News from Wealden LibDems
Newhaven Incinerator - Tory County Council removes LibDems' democratic rights
LibDem County Councillor for Uckfield, Paul Sparks reports:
"I have just returned from an East Sussex County Council meeting where my democratic right has beem withdrawn by the Tory Cabinet.
The matter in question is about the Newhaven Incinerator which the Lib Dem Group have consistently opposed. A report on this was being discussed today but as it was confidential and commercially sensitive, the decision was taken to exclude all members apart from the Cabinet.
Reports of this type are not that unusual and in the past all members have been able to read the report ( in this case we were not even allowed to see the report ) and listen to the debate.
One of the reasons given for this unprecedented action was that some of the information from a previous report was leaked to the press but there was no evidence that it was a County Councillor.
The Leader of the Lib Dem Group,David Rogers,stated that this was undemocratic and would damage the reputation of the Council. Also,this was a major issue for the county and how could we represent our residents if we can't be involved.
When the vote was taken to exclude all members apart from Cabinet,the Lib Dems remained in their seats forcing the Chairman to adjourn the meeting and continue the discussion with Cabinet in another place.
We will now have to await further developments."
Sep 2007
Alan Whittaker's Wealden DC Environment update
At only the second full meeting of the Environment Scrutiny Committee this municipal year, LibDem chairman, Councillor Alan Whittaker has set a cracking pace. An interim report has been delivered by the committee's working party on climate change and sustainability in Wealden generally and, in particular, regarding WDC 's own property.
It was emphasised at the meeting, held on the 11th of September, that the decision on where WDC's consolidated headquarters will be located has still to be decided. Hailsham, long the front runner, is only the "preferred site" and the move there and the building itself raise numerous environmental issues.
Sep 2007
Hospital Review - more about finance than patient care?
At the very end of the 'NHS fit for the Future' meeting in Uckfield on 5 September it was admitted that some of the land on the site at Haywards Heath could be sold off for development
LibDem Town Councillor Dorothy Sparks says:-
"After attending the meeting on Wednesday afternoon I was even more depressed about the situation Uckfield and its environs has with regard to the NHS consultations.
The high spot was the announcement that the medical beds at Uckfield would be retained, but although these beds are saved, there will obviously have to be other changes which will reduce the budget by £300,000. This will mean that, either Uckfield is affected in another department or Lewes and/or Crowborough Hospitals in some way.
It was quite obvious that the obstetric consultant from Brighton Hospital on the panel, wanted Haywards Heath midwifery, gynaecology and obstetrics closed and the unit at Brighton to be one of excellence. That is all very well but at the moment they have to send pregnant women over their due date to Haywards Heath for induction, as they are full at Brighton. Where will they go? Worthing? Chichester? or Hastings, if East Sussex decides to close Eastbourne midwifery. How do they get there? Not everyone has a car and there is no public transport and we heard of the long delay for hospital transfer from one hospital to another.
With regard to the A&E, Haywards Heath could become a community hospital with Worthing or Chichester as the General Hospital, not much use to the people of Uckfield. The ambulance service who do an excellent job, kept telling us that they could get to Brighton with 'blues and twos' in 30minutes, but this does not take into account the time it takes for an ambulance to get to the patient in the first place, which they admitted had pockets in this area where the maximum time for attendance to an emergency did not meet its targets.
What astonished me was that Brighton does not have a helicopter landing pad, and has to land in a Brighton Park, although it wishes to become the acute surgery unit for the area."
The consensus from the meeting was that it was the distances from both the midwifery and A&E hospitals which were the biggest concern, resulting in the length of time it took for treatment to commence, especially in the case of childbirth as ambulance crews are not as highly trained in this area of medicine.
Dorothy adds:-
"At Haywards Heath, we have a modern hospital on a site which could take expansion. It has a 360 degree catchment area, making journey times for patients half. Yet the clinicians and managers insist that Brighton should be expanded, with no helicopter pad, very difficult vehicular access from this area, no parking and no public transport to speak of. "
LibDem County and District Councillor Paul Sparks comments:-
"This was a useful meeting which began well with the very welcome announcement about Uckfield Hospital. However, as the meeting progressed I became more and more concerned with my suspicions being confirmed that the potential redevelopment of the site was one of the reasons that Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath was being considered for downgrading. This proved to me that this review is more about finance than patient care."
Sep 2007
Following a complaint about the state of the wheelie bins from a constituent to Martin Prestage, LibDem District Councillor for Jarvis Brook, he and fellow LibDem councillor Jane Clark have taken this up with Wealden DC.
Jane reports:-
"Wealden have told us that:-
There are over 100,000 bins in use throughout the district and the council has to replace around 4000 each year at a cost of about £15 each making the cost per year around £60,000
The life expectancy of a wheelie bin is around 500 lift cycles and manufacturers will not guarantee them beyond 5 years, although many have been in use for more than 10 years and some residents have managed to make their bins last as long as 25 years!
Bins which are filled to capacity regularly will fail sooner than bins which are not so full - because the heavy load puts extra stress on the leading edge of the bin which is clamped by the lifting mechanism when the bin is being emptied.
The council's bin crews make every effort to make sure that the bin lifting equipment on the lorry is working properly so that it does not damage the bins. They also watch out for damaged bins because if a bin falls into the hopper on the lorry their time is wasted getting it out again and if it falls off the lift outside the lorry that is dangerous for the crew.
The council tries to make sure that they buy good quality bins to avoid such problems."
Jane and Martin say "We hope this information is helpful to residents. And congratulations to those residents who have made their bins last for 25 years"
Sep 2007
Works starts on new Tesco in Hailsham
Sharon Cottingham, Hailsham Town Councilllor commented this week on the work that has just begun on the new Tesco site.
