News from Wealden LibDems
LibDem Councillor Bob Sweetland is Vice Chair of the Development Control North Committee on Wealden District Council. The two Development Control Committees - North and South - deal with planning matters.
As Vice Chair Bob visits all the sites, he attends the briefing for Chair and Vice Chair before the meeting and he stands in for the Committee Chair in her absence.
Vice Chair of Development Control North is given to the largest minority party i.e the LibDems.
Planning applications that come to committee involve the weighing up of often conflicting policy. Most planning applications are now delegated to officers.
Councillor Sweetland's interest in planning also extends to interest in the emerging Local Development Framework which is the new way planning will be undertaken in the future.
Apr 2008
Libdems challenge Tesco opening in Jarvis Brook
Libdems in Crowborough are challenging Tesco plans to open a retail outlet including the sale of food and drink at the current Focus DIY store in Jarvis Brook.
Tesco have bought the Focus site, amongst a number of others nationwide, to expand their reach in East Sussex. They already have a major store at Uckfield, only six miles away.
Based on the Millbrook business park, the store will directly threaten retailers in nearby Crowborough Hill and Rotherfield. It will also mean more heavy lorry traffic down already congested roads including Crowborough Hill , Rotherfield Road and Western Road.
Tesco's lawyers are exploring a loophole, avoiding the need for planning permission because when the original DIY outlet was granted permission it was not specifically stated that it could not sell food. As long as Tesco stay in the same 'footprint' of the building and car park as Focus currently occupies they can proceed without challenge, whatever local concerns may be.
Libdem councillor for Jarvis Brook, Martin Prestage, says Wealden planning officers appear to be powerless to act: "Unless significant changes are made to the Focus site there is nothing we can do. What I am going to do in the meantime is to survey local opinion in Jarvis Brook to see people if really want a fifth supermarket in Crowborough, and understand the implications if it goes ahead."
Apr 2008
"Croft Road IS open for business" says Jane
LibDem Councillor Jane Clark is calling on Crowborough residents to support businesses in Croft Road while the roadworks are going on. Jane says
"I was pleased to see the contractors working on the road and pavement improvements in Croft Road. However, given that the whole road has been closed I am disappointed that East Sussex County Council was not able to secure a contractor who would work over the entire weekend to ensure that work is completed as quickly as possible and to minimize inconvenience.
Please can I urge local residents to continue to support our local shops.
The Croft Road car park is still open and functioning.
We know that the improvements will enhance our shopping experience and encourage more people to use our local shops but in the meantime the shops need to be supported over this difficult period".
Jane adds
"Cllr Fermor as Chair of Communications on Crowborough Town Council should be ensuing that the Town Council does all it can to support our local shops. Perhaps using the empty notice boards around the town to promote the shops in Croft Road would be a start?"
Apr 2008
"Cut out the gobbledegook" says Jane
Liberal Democrats continue to campaign for plain English in all Wealden District Council documentation, especially public documents. Councillor Jane Clark says
"There were two fine examples of complete incomprehensible gobblygook in the public papers of the 26th of March.
"Changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme have not been reflected in a revision to the definition of this indicator resulting in an adverse distortion of the Council's performance compared to previous years.
And in the corporate plan which is the document that the Council officers will be working to it says, the Council plans to "Build sustainability into the goods and services that we buy to meet procurement Task Force Level 1 in June 2008 and Level 3 by 2010! "
Apr 2008
Paul joins criticism over Wealden DC employees' Medical Cover
At the Wealden DC Full Council meeting on 26 March LibDem Councillor Paul Sparks, raised more concern at the increase in sick days taken by staff at Wealden District Council. Councillor Sparks says,
"Liberal Democrat policy is to abolish private medical care. We believe that now that local authority salaries are very competitive with the private sector there is no need for this extra staff perk.
However, the Conservatives assure us that being able to access medical advice and intervention very quickly helps to reduce the number of sick days taken and therefore in the long run saves the Council monies as it would have to employ even more consultants. But clearly the evidence is not indicating that this is the case.
We will be keeping a watchful eye on this."
Apr 2008
Section 106 Agreements - LibDems call for wider consultation
At the Wealden DC Full Council meeting on 26 March, Liberal Democrat Councillor David White proposed that when Section 106 agreements are made that the local Town and Parish Councils are involved.
Section 106 agreements are agreements between the developer and the community, led by Wealden District Council who are the planning authority, which enables the community to benefit from the development. This can be monies towards infrastructure such as a roundabout or it can be provision say for a community hall or community play areas.
In the past there has been no provision for any consultation.
So you could end up with a playing field at the far end of a development which has no relationship with the other sports facilities in your area.
It was agreed unanimously at Full Council that the Cabinet planning working party will look into the detail of how local parishes and towns can be involved in negotiations from the very beginning to ensure that the local parish and Town Councils are getting improved facilities for their communities and not expensive white elephants.
Apr 2008
Council Office delay costing taxpayers money
The Liberal Democrats have supported the move of Wealden District Council to one site. There are clear economic savings to be had. The Liberal Democrats were astounded that after all the work that has been undertaken to date that the decision of which site to go to was recently delayed.
This exercise has so far cost in excess of £160,000.
Another working party is now formed. It is going to look at all the evidence again and make a recommendation. LibDem Councillors David White and Paul Sparks were invited to join the working party and so far two meetings have been held.
Councillor Jane Clark, leader of the LibDem group says that, " the Conservatives have now said that they wish to delay the decision until June 08. The Liberal Democrats have taken part in this further working party in the hope that a recommendation can come to Full Council then.
