Loughton Residents AssociationThe Voice of LoughtonLoughton and Debden images
Home About LRA Featured News News Emails and Loughton Life About Loughton, Essex About Local Councils How to report a local problem Contact Us

Featured News
Town Council 30th Anniversary

4 September 2026
An LRA reflection
Loughton Town Council 
With the recent 30th Anniversary of the Town Council, LRA reflects on how the Town Council came about.
 
In 1974, Chigwell Urban District Council (which covered Loughton) was merged with the local authorities covering Epping, Ongar and Waltham Abbey to form Epping Forest District Council. Epping and Waltham Abbey already had town councils (they had been their own Urban Districts) but there was a political majority at the new District Council in the 1970s and 80s against doing this for Loughton, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill.
 
The tide turned during the early 1990s when the idea of more local control was gaining traction, and the political composition changed. A review of local government provided for the setting up of new parish councils if there was demonstrable public demand.
 
LRALRA, having been established in 1981, adopted a bid for a parish council as one of its early policies so worked with resident groups in Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill who were supportive of the idea for their towns as well. To help build the case LRA was also in touch with several town and parish councils elsewhere to understand how they worked, what they achieved for their residents and crucially how their small rate funds were managed.  The combined ‘parish rate’ for the three towns (known as the Chigwell Special Rate), was administered by the District Council, with our local councillors having only a small say. This may have contributed to the District Council’s reluctance to cede any control locally.
 
Having summarised the case for a parish or town council, this was put it to residents who were asked to show support in a petition which they strongly did. LRA then sought a Parish Review, from a still reluctant District Council and submitted a document with the case and evidence, to the Boundaries Commission.
 
The Commission’s initial response was favourable. The Commission particularly noted LRA’s submission evidence of considerable public support.
 
So at last in 1995 the Essex Parishes Order was signed by the Secretary of State for the Environment setting up the new parish. One of the Parish Council's first acts was to resolve to become a Town Council. This was opposed by a few residents, but nevertheless went through by a large majority in the summer of 1996.


Long serving certificates awarded

To mark the 30th Anniversary of the conception of Loughton Town Council, long serving certificates have been presented to the following Town Council members.