| Parish News - FOCUS Reports |
| Meeting - 2008 | |||||||||||
Notes on the meeting held on Thursday, 11 December, 2008
Arrival
This being our last meeting before Christmas, some at least of us hoped that
we might maintain the tradition of gathering in another place after the meeting
to discuss battles lost and won. But we now meet at the Pavilion, with no
immediately neighbouring hostelry; furthermore, the agenda for the meeting
extended onto a second page – ominous in the extreme. It was therefore no
surprise that everyone (except the two who had apologised that they would
be late, and were) was in place well before the appointed hour. In addition
to the baker’s dozen of Parish Councillors, we had our County Councillor
and five members of the public, but Steve, our policeman, had also sent apologies
and was not there. So the floor was granted forthwith to the public for
anything any of them might wish to say.
Public Forum
The principal contributor wished to draw attention to the increased amount
of parking outside Kingsley Court, and the dangers to which this led. Not
only were the buses from Uplands severely constrained, but the many cars
of the many residents of Kingsley Court were on occasions blocked in, and
when they were able to emerge they were blind until past the point of no
return. We agreed to approach the County Council again for some appropriate
road marking. Another parishioner then drew attention to the similar problems
at the top of Blacksmiths Lane. Having noted these matters, we resumed the
advertised business of the meeting and approved with one comment the minutes
of our previous meeting.
News from On High
Bob Tidy, our County Councillor, then presented us with a mixed bag for Christmas.
On the negative side, he said that in the current economic climate the County
Council was preparing for there to be many unemployed or redundant residents
of an unusual type: highly qualified commuters, whose skills were perhaps
not suited to the remaining local economy. ESCC had therefore made contributions
to organisations supporting and advising small businesses, giving loan advice
(with a view to depriving sharks of their prey), and was working in conjunction
with Age Concern to encourage the claiming of any state benefits to which
people might be entitled; it had also offered facilities to the Samaritans.
On the brighter side, he had succeeded in preventing £30,000 being
entirely diverted to the “deprived” coastal strip; 70 per cent of deprivation
is rural and the funds were needed and would now be available in places like
Wealden. Bob Standley then reported for Wealden District Council, which
was similarly arranging to help people with problems, and was trying to ensure
that the Citizens Advice Bureaux were not short of funds, although the Council’s
hitherto substantial bank interest on its deposits would now be minimal.
There would be full consultation before roadside recycling was introduced
in Wadhurst; the benefits were now less obvious as the price of recyclables
had also now fallen. An innocent question from one of our number about the
ownership and allocation of affordable housing and the “local connection”
criteria gave us the opportunity we have awaited so long, and we were away
– everyone talking at once, making incredibly relevant points if only anyone
had stopped to listen; the fun was spoilt by our noble chairman deciding
in despair that we had left the agenda, and calling us to order with the
plea that we conduct one meeting only.
Chairman’s Announcements, Correspondence and Consent Order
The Chairman, having nothing to announce, invited any questions on the list
of correspondence before us. This led to an explanation of why an application
under the Freedom of Information Act, to go through the title deeds of the
Recreation Ground, was being refused as invalid, how one of us had however
offered unofficially to help the applicant investigate the deeds, and how
his offer had been rejected. Puzzled, we turned our attention to another
puzzle: the request that we sign a High Court Consent Order relating to the
concession by Wealden District Council that planning permission for floodlights
on the tennis courts had been invalidly granted. It having been explained
before the meeting that we had unknowingly been made a party to the proceedings
and that our signature would release us from any possible liability for costs
but commit us to nothing, we agreed without debate to sign up.
Committee Business
After learning that the Lower High Street does not qualify for a speed camera,
we turned to Planning matters, introduced by the committee chairman, Bernard
Berger, whose excellent plan graced the front cover of the Parish Plan recently
issued. He then struggled to explain the third legal mystery of the evening;
the advice that the planning application for the Wadhurst College site did
not exist as it purported to be a renewal of an earlier application but had
not been made within the statutory time limit. Wealden had not therefore
registered it (although they had wrongly entered it in the register) because
it did not exist, but even if it had existed they should not have done so
as it did not itself fulfil the statutory requirements. As it did not exist
although appearing in the register, no action could be taken on it unless
it was substantiated by being properly submitted with the requisite fee.
We decided to ask Wealden for the reimbursement of the costs we had incurred
in saving them from the embarrassment of engaging in a maladministration
and entitling them to a substantial fee if the mythical application were
actually to be made.
Other Committees
Having sorted that out without any shadow of doubt or confusion whatsoever,
the Recreation Ground Committee’s report gave rise to another joyfully unstructured
debate, not only on the proposed expenditure on refurbishing the children’s
play area but, leading on from that, how few parishioners seem to be aware
of the existence, constitution and activities of the Parish Council. After
all this, Environment matters were simplicity itself, rounded off with the
happy news that the ducks on the pond in the Memorial Garden were believed
to be settling in nicely. We then approved the 2009/10 budget without problem,
but again took flight when the precept was mentioned; how come that the council
tax from Wadhurst was officially predicted to drop ever so slightly when
at least 48 new houses had been built and no known downward revaluations
had taken place? We were united in our disbelief even if everyone wanted
to tell everyone else at the same time and in a different way. For the third
time in the one evening the chairman had to bang his figurative gavel; he
could not do it literally because he does not have one and in any case he
had injured his gavel arm, which was giving him some pain. So we deferentially
nodded through the model code on freedom of information (which has the advantage
of saying nothing, at some length, but means we comply with the authorities’
expectations) and were dismissed, to clear the chairs and tables and sally
forth into the icy countryside to seek warmth and inspiration in another
place.
Next Meeting
The Council does not meet in January so our next meeting is on Thursday, 12th
February, 2009, at 7.30 pm at the Pavilion, Sparrows Green Recreation Ground.
Notes on the meeting held on Thursday, 13 November, 2008
Arrival
This being the first meeting under the new regime of meeting at the Pavilion
on a Thursday, it was encouraging to see the warm glow of human activity
through the windows as one climbed the steps from the lower car park: tables
held at shoulder height ready to have their legs unfolded, chairs flying
to form a hollow square. Even our doughty reporter, Nick Hitchens from the
Courier, was engaged in this new form of weight training – although, unlike
most of us, he is not in need of shedding pounds, nor years.
Apologies and Police Report
At the appointed hour we all took our places, with thirteen parish councillors,
a district councillor, our county councillor and five members of the public
in addition to our Community Constable, Steve Etherington. He took the floor
first and reported an unexplained but welcome drop in crime for the previous
four weeks. Good neighbourliness was also on the increase, with people reporting
others’ burglar alarms going off, and cold callers, enabling the police to
keep a proper watch on the community. As well as a new Sergeant covering
the area, Steve reported that Wadhurst should have a new PCSO in post from
1st January; his own presence, so welcome to councillors, would then be reduced.
