Village News and Events

in Boxted and Langham

From the archive …

Pond House

Above: Photo taken in 1973

Above: Paul Collier fishing in Pond House Lake 1977

The above two photos are courtesy of Peter Gant, past resident and village archivist.

Does anyone know of the whereabouts of Paul Collier or the story behind this photo? Email us at newsandevents@boxted.org.uk

Fake National Insurance Calls

Following a surge in reporting to Action Fraud, Essex has also seen an increase in automated National Insurance scams.

Residents have reported receiving an automated telephone call telling them their “National Insurance number has been compromised” and in order to fix this and get a new number, the victim needs to “press 1 on their handset to be connected to the caller”.

Once connected to the “caller”, they are pressured into giving over their personal details in order to receive a new National Insurance number. In reality, they’ve been connected to a criminal who can now use their personal details to commit further frauds. Remember:

• STOP – Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
• CHALLENGE – Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
• PROTECT – If you have provided personal details to someone over the phone and you now believe this to be a scam, contact your bank, building society and credit card company immediately and report it to Action Fraud at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Quiz night details

Saturday 20 February

Thank you to everyone who has confirmed they would like to take part. The Zoom link is below and do feel free to pass it on to anyone who might be interested. If you haven’t decided yet, you can just join on the night, there’s no real limit on numbers!

Please could folk join from 7.45pm onwards for an 8pm start. There will be 6 rounds of questions with a break in the middle, and a modest prize for the winning team. Look forward to seeing you.

Topic: Quiz night
Time: Feb 20, 2021 07:45 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87416057352?pwd=MVpXeE52ZWoyMU56cnhlNzNkOW40UT09

Meeting ID: 874 1605 7352
Passcode: 304927

Boxted bridge

A dedicated email address (boxtedenquiries@essexhighways.org) has been set up to support the public with any questions relating to the structure that are not already answered on the webpage.

The full website address for the Boxted Bridge project is:
https://www.essexhighways.org/transport-and-roads/highway-schemes-and-developments/highway-schemes/boxted-bridge-wick-road-boxted-colchester.aspx

For more information and to sign the petition to save the original structure of Boxted Bridge, please head to https://www.change.org/p/essex-county-council-save-our-bridge

Boxted Parish Council Report – February 2021

Boxted Parish Council meets 10 times a year as a full Council on the second Wednesday evening of the month (not August or December). Members of the public are very much welcome to join us on these meetings, just email the Clerk on boxtedparishcouncil@gmail.com for a link to click and you can join us on your computer, tablet or phone. There is a regular slot at the start of each meeting for people to raise any issues which, if they can’t be answered straight away, the Council can take them away and respond afterwards. The minutes of each meeting are published on the new Parish Council website (boxtedparishcouncil.org.uk).

Continuing campaign to persuade Essex Highways to repair and restore the lovely Boxted Bridge, near Boxted Mill, rather than replace it with a new bigger structure. The Save Our Bridge campaign, run by Boxted residents, has a petition with over 4000 signatures. The Parish Council very much supports the local campaign and although discussions with Essex Highways have led to a much better design of the bridge with efforts to imitate the look the existing bridge, the Essex Highways team is not moving from it’s plan to replace the bridge. Highways originally said that they would submit a planning application to secure permission to replace the bridge, they then said that they were not legally obliged to do this so had decided to use their ‘permitted rights’ to replace the bridge but after local pressure from residents and the Parish Council they have reverted to their plan to submit a planning application. A planning application will give interested parties like the Dedham Vale Society, CPRE and Save Britain’s Heritage the opportunity to comment and object. You can find the link to the petition on the Boxted Village website at https://boxted.org.uk/2020/11/10/bridge/

The recent weather has resulted in flooded roads and gardens in several places in the village and overloaded the waste system resulting in surface sewage flooding. This is very distressing for all involved and we would like to see improvements to the water systems to stop this happening in the future. Climate change means that we will experience much more winter rain resulting in more local flooding and it is everyone’s responsibility to maintain and keep clear water courses and ditches that are on or are adjacent to their property. We hope that increased awareness will mean that ditches and any underground pipes are kept clear improving our chances of not seeing water or sewage in our properties.

Talking about weather, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the volunteers that have managed to salt some of the more dangerous pathways and corners that aren’t part of the Essex gritting routes. We probably don’t cover all treacherous paths but if you know of a difficult area that you would be able to grit with parish council provided salt then please let the Clerk know.

We very much hope to develop a Rural Exception Site providing a small number of lower rental cost housing for local people. The Council will work with the Rural Community Council of Essex to work through the process.

Lockdown means we still can’t have organised sport at the Recreation Ground so no football and the Hub café and Village Hall area still closed to the public. The play areas open but please know that the equipment is not cleaned. You should either bring hand sanitiser or get hands washed as soon as possible.

We should be installing seven pieces of outdoor gym equipment alongside the children’s play area soon; we are just waiting for permissions from Colchester Borough Council. This project was in response to the village questionnaire that identified many residents suggesting more should be available on the field.
We are still nearly there in taking ownership of the corner grassed area of the Hill Farm development at Boxted Cross as a Village Green.

Dates for your diary:

• 21 March is Census 21 day. Please do take part as local services are planned on the basis of Census information.
• Local elections for Colchester Borough Council and Essex County Council are taking place on 6 May. We understand that these will be normal elections with polling stations but if you want to stay safe, especially if you are shielding, then please apply for a postal vote. You download the form from this site at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote

Please stay safe and continue to enjoy your lovely village.
Karen Thompson, Clerk to Boxted Parish Council

If you want to get in touch with the Council, please drop an email to boxtedparishcouncil@gmail.com.

