This meeting is scheduled to consider the recent review of the council’s polling places and stations, to consider a new Gambling Act 2005 policy, and to consider an additional allocation of funds for the construction of a Waste Operations Hub at North Weald Airfield.

Waste Operations Hub

The council will consider a request to allocate an additional £1,031,046 from the Capital Programme for the construction of a Waste Operations Hub at North Weald Airfield.

This is because the anticipated costs for the facility have been higher than originally estimated when capital funding was allocated to the project in March. A report submitted for discussion says that:

The increased costs are due to Drainage repairs required that were not originally part of the works. Drainage costs for the project exceeds the tendered allowances, additional temporary fencing required to segregate the site, additional scaffolding due to the introduction of blockwork to plant room and increase in brickwork. Additional preliminary works due to removal of temporary workshop/slab and associated external works. Increased design fees in addition to what was included at tender stage due to complexities of the Site. Ground risk allowances required and the costs of providing temporary workshop and interim works for the temporary facilities to be ready for operations on 4 November.

The council previously committed to delivering waste and street cleansing services in house through a wholly owned company called Terra Verde Services (TVS). TVS started operations from a temporary facility at the airfield on 4 November. The permanent facility will include:

office and welfare accommodation, parking for the waste and street cleansing fleet, a transport workshop, fuel tanks and associated external works.

Review of Polling Places and Stations

The council will consider whether to approve the proposals put forward as part of the review of Polling Places and Stations.

The council conducted a statutory review of all of its polling stations, sending officers to visit each of them and requesting feedback from staff and the public. They proposed that:

• The polling place for the Whitebridge polling district be changed to St Michael's & All Angels Church.
• The polling place for the West Hatch polling district be changed to Victory Hall, Chigwell.
• The polling places for the Abridge and Lambourne End polling districts be changed to Abridge Village Hall.
• The polling place for the St John’s polling district be changed to Victory Hall, Chigwell.
• The polling place for the Torrington polling district be changed to Kingsley Hall.
• The polling place for the Dobbs Weir polling district be changed to St Peter’s Church Hall, Roydon.
• The polling places for the Moreton and Bobbingworth polling districts be changed to The White Hart, Moreton.
• The polling place for the Stapleford Tawney polling district be changed to Stapleford Abbotts Village Hall.
• The polling place for the Sewardstone polling district be changed to High Beach Village Hall.

These proposals were put out for public consultation over the summer. Some respondents to the consultation raised concerns about the suitability of the proposed replacements for the polling stations at Allnutts, Rural East, Moreton and Chigwell Row. The council considered these concerns and produced a report detailing their response. The council will consider whether to approve the proposals at the meeting.

Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy

The council is scheduled to consider adopting a new Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Licensing Policy.

Councils have to produce these policies every three years to explain how they will carry out their responsibilities for licensing gambling in their areas, such as requiring certain conditions on licences, or considering certain factors when deciding whether to grant licences. They have to consult with interested parties such as gambling businesses, the police and residents.

Epping Forest’s current policy was only agreed in April. The council consulted on the policy over the summer and received three responses. The responses did not raise any objections, and so the council will consider whether to adopt the unchanged policy, but with a new start date of January 2025.

Housing & HGGT Portfolio

The meeting is scheduled to receive a report on housing. It highlights the recent unprecedented number of Right to Buy applications received in November. The report attributes the rise to a change in the criteria for Right to Buy that came into effect on 21 November, saying:

This resulted in an unprecedented number of applications on the run up to the change, with over 100 applications being received in the month of November alone.

Finance & Economic Development Portfolio

The council will receive a report on finance and economic development.

The report highlights the success of the council’s finance team in meeting the government’s 13 December backstop date for completing their audits. The backstop was introduced because a backlog in the auditing of council accounts had built up across the country. The report says that:

At the time writing, I anticipate that Epping’s will one of a few councils that has received its Auditor’s sign-off on all its Accounts up to 2022/23 as being correct. This is a fantastic achievement and testament to the good governance framework of the Council.

The report also mentions the Chancellor’s budget speech, which was made at the end of October. It says that although the government has announced an increase of 3.2% in council funding:

...the Government has indicated that it intends to distribute this funding unevenly with the most deprived councils receiving larger allocations. I suspect that Epping Forest District Council will do less well under this arrangement than had the funding been distributed evenly.

The report discusses the council’s economic development programme, highlighting several initiatives:

• A Female Entrepreneurship Programme, part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The programme has been successful, with over 50 of the 60 places filled, and discussions are taking place to extend it to other parts of Essex.
• A monthly e-newsletter called “Business Matters”, sent to local businesses.
• A membership discount scheme for the Federation of Small Businesses, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 55 businesses have benefitted from the scheme so far.
• A PRINCE2¹ project management programme. 18 people have taken up places on the course.
• A HGV Training Programme, part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Six people have so far obtained their HGV licences. Because of its success, an additional £5,000 is being added to the programme to allow more people to take part.

Shaping Our District Portfolio

The council will receive a report on placemaking. It says that two outline planning applications have been received for the North Weald Bassett Strategic Masterplan Area. It says that:

Discussions are underway with key technical stakeholders on the applications including Essex County Council highways and National Highways in relation to capacity improvements to J7 of the M11.