Public Forum
Wadhurst Rotary Club took the opportunity to remind us of their plans for Christmas
lights and festivities, including late night shopping on 19th December, in
support of their application for a grant towards the expenses; any profits
go to local charities. Another well-known figure then reminded us of his
views and our responsibilities relating in particular to car parking and
affordable housing. We then attacked the published agenda.
News from On High
Bob Tidy, reporting on County Council matters, told us that the County Council
elections had been postponed to 4th June next year to coincide with the European
elections, and said the current topic of lively debate in County Council
circles was the Police Authority precept: do people, in the current economic
situation, want a reduction in council tax and minimal policing, or a properly
funded service? Graham Wells then told us that kerbside recycling would
reach Wadhurst in a year’s time, with rotating collection of different materials
– and had the problems pointed out to him. With 25 per cent of the Wealden
population being young people, he had attended a youth conference at which
the message had been that that old people stereotype the young and tell them
what they need instead of asking them; Parish Youth Councils had been suggested
– these would have a fractionally different average age from that of our
own beloved councillors.
Chairman’s Announcements, Highways and Planning
The Chairman having nothing scintillating to announce, we received a report
from the chairman of the Highways, Transport & Lighting Committee; her
committee had not met but she updated us on a number of current concerns,
such as vehicles parking on verges and obstructing others’ view at junctions,
roadside posts in Cousley Wood being moved to obstruct the footpath they
were installed to protect, local youths speeding in the High Street, and
the fascinating information that use of the community bus service falls off
in bad weather. It was now time for the star turn of the evening: Planning.
A renewed planning application having been submitted for a total of 48 dwellings
at Wadhurst College, infrastructure and statutory responsibilities were discussed
at length. Although it is fairly certain that the sewage system would not
be able to cope, Southern Water will not say so because they have a duty
to provide the service; should we commission a survey to highlight the problem
before Durgates becomes another Venice with undesirable flooding? We felt
it was our duty to do so as no-one else will, and authorised the necessary
expenditure.
Other Committees
The Recreation Ground Committee also had to confess that it had not met but
that it had appointed a working party to suggest improved facilities for
the young, and in particular young teenagers who are perhaps poorly provided
for. The turn of the Environment Committee then followed and the Council
forthwith showed its average age by falling apart with childish laughter
when the new ducks for the pond behind the War Memorial were mentioned.
The particular cause of all the hilarity seemed to be that no-one knew why
it was funny; eventually our gallant chairman drew himself up to his full
height and regained authority, moving us on to the more serious subject of
finance. There being before us three very deserving applications for grants,
we agreed to dig into an appropriate reserve for a small amount extra in
order to respond appropriately to each. This was followed by a brief look
at our budget for 2009/10, which we will consider in more detail and settle
next time.
K6
We then came to the only contentious item of the evening. Should we invite
BT to remove the telephone kiosk outside the old telephone exchange in Durgates,
or should we apply to take it over ourselves? It is hardly ever used for
telephone calls so the innards would be removed either way; it is the cast-iron
kiosk itself which we were considering. Some councillors thought it would
be a liability, whereas others were concerned that it is a heritage item
which we have a duty to preserve. In many places all these kiosks have been
listed, but our attempt so to do a few years ago failed. It was pointed
out that the K6 kiosk was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott as a cheaper
alternative to his larger K2, in order that the Post Office could provide
one in every town and village in the kingdom as its contribution to George
V’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1936, hence its familiar name the Jubilee
Kiosk, and it ill behove us to allow this community possession to go. Unswayed
by historical rhetoric, some councillors fought on, so a vote was taken.
Retention was decided by a majority but two votes were recorded against –
a rare occurrence, as most councillors seem to consider that to abstain from
a vote is approbation enough. After all this excitement the Chairman announced
that he thought the meeting had gone on long enough and that another place
beckoned – and then permitted the meeting to continue, but not for long.
Soon the impedimenta were cleared, the room was bare, all signs of our labours
disappeared and a number of us did indeed gather elsewhere.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Council is on Thursday, 11th December, 2008,
at 7.30 pm in our new home at the Pavilion, Sparrows Green Recreation Ground.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday 14 October 2008
Apologies and Police Report
There was only one absentee councillor, our master scribe, being absent: his
deputy sets out to fill his shoes. Our Police Constable was present and had
four major points to tell us. Sadly, our PCSO Mark Simmonds has been transferred
to Gatwick and so will no longer be pounding the Wadhurst streets but the
good news is that until Christmas. P.C. Steve Etherington will be doing so
instead - based at the fire station. After that we will have a new PCSO.
There were three significant incidents in the village to report - a car accident
in the High Street where the driver was arrested for drink/driving, two youth,
caught enjoying the laughing stuff and a shed burglary. There will be electric
blanket testing on 15th October at the fire Station. Wadhurst will this year
be included in the Christmas drink/drive campaign.
Public Forum and News from on High
There being only two members of the public present, neither of whom wished
to speak, we swiftly moved on to Cllr. Bob Tidy's report.
He was very happy to report that East Sussex thankfully had no investment in
the Icelandic Banks and that the County had a prudent policy over money matters.
There is concern about small businesses, particularly as those now running
them may well be of an age that have never experienced a recession before.
However. for those who are being affected, help is at hand in the form of advice.
Please contact the County Council Website and Kieran McNamara - or details
on the Parish Council Notice Board. There was mention of the South East Plan,
of housing and concern over the Forest Row Bypass. East Sussex has been given
an outstanding review by Ofsted for its `corporate parenting policy' for the
fostering and adoption of children.
Bob Standley our Wealden Councillor then had his turn. Apparently a firm stand has been taken and a stern letter sent off to the Secretary of State objecting to the ever rising number of houses that are required to be built in our area. He was also able to report that Wealden had no money in Iceland either and that they are keeping a daily eye on investments. General Finance's budget was slightly underspent, which was a very good thing, as there was less money coming into the kitty just now with people tightening their belts - fewer planning applications, less bank interest etc. There would, however, for the next two years at any rate, be free swimming in the County for the over 60's; what joy.
Chairman's Announcements and Correspondence for Noting
A letter has been received by our revered Chairman from Mr. William King, representing
Northern Parishes in the Wealden Local Strategic Partnership. He asks that
we nominate a representative from the WPC to represent us at the LSP meetings
- members were less than eager to raise their hands, the amount of commitment
required being an unknown factor! B.T. wishes to remove our remaining red
telephone boxes. This announcement caused a major stir - some members not
really too concerned about it and others feeling that they represented part
of our history and heritage. We will discuss this vexed subject at our next
meeting when it will be formally on the agenda.
The venue for our monthly Council meetings has long been a subject for discussion having variously been locked out, been kept waiting for a space because of prior use or have found that bookstands somewhat curtailed the space available to us. Therefore, after some discussion, it was agreed that future meetings will take place at the Pavilion, Sparrows Green, where it is not only comfortable and bright but will cost us nothing as we own it! its entails changing to the second Thursday in each month at 7.30pm except January August when we are on holiday.