Sharon says,
"there are still a lot of reservations about the Tesco development as was clear from the graffitti painted on the fencing which said 'affordable homes are better than Tesco'.
We have a growing town which will grow even further now that the Government has imposed additional housing on us.
We need to keep a close eye on this development, ensure that Tesco stay within the planning conditions imposed upon them and continue to push for more affordable housing in the town."
Sep 2007
Environment news from Uckfield LibDems
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Since becoming chairman of Uckfield's Environment and Leisure Committee, Councillor Alan Whittaker, has laid down two important markers for the future. There will be two round table discussions dealing with flooding, and rowdy behaviour. MPs, agencies, companies, the police and relevant groups and individuals will be participating. Alan says " Too often in the past rowdy behaviour has been considered on a piecemeal basis. I want us to deal with it as an Uckfield-wide problem. After all, most of us have suffered at some time or other. And floods affect the town as a whole. The Environment Agency and the water companies must be brought together to find a solution." | ||
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Keld Close, in New Town, has had parking problems and degradation of its central grassy oval for nine years! Since May, Wealden District Councillor, Julia Hey, and Town Councillor Anne Parker, have tackled Wealden Council, which is the key player in the area. They have brought the Town Council on board and, say the two councillors:"Nine years is too long! Wealden have promised the money and we are determined to make sure this year sees a solution. |
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Another problem that has been ongoing for years, is noisy behaviour in and around Victoria Pleasure Ground and Forge Rise. LibDem Town Councillor, Sarah Hall, has met the residents. She says, "Now that Uckfield's Environment and Leisure Committee have heard the residents, and taken the decision to encourage East Sussex County Council to adopt and maintain a footpath from Forge Rise to Victoria, the residents are feeling a lot happier". | ||
Sept 2007
Uckfield flooding - update from Paul Sparks
Uckfield LibDem councillor Paul Sparks says:
"Following my call to action,our MP as at long last engaged one of our MEPs into this debate to enquire about EU funding for our flood defence scheme. It is a pity that this as taken almost 7 years but lets hope something positive will come from this."
This follows Paul's call for a pressure group to fight for funding to be formed.
Alan Whittaker, LibDem chairman of the Environment Scrutiny Committee on Wealden District Council says:
"Victims of the current flooding in Oxford, Tewkesbury and other places, know painfully that climate change and extreme weather conditions are a reality.
They are receiving immediate help, but what of the future?
Seven years ago, after Uckfield's Great Flood, which cost some £19 million, the then "minister for floods", Elliot Morley, announced Uckfield would be protected in the future. Phrases like "never again" and "throwing money at the problem" appeared to give hope.
A "flood model" to show what happens when Uckfield floods was built - ironically in Oxfordshire. It cost thousands of pounds. That is the only money that has been spent this century on preventing Uckfield from Flooding.
Uckfield is still waiting for both the promised government money to be thrown its way and, unsurprisingly, hope is running out.
If I were a current flood victim, I would not hold my breath too long".
When making his appeal for a pressure group to be formed Paul Sparks said
“Whilst I have every sympathy for the flood victims in other parts of England, the people of Uckfield have identified flooding as their main concern and I believe that it is unacceptable that after nearly seven years nothing has been done to alleviate this risk. Also, we know what needs to be done, upstream storage with controlled outflow, to virtually eliminate the risk of flooding to Uckfield and surrounding villages together with significantly improving the position for Lewes.
The Environment Agency has now accepted upstream storage as the solution and calculated that it will reduce the risk from the current 1 in 25 years to 1 in 200 years which is almost three times more that that required by insurance companies. Therefore, this would have financial benefits to the homes and businesses threatened by flooding so that either insurance would be available, or the current premiums would be reduced.
At the moment consultation is taking place on the Local Development Framework including where housing is going to be built. Flood defences would allow the centre of Uckfield to be developed, which would be far more sustainable (close to shops, schools, train, bus station etc) and would also mean that we would not have to build on greenfields and extend our boundaries.
The only thing missing is government money, which is no surprise to those of us in the south east. The cost would be around £4 million which is a mere drop in the ocean to the benefits it would produce.
I am no longer prepared to just attend numerous pointless meetings on this matter so in addition, I would like to create a pressure group to explore all opportunities of getting the finance, including fund raising and accessing EU money.
I have already received valuable help from Barrie Knights of Uckfield Regeneration Partnership and I am now looking for support from the wider community, including business. My contact details are given below. Let’s try to make a real difference for Uckfield.”
01825 764287
Aug 2007
Paul Sparks reports:
"Locally we have continually raised the issue of the burden on hard pressed Council Tax payers to fund the pensions for staff at Wealden District Council whereby our contribution to their pension is 21% of salaries. This has now been picked up nationally by Lib Dems who have calculated that there is a deficit of at least £500bn in the funding for public sector pensions.
Also,for every £1 that a person pays into their own pension,they pay 91p towards public sector pensions.
This Government backed down in changing the pension age for the public sector but at the same time increased state pension age. We are creating a two tier pension system with the public sector winning hands down and being paid by all of us!"
Aug 2007
Better Rural Transport in Wealden?
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Following a 6-month enquiry into transport in rural areas, Wealden District Council is asking East Sussex County Council to extend the Easylink Service to all rural communities in the district. LibDem group leader on Wealden DC, Jane Clark, who chaired the committee which produced the report said “We were surprised by the lack of any comprehensive picture of the transport available across Wealden. Our main concern was access to transport in rural areas – people without cars find it very difficult getting to work and to leisure and medical facilities.” |
Jane Clark added “Sometimes there are services available but they are reliant on volunteers and not enough information is made available to the public.” |
Aug 2007
