Population:  11,047      Area:  1,488 acres (2.325 Sq. Miles).   Market Day:  Monday  

Early Closing Day:  Wednesday.    Please note the Farmers Market is currently not operating and attempts are being made to regenerate this arrangement. 

 

Epping Town Council consists of 12 Councillors (Town Mayor, Deputy Town Mayor plus ten) who represent Hemnall and St Johns Wards and who are elected every four years.  The next election will be in May 2015. 

 

The Town Council exists to serve as a vehicle of local opinion; to provide an effective link between the local residents and council tax payers with the District and County Councils; to express local feelings and interests and to keep a watch on all developments within the area.  It has the statutory responsibility to examine plans due for consideration by the District Council’s Planning Committees and a duty to consider any closures or diversions of public footpaths.  The Town Council is responsible for the maintenance of six recreation grounds.  It also administers the Monday market, the cemetery in Bury Lane, two allotment sites, bus shelters, fingerposts, litter bins, notice boards, public clock, public seats and public toilet.

 

The Town Council meets at Epping Hall at four weekly intervals. The press and public are entitled to attend.  The Council’s Planning and General Purposes Committee meets every fortnight at Epping Hall.

 

The Council issues a quarterly newsletter “Talk About Epping” giving a summary of its activities and other community news.  This is circulated to every house in the town and requires a print of over 5,000 copies. 

 

The Town Council’s office in Epping Hall is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm Monday – Thursday and 9am – 4.45pm Friday closed for lunch between 12.30 – 1.30pm: Tel: 579444.  Website: www.eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk   Email: info@eppingtowncouncil.gov.uk

The Town Clerk is Alan Shaw.

 

Annual Town Meeting

 

The Town Council is charged with the duty under the Local Government Act to convene an Annual Town Meeting at which members of the public may attend and take part.  A report of the Council’s activities over the year is given and resolutions may be moved from the floor relating to the town’s affairs.  The Town Mayor presides at the Town Meeting. 

 

Epping Forest District Council

 

The District Council is situated on the Western Boundary of Essex and covers an area of 133 square miles.  Epping Forest is urban in character in the south but changes to essentially rural in the north.  The two Epping wards are represented on Epping Forest District Council by six District Councillors elected in rotation.  The Epping Forest District Council has, since local government re-organisation in 1974, taken over the responsibilities of the former Epping Urban District Council.  It is responsible for such services as housing, council tax collection, refuse collection/sewage, street cleaning/lighting, recreation, car parking, planning control and environmental issues.   The District Council’s main offices are at the Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, Tel: 564000.

 

Essex County Council

 

The County Council is responsible for the educational services and the police, fire, refuse disposal, structural planning, highways, social services and libraries; telephone: 0845 7430 430.  There is one County Councillor for Epping. 

 

Parliament

 

Eleanor Laing is the Member of Parliament for the Epping Constituency.