Feering Parish Council News - May 2026 News Roundup

Welcome to the May 2026 edition of the Feering Parish Council News

In this edition, we will be bringing you dates for your diary, information about the latest opportunities at the council and how you can get involved, the Full Council Meeting discussion and more.

Feering Parish Councillors are Pamela Carlaw (Chairman), Katherine Evans (Vice-Chairman), Ian Giles, Jane Maddison, Ed Mitchell, Jo Spencer and Nathaniel Warwick, who can all be contacted via the Parish Office on 01376 572882.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the very latest news and events.

Re-Elected Chair, Cllr Pam Carlaw

We are proud to announce that at the May Annual Council and Full Council meeting on Tuesday 19th May, our Chair, Cllr Pam Carlaw was re-elected as Chair for the second year running!

Pam has been a Feering Parish Councillor since May 2023 and has been Chair since February 2025.

Read more about the fantastic work that Pam and our other Councillors do for our Community and what she enjoys about being a Councillor:
feeringparishcouncil.gov.uk/become-a-parish-councillor/

Feering May Fayre – 4 May 2026

What an afternoon! Thank you to everyone that attended and helped make this year’s Feering May Fayre such a success!

The Fayre was opened and streamed live on Facebook by award-winning Magician and Vice President of The Magic Circle, Michael J Fitch! The arena events started with a traditional May Pole Dance performed by Quigley Theatre Arts.

Further performances throughout the afternoon included spellbinding magic from Michael J Fitch, an energetic display from Team Titan Fitness for Kids and captivating dance routines from Quigley Theatre Arts.

Away from the arena, there was plenty to enjoy. Inside the Community Centre a fantastic selection of artisan stalls and, of course, the infamous Teddy Tombola!

Outside on the field were more wonderful stall holders offering delicious sweet and savoury treats, plants, services, rides and games, toys, the main tombola, raffle and our selfie station.

All proceeds support the local community centre.
Special thanks to everyone who helped make the May Fayre such an amazing event – our visitors, stallholders, performers volunteers and raffle prize donors.

Help Shape the Future of Our Community – Become a Parish Councillor!

Parish Councillors are the voice of our community and make real change. Parish Councillors are the champions of our community who invest time in local projects and issues to the benefit of residents and the neighbourhood.

Now’s the chance to step up and be a driving force in shaping the future of our community.

We are currently seeking 2 new Parish Councillors to fill vacancies and contribute to the growth of our village.

Why become a Parish Councillor?

As a Parish Councillor, you will be at the forefront of decision-making that directly affects the lives of our residents. You will help to shape the future of the village and have a direct impact on decisions that impact on the future of Feering. You will be the voice of your fellow residents, ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed and contribute to local initiatives that enhance the well-being of our community.

Hear from our Councillors on why they wanted to become a Parish Councillor and what they love about serving on our website: https://feeringparishcouncil.gov.uk/become-a-parish-councillor/

How can you get involved?

If you have a passion for community, a desire to make a positive impact, and a willingness to dedicate some of your time, we encourage you to become a Parish Councillor. Come along to our next Parish Council Meeting on Tuesday 21 April at Feering Community Centre and find out what becoming a Parish Councillor entails or speak to our Clerk, Lisa (email: clerk@feeringparishcouncil.gov.uk or tel: 01376 572882).

Let’s make a difference together.

Become a Parish Councillor and be a force for positive change in our community. Come along to our next Parish Council Meeting on Tuesday 16 June at Feering Community Centre and find out what becoming a Parish Councillor entails. You can apply today by emailing clerk@feeringparishcouncil.gov.uk or tel: 01376 572882 and let your voice be heard!

Braintree District Council Local Plan Review next steps

The recent consultation on the Local Plan Review, known as Regulation 18, closed on 17 April.

Braintree District Council have thanked everyone who took the time to provide their comments. Around 1,800 responses were received and Braintree District Council are now reviewing all the comments and evidence submitted and use it to inform the next stage of the Local Plan.