Other Committees
Highways Although the street light late night switch-off has been
running for some time now, the hope that we would be saving ourselves vast
amounts of money, has been sadly misplaced. The increase in supply costs
means that there will still be an increase in overall charges but these have
been mitigated by our policy. It seems that other councils are now also going
to switch off their street lights too, so Wadhurst was well ahead of the
game. Parking, always a problem, whether in the village centre or on the
peripheries, causes someone, somewhere, angst - this month was no exception.
I'm sure you'll all be pleased to know that Cllr. Monaghan has the finger
sign-post review well in hand.
This Saturday's Planning Meeting was over in the blink of an eye, there being only two applications to discuss. This is a cause for concern in some places as Wealden does collect some fee income from this source. More importantly, it left all those sitting around the table feeling rather flat and wondering what to do for the rest of the morning. Two of them toddled up the road to have a go at a bit of fencing around the village pond, such was their despondency. The children's playground is to be re-surfaced with new hark An astronomical number of cubic metres is needed to bring it up to the requisite depth and Bob, our excellent caretaker, will bear the brunt of spreading it. Some of the trees in the Round Oak allotments are in need of lopping, so too, some of those around and about the football fields will. A mobile skateboard track and BMX bikes will be at UPLANDS Sports Centre on Monday 27th and Wednesday 29th October, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. This is aimed at the 4 - 16 years old age group - go along and join the fun. For the Environment Committee it has been the Silly Season! It has been arranged to put a duck house on the pond and introduce two Indian Runners that will, hopefully, make their home there fingers crossed.
Moving on to Finance - our Spend against Budget is more or less on track. Members' Allowances were adopted and Accounts Payable agreed.
There being no Urgent Issues„ the meeting finished in very good time and then some of us moved on to a watering hole.
The next meeting will be held at the PAVILION, SPARROWS GREEN, on THURSDAY 13 November at19:30. Please note the change of day AND venue.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday, 9 September, 2008
Apologies and Police Report
In spite of one apology for absence and one apparently unapologetic absentee,
the council table was full, owing to the welcome presence of Marc Simmonds,
our PCSO, who duly gave his report and then stayed for most of the meeting
to see how a really well-run meeting is conducted. His report contained
a mixture of good news and bad news; starting with the bad news he said that
there had been an unfortunate spate of garage and shed burglaries in Wadhurst,
but the good news was that anti-social behaviour had shown a marked fall.
The football pavilion on the Field had been repainted and was graffiti-free
with CCTV coverage to spy out anyone trying to change this situation; he
was on the trail of both a would-be arsonist and a graffiti artist.
Public Forum
There were five members of the public present but only two wished to speak:
a mother and her wheelchair-bound daughter, who hoped for a zebra crossing
in the High Street. Having noted with sympathy their request, we pointed
out how appropriate it was that they had chosen this particular meeting to
raise the matter as it was already on the agenda as part of the Highways
report. So they waited to hear what we had to say on the subject.
News from On High
Bob Tidy, reporting on County Council matters, told us of how the Health Overview
Scrutiny Committee, a body with representation from councils and bodies across
the county, had challenged the NHS trusts’ decision to concentrate maternity
care in Eastbourne and Hastings into a single hospital; both towns would
now have upgraded facilities. He mentioned the introduction of diplomas
for less academic children; those from Wadhurst would get practical skills
training in Uckfield. “Moneysense”, designed to enable young people to understand
financial jargon and look after their own money better, had been relaunched
on www.moneymakesense.co.uk .
In the same vein, under the title “Scamnesty”, Trading Standards were trying
to persuade the vulnerable or simply greedy not to fall for scams promising
unexpected gains: if it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true!
Not to be outdone, Graham Wells then reported that our District Council had
a website www.W4Y.co.uk (Wealden for
Youth) giving safety advice for young people, which had already received
visits from over 70 countries. He pointed out that the government had quietly
increased the Wealden new housing allocation by over a third, but cheered
us up by mentioning various funding opportunities for groups both large and
small, and urged those interested to make enquiries.
Chairman’s Announcements and Correspondence for noting
There being two months’ correspondence in the list before us, many items were
spent and none were worthy of discussion, so we moved on to appoint a new
chairman for the Environment Committee. Such is the keen competition to
undertake these onerous tasks on behalf of the community that nomination,
proposal and seconding produced a simultaneous Mexican wave around the table,
unanimous save for that of the victim, and Hilary Whatmore was duly elected.
We therefore moved on to the report of the Highways, Transport and Lighting
Committee, and learned that the problem of heavy lorries turning out of Dewhurst
Lane was caused by their being directed to turn into the far end of it from
the Bayham Road by the SatNav systems which have succeeded map reading.
The problem is being dealt with nationally by revising the input to indicate
roads unsuitable for HGVs – although the obvious alternative is the silly
idea of reverting to a ban on driver’s seat televisions. We also heard with
pleasure that the faulty half-night timers which are causing some of our
street lights to stay on into the small hours are being replaced free of
charge.
Zig Zags: YOUR Views!
This brought us to the issue of the moment: a zebra crossing. Having heard
that a change of criteria meant that we are now second in line for one, somewhere
between Washwell Lane and St James’s Square, the HT&L committee had discussed
the matter at length and decided that we did not want the crossing proposed
but that one was needed more urgently near Gloucester Place where the Primary
School walking bus crosses Sparrows Green Road or by the Marlpit where children
and others cross from Little Park; the County Council feedback was that any
change meant losing priority. We therefore decided to wait and see what
exactly is proposed before coming to any conclusion. As was pointed out,
we are all on the same side on this; we all want people to be able to cross
the High Street in safety --- what we cannot agree on is what is best. At
present, the parked cars produce natural traffic calming and very few vehicles
can go fast; those crossing can do so where they choose but have to pick
a safe moment. We have been told that the zigzags and the crossing itself
normally need 43 yards of unobstructed pavement, with no parking, each side
of the road (say, most of the High Street from Washwell Lane to the Twitten
or the whole length from there to the Square); this raises many questions:
Where will the cars park? Will traffic speeds increase and cause more danger?
Will old people and schoolchildren actually make the detour to use the crossing?
Would the trees have to come down? Will the flashing beacons distress any
residents? What about deliveries? If, as we always hope, we can create
more off-street parking the position may be different, but for the time being
views are divided as to whether the current situation may not be as convenient
and safe for the elderly, the young and the disabled, as if a zebra crossing
were installed. Your Parish Councillors may (with limited exceptions) be
prehistoric, but they do not fall within the categories of people who would
be expected to benefit from a zebra crossing; we would welcome your views.
Other Committees
To say that the reports of the other committees did not produce anything of
significance would be to insult their industrious members but we had little
problem with Planning or Recreation Ground matters, nor with supporting the
Environment Committee’s proposals to reduce the amount of grass cutting we
finance, and to install ducks on and a bench by the pond behind the War Memorial.
