The Epping Forest & Commons Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday, 26 January 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the committee's terms of reference, updates on various environmental and operational matters, and decisions regarding fees and charges for Epping Forest and The Commons.

Annual Review of the Terms of Reference

The committee is set to review its Terms of Reference, a process that occurs annually to ensure the committee's operational framework remains current. This review is part of a broader governance initiative aimed at providing committees with more time to consider and discuss potential changes before they are submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee. Any significant amendments arising from this review would subsequently require consideration by the Policy & Resources Committee and the Court of Common Council. The current Terms of Reference for the Epping Forest & Commons Committee are attached for members' consideration.

Fees and Charges for The Commons and Epping Forest

Two significant agenda items concern the proposed fees and charges for 2026-27 for both The Commons and Epping Forest. For The Commons, the report presents proposals for an increase in charges levied for produce sales and formal sports, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for October 2025, which was 3.6%. If agreed, these increases would take effect from 1 April 2026. The report details that all income generated from produce, licences, and charges is fully reinvested into the management of The Commons, with all income credited to the relevant charity's local risk budget.

Similarly, for Epping Forest, proposals are presented for a price increase of 3.6% for the financial year 2026/27, also based on the CPI. This report updates the committee on the performance of charges levied for licensed activities, formal sports, produce sales, and car park charges in the last full financial year, 2024/25. The report notes that in 2024/25, licensing activities on Forest Land raised £486,080, and car park charges generated £489,238 net. The proposals also include a request to reaffirm the delegation of powers to the Superintendent to make minor variations to fees for filming and other licensing activities where the scale and impact on the Forest indicate a different fee is required.

Operational and Environmental Updates

Several items on the agenda are scheduled for information only, providing updates on various operational and environmental aspects. These include a verbal update from officers of the Environment Department on the Landscape Resilience & Recovery Workstream, and an update on the Natural Environment Division Policy Review. There will also be updates on Member Visits/Walks and Talks, and a verbal update on Revenue and Capital Budgets 2026/27, specifically concerning budget enhancement proposals.

Further information items include updates on the Cyclical Works Programme and Senior Officer Recruitment. Specific updates are also scheduled for Burnham Beeches & The Commons, including an Assistant Director (Superintendent) update, a Risk Management update, and an Operational Finance Progress Report for Q2 2025/26. Similarly, Epping Forest will receive an Assistant Director Superintendent's update, a Risk Management update, and an Operational Finance Progress Report for Q2 2025/26. A Committee Diary and upcoming events will also be presented.

Non-Public Agenda Items

The agenda also includes a section for non-public business, which will be considered in a private session. This includes the agreement of non-public minutes from the previous meeting and a report on the Natural Environment Charities Complementary Land Use Assessment. Updates on Burnham Beeches & The Commons and Epping Forest will also be provided in this non-public session, along with a verbal update on City Surveyor's Charges.