The Epping Forest & Commons Committee met on Monday 26 January 2026 to discuss the annual review of its terms of reference and proposed fees and charges for licences, wayleaves, and produce for the 2026-27 financial year. The committee also received updates on various operational and financial matters concerning Burnham Beeches and The Commons, as well as Epping Forest.

Annual Review of Terms of Reference

The committee was scheduled to consider the annual review of its terms of reference, as reported by the Town Clerk. This review is part of an ongoing governance review aimed at providing more time for committees to discuss proposed changes before they are submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee. Any significant amendments to the terms of reference are expected to be progressed through a broader review of the Natural Environment Charities. The committee was asked to agree that the terms of reference, subject to any comments, be approved for submission to the Court of Common Council in April 2026, with any further changes delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with the Chair and Deputy Chair.

Licences, Wayleaves and Produce Fees and Charges for 2026-27

Two reports detailed proposed increases to fees and charges for activities within The Commons and Epping Forest for the 2026-27 financial year. For The Commons, the proposal was to increase licence, sports, and produce charges by 3.6%, aligned with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October 2025. This increase is intended to help cover operational costs and reduce the need for savings. The report noted that car park charges would remain unchanged. For Epping Forest, a similar increase of 3.6% was proposed for licence fees, also based on the October 2025 CPI figure. The report recommended agreeing these proposed fees and also reaffirmed the delegation of powers to the Superintendent to make minor variations to filming and other licensing fees where the scale of the activity and its impact on the Forest warranted a different fee to ensure appropriate contribution towards costs.

Operational and Financial Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive several verbal updates on operational matters. These included:

• Landscape Resilience & Recovery Workstream: An update from officers of the Environment Department.
• Natural Environment Division Policy Review Update: A verbal report from officers of the Environment Department.
• Member Visits/Walks and Talks: An update from officers of the Environment Department.
• Revenue and Capital Budgets 2026/27 - Budget Enhancement Proposal Update: A verbal update from officers of the Chamberlain's and Environment Department.
• Cyclical Works Programme Update: A report from the Executive Director, Environment.
• Senior Officer Recruitment: A report from the Executive Director, Environment.

Updates were also scheduled for specific areas:

• Burnham Beeches & The Commons:
  • Assistant Director (Superintendent) Burnham Beeches and The Commons Update.
  • Risk Management Update Report - The Commons (Summary).
  • Operational Finance Progress Report Q2 2025/26 - The Commons.
• Epping Forest:
  • Assistant Director Superintendent's Epping Forest Update.
  • Risk Management Update Report - Epping Forest (Summary).
  • Operational Finance Progress Report Q2 2025/26 - Epping Forest.

Additionally, the committee was scheduled to review the Committee Diary and upcoming events.

The meeting also included a Part 2 - Non-Public Agenda, which would consider matters not for public discussion.