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 £4,000 each will be made available for the two partnerships, a substantial increase on the £900 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.

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.

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.

Loughton Town Clerk Retires
Louise Fuller was the first full-time clerk of the then Loughton Parish Council following its inauguration in 1996. Appointed on 1 March 1997, Louise attended her first meeting on 19 March and has, therefore, been very much involved in the Town Council’s work from its small beginnings to today.
Louise has an eye for detail and the new Town Council involved the setting up of many new procedures including standing orders, financial regulations, health and safety guidelines and risk assessments which are such an important part of the council’s day-to-day running.
Not many of these procedures bring a sparkle to a councillor’s eyes but are fundamental for the proper and transparent operation of a public body using public money. The fact that processes do run smoothly and agendas are sent out on time, that auditors find little if any fault with the council’s financial operations is largely down to Louise and her initial careful setting up of the systems involved and her eagle eye for the small print.
Louise has always been very committed to the Town Council’s work and to Loughton and received satisfaction from the increasing number of projects and activities that it became responsible for, including the purchase of land for a new Loughton cemetery, the Willingale Road playing fields and the Murray Hall and youth centre.
Louise was involved with the production of 'Think Loughton', which recently won the Newsletter of the Year Award and the council’s web site. Her organisation of council events such as the opening of the Roding Valley Recreation Ground playground and the Millennium Grove and ‘Light Up A Life’ was always impeccable.
I worked with Louise during the planning and building of the Murray Hall which was a large undertaking in partnership with Essex County Council and saw her capabilities in organising and bringing to fulfilment this project. She has laid a good basis in the necessary structures and systems, and appointed staff who are equally committed to supporting the work of Loughton Town Council. This is a firm foundation from which the Council can expand and grow, and provide even better services and facilities for the residents of Loughton.
The members of the council wish Louise a very long and happy retirement and a rest from her committed involvement with the residents of Loughton.
Cllr Suzanne Harper, Town Mayor 2007/08

Financial Assistance
Loughton Town Council has awarded the following organisations grants totalling £5,020 this financial year:
Action in Mental Health (AIM), Epping Forest Youth for Christ, Home-Start Epping Forest, Ignite, Kidz Club, Loughton Broadway Town Centre Partnership, Loughton Potato Ground, Loughton Stroke Club, Together: Working for Wellbeing, Vitalise, Workers’ Educational Association Loughton & Epping Branch, and St Clare Hospice. In addition, the Loughton Citizens Advice Bureau has received a £4,000 grant.
For details of applying for a grant, call the Town Council on 020 8508 4200.

Loughton Cemetery
Loughton Cemetery, situated in Church Lane adjacent to the St John the Baptist Churchyard, was first used for burials in 1888 and covers about two acres. The Town Council assumed responsibility for this burial ground from Epping Forest District Council in 1997. It is divided into sections based on the plans of London architect Edmond Egan and contains consecrated and unconsecrated sections, with special areas designated as a lawn section and for cremated remains.
In the coming months, the Environment & Heritage Committee will undertake a complete review of the existing cemetery regulations and draw up plans for a full memorial safety audit. To assist in this process, it would be helpful if owners of the Exclusive Right of Burial for a plot in the cemetery could ensure that the council has their correct address particularly if they have moved recently. Please send details of any changes in writing or by email: contact@loughton-tc.gov.uk.

Parish Basic Allowance
The Town Council is increasing the annual Parish Basic Allowance payable to councillors, by £4 to £104, from 1 April 2008. The allowance is designed to help councillors with some of the costs of office, such as telephones, computers and consumables, and this is the first increase since its introduction in 2004.