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The Civic Offices will be reopening from Monday 19 July with different ways to access our services.
There will be new and better ways of accessing services in the refurbished Civic Offices when they reopen to the public this month, following the shutdown of more than a year in-line with Government guidelines on Covid-19 restrictions.
Even before the pandemic forced many organisations to rethink service delivery, Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) was developing online and digital access to services in response to resident demand, meaning most customers can get what they need without ever having to leave their own home.
Because of these new ways of working, during lockdown in 2020 we were able to deliver all our key services with little disruption. Regular webinars have been set up to keep residents updated with latest information about our housing services; the Community, Culture and Wellbeing team moved their exercise and craft classes online; council meetings were all conducted via Zoom and webcast live online and the school holidays programme included fun activity packs for families to do at home.
We’d like to keep some of these digital ways of working as residents have told us they prefer them.
Government guidelines
Following the Government’s announcement on Monday 12 July, we will still have some Covid19 precautions in the building to help protect residents and staff.
In line with new guidance, we ask customers to be careful and cautious. We also ask that you respect the wishes of other building users by observing social distancing, if they request it. There will be hand sanitiser stations across the building for your convenience. While masks are not essential after 19 July, we ask you to consider the needs of others when making your choice of whether to wear one. Finally, if you suspect you may be infected then we ask that you stay away from the offices and follow current guidance.
Access our services
We have been making as many of our services as possible available for you to self-serve from the comfort of your own home, but we appreciate you may prefer to call our Customer Contact Centre where our team will be pleased to help you.
- Call 01992 564000
You can make payments, report an issue, apply for a service and book events online from our website homepage.
Sometimes you need to see someone in person. The Welcome Area at the Civic Offices is the place to see us. If you make an appointment with an officer, you can book in via our new touch screen kiosks when you arrive. There are comfortable new seating areas including private rooms for confidential discussions, informal sofas and chairs for less formal meetings.
Although we are doing all we can to make electronic payments as easy as possible, we know some people still rely on cash. You can pay by cash at the Civic Offices in Epping.
Clear recycling sacks will no longer be available to pick up from reception at the new Civic Offices. But sacks can continue to be collected from 80 different sites across the district that are more convenient for you. Find your nearest outlet.
Opening times and contact information
- Monday: 9 am to 5.15 pm
- Tuesday: 9 am to 5.15 pm
- Wednesday: 9 am to 5.15 pm
- Thursday: 9 am to 5.15 pm
- Friday: 9 am to 5 pm
- Saturday: closed
- Sunday: closed
Customer Contact Centre: 01992 564000
Website: www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk
Epping Community Hub – working with our partners
The new Civic Offices will be much more than just a place for your district council services. Epping Forest Citizens Advice Bureau, Epping Forest Foodbank, Changing Pathways, and Voluntary Action Epping Forest are just a handful of partners that will be joining the Epping Community Hub.
The Epping Community Hub is due to open shortly after Monday 19 July.
Qualis – our council-owned private companies will be taking up residence in the new offices.
Our new meeting and conference facilities will be available for hire, accommodating meetings ranging from just a few people up to 200 seated theatre-style.
The top floor of the offices, is being marketed as office accommodation for private businesses, paying rental income we can reinvest in public services.
Reducing our Carbon Footprint
EFDC is a signatory to the Emergency Climate Change Declaration. We support the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and our impact on the local environment.
So, reducing our emissions is one reason why we are taking our staff off the roads. Nearly all our office-based staff are now able to use other ways of working. We don’t need large office space anymore. Homeworking means less of us are driving our cars, congesting our roads and polluting the environment. We need fewer parking spaces, and our smaller offices require less lighting, heating and water. The refurbishment also means more low energy LED lighting, and better insulation. Our computers and screens are more energy efficient, drawing less electricity. We have started to replace old petrol and diesel vehicles with low emission electric vehicles.
And our new ways of working will reduce your carbon footprint too. Our digital and remote working also means you can take fewer car journeys to see us, saving you the time and expense of driving to Epping.
Our aim is to become Carbon Neutral by 2030.
Investing in the Future
New ways of working, renting out spare space and reducing our impact on the environment produces real cost savings. Epping Forest District Council has only increased its share of the Council Tax once in the last 10 years, and we continue to invest in frontline services.
As we emerge from the Coronavirus Pandemic, the efficiencies and savings we have achieved can be pushed into the recovery of our community and our local economy.
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