All things Rubbish in March to August 2012

Details of rubbish collection dates are reproduced below, with grateful acknowledgement to Epping Forest District Council

Rubbish Collections Tel: 01992 564608
Wheelie Bin Inquiries Tel: 01992 564608
Skips (advice only) Tel: 0845 603 7621
Dangerous Waste Tel: 0870 850 6506
Abandoned Vehicles Tel: 01992 564608 

Toot Hill Folk Club News

The Toot Hill Folk Club meets on a Friday, monthly at the Green Man, a Real Ale - Fine dining pub at the heart of one of  Essex’s unspoiled rural hamlets just north of Epping.


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It is a very young club, only two years old, having grown from just a few friends from the village meeting to share some tunes together, to one that draws attendance from right across the region.

The club meets on a monthly basis, has no formal membership and is renowned for its friendliness and informality.

All contributions are warmly appreciated and participation is genially encouraged.




Photos from our last session

 

Our next night is scheduled for 13th April with a 7.30pm gather for an 8pm start. See the Blackboard or visit our Face Book page.

Bus Users Left Stranded as Shopper Service is Withdrawn

The shopper bus service between Stanford Rivers and Ongar is to be withdrawn because of a lack of use by local people.

Only three people were using the weekly service which picked up in Little End every Thursday morning and made the return journey later in the day.

The service was introduced a year ago to give those who did not drive some access to the town’s amenities such as the surgeries, pharmacies, bank and shops.

One of the regular passengers said she found it incredible that the parishioners of Stanford Rivers “...do not seem to appreciate what has been organised for them”.

June Smith said she feared that she and her husband, Barry, would be left “stranded” by the decision to end the service. “The time will come when the availability or use of private vehicles will not be possible, either through maturity or petrol price increases and £15.00 for return taxi fares is a large amount to add to the chemist or supermarket purchases,” said June.

No public transport

Discontinued Romford Bus Service

Local people have pointed out that the wider issue of the lack of public transport in the area stemmed from the cancelling in 2009 of the Arriva bus service that used to run between Ongar and Romford.

The operator said a lack of use, soaring fuel costs and discounted fares for people with travel cards meant it was no longer viable.

June added that she knew of at least two families who have decided to move from the area because they needed to be closer to public transport routes; “Residents of Blackmore, Doddinghurst, Fyfield and even Toot Hill have buses running in their villages and I find it  incredible that we, on an A road and commuter route into London, have nothing,” .

Useful Phone Numbers

Epping ForestDistrict Council
Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Essex CM164BZ
Phone: 01992 564000 (Main switchboard)
Fax: 01992 578018
Website: http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/
EFDC Website Enquiries Tel: 01992 564240

Elections Tel: 01992 564023

Adaptations for the Disabled: Council Houses Tel: 01992 564052
Private Homes Tel: 01992 564092
Care and Repair (C.A.R.E.) Tel: 01992 564467
Careline Tel: 0208532 1065

Car Parks Tel: 01992 564462
Complaints Tel: 01992 564051
Councillors and Committees Tel: 01992 564244
Council Tax Tel: 01992 564188/9
Countrycare Tel: 01992 788203

Church:
Rev Andre Petrine Tel: 07723 026925

Social:
Day Clubs for Older People Tel: 020 8508 8715
Community Development Tel: 01992 564556
Residents' Associations Tel 01992 564524

Environment:
Environmental Co-ordinator Tel: 01992 564357
Environmental Hearth Tel: 01992 564608
Trees - Landscape and Tree Preservation Tel: 01992 564117

Emergency:
Emergency Services Tel: 999
Essex Police non emergency (All Stations) Tel: 101
Essex Police non emergency Alternative Tel: 01245 491491
Flooding (out of hours) Tel: 01992 564000
Animal Welfare Tel: 01992 564153
Dangerous Waste Tel: 0870 850 6506