We then approved the expenditure required to ensure that each household in
the parish receives a copy of the Parish Plan; this is a living document
and everyone is encouraged to read it and comment (as invited on the first
page). This is after all your parish and it is sometimes a little difficult
to know whether your fifteen steadfast councillors represent the views of
the electorate or only their own. As a Quality Council we are required to
issue reports and account for our activities, and we like to assume that
the absence of barricades and bloodshed indicates relative satisfaction.
We do hope so.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday, 14th October, 2008, at 7.30
pm in the David James Building at Uplands.
Notes in the absence of any meeting in August, 2008
Grunts
Your scribe, having mopped up a little southern sun in June, has dutifully
resisted the temptation to follow his colleagues to faraway places, and sits
glued to his computer watching the rainclouds scurry by. On the plus side,
however, there is plentiful parking both at the Station and in the High Street;
mercifully, the absence of traders’ cars does not mean that their establishments
are shut so we have a quandary: is it only the car drivers who take holidays?
This is clearly a matter on which both the Highways & Transport Committee
of your Parish Council and their equivalents at Wealden District Council,
which provides our parking facilities will (or may not) wish to carry out
in-depth surveys. We are currently also between the two weekend closures
of the High Street, the first of which appears to have kept even pedestrians
away. Such is the silly season – but in accordance with custom this article
contains also some serious points.
Grants
Now that the Parish Council entertains applications for grants but once a year,
at its November meeting, all applications must be submitted by 30th September.
It is therefore meet to remind potential applicants that we will not normally
support political or commercial activities, major charities or others which
appeal direct to the parish community or may be considered to be self-funding
or funded by other government authorities. Applications must be in writing
and supported by appropriate financial information including the overall
cost of the project. It may also be worth reminding readers of the existence
of the Wadhurst Area Trust (to which WASP transferred its remaining funds)
which is also prepared to make grants towards projects considered to promote
and encourage the improvement, protection or preservation, or to inform public
opinion and make representations about matters affecting the environment
or landscape, of the area of Wadhurst, Frant, Ticehurst and Tidebrook. The
Trust has recently made a small grant towards contesting a planning application
considered to be of importance to the wider community in the area.
Growth
There have been many press reports about the numbers of houses being imposed
upon Wealden in general, and therefore Wadhurst in particular, by government
directive. It is also well known that we hope that a goodly proportion of
such housing will be affordable, and therefore available for locals. What
has attracted less comment however is the change in the procedure for obtaining
one of the new houses. Wealden District Council used simply to allocate
the houses to those on its list; this has now been succeeded by the “choice-based
lettings” scheme. With the new homes to be built off Courthope Avenue, it
is important that people know what they have to do if they want one of them.
The first stage is to ensure that they are on the WDC waiting list: applicants
are required to supply details of their housing need and their local connection.
All those on the waiting list and those joining it are (or have been) sent
a Welcome Pack explaining the basis of allocation; those with the greatest
need have priority but date of joining the waiting list and the local connection
are also taken into account. They will all be warned when the bidding process
is to take place and they can participate either over the internet or by
collecting a copy of Homemove magazine from the Library; they must then get
their bid in within the five days and WDC will try to ensure that all the
homes go to people with a Wadhurst connection in real housing need. There
will be three- and two- bedroom houses and single bedroom flats, and they
are scheduled to be available in June 2009 so the bidding process should
take place a couple of months before that, so that the Housing Association
can check out prospective occupiers.
Grammar
The Parish Council report for last August disclosed that members were seriously
concerned that what was lacking in society was grammar, and that this should
be tackled in easy steps. We therefore engaged in a renewed diatribe on
the distinction between gender and sex and a couple of other easily confused
usages (including the intrusive “I”). We pointed out the Teutonic (and classical)
luxury of three genders but only two sexes and how the female of the species
constantly changes gender as she meanders through life. In January, we followed
this up with an attack on the false accusative (the insidious “whom”) and
the need for principles. This time, we return to that old chestnut, the
use of many words where one would do, or many syllables where fewer would
do. You can expect the worst, but please do not anticipate it by closing
your Focus at this point! Reverting to the multi-verbal problem it is surprising
how many of these relate to time, such as “on a daily basis” or “at the present
moment in time”, which can loosely be translated as “daily” and “now” respectively.
Your scribe, ever sensitive to the sensitivities of the moment, is however
refraining from commenting on the circumlocutions for “fat”, “bald” and other
challenged varietals – but Heaven forfend that any of our parishioners should
use them otherwise than in jest!
Grip
There is a feeling that crime in the UK is running out of control. This is
incorrect, but it is particularly so in relation to Wealden District, where
Sussex Police have been enjoying considerable success – as well as getting
a grip on their contact centre in Lewes. As you know, the number to ring
(except in actual emergency) is 0845 60 70 999. Your call will be answered
promptly; a party of Wadhurst Neighbourhood Watch and Parish Councillors
went to Lewes in July to see how the 1.4 million calls a year are handled,
and were very impressed. Not only are the rates of reported crime down ten
per cent across the board but violent crimes and burglary are significantly
down. Knife crime, attracting a lot of publicity nationally, is also down
since 2006, and Wealden has recorded the lowest number of incidents per head;
this year there have been eight incidents of which four were mere possession
of a knife. As our District Commander says in his latest monthly message,
the extended holiday season normally leads to a slight increase in reports
of anti-social behaviour; it is important to note that the increase is not
necessarily attributable to young people as this is a popular time for barbeques,
garden parties and other more noisy social activities, which attract complaints.
So enjoy yourselves and behave in a grown-up manner.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday, 9th September, 2008,
at 7.30 pm in the David James Building at Uplands.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday, 8 July, 2008
Apologies and Police Report
Outside Greater London, more people are killed or severely injured on the roads
of Wealden than anywhere else in the UK. That was the stark message from
the Safer Wealden Partnership, which formed the first half of the report
in lieu of Police with which our meeting opened, once we had first accepted
two apologies. One of these was from our chairman, so his deputy, Tom Doyle,
took the chair for the first time; what a change, from the loud but ageing
voices of our last few chairmen to the soft youthful tones of our youngest
member! And very well he did too. But to return to the original message,
there was a brief discussion on why our local roads are so dangerous; we
think it is because of their rather traditional nature, with few overtaking
opportunities leading to rash attempts to do so. The second half of the
report, confirmed by Bob Tidy as our County Councillor, was the welcome news
that crime in East Sussex is falling at a faster rate than in any other county
in the South East – in all categories.
Public Forum
Although three members of the public were present, only one wished to speak.
This was to draw attention to the crisis in Monks Lane, where it appears
that the occupant of an illegal mobile home has laid concrete hard standing,
a basic and leaking drainage system, electricity and other facilities, and
has now appealed against the Wealden enforcement action and has applied instead
for planning permission for the site to be used as a gypsy camp. This item
was already on our agenda, but the public have no right to speak during the
agenda proper so our parishioner did not wish to miss his chance to tell
us of his fears not only for Monks Lane but for Wadhurst as a possible magnet
if the application succeeded; local people are clubbing together to instruct
a lawyer to ensure that the appeal is contested as strongly as possible,
and he hoped that the Parish Council might contribute. We understand and
share his fears, although travellers too have rights which very often seem
to take precedence over those of the established council tax payers.
