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EPPING FOREST: Council meeting "live"
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| New Epping Forest District Council chairman John Knapman - "I didn't prepare a speech before - who knows, it might not happen." (c) |
Welcome to our live coverage of tonight's Epping Forest District Council meeting.
Up-to-the-minute updates on this evening's meeting start at the bottom of this page.
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UPDATE 17 - 8.45pm - Plenty of discussion, and voting, over which councillors should represent the council on various organisations.
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UPDATE 16 - 8.36pm - The new council cabinet is agreed.
Leader's portfolio - Di Collins
Civil Engineering and Maintenance - Richard Bassett
Community Wellbeing - Syd Stavrou
Corporate Support Services and ICT - Mitch Cohen
Environmental Protection - Mary Sartin
Finance and Performance Management - Chris Whitbread
Housing - David Stallan
Leisure and Young People - Heather Harding
Planning and Economic Development - Anne Grigg
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UPDATE 15 - 8.32pm - The first real debating gets underway. Should the size of the cabinet be increased by one, to nine members?
Council leader Di Collins said: "We've found now that there's one party in control there's a huge amount of work to be done."
BNP councillor Pat Richardson asked: "I was just wondering if in future years there are any proposals to increase the number of portfolios, or reduce it.
"It was a set amount at one time but it seems to have floated up and down with the wind."
Independent Loughton councillor Stephen Murray said: "It hasn't gone up and down in light of the wind.
"I would defy anyone looking at the proposal tonight to agree that it isn't a good idea.
"I think to have, particularly, one portfolio just for finance makes a great deal of sense."
With no challenges from the other parties, the Tory proposal is agreed.
No surprise there then when they have 35 of the 58 seats on the council.
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UPDATE 14 - 8.25pm - Chairman John Knapman announces that he will be raising money for Jubilee Lodge - the disabled holiday centre in Chigwell - as well as St Clare Hospice, at Hastingwood, during his year as chairman.
He will also be spending a morning a week during his year in office working at the Chigwell Riding Trust for Special Needs.
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UPDATE 13 - 8.08pm - A standing ovation for Doug Kelly.
He said: "The reception I have received this evening has been overwhelming. I have made many friends from all of the councillors here.
"I may not have always agreed with them but I have always respected them.
It will always be an honour to me that I have been able to represent this district for 12 years. It has been an honour and a privilege that I have enjoyed. It is one that I have dedicated myself too.
"I will miss you all but I know darn well that I am not going to let the district and its political undertones escape my perusal.
"I will still be a thorn in the side to some of you!"
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UPDATE 12 - 8.08pm - Tributes are paid to former councillor Doug Kelly, who lost his seat on May 1 after 12 years as district councillor for Moreton and Fyfield.
Liberal Democrat colleague Derek Jacobs said Mr Kelly was a "great believer" against the expansion of Stansted Airport and a "great supporter" of affordable housing in rural areas.
"This time round we have to go by the democratic decision and he just narrowly failed to hold the seat.
"Mr Jacobs added: "I believe your constituents will sorely miss you and I believe we all respect the efforts you have made over time."
Council leader Di Collins said: "Doug, we will all miss you. You are a very experienced councillor who has chaired the council and other committees with great distinction.
"You are a real gentleman and we will wish you a very well earned retirement."
Councillor Richard Morgan said: "Doug has been a very good friend. I was very disappointed and surprised when the residents of his ward did not return him. He has done so much for his ward and people in the rural area.
"Matching school was due to close (some years ago) and he, with others, saved it and now it is doing really well.
"We are really disappointed that he is no longer with us, but we hope to see you back here one day."
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UPDATE 11 - 8.02pm - Councillor Penny Smith, proposed by council leader Di Collins, is elected as vice-chairman, and reads the declaration of office.
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UPDATE 10 - 7.57pm - New chairman John Knapman takes the chair and states: "I didn't prepare a speech before - who knows, it might not happen."
He begins by setting out some ground rules.
Mr Knapman announces that he will be addressing councillors in the chamber by their first and surname during meetings.
He announces that he will be supporting hospices during his year in office.
"Four years ago we passed a unanimous motion that we were appalled that the Government didn't properly fund our hospices."
