with gardens & car parking – Dismissed

EPF/3030/19 11 Station Road Chigwell IG7 6QT - Proposed two storey side extension & a  single storey rear extension – Allowed with Condtions

5.         Tree Preservation Orders

None this week

6.         S106 Agreements

None this week

7.         Changes to Planning Systems

None this week

The notification of decisions taken by individual Portfolio Holders is no longer included in the Council Bulletin.

All members of the Council receive automatic email notification of the publication of each individual Portfolio Holder decision and the call-in period for each decision commences immediately. Members wishing to call-in a decision should complete the attached call-in form and return it to Democratic Services before the expiry of five working days following the publication date of the decision. Members should refer to the Constitution (Article 6 - Overview and Scrutiny) for the rules of call-in.