Flooding:
Flooding Tel: 01992 564608
Flooding (out of hours) Tel: 01992 564000

Health:
Ongar Surgery, Bansons Lane, Ongar Tel: 0870 414 0144
Dentist TS ORegan 204a, High St, Ongar Tel: 01277 362663
Food Safety Tel: 01992 564608

Sport:
Ongar Leisure Centre Tel: 01277 363969
Sports Development Tel: 01992 5644567

Nuisance:EFDC Complaints Tel: 01992 564051
Blocked Drains Tel: 01992 564608
Dog Warden Tel: 01992 564077
Fraud Hotline Tel: 01992 564444
Graffiti Hotline Tel: 01992 564272
Pest Control Tel 01992 564608
Neighbourhood Nuisance Tel: 01992 564608
Noise Pollution Tel: 01992 564608
Dangerous Waste Tel: 0870 850 6506
Sewers Tel: 01992 564608

Planning:
Planning Appeals Tel: 01992 564326
Planning Applications Tel: 01992 564584
Planning Enforcement Tel: 01992 564527
Building Regulations Tel: 01992 564141

Public Conveniences Tel: 020 8326 7750
Parking Office Tel: 01992 573240
Public Rights of Way Tel: 0845 603 7621

Rubbish Clearance Recycling and Refuse:
Rubbish Collections Tel: 01992 564608
Special Collections (Heavy Squad) Tel: 01992 564608

Wheelie Bin Enquiries Tel: 01992 564608
Skips (advice only) Tel: 0845 603 7621
Dangerous Waste Tel: 0870 850 6506
Abandoned Vehicles Tel: 01992 564608
Street Cleansing Tel: 01992 564608


Safety:
Road Safety Tel: 0845 603 7621
Street Lighting Tel: 0845 603 7621


If you find a number is wrong, or has changed please let us know.

Parish Council News Letter - Issue No 24

Farewell to Mike and Margaret
Councillors Margaret Lambert and Mike Hogan gave notice of their intention to resign their seats at the last PC meeting in March. Both said personal and family commitments meant they could no longer afford the time for PC work.

Vice Chairman Alan Buckley thanked them on behalf of the PC for their good work for Stanford Rivers and Toot Hill.

The PC has three vacant positions and anyone seeking a nomination should contact clerk Kay Hayden at: hayden-r1@sky.com or by telephone at: 01277 364764.

District Councillor Says Goodbye
Di Collins, the district council representative for the parish, has been thanked by the PC for all the hard work she has carried out on behalf of the residents of Stanford Rivers.

Mrs Collins, who is standing down from the EFDC later this year, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Vice Chairman Alan Buckley at the last PC meeting to show appreciation for her service to the locality.

Councillor Collins said everyone should be proud of our achievements, particularly on waste management, where EFDC recycles more than 60% of waste. This is the second highest in the county and sixth highest in the country.

Speed Gun Training
We will be commencing training on the use of the radar gun in the coming weeks and would like to have a larger pool of volunteers to work from.

We plan to operate in teams of three and we would appeal to anyone that is interested to come forward. Applications are welcome from both sexes..

There will not be a fixed rota and there will not be pressure to turn out on a highly regular basis.

Each individual’s commitment will be different according to their circumstances. Contact Alan Buckley for further details.

Jubilee Mugs for Under 16s
We would like to repeat our call for the parents of children under 16-years-old to make contact with Parish Clerk Kay Hayden as we plan to present a commemorative Jubilee mug to all the children of the parish.

We really want to involve the younger people of the parish in the Jubilee commemorations and would kindly ask that parents who wish their child to receive a specially commissioned mug to register their interest with Kay by email or telephone. Her contact details are here.