News from On High
The minutes of our last meeting being approved, as always, as accurate and
with nothing arising from them, Bob Tidy confirmed the good news on crime,
adding that it was partly the result of good partnership working; all agencies
and voluntary organisations were working together and showing the same success.
He told us of two education decisions relating to three failing schools in
Hastings which would be amalgamated into two new schools, and two local primary
schools (neither in Wadhurst) which should be rebuilt within the next couple
of years. In answer to a question, he confirmed that Uplands was due for
a complete rebuild in ten years’ time, but there were of course frailties
in the funding, design and planning pipelines. Bob Standley then confirmed
that Wealden District Council had finally bitten the bullet and would concentrate
all departments on a single site in Hailsham, saving some £450,000 a year
in overheads alone. Nearer home, Wealden had decided not to sell the small
area it owned at Queens Cottages, meaning that the proposed development would
not be able to go ahead unaltered.
Chairman’s Announcements and Correspondence for noting
There being nothing of importance to be announced from the chair, we engaged
in our traditional activity of talking a lot about nothing much, ranging
from the tightrope between cutting grass verges and urbanisation to keeping
red telephone kiosks after BT has removed the contents. Sensing that the
hubbub concealed various private debates, the chairman quietly invited us
to move on.
Committees
The Highways, Transport and Lighting Committee’s report was not much longer
than its title and consisted of a summary of the proceedings at a recent
transport accessibility conference and a reference to the traffic lights
by the Fire Station necessitated by BT ducting work. A recent series of
notices placed on the windscreens of pavement-parked cars in the Lower High
Street, threatening prosecution, had achieved the desirable effect of returning
the pavement to the pedestrians, prams and wheelchairs for which it was intended,
but were totally unauthorised forgeries of an ESCC letter whose source was
unknown. So we moved on to planning matters and in particular the problem
in Monks Lane. No-one had the least doubt that what was happening was thoroughly
undesirable, as was the manner in which it had been done, and we all felt
the greatest sympathy for the residents. The question was whether we should
rely on Wealden to fight the appeal; after a slow start which had enabled
the current position to develop, they were now being very robust and had
a good record of pugilism on such appeals. If as a council we wished to
involve ourselves, we would have to do so under our general powers and ensure
that the expenditure was no more than commensurate with the number of people
who would benefit; was it a matter of importance to all parishioners or only
the locals? After heated but amicable debate, we decided that we could not
at this stage justify the use of public money to interfere in a process where
our strong objections as consultees were already a matter of record and we
had no other entitlement to intervene, but that we should keep the matter
under review and see where things stood at the time of our next meeting.
Other Committees
The Recreation Ground no longer being a reliable source of upset and mutual
recrimination, we approved the written report but were horrified to learn
that the previous Sunday afternoon a number of cars had driven down from
the car park to the pavilion, past the prohibition sign and apparently purely
to save the occupants the few yards’ walk, and at speeds incompatible with
the safety of the many children playing there. This would be investigated.
The report of the Environment Committee was also positive and unexceptionable,
even including the eco-suggestions, so we resumed the great grass-cutting
debate – but only briefly, before being nudged into the realms of Finance.
This being more important but less readily debatable, everything was nodded
through in silence. So, at half past nine, we suddenly found that the meeting
was over. The deputy chairman, without any whip-cracking, had dealt with
the agenda in near record time -- so much so that it was much later by the
time the chatterers finally left Uplands for a nearby place where they could
chatter on.
Next Meeting
The Council does not meet in August, so the next meeting is on Tuesday,
9 September, 2008, at 19:30 in the David James Building at Uplands.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday 10 June
We began our meeting with five of our number missing, three sent apologies,
one hoped to arrive – depending on the trains – and one was absent without
leave!
There being no interests to declare, no police report and only one member of
the public – to observe only – we raced on to approve the last Minutes. A
show of hands and we moved swiftly on and then on again.
News from on High By this time – with very little excitement to date – we hoped to hear from Bob Tidy but on this occasion he had taken to his bed of sickness so our District Councillor stepped into the breach. It appears that W.D.C. spends the enormous sum of £600,000 on clearing up litter and, in a bid to curtail the litterlouts of this world, fixed penalties were being handed out in some areas. There is also a move afoot to discourage the use of plastic bags – this to reduce the number that go into land fill or clutter up the earth and seas. Say ‘NO’ to plastic bags or recycle if at all possible. For those who own homes that are without adequate insulation or without central heating, you may be eligible for a housing improvement grant to enable you to have the work done – enquiries to Wealden District Council 01892 653311. Small businesses too may be eligible for help in this age of the credit crunch. Business Development Clinics are being held in Crowborough, Uckfield and Heathfield where one can have a free consultation.
Bits and Pieces At this point the writer has to offer apologies. Apparently I had a brainstorm and I got it wrong last month. Although it WAS deferred by some months, the Courthope Avenue Housing Development will commence imminently – and they hope to complete their efforts by June 2009. The naming of the new road is causing the grey matter to smoulder amongst various bodies even as we speak – suggestions on a postcard please……….
Script, Publishers and Delivery Many Parishes are now producing a Parish Guide and there is a publisher who wishes to do one for Wadhurst. Those samples viewed – in a less than thorough fashion, looked to be a colourful and helpful guide to the visitor, so you may soon be able to pick one off a convenient shelf somewhere.
Annual Parish Meeting Although not the usual run-of-the-mill type of meeting, our Chairman felt that most topics concerning Parishioners had been covered. Certainly, a considerable number of people had made an effort to attend and, refreshment having been well received, people finally staggered to their feet, there were some very pertinent questions from the floor. Considerable excitement ensued, particularly in discussions with regard future plans for housing and, as always, car parking. In the month of August, when Councillors have a well-earned rest, perhaps an article expounding on these issues should be the order of the day.
Highways, Recreation, Environment and Planning After a little
clarification in the Planning minutes, Recreation reported on the illicit doings
of a driver in the small hours and, yet more graffiti. Then the floodlights
raised their almost dormant heads briefly, having been approved by Wealden
District Council. This is obviously not the end of this matter. Hopefully,
the observant ones amongst you will have noticed the flowers hanging on the
lamp standards along the High Street. Don’t they look good!
Apparently, in central Wadhurst, some people are experiencing difficulty with
their dustbin collection – either the bins are not emptied – or they are emptied
and the empty bin left in some obscure place. Problems should be reported
to Wealden District Council as the authority responsible for waste collection.
We are happy to have the History Society plant a tree at the war memorial garden
for our enjoyment; this to replace one that died. Thank you.
It’s almost Scarecrow time again – when St. James’ Square and a short section
of Church Street will be closed to traffic.
Finance Things like ‘Internal Audits’, ‘Financial Regs’ and ‘Assets Register’ were discussed, noted and approved – what a blessing.