The delay in the decision was a sign of very weak leadership which continues to cost our tax payers money. Its a real scandal! "
Mar 2008
Councillor Jane Clark is pleased to note that the Environment Agency is looking at all the different causes of flooding. Jane says
"In Crowborough heavy rain makes it difficult for pedestrians to walk around the town as the road drains dont take away the volume of water and as cars pass they send up spray. Further even in a town on the top of a hill, local businesses have experienced flood damage because the road drains are just not adequate and if there is enough water it runs across the lowest curbs and over the pavements.
The County Council representatives have shown little interest in trying to get section 106 agreements to replace drains. Currently we have more and more build so that there is less and less land to absorb the water. All I am told is that its bad everywhere. It is a typical response from the Conservatives who are just not interested in addressing climate change issues"
The Environment Agency is now issuing a quarterly briefing - Floodnews. A picture of the High Street/Bell Lane area of Uckfield figures prominently in the current issue.
See the Spring 2008 issue of Floodnews here
To subscribe to future issues send an email to The Environment Agency
Mar 2008
As this year's Council Tax Bills are dropping on the mats of residents throughout Wealden, Liberal Democrat Cllr Andy Watkins has said he is shocked that residents are now paying £130,000 a year for private medical insurance for Wealden District Council employees.
Andy says "A number of residents who rely on the National Health Service have said to me that it is scandalous that the Council is insisting they pay for District Council staff to have private medical insurance when they are unable to afford it for themselves and their families. Liberal Democrats on the District Council have always opposed providing this private insurance. A Councillor's first duty is to speak up for the residents they represent and the Tories, and other councillors, who vote for this year after year, should be ashamed. "
Cllr Chris Berry added "The Wealden Tories keep saying that they are unable to recruit staff if they do not offer this perk. It is not a benefit enjoyed by County Council staff and it does not stop them recruiting and retaining good staff. It is time to stop this entirely unjustified perk and to stop it now!"
Mar 2008
A27 Closure Arrangements - Shambolic says Councillor!
A big sigh of relief has been expressed by residents and motorists alike at the news that the weekend closures of the A27 are over.
Polegate Town Councillor Andy Watkins said "The arrangements by the Highways Agency and InterRoute and for that matter the County Council for this work to take place have been shambolic from start to finish.
Very rarely are Trunk Roads closed entirely and I am not convinced it was necessary here when despite the massive works at Beddingham it has been possible to keep the A27 open at that point.
But having closed the road local people had the right to expect the diversion arrangements put in by the Highways Agency and InterRoute to work. They did not as residents of Stud Farm and villages to the west and north of the area found to their cost.
The County Council woke up far too late to what was going on and the considerable number of roads for which they were responsible being affected by the diverted traffic. Indeed Cllr Matthew Lock, well known locally for the parking fiasco in Eastbourne, even denied at first that this was anything to do with him at all.
County Council officers have agreed with me that the signage which was needed to back up the Closure Order was totally inadequate for the purpose. This coupled with the lack of enforcement by InterRoute staff and police led to considerable amount of illegal rat running through the Stud Farm Estate to the inconvenience of local residents.
This was a most unsatisfactory situation and both County Councillor Roy Martin and I have asked our Member of Parliament, Norman Baker, to raise all our concerns with the Secretary of State for Transport who was persuaded by the Highways Agency to sign this closure Order."
Mar 2008
Hindsland Playing Fields - Just What Is Going On?
That is what local Councillors and residents are asking since Tory County Cllr Tony Reid was forced to admit to the last County Council meeting that discussions were taking place about the future of the County Council owned part of Hindsland Playing Fields. The rest of the land is owned by the University of Brighton.
The admission was made following a question put to him by Cllr Roy Martin, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Polegate and Willingdon. Councillors were told that the whole future of the land was being discussed as the meeting took place but Cllr Reid declined to tell the Council who the County Council was having the discussions with and said he would have to be asked again when decisions had been made.
Polegate Town Councilllor, Cllr Andy Watkins said "I have followed the long sad saga of the decline of Hindsland Playing Fields and have campaigned for the public to be allowed to use them for many years. Since Brighton University decided they did not want to use the facility any more and let it go to "rack and ruin", the County Council has not encouraged at all the use of the fields in their ownership. It is a scandal that in Polegate and Willingdon where there is such an under provision for outdoor sports facilities these facilities have been allowed to be lost. Indeed the loss of playing fields generally is a national scandal."
Leader of Polegate Liberal Democrats, Cllr Chris Berry explained "The County Council owned fields are in Polegate. Only recently we had football clubs falling out over who was going to play at the Wannock Road Recreation Ground. It is scandalous that the County Council has not encouraged their land to be used for sport and recreation. They should be ashamed and I am very pleased that County Councillor Roy Martin has raised the issue and brought it to the publics notice."
Cllr Watkins added "Since the Hailsham Eastbourne Blueprint, which looks to the economic prosperity of Eastbourne, has been proposed we have heard from very good sources that discussions have been taking place behind closed doors about housing to meet Eastbourne's needs, a park and ride facility for Eastbourne, and even a cemetery all coming to the green gap between Polegate/Willingdon and Eastbourne, the gap which includes Hindsland Playing Fields. Residents will be surprised and upset that these discussions are going on behind the backs of Polegate Town Council and Willingdon and Jevington Parish Council and above all local residents. It is time that all those involved come clean with exactly what is going on.
Mar 2008
<<< Later News... Earlier News >>>
