Stock Parish Council held its latest monthly meeting on Monday 9 November at which a wide range of important issues regarding the village were discussed and voted upon.

Mill Lane Sports & Leisure Facility

The £500,000 goal for the purchase of the former football ground in Mill Lane has nearly been met.

Stock Parish Council has, to date, received promissory notes totalling £489,419.00 and we would like to thank all of those parishioners who have made donations.

Would those who haven’t as yet contributed to the fund please consider a donation by way of a promissory note.

Stock Parish Council can then proceed with completion of the purchases of the plots and start planning the development of the sports and leisure facility.

The charity has been set up as STOCK FOOTBALL AND LEISURE GROUND – CIO. The registered charity number is 1219741.

Stock Parish Council is waiting for the opening of the bank account for the charity so that all donations being paid into this account will qualify for Gift Aid. This increases each donation by 25%.

Christmas Fayre

Stock’s biggest-ever Christmas Fayre will take place on Stock Common on Saturday 5 December between 12noon and 6pm. To protect visitors from the winter weather, this year’s event will be held under-cover!

Marquees will host Santa’s Grotto, children’s entertainment, live music, arts and crafts stalls and hot and cold food refreshments, while Stock Cricket Club will serve drinks from the pavilion bar.

S-Type Security

Villagers are reminded that Stock Parish Council employs S-Type Security to provide regular mobile patrols in and around Stock.

S-Type Security provide a presence to deter criminal and antisocial activity in the village and rapid response officers to answer villagers’ calls and alerts.

If you are aware of any potential criminal and antisocial behaviour, please report it to S-Type Security by phone on 01245 931598 or email at info@s-typesecurity.co.uk

Parking

Stock Parish Council is committed to improving road safety across the village for all users.

In 2025, the Parish Council withdrew an application for parking restrictions following feedback from stakeholders.

However, it is still strongly felt that a number of very dangerous junctions would be made safer by the introduction of parking restrictions.

As such, the Parish Council intends to discuss the issue with residents and business owners at a public meeting before any agreed proposals are submitted to the South Essex Parking Partnership (SEPP) in the New Year.

Speeding

Stock Parish Council was disappointed to be informed that the Essex County Council Local Highways Panel (LHP) has been abolished by the new administration.

This means the LHP applications submitted and pursued by the Parish Council since 2023 are now obsolete.

These applications covered reductions in speed limits on Stock Road, Downham Road and minor roads, improvements and upgrades to pedestrian crossings, moving the bus stop on Stock Hill and the potential installation of average speed cameras in the High Street.

Essex Highways have suggested that a number of the above could go ahead if they are self-funded, and the Parish Council is now awaiting a response from the Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, Councillor Mark Webster.

In the meantime, the Parish Council continues to hold regular Community Speedwatch patrols.

Maintenance

The Parish Council has commissioned and completed a host of works across the village.

A number of serious pot holes have been repaired in the High Street, the ponds in Mill Road and Austen Drive have been cleared and the four timber village noticeboards have been refurbished.

Councillors have commissioned a survey of the children’s playground on the Common with a view to improving the facilities.

The Parish Council will hold its final monthly meeting of the year at Stock Cricket Club pavilion on Monday 7 December 2026 at 7.30pm. All are welcome.

If you have any issues you would like to raise or questions, please email info@stock-pc.gov.uk