I am pleased to report again on a very successful year with many significant achievements, reported below.

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have been possible. Proper procedures and transparency are imperative to good governance which all form part of

the quality council portfolio.

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people and we have increased our opening hours.

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Office. We have seen many residents in attendance.

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almost to capacity with only a few plots available for rent. Don't hesitate to contact the Parish Office if you would

like to benefit from growing your own fresh fruit or vegetables. We even have chickens in residence on some of the

plots.

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and Yvonne Woollard who have organised the beautiful and articulate remedial works to their Sundial which is in

the centre of the mound in the Cemetery, and this year will see the addition of the Memorial Garden (there is more

about this in the magazine).

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assets are regularly maintained and will continue to keep an active watch over these.

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play areas, bus shelters and removing graffiti. Whilst we have a budget specifically for this we wish we did not have

to use this money. It is your hard earned cash that goes to pay for it therefore we ask you to let us know if you see

anything suspicious. Do you suspect anyone of carrying out graffiti or vandalism to property? If so let us know and

we will advise the appropriate authority.

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climate in local government is still uncertain and budgets are expected to be adversely affected. Be assured your

council continues to keep a close watch on events.

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funding application from Essex County Council. Various sites along the High Road have been considered and now a

fourth location appears to be favoured by the county council. Fortunately the funding has been carried over to 2011-

12 which has enabled the project to progress, hopefully to a conclusion which will benefit the community in

crossing the busy High Road. Local and county councillors are working extremely hard to ensure a satisfactory

conclusion and special thanks go to councillors Collins and Bedford for all their hard work.

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Weald Ploughmans Team named Group of the Year and the North Weald Chemist Team runners-up. The Individual

Award went to Rob Wingar, a former local Police Community Support Officer, with Lisa Harman, Assistant

Allotment Warden at Wheelers Farm Garden and Queens Road allotments, runner-up. We also had a Young Person

Award which went to Emma Hoy who has been collecting litter on Weald Common keeping the area clean and litter

free.

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pedestrian crossing in High Road, North Weald, and also made a number of other successful grant applications

during the year, however the money will not be paid until 2011-12 and will be shown on those accounts. The

Council was pleased to support local residents by securing £100,000 via a Section 106 Agreement (a planning gain)

relating to Brent House Farm, Hastingwood. This money is to be used on works to Hastingwood Village Hall and

highway works to the verges and paths in the village of Hastingwood. The developer does need to undertake the

necessary works in relation to the planning application in order for these monies to be paid.

Sawyer, George Ryan, Stuart Poulton and Steve Dinsdale, and earlier in the year Anne Garwood. Thanks go to all

for their time and dedication. April saw the passing of former member of staff Lesley Sawyer who was also Vice

Chairman of the Parish Hall at Thornwood Common and had been an Honorary Bookings Secretary of the hall.

Lesley worked tirelessly for Thornwood, was well known by most residents and will be sadly missed.

Councillor Eldridge is at the forefront of negotiations with the district and county councils and continues to work

with both authorities to ensure the problems are being dealt with.

number of highways issues over the last year, including traffic speed. Councillor Godwin Brown has met district

councillor Breare-Hall and local residents to see if some of the issues can be addressed.

Finance and Administration Officer Adriana Jones, Administrative Officer Jo Tyler and Thornwood Parish Hall

caretaker Sue Hebden. We have also been lucky to have had Barnaby Godwin-Brown for a year under the Essex

County Council Apprentice Scheme. Janet Abbott has also been one of the team as our Honorary Bookings

Secretary for the Parish Hall. I would also like to mention our Allotment Wardens, Marjorie and Sandy at

Hastingwood, Mac at Thornwood and Denise and Lisa at North Weald. Without such volunteers things would just

not happen. Arthur Moreton has been our liaison with the Norwegian Air Force in Bodo and I know we have kept

him busy throughout the year. I should also mention our two main contractors, Kevin and Gary, who have kept the

open spaces cut and the cemetery maintained.

below is a brief financial summary. Due to the current economic climate the council has taken the decision not to

increase the precept for this year.

approved them promptly. Reserves still need to be built up due to work carried out on the street lights, play areas,

cemetery and allotments. The reserves are intended to ensure we can meet future commitments and can invest in

some longer term projects.

views differ from those of the district council's planning officers, the application is referred to the district council's

Plans East Committee. Residents are always welcome to attend planning committee meetings which are usually

held on the first and third Monday of the month.

gully maintenance to the attention of Essex County Council Highways. We continue to hold regular meetings with

Highways and are able to focus on problems and influence priority work.