LOCAL NEWS

Thornwood Site is not being considered as a Recycling Site North Weald Parish Council have confirmed that this site has now been withdrawn.  On 9th December, Essex County Council advised North Weald Bassett Parish Council that amongst the 1,838 responses received to the August 2011 consultation in relation to a Strategic Aggregate Recylcing Site there was a response from the agent activng for the owners of this partciular site based at Weald Hall Commercial Centre, which is based in Thornwood. The response advised the Parish Council of the formal withdrawal of this particular site.  In light of this, no further consideration will be given to this site in the emerging Minerals Development Document. The Parish Council would therefore like to thank all thos Residents and Petitioners who signed the petition and responded to the consultation. THE VERY SNOWY CHRISTMAS  Epping Forest Arts, the arts department of Epping Forest District Council, will be presenting ‘The Very Snowy Christmas’ performed by Blunderbus Theatre Company. The show takes place on Monday 19th December at Epping Hall, St John's Road, Epping CM16 5JU.  It’s the night before Christmas and Big Mouse and Little Mouse are putting up decorations. Little Mouse scampers out to search for holly but finds big white flakes falling from the sky. With live music, beautiful puppets and a stunning snowy set which comes to life before your eyes, this is the perfect gift for Christmas! Performance times 11.30am and 2.30pm Tickets £9 adult and child, £5 extra ticket Booking essential from Monday 7th November 01992 564226 (Monday-Friday 10.00am-4.00pm) Children must be accompanied by an adult. Please allow 15 minutes prior to the event start time for registration. Please also note that Monday is Market Day in Epping so allow extra time for parking.   Do you drive a Diesel Vehicle and visit London regularly?  If the answer is yes, from 2012 you may have to pay a daily charge of £100 or risk a £500 penalty charge if your vehicle doesn’t meet the changing emissions standards. From 3rd January 2012, larger vans, minibuses, 4x4s and other specialist diesel vehicles will be affected by the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) for the first time. If you own this type of vehicle, it must meet certain emissions standards to be driven within the LEZ without paying a daily charge. It doesn’t matter whether the vehicle is used for commercial or private purposes, it will still need to meet the standards. The LEZ covers most of Greater London, it borders the south of the Epping Forest district at Chigwell, Buckhurst Hill, Grange Hill, Hainault and Havering-atte-Bower. Check the LEZ interactive map to see if you drive within the zone and will need to pay the daily charge.  The LEZ operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and public holidays. You can fit an approved filter to improve your vehicle's emissions and get a certificate to prove your vehicle's emissions standard (eg a valid Reduced Pollution Certificate or a Low Emissions Certificate), which will allow you to drive in the LEZ without paying the daily charge. The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was introduced in 2008 to encourage the most polluting diesel vehicles driving within London to become cleaner. To drive within it without paying a daily charge, your vehicle must meet certain emissions standards that limit the amount of particulate matter coming from its exhaust. Particulate matter is a type of pollution which can contribute to asthma, heart and lung disease, other respiratory illnesses and even early death. Have you lost two bikes?  In the early hours of Saturday 22nd October in the village, a local resident retrieved two bikes that were either abandonned or stolen.  If you have lost either one or both of these bikes, please get in contact with details of the bike(s) and I will check these with the details I have been provided and if they match I will put you in touch with the local resident.  