NEWS

Construction on the new £1.6m health centre development in Station Road is scheduled to start in the new year.  The building will be owned by the Felsted Community as it was donated as part of the original planning agreement. With seven consulting rooms and parking for more than 30 cars, it will be a modern community facility delivered by our Neighbourhood Plan.

From the outset the intention has been to offer a generously discounted lease of the new premises to the NHS and use the income to maintain the premises and to provide other much needed services to our parishioners. We have worked with the developer, Uttlesford District Council, the West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (WECCG) and the John Tasker House Partnership (JTH) to make sure that the building meets the highest clinical standards.  The parish has incurred considerable professional fees in the process.

The WECCG was dissolved in 2023, it was replaced by the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) since which time it has been a different story!

The ICB said they are only prepared to consider supporting our doctors’ tenancy of the building if we offer it to them as a ‘gift’ or accept a 90% rent abatement which will not cover the on-costs incurred by the Council

We have told the ICB and the JTH practice that though we remain keen to see the NHS use our new facility, we can’t agree to a rent that financially impacts our community.   Unfortunately, the ICB didn’t seem interested and has continued to demand an unaffordable reduction.

Our intention was that the NHS gets the opportunity to use an accessible purpose built facility, constructed to current NHS standards at no capital costs. This facility would offer disabled access, easy parking and would help ease congestion in the village centre.

Sadly, we’ve been informed that apparently the Doctors now seem to have changed their mind and, however affordable we make the rent, it doesn’t think that the GP’s practice can work with a Felsted community landlord.  Therefore, the ICB is now apparently considering ‘investing in improvements’ to the existing Felsted surgery premises owned by the JTH practice.

Whatever the ICB now plans, there still won’t be any parking!

With the full support of UDC, the Council and the Trustees will continue to try to talk with the ICB to find a solution.  But the facility will be built and owned by the Felsted Community Trust: whether the NHS wants to occupy it or not!

Following the public meeting last year Affinity Water will be providing at update at the next Parish Council meeting which is to be held on Wednesday 6th November 24 in the URC Hall, Stebbing Road commencing at 6.30pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend.

Respecting our Heritage, Defining our Future (2025-2041)

This first bulletin is a summary of the progress in the development of the Felsted Neighbourhood Plan which was originally made in 2020 and is now being reassessed by the Felsted Neighbourhood Plan Review group.

Read the bulletin here.

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Essex Police are supporting farmers across the Uttlesford district by providing them with unique forensic property marking kits. Uttlesford Community Policing Team has secured funding to offer DNA property marking kits to all working farms across the district.

The kits are free of charge with no ongoing costs, it will be delivered and demonstrated by the local community policing team. The kit can mark up to 50 items so once obtained users can mark items with the kit that is unique to them.

If you are interested in obtaining a kit or for more information please email ku.ecilop.xesseobfsctd@tpc.drofselttU

PCSO Natalie Smith will be hosting beat surgeries at The Wood Cottage Tearoom.

These drop in sessions are an opportunity for residents to:
• speak with the local community policing team about any concerns that they may have;
• obtain crime prevention advice;
• stop by for a chat.

Surgeries dates / times are as follows
Thursday 31st October 2024 11:00 am – midday
Thursday 7th November 2024 11:00 am – midday
Thursday 5th December 2024 11:00 am – midday

Please feel free to stop by, everyone is welcome, no appointment is necessary.

Felsted nature area which covers approximately 33 acres of land, incorporating the officially designated “Felsted Fen Local Wildlife Site (reference UFD276)” situated adjacent to the River Chelmer and located off Station Road, is open to any resident for their enjoyment and they are encouraged to make use of this open space whilst respecting the tranquillity and abundance of flora and fauna.

Dog walking is acceptable providing dogs are kept under control, particularly during the ground bird nesting season. There are a number of Public Rights of Way and permissive footpaths that cross the nature area. However, being located at the extreme western part of the parish, for many within our large parish it is not necessarily easily to reach on foot.

For those wishing to visit the nature area by car Flitch Green Parish Council has confirmed that it is perfectly acceptable for Felsted residents to use the car park in Tanton Road. This is off of Hallett Road and is the car park immediately on your left as you enter Flitch Green that the food vendor vehicles use. It is then just a short walk via optional footpaths to the bridge which takes you over Stebbing Brook and into the nature area.

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Station Road in Little Dunmow is to be closed between 12th September to the 15th November to facilitate installation works by Express Utilities.  Please look at the Essex Highways Road Closure webpage here to find out more about planned road closures.

https://www.essexhighways.org/interactive-maps-and-live-travel-information/future-roadworks-map

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A public meeting has been arranged with Felsted’s new MP the Right Honourable James Cleverly MP.

This will be held in the URC Hall, Stebbing Road on Friday 23rd August 24

The meeting will run from 10.30am until 11.45am

Attendance will be by invitation only as places are limited!

Should you wish to attend please advise via email and submit any questions for Mr Cleverly to moc.liamgobfsctd@cpdetslef.2hg.

Should you be selected to attend an email will be sent to you.

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Uttlesford District Council have advised that due to staff shortages the Garden Waste Skip will be unable to attend Felsted this Sunday the 4th August. They apologise for the short notice.

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