Commercial and Estates Portfolio

The meeting is scheduled to consider a report on the council’s commercial property portfolio.

The report says that Qualis, the company that manages the council’s commercial property portfolio, completed 16 leases in the past three months, raising an additional £86,000 in annual rent. It says that work is commencing on a scheme to introduce service charges and sinking funds² to 165 of the council’s commercial properties over the next nine months.

The report mentions two of Qualis’s projects:

• The construction of Block G on the St John’s site.
• The sale of commercial and industrial units at Cartersfield, Waltham Abbey.

Transformation Portfolio

The council will receive a report from the Transformation Portfolio Holder.

The report says that the council is embarking on a joint project with Colchester Borough Council to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of customer service. It says that:

...specialists consultants from Ignite to undertake a 14-week review of our current position from a number of different perspectives...

The report says that the council has appointed a new Complaints Officer, and that:

Complaints performance and insights are shared with our Senior Leadership Team along with Weekly Complaints Status Reports being sent to Service Directors...

The report mentions the council’s Digital Inclusion Programme. It says that the Civic Offices are now a drop-off point for residents who wish to donate hardware to be refurbished and given to residents in need. It also mentions that the council is actively seeking volunteers to train as Digital Champions.

Contracts Delivery Portfolio

The meeting will receive a report on contract delivery.

It details the recent transition of the council’s waste and recycling services to the council’s in-house company Terra Verde Services, which took place on 5 November.

The report says that:

Nearly all the TUPE transferred staff turned up for work on the first morning and the brand-new refuse freighters performed well on the first rounds. There were no significant missed collections and the Council’s Customer Services Contact Centre reported no additional calls.

Community Health & Wellbeing Portfolio

The meeting is scheduled to receive a report on community, health and wellbeing.

The report says that the council has launched the Epping Forest Community Lottery, which will support local good causes, and that the lottery has raised £709.40 to date. It says that the council has secured £30,000 in Safer Streets funding for Diversionary Activities and Community Initiatives, which include assemblies at Debden Park High School and Roding Valley High School about county lines drug dealing, exploitation and knife crime.

The report details the work the council is doing in partnership with local residents as part of place-based projects in Oakwood Hill, Loughton; Limes Farm, Chigwell; and Ninefields, Waltham Abbey. These projects include activities such as community litter picks, fitness classes and a monthly newsletter called “Oakwood Hill Matters”. It says that:

£10,000 for Childminding NVQ with The International Education Group (TIEG)

is being provided to residents of Oakwood Hill and Limes Farm.

The report says that the council’s Community Pantries will:

provide a hot meal, party games and presents from Father Christmas to local families.

It says that the Epping Forest Youth Council (EFYC) is conducting a survey of young people’s awareness of vaping, and that the EFYC has been awarded £3,400 by the Jack Petchey Foundation.

The report says that the council has been holding Stay Safe and Well events across the district, and that there are currently 27 designated Warm Hubs.

Technical Services Portfolio

The council will receive a report on technical services. It details the council’s work regulating privately rented accommodation, licensing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and overseeing public funerals. It highlights a successful intervention by the council:

Following a complaint of a landlord changing locks to prevent the tenant from accessing their property, the team successfully prevented an illegal eviction by engaging with both parties to secure a return to their home.

The report mentions the council’s work on community resilience.

It says that the council received 204 fly tipping reports in the first 18 days of November, which is an increase of 97% on the same period last year. It says that the council has successfully bid for £50,653 in funding from the PFCC to:

tackle fly tipping in the more rural areas of the district including the Epping Forest...

The council will contribute £28,233 to the scheme.

The report says that the council is taking part in Essex County Council’s SCRAP Fly Tipping campaign, which will start in January.

The report details the work of the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour team, including:

• Joint patrols with the police to mark Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week 2024.
• Work as part of the Safer Streets project at Oakwood Hill.

The report details the work of the council’s dedicated policing team, including:

• Participation in several operations, including ‘Op Stronghold’, which targeted town centre antisocial behaviour and crime, and Operation Sceptre, which targeted knife crime.
• Ongoing tasking in Debden Broadway and Cottis Lane Car Park.
• The shutting down of two chop shops, leading to the recovery of an estimated £500,000 worth of stolen vehicles and parts.
• Arrests for drugs offences, possession of weapons offences, high risk domestic offences and assaults.

Interim Appointment of Head of Paid Service and Monitoring Officer

The council will consider appointing J Gould as interim Head of Paid Service, and P Maginnis as interim Monitoring Officer.

The Chief Executive, G Blakemore, has been absent from work for several months due to health issues. The council now expects her to return to work in February, but is seeking to appoint an interim Head of Paid Service to ensure that robust Governance arrangements are in place until then. J Gould is the council’s Chief Operating Officer.

The council’s Monitoring Officer, N Boateng, is due to leave the council’s employment on 20 December, and the council is seeking to appoint P Maginnis as an interim Monitoring Officer until a replacement can be found. P Maginnis is the council’s Director of Corporate Support Services.