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Loughton Town Council : News & Notices
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Following Louise Fuller’s retirement in June, I was honoured to be appointed as her successor and take this ideal opportunity to introduce myself. Many of you will already know me as I had served as Louise’s deputy for four years and prior to that had taught the flute at the Davenant Foundation School for over twenty years during my time as a professional musician. In 1999, I made a major career change accepting the post as Clerk to Ongar’s Parish Council. Louise set high standards at Loughton and I look forward to following her example as the council builds on its past achievements and works to meet the diverse needs and aspirations of the local community.
One of my most important jobs at present is to recruit new staff to fill the current vacancies. The council is also considering employing an additional park warden with special responsibility for patrolling the Roding Valley Recreation Ground. Our existing external staff have been supplied with new uniforms so look out for them in their burgundy tops with the council logo. They are always happy to assist visitors at the council’s facilities.
In the coming months the council’s website will undergo a makeover. Some changes have already been made including the introduction of a Town Mayor’s diary accessed from the home page where you can send an email message directly to the council. However, for those of you that have not yet ventured into the electronic age, the traditional ways of contacting the council, whether by letter, telephone or a personal visit to our offices at Buckingham Court, are just as effective. We always welcome your input of ideas or concerns on issues affecting Loughton.
One of the council’s current priorities is the provision of a skateboard park. I was delighted to meet with Bill Grady, Acting Principal of Epping Forest College, to receive confirmation of his commitment to this project.
Finally, a timely reminder that there are less than 114 shopping days to Christmas! To help get you in the mood, there are details of the council’s popular Christmas card and Best Dressed Window competitions below. So if you live or work locally, or your children attend school in Loughton, then why not have a go at designing a Christmas card. We would particularly welcome more adult entries this year.
Enid K Walsh

4 Recent Press Releases
3 Blue Heritage Plaque
3 Town Quadruples Christmas Lights grant
3 High Road in bloom
3 Appointment of new Town Clerk
3 Blue Heritage Plaque
3 End of an era for Loughton Town Council
3 Newsletter Award
3 Alleyway Name Plates
3 Playgrounds

Think Loughton 42
The Autumn edition of the Town Council newsletter Think Loughton is scheduled for delivery to all homes and businesses in Loughton during the week commencing 1st September 2008.
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 Winter issue of Think Loughton : 13th October 2008.
Next issue covers mid December 2008 to mid March 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.

Street Furniture
Loughton Town Council has been busily working to brighten up streets and alleyways across Loughton.
A nameplate has been installed in an alleyway serving Loughton station, as part of the Town Council’s rolling programme of nameplate installation. Finlaison Path is named after John Finlaison (1783-1860), the actuary who lived at Algers House, and it runs from the station through to Algers Road. The Algers Road nameplate will be installed in due course.
Four heritage-style lamp columns have been installed in Staples Road as part of the Town Council’s street museum project. Contractors working on behalf of Essex County Council Highways Department are due to remove the existing concrete and metal columns, and make the new lamps operational during August.
Meanwhile, after receiving a significant number of complaints about the lack of lights in the High Road last winter, the council has paved the way for Christmas lights in both the High Road and The Broadway by more than quadrupling its grant to the Town Centre Partnerships for seasonal lighting. Up to Ł4,000 each will be made available for the two partnerships, a substantial increase on the Ł900 provided in recent years.
The Town Council is looking to traders and businesses to match-fund this money to help make Loughton a brighter and more attractive town in the Christmas period. The switch-on dates for the lights are planned as follows: 28 November in the High Road and 5 December in The Broadway.

Financial Assistance
Applications are invited from local charities, clubs and voluntary organisations wishing to be considered for financial awards in 2009/10.
The closing date is 31 December 2008 and full details of the scheme and the application forms can be obtained from the council office or downloaded directly from the website.

Town Clerk Enid Walsh & Cllr Chris Pond Appointment of new Town Clerk
At a special meeting on Monday, 23rd June 2008, Loughton Town Council confirmed Mrs Enid Walsh as Town Clerk in succession to Louise Fuller, who retired in April this year. Enid had been Clerk to Ongar Parish Council from 1999 to 2004 and has been Deputy Town Clerk of Loughton 2004 to date.

Enid Walsh was educated at Wanstead County High School and the Royal Academy of Music, subsequently taking an Open University degree in mathematics. She lives in Ongar with her husband.

The post was advertised nationally and attracted applicants from different parts of the country.

Enid is pictured here with Town Mayor Cllr Chris Pond.

Cllrs Chris Pond & Suzanne Harper Loughton Town Council Annual Meeting
Cllr Chris Pond was elected the new Loughton Town Mayor at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council on 14th May 2008.
He is seen here presenting last year's Town Mayor, Cllr Suzanne Harper, with her Past Town Mayor's badge.

For more pictures taken at the meeting click on the link below

©Town and Country Photographic

Christmas Competitions
As summer draws to a close, it’s time to start planning ahead for the Christmas festivities. Due to popular demand, Loughton Town Council will run both Christmas competitions again this year.

Christmas Card Competition
The Christmas Card Competition is open to everyone and the Town Council will use the winning design as its official Christmas card. Complete the entry form printed in your copy of ‘Think Loughton’ or pick one up from the Town Council’s office. Designs can be portrait shaped (upright) or landscape, colour or monochrome, illuminated script, drawing, photograph, picture, illuminated poem or any other artistic style, but please remember that the winning entry must be suitable for reproduction.
There are four age-related categories and the winner in each class will receive a Ł25 gift token. A certificate is awarded to a runner-up from each category. The best entries will be displayed in Loughton and Debden libraries during the run up to Christmas. The closing date is Friday 31 October.
Last year’s winner was Emily Welch, junior category. Fill in a form today and put your artistic talent to the test!

Christmas Best Dressed Window Competition
In the decorated Christmas Window Competition, shops and businesses across Loughton are invited to dress their windows in a Christmas theme.
There are three categories of entry: local/independent shops and businesses, multiple/chain stores (three or more branches) and charities. The closing date for entries is 21 November.
Complete the entry form printed in your copy of ‘Think Loughton’ or collect one from the Town Council’s office. All entrants receive a certificate to display in their window and the winning entry in each category receives a certificate, engraved cup to keep for 11 months (it will be awarded again next year) and a Ł100 donation to the charity of their choice. A list of entrants will appear on the Town Council web site and on all its notice boards to encourage shoppers.
Last year, the three winners were Smiths of Loughton, Homebase, and Age Concern. The nominated charities for the Ł100 prizes were Age Concern, Cancer Research and the Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Light up a Life
The Town Council is delighted to be once again partnering St Clare Hospice for the ninth annual Light up a Life ceremony.
The Christmas lights on the Town Council’s tree on King’s Green will be the focus for the ceremony whereby local people can sponsor a light in memory of a relative or friend.

“Turn on” day this year is Saturday 6 December, meeting at Loughton Methodist Church at 4.45pm for a torchlit procession to King’s Green.
Call the Town Council on 020 8508 4200 for information. Anyone wishing to sponsor a light on the tree can obtain a form from the Town Council during November, or call St Clare Hospice on 01279 773750.