Social Value Ideas for Epping Forest District Council

QALIS governance risk

The committee repeatedly highlighted concern about QALIS/QALYST governance, financial stability, loan recoverability, and delayed projects. This creates ongoing pressure on the council’s oversight arr…

“So that's the sort of thing you might want assurance about. So are members happy that we take that away with officers and look at those issues and how…”

Treasury borrowing and capital spend

The council reported increased external borrowing to support the capital programme, alongside material capital expenditure during the year. This is a spending and financing decision rather than a proc…

“This is the regular Treasury management report that the committee receives on a quarterly basis. This sets out the position for quarter four, so the y…”

External audit rebuild plan

EY and officers will continue rebuilding audit assurance for 2025-26, including filling gaps from 2023-24 and planning additional work on reserves and other balances. The committee asked for a plan up…

“So that will be a dialogue that we'll be having around what's required and then is that possible this year or would that have to be deferred to a subs…”

External Audit Fieldwork Completion

External auditors' fieldwork for the council's accounts began in October 2025, experienced a two-week pause due to capacity issues within the council's finance team (not the auditors), and has now res…

“the field work for the it starts in October. That is continuing. There was two week pause really due to capacity issues within the team and trying to …”

Budget Deficit and Service Pressures

Significant budget pressure of £3.4 million gap identified for next financial year, requiring difficult decisions on charges and services. Quarter four budget monitoring report shows relatively positi…

“We're looking at a 3.4 million pound gap to fill, which means we're going to have a lot of difficult decisions to make.”

Government Submission of LGR Business Case - 26 September 2025

Deadline for submitting final council recommendation to government is 26 September 2025. Government will subsequently conduct evaluation period and consultation before announcing which schemes will be…

“Each council can only put forward one scheme. They can only support either a three, a four, or a five option to put forward... And when this goes to g…”

Cabinet Decision on LGR Model - 22 September 2025

Following tonight's indicative vote (29 for three-unitary, 11 for five-unitary, 0 for four-unitary options), the council's cabinet will make final recommendation on which model to support on Monday 22…

“So the chambers preferred option goes forward to cabinet on Monday the 22nd of September... the option which Epping Forest District Council wishes to …”

Local Government Reorganisation - Three Unitary Council Model Preferred

Epping Forest District Council indicated preference for a three-unitary model combining Epping Forest with Brentwood, Chelmsford and Maldon. This was the most supported option in the indicative vote w…

“Three unitary councils would have 285 councillors split across those three councillors, each representing 4,800 members of the electorate... Three fee…”

Solar farm refused on green belt

A large solar farm proposal at Upland Road was refused after debate about green belt harm, loss of best and most versatile agricultural land, biodiversity impacts, and the adequacy of the planning bal…

“Speaker 1: Good evening chair, members and everyone. So we start with item seven, which relates to the low carbon solar farm located in Epinoplan. Thi…”

Section 62A planning recovery plan

The council is under Section 62A designation and must produce an action plan, cooperate with the Planning Inspectorate, and improve major application appeal performance before it can seek de-designati…

“The report sets out the legal background. It details the nature of the performance related, sorry, the key performance indicator that has been used to…”

Rental household redevelopment approved

The committee approved the revised Northfield Nursery redevelopment for storage/distribution after earlier deferral. The scheme was materially reduced and conditioned with acoustic barriers, planting,…

“Speaker 19: Thank you, Jim. Good evening, members. Before I begin, I would just like to make a brief correction to the report near the bottom of page …”