Langham Village Correspondent

Tony Ellis, Barnacles, Wick Road, Langham.
01206 231164

Langham Community Shop Association
The Annual Members’ Meeting of the Association takes place remotely on 23 February at 7.30 pm via Zoom. Please contact the Secretary Gill Salt on 01206 230406 for more information and login details.

Community Shop
Orders for heating oil must be placed in person at the Community Shop by 4.00 pm on Tuesday 16 March. Minimum order 500 litres; registration fee £2, volunteers £1.
During the current restrictions the Community Shop remains open for customers and telephone orders (tel. 01206 272431). Outreach Post Office times are: Mondays 9.00 am to 12.30 pm; Thursdays 12.30 to 4.00 pm.

Parish Council
Langham Parish Council meets monthly (excluding August and December) on the first Wednesday of the month at 7.30 pm. Owing to the Covid-19 restrictions, meetings take place remotely by Zoom. Any members of the public wishing to join the meeting should e-mail the Clerk, Carol Harbach, on clerk@langhamparishcouncil.co.uk. Questions are taken from members of the public as part of the agenda which also includes items relating to transport, planning, footpaths and other matters affecting the village. Detailed information on these and other matters are available on the website www.langhamparishcouncil.co.uk

The Emerging Local Plan (ELP) from Colchester Borough Council (CBC)has been exercising us over the last five to six years, with discussion, debate, meetings and representations by the Parish Council, interested parties and members of the public. CBC allocated three sites for potential development in Langham, two in School Road for 40 and 30 dwellings respectively and one in Wick Road for 10 dwellings. A speculative application was made for 46 dwellings in School Road by Linden Homes Ltd., which received conditional approval by CBC as the planning authority in 2020. Work on the site began at the beginning of February. A preliminary scheme has now been put forward for 30 dwellings on the second allocated site in School Road by Williamson Developments Ltd. A promotional document seeking the views of residents has been circulated by the company. The Parish Council has also distributed a survey questionnaire on this subject and we would encourage as many as can to reply in the reply-paid envelope. The questionnaire can also be found on the website above, completed and returned by 22 February.

Under the s106 agreement signed off by CBC and the Developers in December Langham will benefit from improvements to the Community Centre, Community Shop, Pre-School and Recreation Ground with the available funding. These projects are being co-ordinated by the Parish Council and the improvements will bring about new facilities and lasting enhancements for the benefit of the village and the wider community.

The Clerk has received many notes of appreciation and thanks for the Christmas hampers delivered to deserving residents in December. We are gratified to learn that this gesture of goodwill at what was a difficult time for many was so well received.

The Parish Council continues to monitor traffic in the village and surrounding area. Owing to current restrictions and the very low traffic levels, the planned traffic survey has been delayed until more normal conditions are experienced. The Parish Council is monitoring the situation with regard to two significant Ardleigh planning applications at the Old Ipswich Road on the approach to the Ardleigh Interchange. If approved, movement of heavy goods vehicles through the village could increase significantly.

A number of people have expressed an interest in filling the vacancy on the Parish Council and we are currently discussing the nature of the role of a Parish Councillor with them.

• Win an amazing eco hamper
• Top tips for disposing of your waste safely
• Power your home with solar
• Improve the energy efficiency of your home
• Highlights from Love Essex social media
• Leftover pancake recipes
• Mythbuster: do you know how your recycling is processed?

Go to https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKESSEX/bulletins/2bab91cs for all the details

Church services

Both St Mary’s Langham and St Peter’s Boxted are now open for private prayer.

A weekly service is streamed via Zoom.

• Zoom Holy Communion – February 21, 2021 at 10:00 am – 11:00 am
  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88066393276?pwd=Z25OMWtBVDBVWEw3ZEpHZ0hYYXpJZz09

  Meeting ID: 880 6639 3276
  Passcode: 909659

  Download the service sheet here

• Praise on 4 – February 21, 2021 09:10am
  Praise on 4 will be a Praise on 3 this month! We have changed it from the 4th to the 3rd Sunday this month so as not to clash with Mandy’s farewell service on 28 Feb. We hope you will be able to join us, when we will be reflecting on the passage of Luke 12:22-34 – ‘Do not worry’.
  A colouring sheet is attached for the children. Please could you join at 9.10am for a 9.15am start. Look forward to seeing you!

  Join Zoom Meeting
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87384662528?pwd=bGw5ZXdwR3k4SW9vRFpCcTVLN25NZz09

  Meeting ID: 873 8466 2528
  Passcode: 150852

• DEEP on Zoom – February 21, 2021 at 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
  A family friendly interactive service for all ages. Please contact the church office on lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com for details of the zoom link.

Please email lwb.wb.gh.parishes@gmail.com to request details of the zoom link; a recording of the service is available from Sunday afternoon at the following link:

https://lb-churches.co.uk/streamed-services/

In brief …

Your quick reference guide to newsletter regulars.

Mobile library

Following the latest Government guidelines the mobile library service is suspended until further notice.

To keep up to date with any changes please visit the Mobile Library Service website

Thursday opening times for the Post Office at the Langham Community Shop are from 12.30 to 4.00 pm.

Monday opening times remain the same at 9.00 am to 12.30 pm.

Remember that this service is still available online. Michael Smith at Colchester Borough Council is still offering digital support via a remote service. See the Council’s webpage or, for further information.

• Colchester 01206 282 452/ Clacton 01255 686497
• Email: Digitalaccesssupport@colchester.gov.uk

Useful links:

Boxted Parish Council
Boxted Village Hall
Boxted Village Website
Boxted Neighbourhood Plan
Boxted Primary School
Boxted British Legion

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