Loughton Life 210 Feb 2004

Site of Don’s, junction of High Road/High Beech Road before demolition - Christine Brunn Newsletter 210 some 400 planning applications every YOUR TOWN COUNCIL year and sends recommendations to the District Council. Because the councillors As part of a propaganda campaign decides how the money should be all live in Loughton, they focus closely on against LRA, Loughton Town Council spent. the effects that plans would have on the and its councillors have recently come in Much of the LTC budget is spent on town and its residents. for a great deal of unpleasant and maintaining our open space - almost a The Town Council can and does speak unjustified criticism. It is now time to set fifth of the income is spent on the for Loughton, and its high standards the record straight. Roding Valley, a wonderful amenity for were recognised last year by the Since 1996 LTC has consisted of Labour the whole town. In addition the Town government, when LTC became only the and LRA councillors. Labour were in a Council maintains the Willingale Road seventh in the country to be awarded majority until 2000, since when the two playing fields, the cemetery, the town Quality Council status - an indication have been even. Accusations of a greens and allotment sites. A new that recent accusations of profligacy and coalition, however, are totally false. cemetery site has been acquired and a poor management are unfounded. There is no coalition and never has been. further allotment site will shortly be taken From the Editor’s chair Sometimes LRA can work with Labour over. and sometimes not. Loughton has long needed additional Much has been made of the alleged youth facilities and LTC ran a highly GENERAL MEETING – excessive cost of the Town Council and successful meeting with a wide range of the supposed extra council tax we are all people involved in youth provision, in CENTRAL LINE paying in order to fund it. This is simply order to identify the needs of young The speaker at our Spring General mud-slinging and ignores the fact that people. As a result the former United Meeting will be Jeff Ellis, General before LTC came into being these costs Reform Church in Borders Lane was Manager of the Central Line. He will talk were already part of our council tax (the considered as a possible site for a about the present and future of the Line so-called ‘Chigwell Urban District Centre. On the basis of a partnership and will also answer questions. All are Special Rate’), but went into the general with Conservative-controlled Essex welcome to this part of the meeting, EFDC coffers rather than being County Council, LTC raised a loan to buy including non-members. specifically used for Loughton. In those the site. Unfortunately, bureaucracy and The second half will be devoted to LRA days EFDC councillors from all over the procrastination by the County Council matters, including adoption of candidates District were able to vote on how to use have led to delays and slow progress, for the Local Elections in June. the Special Rate. Instead, we now have but things are at last moving. The meeting is on Wednesday 7 April a Loughton-based Town Council which LTC’s Planning Committee scrutinises at 8.00pm in Lopping Hall. PLEASE BE AWARE that any suggestion that LRA councillors are part of any coalition with any political party or parties, on any council, is TOTALLY UNTRUE. 12 FARMERS MARKETS IN 2004 - 1ST SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH Loughton Residents Association is non party political, working for the best interests of Loughton residents. COUNTING THE COST This is the time of year when councils draw up their budgets for the 12 months from April. This sets the amount and quality of services that can be provided, and the council tax to be levied. The district council collects the tax for Essex County Council (the major part of the total tax), for itself, and for the parish or town council in each area. Once again, the expected level of government grant for many councils in the South of England including Epping Forest District Council - is only at or around inflation level, in spite of the Gateway in additional duties placed upon these Forest Way councils, and the additional costs they - Jill Harris are having to meet. If the council tax increase for EFDC is REVIEW OF WANSFELL COLLEGE to be kept to below 5% - which is Wansfell College, Theydon Bois, is a support learners accommodation costs, everyone’s aim then savings must be lovely place to spend a day or a so Wansfell has to charge the full cost of found. The services that councils don’t weekend on a course. Essex County accommodation to those who come on have to provide by law are therefore in Council, which owns the College, is its courses. the viewfinder. Cabinet and scrutiny reviewing whether it is the most suitable Between now and March 2004, committees are debating which services building for