The meeting finished at 9.15 – so early – though some of us didn’t enter our front doors until after 11.30p.m
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday 13th May 2008
Apologies and Attendance, Press and Public
Excitement mounted as the chairs filled up around the table – this was, after
all, the A.G.M. as well as an ordinary meeting. On being called to order there
proved to be only one Councillor absent, so the serious business of council
began. Re-electing our Chairman was first on the list and this hurdle was
soon overcome. After this young Mr. Doyle was nominated as Vice-Chairman.
Recovering from their surprise that Mr. Standley was stepping down, it was
agreed that Tom was an excellent choice and after election, he was soon signing
his life away. Councillor Phipson, being absent and unable to defend himself,
was voted in on two committees – Highways and Recreation – recompense for gadding
around the world.
Council Representatives remain unchanged.
Our local Bobby is enjoying his annual leave and with only one member of the
public gracing the stands we were reminded of the contentious issue of floodlights.
This however, was not on the Agenda and therefore not up for further discussion
– on this occasion.
News from on High
The previous meeting’s minutes sparked no comments from around the table so
Councillor Tidy took the floor. Social Adult Care is high on the list of
priorities and there is a three year programme which intends to raise this
service to the highest possible standard. Unhappily, there is still a small
minority of youngsters who are misusing alcohol and are therefore in danger
of contracting liver disease at a very young age. The E.S.C.C. website has
proved to be a great success and has been voted the best in the country. It
has 1.5 million hits every month, is used very much for council business and
is therefore in the happy position of actually saving council money.
Local housing for local people was the main theme of Bob Standley’s topic.
There are plans afoot but things have slowed down in this area and the Courthope
Avenue project is now deferred until February ’09. Those people needing local
housing must ensure that they are on the housing list.
New Things
The Draft for the Parish Plan is in hand, dealing with the future of Wadhurst
– issues like car parking and new housing developments. Three of our number
are getting their heads together to prepare a presentation for the Parish Meeting
(on Wednesday 28th May at 7.30pm in the Commemoration Hall) which should be
of great interest to parishioners, although this meeting will have taken place
by the time you read this article.
Changing tack; it seems that walkers are taking their lives in their hands
when strolling along Bewl Lane and around the reservoir. It seems that some
cyclists are using the bridle path as a race track and giving little consideration
to other users.
Highways, Recreation and Environment
The bus service that runs from Wadhurst to Crowborough is proving very popular
and additional funding has been agreed for a further six months.
Many people will know that Mick Lawrence, who cared for the recreation ground
and Pavilion for many years, has now retired. We would like to say a big thank
you to him and wish him well for the future.
Bob Penny, who follows in his footsteps, will also be known to many and, as
our new caretaker, will ensure that gates are locked, un-locked and generally
keep things ship-shape and Bristol fashion. It is pleasing to note that the
junior football club is in good health and that, besides doing their best to
sort out the parking problem on Saturday mornings, it is taking an active interest
in the care and maintenance of the grounds.
The summer flower display in the High Street is almost imminent with the brackets
in place and awaiting the baskets. Their arrival is dependent on the vagaries
of the weather, some plants being liable to take umbrage should there be a
late frost. Magpie has agai1n made a donation from the sale of their books
and thanks are proffered for £160.00 – this to go towards brightening up the
High Street with plants.
It was agreed that the village public conveniences need to be retained – what
has not been agreed is who is to fund them!
The accounts were approved, the accounts payable were approved – which just
left Urgent Issues. Considering these, we idly wondered if there might be
a latent budding journalist somewhere out there; help would be very welcome
with the quarterly newsletter.
The next Council meeting is on Tuesday 10 June at 19:30. in the David James Building.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday 8 April
Apologies and Police Report
We had a full house of councillors – all in the right place in good time – for what might, if it had not been so important, have been described as a glittering occasion, with full representation of police, press, County and District Councils, and seventeen members of the public. Our noble Chairman, determined not to show any sign of nerves, took us through the usual formalities of recording absence of absences, one declaration of a personal interest (which once declared does not preclude the interested party from taking part in the debate), welcoming the many people listed above, and finally calling upon PC Steve Etherington to make his Police Report. He reported on the regrettable recent rise in crime and said that the shift pattern had been changed accordingly so as to have more police presence in the evenings when most crime and anti-social behaviour (such as the tyre-slashing outbreak in Sparrows Green: do parents really not notice when their children come home over-excited brandishing a knife?) takes place. The No Cold Calling Zone was working, and three sets of cold callers had been reported – after the householder had safely bought something off them.
Public Forum
Although the public are encouraged to attend council meetings to observe the
wondrous workings of democracy in action, they may not normally speak. However,
this rule is broken for a limited time for our Public Forum when interested
parties can address us on whatever is troubling them. On this occasion, everyone
was present to support or object to the application for two of the tennis
courts on the Recreation Ground to be floodlit, so as to permit after-school
tennis in winter (and even after-office, depending on what time limit might
be imposed). We heard first from Wadhurst Tennis Club, who wished to be able
to make fuller use of the courts, encourage coaching of the juniors, and
retain members against competition from clubs in surrounding towns with floodlit
courts. The lights would be of the latest design, angled down to minimise
light spill and glare; the columns would be unusually short so as not to
intrude upon the skyline. Next, the detractors told us of the light, noise
and traffic pollution which would ensue, how the installation would after
all be intrusive and how the light would imperil Wadhurst residents’ ability,
rare in the South East, to see the Milky Way. We had all done our homework
and read the half-kilo’s weight of papers delivered to us in advance of the
meeting but it is always better to hear things direct from the horse’s mouth.
Time was duly called, and the contenders then had to sit in silence until
we debated the matter as item 9 on our agenda.
News from On High
Bob Tidy reported briefly that three new domestic violence courts had been
set up, which led to a much quicker court appearance by the offender, and
better support for the families. The ESCC website had been judged excellent,
the fourth best of 562 in the country, and he listed some of the amazing
things one could do by its use, saving the County Council (and therefore
us the council tax payers) a fortune in staff costs. Graham Wells then returned
to the woes of the District Council and the problems of landfill tax and
kerbside recycling, the cost of nationwide concessionary bus travel and the
control of street trading.
Chairman’s Announcements and Correspondence for noting
We then came to a definite bright spot of the evening: the Annual Parish Meeting
on 28 May would be primarily devoted to the Parish Plan, but there would
again be free booze. Most people will go anywhere for a free drink, except
perhaps an Annual Parish Meeting. The other attractions will be display panels
showing the achievements of the various committees and the County and District
Councils, and no doubt the police. To compound the good news, the developer
responsible for attaching its yellow signs to our lampposts had written to
apologise; but the Chairman then confessed to having highhandedly arranged
for us councillors to receive training on our functions and duties.
Item 9
This was the moment for which everyone had been waiting. The Chairman reminded
us that we had two separate interests in the matter, one as consultee on
the planning application and the second as landlord of the tennis courts.
