Clerk's Remarks
l April was a busy month for the council, which started with the Annual Town Meeting held at the Murray Hall. As always, this event provided an opportunity for local residents to quiz the council on its work during the past year and hear about plans for the coming period.
l On Saturday 18th April we mounted a display of our activities at the Festival Showcase held in the Loughton Club in Station Road as part of this year’s Loughton Festival. There were a number of local clubs and organisations present and a steady trickle of visitors attended the event. Money raised provided valuable funds for the RNLI and the RBL Poppy Appeal. Our thanks go to Sue Taylor and her Festival Committee for their hard work in organising this and the many other events in this annual celebration of local heritage, literature, arts and culture.
l On St George’s Day, a small event was held to raise the now familiar red and white flag on the newly installed flag staff at our offices at the top of Rectory Lane. This is just part of the council’s work to increase civic pride and was followed that evening by the annual Civic Service, held in the Loughton Methodist Church at which I was delighted to meet the two winners of this year’s Citizenship Awards, Mrs Audrey Bowles and Mr John Davis. We were also pleased that Reece Williams, a local representative on the Epping Forest Youth Council gave one of the readings during the service.
l The following Saturday saw the first of what we hope will become a series of events at the Murray Hall, an evening’s entertainment sponsored in partnership with Essex on Tour. On this occasion we enjoyed Dave Sealey’s tribute to Stanley Holloway, the popular actor and entertainer who died in 1982. The audience sang along with many of his old favourite songs and the feedback was very positive, so look out for more events at the hall and join us next time for an evening of local entertainment.
l Finally, as the Town Council is soon to erect a blue heritage plaque to Ethel Haslam, a local suffragette, who fought alongside Sylvia Pankhurst for women’s votes in the early 20th century, may I encourage all of you to exercise your right to vote in the county and European elections on Thursday 4th June.
Enid Walsh

Think Loughton 45
The Summer edition of the Town Council newsletter Think Loughton is scheduled for delivery to all homes and businesses in Loughton during the week commencing 1st June 2009.
If you do not receive a copy, you can collect one from the Town Council office, or from Loughton or Debden library. If you let us know your address and post code, we can take up the non-delivery with Royal Mail.
You can download a copy of the current Think Loughton community newsletter, and recent back issues, from our website.
We welcome contributions to Think Loughton but do not guarantee their inclusion and reserve the right to edit them. We will not accept unattributed articles for publication.
The newsletter includes a diary section of local events and meetings.
Copy date for the Autumn issue of Think Loughton : 13th July 2009.
Next issue covers mid September to mid December 2009.
Think Loughton is also available on audio tape. If you or someone you know in the Loughton area would like to receive a recording on a regular basis please contact the Town Council.

4 Recent Press Releases
3 Annual Town Meeting
3 Precept 2009/10
3 Loughton Citizenship Awards
3 Quality Status

Notice of Audit for 2008-09 and right to inspect the Annual Return for the year ended 31 March 2009
Section 15 & 16 of the Audit Commission Act 1998
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/533)
The annual return is available for inspection by any local government elector for the area of Loughton Town Council on application to:
Mrs Enid K Walsh, Town Clerk
Loughton Town Council, 1 Buckingham Court, Rectory Lane, Loughton. IG10 2QZ
between 9.30am and 4.30pm on Mondays to Fridays, from 15th June until 10th July 2009, when any local government elector may make copies of the annual return.
Enid K Walsh, Town Clerk
30th May 2009

Flag Pole
As part of the Town Council’s policy to increase Civic Pride, a flag pole has been installed on the Council building at Buckingham Court, near the top of Rectory Lane.

The Union flag will be flown on official flag flying days with the St George’s flag reserved for 23rd April each year.

Watch your speed
The Town Council has asked the Highways Authority to assess the suitability of the following roads for the installation of vehicle activated warning signs on several local roads in order to cut vehicle speeds.
l Alderton Hill
l Chester Road and Hillyfields
l Colebrook Lane
l Station Road
l Warren Hill
l Wellfields

Green routes
An award of £5,000 from Essex County Council’s CIF (Highways) fund will enable the Town Council to install appropriate signage to provide route marking for cyclists, helping them to avoid the busy High Road, and walking routes from the stations to the Roding Valley recreation ground and nature reserve.

Flower baskets
The Town Council’s scheme to enhance the High Road by providing flower containers on the lamp columns will be extended this summer to include the junction with Ollards Grove and Old Station Road. Businesses are invited to contact the council to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

Big litter pick
Our thanks go to the groups of residents and councillors who spent an energetic Saturday morning in April tidying various locations around town. Footpaths near Loughton Station and those close to the forest edge were targeted together with Hillyfields open space and High Road alleyways. Their endeavours really made a difference and helped make Loughton a tidier place to live. Please take your litter home with you. Remember – dropping litter and dumping rubbish are criminal offences.

King’s Green War Memorial
The War Memorial on King’s Green, which was originally unveiled by Lord Lambourne in 1920, is to undergo restoration work in the coming year.
Councillors Garry Martin and Stephen Pewsey are researching the names of those listed to ensure that the memorial provides a complete and up to date record to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
More details on the names of Loughton citizens who gave their lives for their country during World War I and II can be found on the Roll of Honour website