The following is a summary of the main points discussed at the Council meeting on 3rd October
Items for decision
Business in Progress (Report 4)
a) Friston safety build out design received. ESCC to be asked to make 1m longer.
b) ESCC now offering 10% for Dutch Elm felling. PC subsidy reduced to 40%.
c) “Pedestrians in road” sign for road to Birling Gap to be pursued with ESCC.
d) Downsview Lane bus stop replacement to also be pursued at Oct SLR meeting.
e) Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov 10th to be co-ordinated by PC due to British Legion branch closure. War memorial railings being cleaned and painted before the event.
f) Contractor found to clear verge in Downsview Lane belonging to Eastbourne. Letters to be sent to residents not to dump waste there.
g) Work at Friston Pond underway to clear drainage, undergrowth and fallen tree.
h) Friston shelter put back after vandalism. Will need replacing as badly damaged.
i) Cricket Club 20/20 event was well organised and supported by villagers and visitors.
j) New noticeboards in shopping precinct for Neighbourhood Plan & Parish Council to be ordered.
k) Space still available at Friston Pond and Recreation Ground for memorial seats.
Risk Management Review (Report 8)
Amendments made to risk management strategy as part of annual update.
Tree Warden (Report 9)
Job description and responsibilities to be revised for Neighbourhood Planning needs.
Schedule of Meetings for 2020
Meeting dates agreed (now published on website). Annual Village Meeting to be on Friday 24th April.
Councillor Reports
a) County Councillor
Temporary lights at Exceat for Airbourne to continue until new bridge is built. ESCC to receive extra Government funding in 2020/1. PC requested that County Council ensure future cycle races should not close roads for long periods on safety grounds.
b) Planning Committee
SDNPA reps to attend meeting on 15th Oct. to discuss liaison and enforcement.
c) Neighbourhood Plan
Flyers circulated with Oct Parish Mag. To get more feedback from residents. Hope to extend membership of steering group to include younger members.
d) Bank Account – the end of month balance was £87,790.
e) Fund Raising
Profit from PC stall at Village Fete, plus donation and any profits from Christmas lights event to be handed over to JPK charity in the New Year.
f) Rights of Way
Liaison meeting with ESCC highways (SLR) to take place on 22nd Oct.
Next year’s budget to include provision for rebuild of Friston (north) bus shelter.
g) Recreation Ground
Replacement of play area fencing to begin shortly. Roof insulation and “winterisation” of Pavilion begun following cricket season end.
No Council meeting was held in September due to the Parish Council's summer break.
The following
is a summary of the main points discussed at the Council meeting on 1st
August.
Items for decision
Business in
Progress (Report 4)
a)
ESCC
require £3000 to begin design of Friston kerb buildout. Cllrs. asked for more
info. before approving.
b)
Concerns
raised about tourists in Birling Gap Road due to lack of buses.
c)
Two
offers to build replacement for damaged squeeze gate received.
d)
Frequency
of Cricket outfield mowing & footpath strimming to be checked.
e)
Manager
of The Tiger has confirmed that picnic tables on Village Green are for general
use & not reserved.
Admin.
Assistant
Following
interviews, Cllrs. approved the appointment of Ms Nicola Osborne.
Annual Village
Meeting: Follow up
Due to muted
support at the AVM for an NHS pop-up clinic, Cllrs. decided not to pursue.
Local GP surgery can offer this.
Quarterly
Finance Report (Q1)
Overall budget
underspent by £2000. Future capital projects list to be revised.
Replacement PC
noticeboards
Following the
improvements to Downlands Way shops, it was agreed to replace the PC
noticeboards with new metal framed ones.
Events programme
2019/20
a)
Cricket
Club are holding a fund raising event on 28th Sept. featuring
players from Sussex CCC. Cllrs. raised concerns about evening event. To be
discussed with club representatives.
b)
PC
will support Remembrance Sunday now that local British Legion Branch has been
wound up.
c)
Possibility
for fireworks at Christmas lights event to be pursued.
d)
Possibility
of VE Day event next May to be considered at Oct. meeting.