As the former we could support or object to the application and suggest conditions;
as the latter we could impose contractual conditions or simply refuse permission
for floodlighting to be installed. Neither interest in law impinged on our
freedom of debate. There was then a long wait while we all waited for someone
else to set the ball rolling. Eventually we heard the sound not of a pin
dropping but of one of our number boldly suggesting that the bullet points
in the agenda were in the wrong order. Thus we set off towards a decision
over which we had all agonised and were in most cases still in a quandary:
was it responsible to allow more lighting, should we not encourage the Tennis
Club and the volunteers who run it, could we ignore old promises that there
would be no floodlighting, did we not have a duty to encourage healthy activities
for young parishioners? And so on; various members made relevant points
but few committed themselves. Our wise Chairman decided that we should have
a single proposal which we could accept or reject, so we whittled away at
the conditions we would impose under our agreement with the Tennis Club so
that, amongst other conditions, lighting would be permitted only until 8.00pm
on weekdays and 7.00pm at weekends. We then took a secret ballot; our clever
Clerk had anticipated this and brought scraps of paper for the purpose. The
ballot collected in, sixty-eight eyes (on the assumption that not even the
most decrepit of those present sports a glass eye) watched the inscrutable
faces of our Chairman and Clerk as they counted it. Finally the result was
announced: seven in favour of restricted floodlighting and eight against
it. The objectors let their pleasure be know by words such as “pub”, whilst
every one of us felt sympathy for the Tennis Club representatives who had
done all they could to secure support for what they believe the village needs.
Committees
After that, even a knotty problem felt like a soft centre, and we skated over
potholes in the High Street, bike racks, pavement parking, low branches at
the Jardin d’Aubers, and intermittency of dustbin collection in Church Street
to note that our year-end accounts showed that we had healthily underspent
against budget. If only the Clerk would run our personal finances for us!
We approved the accounts payable and went on to hear about the person whom
it was proposed to appoint as caretaker at the Recreation Ground, and duly
authorised the offer being made. In spite of everything, the night was still
young when we dispersed – some of us to a neighbouring building for liquid
consolation.
Next Meeting The next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday 6 May, at 7.30pm in the David James Building at Uplands.
Notes on the meeting held on Tuesday 11 March
Apologies and Attendance, Press and Public
Our Chairman, our ex-Chairman and two other councillors offered their apologies,
some having taken to travel – others to their beds. We wish the wanderers a
good time and to those in their beds ‘get well soon’.
The police, on this occasion, decided not to honour us with their presence but they have been noticeably active in the village lately; marking tack, checking on seat-belt wearing and other vehicle related matters.
However, the Courier reporter did honour us with his presence along with two members of the public, one of whom took the opportunity to speak on the vexed subject of the tennis court flood lighting. The Residents opposing this scheme are to submit a dossier to the W.P.C. well before the April meeting so that councillors have time to assimilate its contents before the matter is raised before full council.
A noisy discussion then ensued – whether or not the matter should go to the planning committee first.
However, the idea to put it before full council was purely to facilitate the decision-making, where many people, both for and against, would be involved.
News from on High
The minutes of the previous meeting be accepted with a nod, we moved on to
Bob Tidy’s report. Having the budget out of the way, he now feels he can get
on with the real work. In a bid to discover the feelings of people across the
whole of East Sussex, enquiries have been made by District, Borough and County
Councils as to how our area should be in 2026. The preference is for no change
to what is envisaged at this juncture – to address inequality, to have successful
people, successful businesses and a sustainable environment. On this theme
the council is already working to reduce the carbon footprint and has installed
woodchip burning stoves to heat the Beacon School, Crowborough and this is
proving a great success. Cllr. Tidy concluded by saying that this was an unusual
report for him to make and that he hoped we’d all received our copy of ‘Your
County’ magazine.
Bob Standley, our County Councillor but also wearing Chairman’s Hat for the evening, mentioned that extra money was to be put into housing, climate change, pension fund and concessionary fares – this last being a bone of contention. There is to be a meeting to launch the ‘No Cold Calling Zone’ – this on Thursday 13 March at 7.00pm helpfully before this epistle is published! It seems that Room 1, The Institute is to be taken over as offices and therefore will not be available for W.P.C. planning meetings. Watch this space.
Old Friends
Cllr. Mrs. Anna Monaghan is in possession of dates for road closures when
the High Street is to be given a face lift and an upgrade to the pavement opposite
‘The Walk’. We all agreed that if the old granite sets are to be replaced that
all those lifted should be retained for future use within the village. There
is to be a review of rural speed limits – too involved for the writer to be
sure of her facts but Stone Cross Road, Junction – Shovers Green and Greenman
Farm – Glebe Lane were mentioned. There has been a request from both the Junior
School and Uplands for a 20mph speed limit.
Planning had two points of interest – it was felt to be a good idea to apply for ‘Conservation Area Status’ for George Street and we (Councillors) were getting uppity about a fresh outcrop of yellow ‘housing’ signs on our freshly painted lampposts. Recreation came and went in a blink of an eye, the main point of interest being that the P.C. has applied for a grant of £8,500 in respect of the Junior Football Club. There are also discussions afoot about the possibility of having ‘an all weather’ pitch. Our flowery tributes for the High Street may not appear until June – dependent on the weather to some extent. Can we wait that long I ask myself? Rubbish – that is litter – remains a thorn in everyone’s side, particularly around Uplands. We would respectfully request students to be a little more thoughtful about discarding the sweet wrappers and empty tins after their enjoyment of the contents!
The financial matters of the Council were discussed and agreed – though they remain largely a mystery to many – and suddenly the meeting was at an end.
Looking at the clock, there was a general feeling of disbelief and surprise as it read only ten minutes past nine, so there being no need to rush, little huddles of chattering councillors formed.
The next meeting is on 8 April at 7.30pm in the David James Building.
Apologies and Attendance, Press and Public
Two councillors tended their apologies for absence though one of them was to
appear later during the meeting – and a third apologised for turning up!
PC Steve Etherington reported an increase in burglaries since December; we
were pleased to learn that investigations were in hand and all were being
followed up. There has been a greater Police presence in the village lately
and things should continue in this way. We learned that all PCSOs are now
trained in the use of the speed monitoring device and that there is also
a new school liaison officer. No members of the public or press were present.
News from County and District Councillors
Bob Tidy advised that the County Council had fixed their Council Tax increase
is at 3.9 percent, a reduction of 0.4 percent on the previous year. He announced
that the Capital Programme over the next 4 years is to spend £400 million
on a building programme - £30 million from ESCC reserves with the rest
from Government Grants etc. There is to be a Bexhill/Hastings link road for
the knock-down price of - wait for it – a mere £89 million, and new
libraries in Newhaven and Hastings. They were hoping to be the recipients
of a Heritage Lottery Fund totalling £5 million and huge investment
was to be made in services to benefit the silver haired amongst us.
District Councillor Graham Wells advised that the decision to have a single H.Q. for Wealden, possibly in Hailsham or Maresfield, has been put on the back burner or even into the melting pot. He spoke of a car parking consultation, kerbside recycling and the fact that Parish Councils may be given the dubious pleasure of taking over the care and upkeep of our local loos! He finished by saying that out of 238 councils, Wealden is the ninth worst off in terms of central government finance - “provocative if depressing”.
