Local Plan Consultation

An additional consultation on the further changes (known as further Main Modifications) to Epping Forest District Council’s emerging Local Plan is scheduled to start shortly as the Council reaches the final stages of the Plan’s Examination. Councillor Nigel Bedford, Cabinet Portfolio Holder responsible for the Local Plan was pleased to update councillors at Full Council on Tuesday 11th October. The Council is aiming for the consultation to commence on or around 28th October 2022. Council staff are working behind the scenes to prepare the website, documents and consultation forms. The consultation will last 6 weeks. Consultees will be given the opportunity to comment solely upon the further Main Modifications proposed at this stage. It is not an opportunity to comment upon previous changes that have already been consulted upon, or parts of the Plan that are not subject to further modification. The Schedule of Main Modifications, clearly identifying the further Main Modifications which are subject to consultation, and all supporting documents will be published via the Council’s Local Plan website. Anyone who has previously registered for the Local Plan updates will receive notification when the consultation commences. Paper copies of the consultation material will be available at the Civic Offices and local libraries. The Local Plan is a district-wide plan which identifies the vision and aspirations for the future of the area. The planning policies, and allocations in the plan identify sites or areas which can be developed and those which should be protected. The Local Plan will help shape future development in the district up to 2033. It sets out the level and distribution of planned growth, including new homes and employment land. The Plan includes policies which will be used to assess planning applications, ensuring new development is sustainable, well designed and provides for the future needs of the district. Once finalised and adopted, the Local Plan will become the statutory (legal) development plan for the Epping Forest district. Responses to the consultation will be sent to the independent government-appointed inspector. Once the inspector has considered the responses, including the evidence presented throughout the duration of the Examination, he will determine whether the Local Plan is ‘sound’ and make his final recommendations to the Secretary of State. Only once the plan has received ministerial approval can it then be adopted by the Council.

Don’t forget to visit the website

www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk

If the cost of living and the increase in energy prices is not enough to cause worry, Essex Police are asking everybody to beware of email scams. As household bills rise, we need to stay one step ahead of the scammers. Beware of scam emails claiming to offer you refunds from Ofgem. Action Fraud have seen a rise in reports of an email scam which claims you are due a refund from Ofg em and asks you to follow a link to a website. Where you will then be asked to fill in personal and financial information. The scams in this incidence are using the Ofgem logo and colours to make it appear real. If in doubt about an email, contact the organisation directly and do not click on any links. The legitimate organisation will be happy to help you and not pressure you into providing unnecessary information. You can report any suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk

Town sign restored

Have you noticed that the Epping town sign on the town green has been restored, and now bears the market charter to mirror the town sign on the corner of Tower Road.

Town council receives £60,000 from Qualis

Qualis Commercial, which is developing five sites in Epping, has awarded Epping Town Council £60,000 - £30,000 for work on the Stonards Hill recreation ground playground and £30,000 towards funding for the skate park refurbishment project. The money will pay for the replacement of logs and a new roundabout at the play area. The town council has thanked Qualis Commercial for its contribution.

Don’t forget to visit our website: www.northwealdvillagelife.co.uk Or sign up to the Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/ Northwealdvillagelife

Essex County Council receives Department for Education (DfE) funding of £7.9m to run Multiply programme across county, helping thousands of residents brush up on their numeracy skills and gain a qualification, get into employment, and build their confidence. The Department for Education has accepted Essex County Council’s (ECC) case for ‘Multiply’, part of a new Government initiative to help residents across the country improve their numeracy skills. The funding, which will be spread over the next three years, has been secured following analysis of skill levels which showed a significant gap in adult numeracy in Essex compared to the national average. This can limit people’s ability to get a job and to get promoted in work. To address this, Multiply aims to raise participation in learning and attainment in maths up to NVQ2 (Good GCSE) for adults aged 19 and over. Essex’s Multiply programme will offer short, practical courses showcasing maths tools which can be used in everyday life, providing support for adults with things like the cost of living, helping children with their schoolwork, accessing employment, and getting a promotion at work. There will be courses for beginners and those who want to build on the foundations of their maths knowledge, through to more advanced courses such as GCSE maths. ECC has pitched for and been awarded an initial grant of £2.4m to deliver 3,400 opportunities by March 2023. The programme will be delivered through a range of skills providers with the support of partners, voluntary and community organisations, as well as ECC services such as ACL Essex (Adult Community Learning) and Essex Libraries.

Fire damage to bedroom

Just after 8pm on 23rd October, Fire crews were called to a house in Shaftesbury Road, Epping, after the homeowner noticed smoke coming from upstairs. On arrival firefighters discovered a fire in a bedroom and worked quickly to stop it from spreading and extinguish it. Watch Manager Marc Lemon, Loughton Fire Station, said: "We're unsure whether the fire was caused by a candle or a laptop as both were close to the bed where the fire started.

"Our main advice is to make sure you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home. It'll alert you to the first sign of fire which means you can get out, stay out and call 999 much more quickly. "Additionally, if you're using candles, always blow them out before you leave a room and never burn them close to anything flammable." The whole bedroom has been damaged by fire and the upstairs of the house has been damaged by smoke. Source: Essex County Fire & Rescue Services Ltd