Dutch Elm
Disease
ESCC have now
withdrawn subsidy for felling diseased trees completely. PC will compensate by
increasing subsidy from 25% to 50%. Householders affected should contact Tree
Warden in the first place.
Councillor Reports
a)
County Councillor
Test work at Exceat
Bridge to be complete before Airbourne. No truth in rumours of boreholes at
Birling Gap.
b)
District Councillor
Wealden Council now committed to reducing carbon
emmissions. Problems with Planning enforcement raised with SDNPA. Community
Infrastructure Levy fund has over £1 million which should be spent.
c)
Chair of Council
Cycle race on 28th
July had caused great disruption. PC unable to influence race as allowed by
Home Office licence.
d)
Bank
Account
–
the end of month balance was £67,797.14.
e)
Fund
Raising
Decision on CIL funding for moving the cricket square
should be known by Sept.
f)
Rights of Way
Footpaths to be
surveyed for bark chip spreading this winter.
g)
Recreation
Ground
Remedial work carried out to play area equipment.
Maintenance contract to be considered for the future.
Next
Meetings
Parish Council
meeting; 3rd October
(No Council
meeting in September)
Planning
Committee: 17th September
The following is a summary of the main points discussed at the Council
meeting on 4th July.
Items for decision
Business
in Progress (Report 4)
a)
Replies awaited from ESCC re. warning signs on Birling Gap Road blind bend
and moving Downsview Lane bus stop.
b)
Offers received to contribute to replacing vandalised squeeze gate.
c)
Entrance to Recreation Ground has now been re-levelled by housing developer.
d)
Redundant and damaged litter bin at Friston Pond to be removed.
e)
Council grants for 2019 have now been paid to applicants.
Digital
land mapping The following is a summary of the main points discussed at the
Council meeting on 4th July
f)
to be referred to Neghbourhood Plan Steering Group.
g)
Fallen tree on Greensward to be referred to Residents’ Association.
Standing
Orders
Modification
to allow appointed lay advisors to participate in closed sessions approved.
Accessibility
Regulations for Website
Accessibility
statement for PC website to be prepared by Cllr. D’Urso before Sept. 2020.
Decommissioning
East Dean Phone Box
PC to
object to this on safety grounds due to poor mobile phone coverage. Should
appeal fail, PC may consider adopting box.
Councillor Reports
a)
County Councillor
Cllr. Shing
reported proposed transfer of Seven Sisters Park from ESCC to SDNPA to which he
was opposed.
Cllrs. raised the
traffic problems caused by traffic lights at Exceat Bridge to which he had not
been informed.
b)
District Councillor
Cllr. Lunn
reported problems with residents being unable to pay the new garden waste fee. He
was also pursuing the possibility of lights in the village car park. He has
been appointed Wealden’s rep on both the SDNPA and the Cuckmere Water
Management Board. He was raising the PC’s concerns on non-enforcement of
planning conditions and continuing to press MP on Post Office closure.
c)
“East Dean in Bloom”
Cllrs. and
volunteers have cleaned up Downlands Way shopping area and installed flower
tubs. This work jointly funded by the shops, the RA and the PC.
New notice boards
and signage to be considered around the village.
d)
Planning Committee
FOI request sent to SDNPA regarding enforcement
resources. Vanessa Rowlands from Cuckmere Valley PC elected as local rep to
SDNPA. She will be coming to next Planning Committee.
e)
Neighbourhood Plan
Consultations in the community and presentations to
local groups had begun.
f)
Bank Account
The end of month
balance was £70,418.73.
g)
Rights of Way
Some strimming has
been done in Downsview Lane but not hedge cutting. PC to organize. Other
footpaths with long grass to be followed up.
h)
Recreation Ground
ROSPA report has raised some safety concerns with play
equipment. Most serious to be taped off pending repairs. Further quote for
fencing to be obtained.
Next Meetings
Parish
Council meeting; 1st August
Planning
Committee: 20th August