Email me: june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk with details. Update on Cabinet Meeting held on Monday (24 October). Among the items of debate by Epping Forest District Councillors were: 1. Councillor John Knapman, Environment Portfolio Holder gave a verbal update on his discussions with Essex County Council on the future of the Ongar Civic Amenity site. Receiving the support of local ward councillor Derek Jacobs, Councillor Knapman informed Cabinet and fellow councillors of proposals to transfer ownership of the Civic Amenity site from Essex County Council to High Ongar Parish Council. County Council officers have agreed to look at the proposals as a potential means of keeping the amenity site open in the future. 2. Members of Epping Forest District Council’s Cabinet expressed disappointment that the government was pressing forward with plans to hold the first Police and Crime Commissioner elections separately from other local elections next year. Epping Forest District Council runs local elections for the area. Legislation going through Parliament would require a one-off November election for the new Commissioner. Epping Forest District Council would expect to be reimbursed by the Government for the cost of the election. However, councillors felt it would be a better use of resources to hold the election in May when regular routine local elections are scheduled and the costs of polling stations and staff could be shared. 3. Epping Forest District Council and its residents recycle almost 60 per cent of the domestic refuse collected each year. Following a successful pilot exercise, Epping Forest District Council looks set to continue doorstep textile recycling, income from which has been used to support local charities nominated by the Chairman of Council. Although a small part of the overall recycling collected, Cabinet supported Environment Portfolio Holder Councillor John Knapman’s recommendation for the inclusion of textile recycling in the forthcoming procurement exercise for recycling ‘bring banks’. Councillor Knapman went on to confirm he is also looking at possibilities for drink carton recycling. 4. As the Olympic preparations for the canoe slalom events at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in 2012 reach the final stages, Epping Forest District Council’s Cabinet considered whether the district should invest in ‘Look and Feel’ dressing of streets beyond Waltham Abbey in Olympic branding next year. Councillors considered proposals to ask Full Council for an allocation of £35,000 towards dressing local towns with match funding by local Town and Parish councils.  As a supporter of the Games including provision of park and ride for the spectators to the canoe slalom at the White Water Centre, Epping Forest District Council has also been offered an opportunity to purchase 54 tickets to the White Water events and the opening and closing ceremonies in Stratford. Councillor Ricki Gadsby, Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder put forward a package of ticket allocations for local residents with a particular focus on young people. Cabinet also agreed a bid of £3,000 to pay for the tickets and the creation of a panel made of up of three councillors, the Chairman of Council, Leisure and Wellbeing Portfolio Holder and ‘Olympics’ Champion, to receive nominations from members of the public for local residents they think should get a ticket. Top Essex award for crime reduction officer  Epping Forest District’s Police Crime Reduction Officer, Tony Ellis, has scooped a top county-wide award for his crime reduction initiatives. Tony, who is based at Ongar Police Station, received the Ray Stannard Memorial Trophy for excellence in Crime Reduction. Tony won the votes of Essex Officers for making an outstanding contribution to rural crime prevention. The award was presented to Tony at a recent regional cross border rural crime conference and he is the first recipient of the trophy which includes a certificate signed by Essex Police Chief Constable Jim Barker-McCardle. Tony said, “Receiving an award voted for by your colleagues is always special. I am particularly pleased that it recognises the work we have done with Epping Forest District Council’s Safer Communities Team in respect of rural crime prevention.” Councillor Penny Smith Safer, Greener and Highways Portfolio holder said: “This is a fitting award for someone who has devoted many years of service to the district. I am particularly pleased that Tony has acknowledged the part the council’s Safer Communities Team has played in this achievement.” For free impartial security advice you can call Tony on Essex Police single non-emergency number 101 and dial Extension 319383 when prompted.