New Things
Our Chairman popped up next to say that Charles Hendry MP will be at an open
morning to be held at the hall at Uplands on Saturday 1 March between 9.30am
and 12.30pm and that everyone is welcome to go, enjoy a cup of tea and chat
to the many local organisations that will be attending. At this point the
writer lost the plot but catching up again is pleased to report that our
Chairman has organised three meetings, to which he has invited a cross section
of local people in order to discuss the ways and means of the Parish Plan.
Planning, Recreation, Highways & Lighting and Environment
The Planning Committee was disappointed (not to say annoyed) by the report
that they supported the application to build at Queens Cottages – as reported
in the Courier. They have addressed the matter with a follow-up letter which
was printed a fortnight afterwards. There are other issues arising which
will, I am sure, make for some lively planning meetings. Discussions are
to take place within the Recreation Ground Committee about the possibility
of having an all-weather pitch – also about the continuing problem of graffiti.
Our Highways & Lighting group has lately taken a joyride checking out
the street lights finding about half a dozen that were in need of attention.
Residents may have noticed that many street lights have been given a facelift
with a lick of paint. We are sorry not to be in a position to help the residents
of Little Park with the switching off or dimming down of their lights; unfortunately
they are still under the auspices of the County Council. On a lighter and
more uplifting note, the Chairman of the Environment Committee was pleased
to tell us that all is organised for hanging baskets for the High Street
and that come Summer we should all benefit from a brighter, prettier experience
when coming into the village centre. The Round Oak Allotment Holders had
also been doing excellent work in clearing an overgrown piece of land which
abuts the Sparrows Green football pitch. They are to receive a grant towards
costs for removing tree roots and reinstating the hedgerow and fencing.
The meeting concluded in good time and everyone drifted off after a leisurely natter, some to congregate in the nearest hostelry to slake their thirst, on what was, apparently, the hottest February day since records began.
Next Meeting
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 11 March at 7.30p.m. in the library at
Uplands. ALL WELCOME TO ATTEND
Discussion
Being well aware that in the pubs and parlours of Wadhurst, the conversation
always turns towards the achievements of the Parish Council, it feels a duty
to report on them even when there has been no actual meeting during the month.
Your scribe is therefore able to sit back and take a leisurely look at what
is going on, and try to put it all into context: sometimes a challenging
task!
Rubbish
The drive to be ecologically responsible is becoming irresistible and kerbside
recycling is due to arrive before too long; in the meantime we are all urged
to use the existing facilities at Faircrouch Lane. East Sussex County Council
had promised to produce a simplified guide to recycling, stating what can
and cannot be processed (eg “No Yellow Pages” but telephone directories and
catalogues seem to be acceptable) but this has failed to materialise. In
an attempt to fill this gaping void, the Wadhurst
Parish Council Newsletter just issued contains a brief summary of what we understand to be the rules;
parishioners are therefore invited to pick up a copy of the Newsletter from
one of the usual places. The rules are fairly simple but some of the less
obvious details are that the tops of plastic bottles are not recyclable,
nor are tetra packs; similarly, glass bottles should have their caps or corks
removed and cellophane should please be removed from everything.
Our Planet
Recycling at first sight seems rather like memories of school: most things
seemed to be banned and there were few incentives to do the right thing.
The real incentive in this case is to preserve the planet for our children.
We could also try telling this to the big boys, such as the airlines who
seem to think that it is all right to increase their carbon emissions as
long as someone else reduces theirs instead; either they believe in reduction
or they do not. The same is true for us all. We also want to enjoy the
benefits of modern technology and cheap travel; if this moral dilemma is
a matter for government, it is at least not for the Parish Council – other
than providing relevant information.
The Internet
In order to save paper and distribution costs, the Parish Newsletter is made
available for collection from various places in the village, but it is also
available on the internet, and the Wadhurst
website. This issue of the Newsletter
is quite brief but it still contains various items of interesting news; since
it is a requirement that a Quality Council produce such a document, it would
be encouraging to think that it was read by a fair proportion of the electorate.
For those gentle readers who have not stooped to the possession of a computer
and internet connection, it may be appropriate to remind everyone that East
Sussex led the field in internet and broadband availability, and there are
two screens in the Library where access is available free of charge – and
“silver surfers” are not frowned upon. Try it. We have both Parish and
Parish Council websites to fascinate you.
Planning Matters
One of our activities which continues unabated whether or not we have a full
council meeting is the review of planning applications. Like anyone else,
the Parish Council is only a consultee and can only give its views to Wealden
District Council, which is not bound to agree. It is however particularly
disappointing when both Parish and District Councils agree in opposition
to an application which is then approved on appeal. That is what has happened
in relation to the application for nine new houses at Queen’s Cottages.
The Inspector made a site visit on 18th December and decided that the local
opponents were wrong in thinking that the additional traffic (eighteen vehicles
on the assumption of two per dwelling) would impose intolerable pressures
on the local parking availability and on the Durgates crossroads. The proposed
development would include three affordable houses, and a significant number
of conditions have been imposed to limit any adverse impact on local living
conditions, both during construction and thereafter. Only time will tell
who was right. Full particulars of all this, and much more, are available
on the internet.
Crime
Neighbourhood Watch and the Local Action Team have continued to liaise closely
with Sussex Police and NW now has co-ordinators covering very nearly every
road in the village. The sad news is that the newly-installed speed-activated
safety device in Sparrows Green Road has been vandalised; the irony is that
it may well have been done by someone whose nearest and dearest has been
agitating for increased traffic-calming. In fact, such people are frequently
among those detected exceeding the speed limits – frequently mothers on the
school run with cars full of children. Safe driving is not just a matter
for everyone else. The No Cold Calling Zone consultation continues apace
and the official launch is scheduled for 13th March; let us hope it is effective
and has the intended effect of reducing not just crime but also the fear
of crime.
More Rubbish
After being taken to task for referring in the August non-report to the tonic
accent, which was a common term of art in his youth, your scribe feels bound
to wax lyrical about some irrelevance which upsets him – if only for fear
of seeming to have lost his grip. He is therefore once again pursuing the
false accusative. Me and my computer are not on this occasion concerned
with the subject of the sentence, but of a subordinate clause. Even a former
broadsheet of lingering repute is quite capable of writing (for instance)
“Neighbours pointed the finger at a man whom they say is a well-known criminal.”
It does not need rocket science to realise that the essence of the subordinate
clause is “who is”, regardless of the grammatical situation of the man at
whom the finger is pointed. Correct grammar, usage and spelling do not have
to be pompous; let us not have to sink to the level of the Tunbridge Wells
school which has repainted its signs to say “Headteacher”, presumably because
it could not decide how to spell Principal (it was previously spelt Principle!)
Next Meeting
Normal service resumes in February so the next meeting of the Council is on Tuesday, 12th February, 2008, at 7.30 pm in the David James Building at Uplands.