Stanford Community

Welcome to the Stanford Forum website, The Community Forum for Stanford-le-Hope

Important News

The Stanford Forum meetings are now being held on the 2nd Monday of every other month at a new venue. The new meeting place is The Forum Base Church Hill, Stanford le Hope (top of Church Hill) Start time remains the same 19.30 finish 21.15.

The Stanford Forum are the Council recognised Forum for Stanford le Hope, if you have a idea that might improve our neighbourhood, or would like to get involved in some of our projects, please come along to one of our open meetings.

What is the role of Stanford Forum?

The Stanford Forum is the Council recognised Forum for the area. It will raise local issues at the highest level within the Council and at the same time ensure that if decisions taken elsewhere in the Borough have an effect on Stanford le Hope we are consulted on them.

Representatives of the Forums meet every 3 months to discuss issues affecting all the Forums in Thurrock. The Thurrock Association of Forums (TAF) will then make representations to Thurrock Council regarding common issues.

To encourage residents from all ages and backgrounds to become active in the community, so that when the Stanford Forum raises issues on the communities behalf we can show that we are representative of our area.

The Stanford Forum has been running for over 10 years and during this time have made representations to numerous planning applications, at times appearing at Planning Inquiries. We have been running the Stanford Music Festival since it began over 10 years ago, we also secured the recent tidy up of the old Barclay’s Bank building in the town centre.

What are the aims of the Stanford Forum?

  • To be Politically neutral!!!!
  • To ensure Stanford is represented on all the decision making bodies in Thurrock, that could affect our area, and to make sure our views are known.
  • To encourage Stanford residents to make their views known to the Council, either directly or by informing the Stanford Forum.
  • To support all local groups/organizations that would benefit from our assistance when dealing with the Council or with financial help when possible.
  • To do our best to make all residents aware of any consultations affecting the area and encourage them to take part.
  • To continue to support and or instigate projects that will encourage good citizenship amongst the whole Community, and reduce anti-social behaviour.
  • To obtain better local leisure facilities.

Minutes, Meetings, News and Members

Code of Conduct at Public Forum Meetings

  • All members shall be open and honest in their dealings and show respect for other members
  • All speakers will address themselves through the Chairperson
  • Only one person shall speak at a time
  • All speakers shall be polite and not raise their voices
  • All speakers shall respect all others in attendance and shall not use offensive language.
  • All forums observe equal opportunities and respect diversity of all community members.  Racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic and discriminatory language aimed at disabled people will not be acceptable or tolerated so please do not air personal views that are likely to offend.
  • All speakers will keep to the subject under discussion
  • Unless there are exceptional circumstances, each person may speak only once on an issue until every other member has had the opportunity to speak thereby accounting for all opinions
  • All members shall abide by the decisions taken at meetings
  • If any member does not abide by the Code of Conduct, there will be a warning that if they break the Code of Conduct they may be asked to leave the meeting
  • The offending member will be told that three warnings will be given and this is the first warning
  • The offending member will be told that there may be two further warnings and at the third case shall ask the meeting to vote on whether the member should be asked to leave the meeting
  • In the event of there being a conflict of interest (or potential conflict of interest) this must be disclosed to the meeting and if necessary, the member who has disclosed the conflict, (or potential conflict), whether financial or non-financial, shall absent themselves from the meeting whilst the subject is under discussion.  Political references shall be avoided.

Thank you for taking the time to read this document