The next formal stage, known as Regulation 19, is expected this summer/autumn and will present a more developed version of the plan, including all the evidence, before the plan is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination.

Further updates will be shared in the coming months.

You can stay updated by signing up to the planning newsletter and visiting the website:

https://www.braintree.gov.uk/localplanreview

Environment Agency Flood Risk Survey

The Environment Agency is inviting members of the community to take part in a short flood risk survey.

This research will help them understand what information people find most useful when checking their possible future flood risk or thinking about how to prepare for flooding.

The survey is simple and should only take a few minutes to complete. You will first be asked a small number of questions about your experience and views. You will then be invited to choose up to five items from a list of information and actions that would matter most to you in this situation.

There are no right or wrong answers. The Environment Agency are interested in your honest views and first impressions. Your responses will help them understand which information and actions are most important to communities, and what they should prioritise in future design and research.

If you would like to take part, please complete the survey by Friday 29 May. Complete the survey at: https://www.feeringparishcouncil.gov.uk/environment-agency-flood-risk-survey

Annual Council Meeting

The Annual Council Meeting was held on Tuesday 19 May 2026. A copy of the draft minutes will be made available on the Parish Council’s website in due course.

During the meeting the first item of business was to elect a chairman. Cllr Pamela Carlaw was nominated, proposed and seconded to remain the Chairman of the Parish Council.

A Vice-chairman was also elected and it was resolved that Cllr Katherine Evans would remain Vice-Chair of the Parish Council.

The Parish Council Standing Orders, Finance Regulations and Complaints Procedure were also reviewed at the meeting and adopted as amended.

The appointments of members to serve on Committees and Outside Bodies were also discussed and it was resolved that with the exception of Cllr Mitchell joining the Planning Working Group, no changes be made to the appointments.

Full Council meeting

The May Annual Council and Full Council meeting was held on Tuesday 19 May 2026. A copy of the draft minutes are available on the Parish Council’s website.

During the Full Council meeting, the following items were discussed:

Finance – The Se3rvice Level Agreement for the Paid Vegetation Cutting Contract for 2026 was discussed and it was agreed that the Agreement should be signed by the Clerk.
District Councillor Report – Draft Local Plan – Timetable for the draft local plan has been published with dates for LP sub-committee meetings and an extraordinary Full Council Meeting in September to put the LP out for Regulation 19 Public consultation; BDC still waiting for the detailed Essex Highways Report for Kings Dene and Monks Farm. It was noted that Highways have only been asked to look at the impact of 1800 homes because that is what BDC is expecting to be built in the Local Plan up to 2041; New Bins – BDC will continue delivering new containers and write to all households with guidance on using the new service and collection date calendars. Items must be put into the bins loose, not bagged and bin lids must be fully shut; Absorbent Hygiene Products – Applications are now open for collections to start from June 2026 onwards
County Councillor Report – Elections – Cllr Thorogood has retained his seat on ECC with Reform UK winning a majori9ty of 53 seats. Peter Harris of Tendring has been chosen as County Council Leader. One of the first things Cllr Harris has announced is the cancellation of the reservation charge at Essex libraries and he has pledged to take legal action against the Government over plans for Local Government Reorganisation.
Planning Matters: No meeting has been held since the last Parish Council meeting.
Feering Crown Master Planning – The Clerk confirmed that she had forwarded the email received from Essex County Council regarding Road Safety Audits to the BDC Planning Officer who confirmed that the Applicant has been asked by ECC to provide road safety audits for all new proposed junctions and that the work is ongoing. ECC have also advised that the traffic modelling needs updating. The planning officer confirmed that once all information is received there is likely to be a re-consultation on the application.

July Meeting Date – It was agreed that the meeting date would be changed from 21 July 2026 to 28 July 2026 due to staff and councillor absences.