residential adult education, Wansfell’s Governors and staff will be should be reduced or if possible, more how much it would cost to bring it up to trying to develop a sound 10-15 year economically provided. Leisure services an appropriate standard, and what business case for continuing to deliver swimming pools, sports centres, arts alternatives exist for delivering residential adult education at Wansfell, activities and the museum all residential adult education in Essex. setting out the curriculum to be discretionary, are most at risk. Grants to Wansfell has two basic problems: it delivered and the accommodation voluntary organisations, particularly the needs substantial investment to bring needed to support it. Make no mistake Citizens Advice Bureaux in Loughton, the accommodation up to modern-day the alternatives will include closure. If Waltham Abbey and Epping, are also standard, and it is currently not any members have practical ideas for likely to be reduced. How much do our attracting sufficient training courses attracting new weekday training members value these services and how from businesses during the week - this business to Wansfell, please let me should costs be split, between charges has led to a budget deficit for the past know, and I will pass them on. In the to users (where charges can be made), three years, which has had to be funded meantime, please support the College’s and the council (that is, the council by the County Council. All funding for program www.wansfellcollege.net or taxpayer)? Let one of the LRA officers or Adult Education now comes from the 01992 813027 for details. your ward councillors know what you Learning and Skills Council, who do not Cllr David Linnell think. Dorothy Paddon STANSTED EXPANSION PLANS CRITICISED TOWN CENTRE Essex County Council have described capacity from 25m to a potential 80m ENHANCEMENT plans for a new runway at Stansted as per year, increasing airport road traffic In December the public consultation on ‘unwanted and unworkable’. Whilst from a current 40,000 daily car journeys the High Road proposals took place and Loughton is unlikely to be affected by to a potential 170,000. A knock-on nearly 2,000 people made many additional Stansted air traffic overhead effect of this would undoubtedly be to positive comments. Parking was the as we are under the outer approach increase the number of journeys on the most controversial topic. route to Heathrow, there will be other M11, M25 and A-roads surrounding the A Councillor Advisory Group will environmental impacts affecting Loughton area as well as increasing the collate the responses and the final Loughton.The land occupied by levels of pollution. ECC claim that the recommendations will go to the Stansted would method used to predict expansion for Council’s March Cabinet meeting. increase by Stansted has been abandoned by other Sainsbury’s will fund the first phase transport forecasters. If, for example, covering the south end. EFDC has yet to this method were to be used to allocate funds to phases two and three, estimate road building, new roads covering the middle and north, but the would be required at the rate of 15% capital programme has £900,000, which an additional 7 expansion per decade - currently is not earmarked to any centre, even sq km of rural Essex resulting in the estimated at an additional 36,000 miles though Loughton is the last remaining demolition of over 100 properties, 29 of of new roads over the next 10 town to be upgraded. which are listed. Noise pollution would years.With a current transport LRA Councillors are examining all increase dramatically for those living infrastructure budget deficit of £3.3 future capital income to see if any can close to the airport.The additional billion, we have to ask how this could be be allocated to complete the scheme. runway will bring increase in passenger funded? Nick Hull Diane Rhodes Loughton Residents Association is non party political, working for the best interests of Loughton residents. LRA MEETS OUR NEW INSPECTOR LRA Chairman Chris Harper, Cllrs Roger Pearce and David Linnell met Inspector Piers Quinnell, recently appointed as Loughton’s senior police officer. The meeting was to welcome Insp Quinnell, to outline LRA’s role in the community, and to discuss matters of common concern. Among the points discussed were: G The current police activity in combating anti-social behaviour in Loughton; G Crimestoppers; a call for Neighbourhood Watch volunteers (the problem is one of getting co-ordinators in place to kick-start Neighbourhood Suzanne serves while Alison sings Watch schemes, and of obtaining funding from EFDC ); the works to be HOT MULLED WINE AND PIES carried out on the Police station in the LRA Chairman Chris Harper said, The December Farmers’ Market in Loughton High Autumn; Road became an impromptu Christmas party.

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