He said he had recently discovered that Government funding had reduced from 40 per cent to 28 per cent - "a national disgrace".
He added: "These are not political issues, this is an issue thar this council is fully agreed on."
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UPDATE 9 - 7.52pm - Chigwell councillor John Knapman, in his pin-striped suit, reads the declaration of office and poses for photographs as he receives the chain of office from Mrs Pond.
In exchange he presents Mrs Pond with her past chairman's badge - and gives her a kiss.
It's present time! A wrapped gift - thought to be a book - is presented to Mrs Pond as the chamber applauds.
Now its the consorts' turn, as Mrs Pond's husband, Chris, hands the chain to Mr Knapman's wife, Debbie.
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UPDATE 8 - 7.46pm - Councillors pay tribute to Mrs Pond's year in office.
Loughton Residents Association group leader Ken Angold-Stephens described her as an "excellent" chairman.
Liberal Democrat group leader Jon Whitehouse said she had been "hard working and diligent", adding: "She has ventured far and wide, well beyond the boundaries of Loughton."
Council leader Di Collins, who is also treasurer of the St Margaret's Hospital League of Friends, thanked Mrs Pond for her fundraising efforts during the year.
Council chief executive Peter Haywood said Mrs Pond would be remembered for the "quiet authority" that she had you shown.
"You have been the first chairman to promote the office through the council's website and I'm sure the new chairman will be very happy to follow in your footsteps."
He added: "It has been a great pleasure to work with you and for you."
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UPDATE 7 - 7.35pm - Councillor Caroline Pond reflects on her year as chairman, a year during which she attended 147 engagements and covered some 2,100 miles.
Among the highlights, she said, were the Race for Life event at North Weald airfield, and the opening of an extension at St John's Primary School, in Buckhurst Hill, when she met the Duke of Gloucester.
Mrs Pond has described her year as "very enjoyable" saying it has been a "privilege" to have had the opportunity to be chairman of the authority.
Mrs Pond has thanked numerous officers for their help and support during the year.
She has also given a plug to the recently-published book highlighting the district's 50 Favourite Trees - judging of which is set to feature on the BBC2 programme The Trees That Made Britain tomorrow (Friday) at 7.30pm.
She is also still seeking money for her chosen charity - the League of Friends of St Margaret's Hospital - by encouraging councillors - and anyone else - to make a donation of £5 to her charity in exchange for one of the books.
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UPDATE 6 - 7.35pm - It's not quite the game show The Price is Right and the catchphrase 'come on down', but each of the newly-elected councillors are welcomed into the chamber one by one, each to a round of applause.
Will goings-on in the chamber continue to be so friendly?
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UPDATE 5 - 7.30pm - Council chairman Caroline Pond is announced into the chamber, for the last time before handing over the chain of office. However the council superintendent gets a bit ahead of himself by announcing the chairman as John Knapman!
In a few minutes he will probably be right!
Tonight promises to be an evening of reflection on her year in office, with some debate expected over the number of cabinet members.
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UPDATE 4 - 7.28pm - The chamber is almost full, with the Conservatives, following their election successes when they took their numbers to 35, now occupying more of the lettuce-green coloured seats.
Council leader Di Collins, wearing a light shade of Tory blue, is among the last to take her seat....
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UPDATE 3 - 7.21pm - Rebecca Cohen, the youngest ever Epping Forest district councillor enters the fray, escorted into the chamber by councillor Maggie McEwen.
Rebecca has agreed to write a regular 'diary' for the Guardian website as she starts her political career in the district council chamber.
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UPDATE 2 - 7.20pm - New Moreton and Fyfield councillor Tony Boyce, who took the seat from Doug Kelly (LibDem) at the May 1 elections is the first "new face" to enter the chamber.
A presentation is expected to be made to Mr Kelly later this evening marking his 12 years as a district councillor.
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UPDATE 1 - 7.10pm - Twenty minutes to go before the meeting starts, and the new chairman of the council is elected.
It is being proposed that John Knapman, the current vice-chairman, will be the new chairman, with Epping Upland councillor Penny Smith to be proposed as the new vice-chairman.
Councillors are also being asked to approve a proposal to increase the number of cabinet members to nine - one more than on the current council.
7:02pm Thursday 15th May 2008
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