The Council

The Council

The Councillors

  • Mr M Jones (Chairman)
  • Mr P Bunting (Vice Chairman)
  • Mrs S Bedwell
  • Mrs G Brown
  • Mrs D Falconer
  • Mrs M A Hughes MBE
  • Mr D Lennox
  • Mr A Stallan
  • Mr M Strain

Parish Clerk

Mrs Sarah Hughes
Oaklands, 153 High Road, Layer de la Haye, Colchester CO2 0EB
Telephone: 01206 738056
Email: layerclerk@hotmail.com

The Parish Council is the manager of:

The recreation field, Malting Green, the Cross Green and War Memorial, tennis courts, the village hall car park, Heatherfields and the play area at Millfields. We try to keep them as tidy, pleasant areas for the village to use. May we remind you that the playing of golf is NOT allowed on either the recreation field or Malting Green. There should be NO schooling of horses on Malting Green. Heatherfields is rented by the parish council for the use of the village. The paths through the woods are permissive paths and no one has the right to ride a horse or bicycle on these paths. NO bonfires should be lit in the woods.

We also make a plea if you are using any of these areas to exercise your dogs, then please clear up behind them. Dog poop bags are available from Mrs Brown at 17 High Road and there are various dog poop disposal bins, dotted around the village.

Parish Council Meeting Dates

The Parish Council meets on the second Monday of each month in the small hall, New Cut at 8pm.

Getting to Know Your Village Booklet

This booklet will be updated after the May AGM. If you do not have one, please contact the Clerk on 738056 and we will make sure you receive one.

Register of Electors

The Borough has a policy of rolling registration, which is updated once a month. If you are new to the village you can register your name at the Borough at any time. Phone 282820 (Elections Office). If you register by mid-month, you are included in the next month's register. Visit their website to download a voter registration form - www.colchester.gov.uk, then go to "elections".

Borough Councillors

Our Borough Councillors try to attend all our monthly meetings and are always willing to help in any way they can. They have already been of great assistance over various village matters. To contact them, their details are as follows;

  • Kevin Bentley
    Willoughby End, 32 Willoughby Avenue, West Mersea CO5 8AU.
    Home: 01206 382405
    Work: 01206 548100
    Email: info@kevinbentley.com
  • Peter Crowe
    Park Farm House, Inworth, Colchester CO5 9SJ
    Home: 01376 571746
    Work: 01376 570328
    Email: crowe@talk21.com

Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way

The parish council has the new consolidated map, which supersedes all pervious documentation. If you wish to view this map, please make prior arrangements with the Clerk (738056)

Mobile Library

The mobile will stops at Greenacres Road, on Tuesdays, between 11.25 and 11.35am.

Village Library

This is open each Monday, in the old hall, between 2.30 and 4pm. Thanks to Mrs Pat Playle.

Tennis Courts

These are sited in Church Road and are available for hire. Bookings are taken at the VIllage Shop. There is a £5 deposit for the key. Cost to hire is £2.50 per hour for adults and £1.50 per hour for children. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Chew for this service.

Housing Associations

In the village are properties managed by Housing Associations. These are flats at The Buntings and bungalows at Heather Close for over 50's; houses at Millfields to rent and for shared ownership. We fought long and hard to have the right for people with village connectiosn to be housed inthem. We can only help if you let us know of your needs eg; an elderly parents who needs to live closer, a grown up child who wants to live in the village, but cannot afford to. When a house of flat becomes available, we need to be able to pass names to the associations. Vacancies do not happen very often, but there is nothing more disappointing than finding out about you after the event. Contact Mrs Anne Hughes (734254) for application forms.

Refuse Freighters

Colchester Borough Council provides attended refuse freighters on several Saturdays in the summer. They will be situated at the village hall car park on the following Saturdays. See the Parish Magazine for dates.

This is for small domestic loads and bulky items not normally collected. Green waste separately. No fridges or freezers, no commerical refuse or hazardous waste.

Parish Gazette

This is a magazine produced monthly by the local Church, for the residents of the village. It contains Church news, information about village events and for a fee you can advertise your business. Space is limited, but if you would like to submit information about your local organisation, then they will do their best to accomondate you. If you would like the gazette delivered at an annual subscription of £6, then contact one of the following people - Doreen Goodchild (734463) or Sheila Bedwell (734386). If you would like to place an advertisement contact Doreen Goodchild. If you would like to submit an article please deliver it to Mark and Jo Jones (Rockrose, Abberton Road - 734258). Typed articles should be A5 size. If possible email items to them at  layermag@hotmail.com

Youth Organisation

Fortunately our youth organisations continue to survive and we are all very grateful to those leaders, who give up much of their free time to run the various groups. All the organisations are desperate for help. Can you spare some of your time? Please get in touch.

The Essex Youth Service has a mobile unit, which visits rural locations, during the summer holidays. This is for young people aged 13-19 years old. Facilities on board the unit include laptop computer with internet access, TV, video player, Playstation 2 + games, sports equipment, board games, giant games, arts and craft equipment, circus skills equipmentm tuck shop, information and support on the many issues that affect young people.

The Village Hall

The halls are run by the QE Hall management committee, who are trustees of the QE Hall charity. The committee is made up of representatives from all the organisations who use the hall, as well as 5 elected members. The hall caretaker is Mrs Sue Priestland and she also deals with the hall bookings. Her contact number is 734708. The chairman is Mike Strain (734577), vice chairman is Liz Appleby, treasurer is Geoff Gower and secretary is Carole Littlewood.