VIllage to get a new Zebra Crossing at last Many people have commented that we need a crossing in the village close to the shops.  Over the years, two people have been involved in accidents that have proved fatal and the shops are a popular visiting place for everybody including the young and older residents of the village. Over the last few years, the Parish Council have been working hard in the background to gain approval and funding for a crossing in the village.  The Parish Council is  now delighted to announce that it has at last succeeded in its endeavours to obtain a new Zebra Crossing in North Weald. After various suggested locations, agreement has been reached on one, which is by the shops near the telephone box opposite the church, close to the Bassett Gardens junction. As many will know work started this week on the night of Tuesday 1st November when the road was closed from 9.00pm until 6.00am when resurfacing of the high road took place. New street lights will be erected together with illuminated crossing signs and street furniture. All work on the new crossing is expected to be completed in November, which will be favoured by many crossing the High Road more confidently during the darker winter evenings and for many years to come. There will be inconvenience for some local people, but please be patient as this will be short lived and the zebra will be for long term safer crossing. Urgently Needed - Local Poppy Collector for York Road - would you like to donate some time in the next week or so to help the local branch of the Royal British Legion and collect money for poppies in the York Road area.  Please email me:- june@northwealdvillagelife.co.uk  with your details and I will pass these on.Cabinet 24 October 2011. Harlow MP Robert Halfon welcomes knife crime law changes which mean tougher sentences for offenders. Harlow MP Robert Halfon, who has been campaigning for changes to knife crime laws, has welcomed changes to legislation which more tougher sentences for offenders. In March this year, Mr Halfon - following a meeting with police community support officers in Harlow when he learnt that the town sees about 100 knife-related crimes a year - took part in a parliamentary debate calling for tougher action. Mr Halfon was a key supporter of the amendment, and was one of its first signatories. He raised the issue of internet websites where young people can buy knives very cheaply, without proper restrictions and was a key signatory of a parliamentary amendment which has now resulted in changes to legislation regarding the sentencing powers available. Legislation now means offenders aged 16 and 17 face a minimum four months detention and training order, two months in custody or two months close supervision. This is the minimum as a judge can increase the level of sentence by two month increments to a maximum of two years. Mr Halfon said: "I welcome these changes which mean much tougher sentences can now be handed down to those responsible for knife crimes. This sends a clear signal of intent to potential offenders that knife crime at this level will not be tolerated." He added: "Legislation alone will not solve the problem of knife crime and much work needs to be done in respect of early intervention programmes, education and more but this law provides a long overdue deterrent which should be seen as part of a solution." Mr Halfon will be attending an anti-knife crime event at Harlow College in the near future and helping to raise awareness of the problem.   Essex gets ready for winter Essex is ready to deal with icy road conditions this winter, with fresh supplies of salt and Essex County Council's (ECC) fleet of gritters on call round the clock to keep major roads clear. ECC held a winter service launch event at the Springfield Highways Depot in Chelmsford – one of seven depots located across the county where final preparations are currently being made for the winter period. ECC has been working closely with its contractors to ensure that salt stocks are back at full capacity in time for the start of the season. This year additional orders have been placed to ensure that the county has sufficient supplies in the event of another harsh winter. The county’s fleet of 65 winter gritters will be ready to mobilise throughout the winter season, with 120 personnel on call over a 24 hour period. ECC is required to focus its gritting resources on keeping major roads clear, so it operates a precautionary salting network. This includes all ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads, access routes for emergency services, rural link roads and major public transport routes. Residents can check which roads will be gritted by visiting Essex County Council 180 parish and town councils have signed up for ECC’s new winter salt bag scheme, which gives greater control to local communities. Participating councils will receive one tonne of salt – packaged in 20kg sealed bags – for use on areas of the highway which cause most concern in icy conditions. Local volunteers will take responsibility for spreading the salt. All ECC salt bins will be filled in time for the start of the winter. This salt is to be used sparingly on the highway, not private residencies. ECC cannot guarantee that bins will be refilled during the winter, as resources have to be prioritised to ensure the main road network is covered. Residents are advised to prepare for winter driving by checking the condition of their car tyres and battery, and packing an emergency kit in case they get stuck for a while (containing items like warm clothing, bottled water, mobile phone and a torch). Residents are also advised that they can take action to clear their own local pavements and pathways of snow and ice, as long as they take a careful and common sense approach. County Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation said: “Keeping the main Essex road network safe throughout winter is a top priority. We have ensured that salt supplies are back at full capacity, and with our new salt bag scheme we are providing resources to local communities to deal with problem areas. “We will be keeping our residents well informed with the latest information throughout winter, and are working in partnership with district and borough councils to provide the best service possible.

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