Stanford Rivers Parish Councillors

Chairman

John Glover

Burrows Farm,

Toot Hill Road,

Essex. CM5 9QW

Tel: 01277 362169

Covering IT/Website

Vice Chairman

Alan Buckley

Langford Bridge Farm,

Ongar Road,

Kelvedon Hatch,

Essex. CM15 0LB

Tel: 01277 362494

Representative to Essex Assoc.
Local Councils
Parish Plan Co-ordinator

Councillor

Alan Fisher

Colemans Farm,

Clatterford End,
Toot Hill,
Essex. CM6 9ON

Tel: 01277 362736

Covering
Newsletter & Media

Councillor

Jeanette Gatward

2 Burrows Cottages

Toot Hill Road

Toot Hill

Essex. CM5 9ON

Tel: 01277 364796

Covering
Church liaison

Councillor
Ron Hayden
3, Little End,
London Road,
Stanford Rivers,
Essex. CM5 9PH

Tel:  01277 364764

Covering
Representative to Village Hall Committee
Planning and Enforcement

Councillor
Margaret Lambert
3, Garden Fields,
London Road,

Stanford Rivers,

Essex. CM59PL

Tel: 01277 363982

Covering
Highways representative to the Epping Forest Rural Tenants' Forum

Councillor

Mike Hogan 

30, Epping Road,

Toot Hill,

Essex. CM 9SQ

Tel: 01992 522749

Clerk

Kay Hayden

3, Little End

London Road

Stanford Rivers

Essex. CM5 9PH

Tel: 01277 364764 

email: hayden-r1@sky.com

Covering
Parish Council Admin

County Council ‘Ignoring’ Poor State of Local Roads

Essex County Council is failing in its responsibility to keep local roads in a fit and safe condition, according to Parish Council Chairman John Glover.

Mr Glover accused the county council of ignoring potholes on the smaller roads for period of more than a year,despite them being marked at least twice for repair in 2011.

The criticism came as local survey figures revealed that only 15% of Epping Forest District Council residents were satisfied with the condition of the roads – the lowest in the entire county.

It is hoped the decision to appoint a new contractor, Ringway Jacobs, to repair the roads in the area will have a positive impact on the situation.

“Taking too long”

Mr Glover highlighted a large pothole in Toot Hill Road which has been causing particular problems for residents.

“Main roads are usually dealt with quite quickly, but smaller roads like Toot Hill Road can have potholes and not be looked at for a long time.

"I know people who have gone out with a bucket of concrete and tried to fill them in themselves because it was taking too long for Essex County Council to deal with.

"They left a cone on it to warn drivers, and when they took it away the bottom part stayed stuck in it, which is
how it is now."

Mr Glover said another issue affecting road safety locally was overgrown hedgerows He said: "There are places where hedgerows come out into the road. Places where cars should be able to pass are made too narrow. They also cover up signs and make it more dangerous for people walking in theroad.

“I have lived in Toot Hill for 29 years and when I first lived here the roadside shrubbery was cut back about twice per year, presumably by County. This service has completely stopped and in the last year part of Toot Hill Road was reduced to a single carriageway because of overgrowing bushes.

“We would like to bring pride to our roadsides and I am asking landowners to step up to the mark and get their hedges in neat order and ideally trimmed every winter,” he added.

Funding issues

Essex County Councillor Gerard McEwen, who represents the area, said it was important landowners took responsibility for their land.

"The Highways department don't cut hedges along rural lanes," Mr McEwen said. “It comes down to a matter of funds inthe end. Although it would be lovely if we could tackle every job, there isn't a bottomless pit of money and priorities have to be made."

New venue

County Council ‘Ignoring’ Poor State of Local Roads Under the Highways Act 1980, owners and
occupiers are required to:

* trim hedges and trees to ensure growth does not obscure the view of road signs.

* trim roadside hedges to maintain visibility for road users, particularly at junctions and on the inside of bends.

* trim any hedge that directly abuts a road, footway, cycleway or public right of way so that growth does not prevent the passage or affect the safety of the highway user, including cyclists and pedestrians.

* remove dead or decaying trees and other growth that may fall across the highway.

* remove branches and other growth that may prevent the passage of high sided vehicles or obstruct light from a public lamp (street light).

* ensure the highway (including the footway and drainage features) is left clear of debris from the cutting operations.