District news
Autumn Edition 2016
in this issue: DREAM SKATEPARK CLEANER SEAFORD
WINNING HERITAGE SEAGULL TIPS HOUSING NEWS
CELEBRATING SMALL BUSINESS STUNNING MOTHS
Your Lewes District Council Newsletter
www.lewes.gov.uk
FEATURES
Deep clean for Seaford
4
Heritage Lottery projects
5
Seagulls: did you know?
6
Newhaven Growth Quarter
7
Small business winners
8-9
REGULARS
Housing news
Ranger events
Council meetings
10-12
13
14
From harvest moons
to blazing bonfires
“The autumn trees gleam in the yellow
moonlight, in the light of harvest moons,
the light which mellows the energy of
labour, and smooths the stubble, and
brings the wave lapping blue to the shore.”
So wrote Virginia Woolf in To The Lighthouse.
Her novel is set on a Hebridean island, but she may as well have
been writing about autumn in the fields, woods and beaches of
Sussex, where she lived with her husband Leonard at Monk’s
House in Rodmell.
In this issue we try to capture some of the seasonal beauty of
our district, including our nature reserves where our Community
Rangers have been introducing residents to the local wildlife
(see page 13 and below).
ABOVE Steam locomotive at the
Bluebell Railway by Chris Jenner
RIGHT Family fun with our
Community Ranger, Thyone
Outram at The Old Brickfield Local
Nature Reserve, Seaford
BELOW
Elephant Hawk-moth
District News is available in large
print, audio tape, disc or in another
language upon request.
To receive District News by email
visit www.lewes.gov.uk/districtnews
CONTACT 01273 471600
EMAIL [email protected]
DESIGN Lewes District Council
@LewesDC
We are fortunate to have a wealth of wonderful heritage in our
district and we are pleased to have been able to help two of
these historic highlights – Newhaven Fort and the Bluebell
Railway – apply for Heritage Lottery Funding (page 5).
Bonfire Night is one of the highlights of the autumn with Lewes
Bonfire the biggest of a number of bonfire processions across
the district. Although it is not our event, we would urge people to
stay safe (page 6), and our wonderful waste and recycling team
will of course be responsible for cleaning up afterwards!
Harmony
in play
A new sandpit, challenging
clamber stack and toddler
scooter track all form part
of the improvements we
have made to the Walmer
Road play area in Seaford.
We commissioned playground
specialists HAGS-SMP to
work with the existing play
features to create a play
space in harmony with the
locality that will become a
destination for local families
without negatively impacting
on local residents.
Skatepark
LDC Leader
Cllr Andy Smith
with young skaters
ABOVE
of their dreams
Skaters in Lewes and the surrounding areas have had
their chance to help design the skatepark of their dreams
at Malling Rec (behind Tesco).
We are working to secure £200,000 worth of funding to
upgrade Lewes Skatepark and as part of the project invited local
skaters and bikers to get involved. Over 90 local skaters,
BMXers, scooters and a mountain boarder! got involved in the
first round of consultation that started in May, where the
community was asked for ideas about what is wanted in the new
skatepark design in terms of ramps, bowls and street elements.
A smaller group then met in June to go through the results and
write the design brief and draw concept sketches to go out to
potential skatepark builders. At a third consultation event in early
September, people were invited to review and vote on the
submissions.
Further information can be found at www.lewesskatepark.org
The new features form an
exciting play area offering a
wide variety of challenges and
experiences for a range of
ages and abilities, with
materials and colours that
complement the setting, giving
the playground an overall
more cohesive look.
Paws on Watch
If you are a dog walker, you
are likely to be out and about
in your community, often
several times a day, and have
a reason to be there. This
means you have an
opportunity to spot things
happening and report
anything suspicious to
Sussex Police.
Paws on Watch is a project
organised by Lewes District
Community Safety Partnership,
of which we are a member.
Deep clean for Seaford
We would like you to have two
roles as you exercise your dog.
Seaford town centre has been given a deep clean as part
of our ongoing programme of ‘clean-up days’ in the district.
• To act as an extra pair of eyes
and ears in your local
community, reporting back
anything suspicious.
Mechanical sweepers, barrows and new cleaning equipment
were brought in to blitz the town centre, in addition to our
regular street cleaning and litter picking. Volunteers from
Seaford Town Council and local residents came along to help,
making this a real partnership effort.
• If you feel able, to promote
responsible dog ownership by
encouraging other dog walkers
to clear up after their dog and
offering them a poo bag.
Particular attention was paid to unauthorised signage including
advertisements on lamp posts and banners attached to railings.
Cllr Paul Franklin, Lead Member for Waste & Recycling, said:
“These special clean-up days focus attention on the small
things that when combined make a big difference. Litter
picking, removing waste and deep cleaning makes the area
clean and attractive for people to visit and spend time.”
Plumpton, Newick and Lewes have also
benefited from recent clean-up days.
To find out more and to
register, please visit
www.lewes.gov.uk/pawsonwatch
or call 01273 471600.
We are setting up a network of independent
local litter pickers in the district. The aim of
the network is to support the activity of
volunteer litter pick groups, help new
groups to set up and attract new members,
and share information about local events.
Anyone can join as an individual or group.
Visit www.lewes.gov.uk/litterpicking to
find out more.
Our winning heritage
Two of our district’s heritage highlights – Newhaven Fort and the Bluebell Railway
in Sheffield Park – are being given a boost by Heritage Lottery Funding.
Over 150,000 people a year visit the Bluebell Railway
running between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead. We
have given a £12,000 grant towards the heritage railway
line’s Accessible Steam Heritage (ASH) Project.
The ASH Project is seeking to raise £210,000 to match
fund a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £840,000, to raise a
total of £1,050,000 to build a new interactive, wheelchair
accessible display which will help to boost visitor numbers
and repeat visits.
Together with our partner Wave
Leisure, we are delighted to have
won £54,300 in transition funding
for Newhaven Fort from the
Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). This
will help to ensure the long-term
future of this Ancient Monument
by developing the Fort’s income
potential, staff development,
building up the active volunteer
base and looking at the feasibility
of establishing a conservation
training initiative within the Fort.
Cllr Smith said: “This is a fantastic project to convert the
front part of the running shed into an exhibition hall, with
digital technology where
visitors can explore how
steam engines work as well
as providing the railway with
a new maintenance facility.”
If the funding is approved by
the Heritage Lottery Fund
then work will begin in 2017.
Artist’s impression of new exhibition hall
at Bluebell Railway courtesy of Matthew Cousins
BELOW Classic steam locomotive by Chris Jenner
ABOVE RIGHT
Ways of increasing the number of
school visits, improving the events
programme and better marketing
initiatives are other aspects that
the funding will help to deliver.
Cllr Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes
District Council said: “We are
taking a pro-active approach to
help secure the long-term future
of Newhaven Fort.”
5
Stay safe
on the fifth
Bonfire is a great Sussex
tradition. This year, the fifth of
November falls on a Saturday,
so we would urge people to
take extra care.
Seagulls: did you know?
• Most of the seagulls in our district are Herring Gulls which
can live up to 30 years.
• Seagulls are omnivorous scavengers and can carry harmful
bacteria.
• Seagulls can be discouraged by not feeding them, making
sure all rubbish is bagged securely in a closed bin and by
preventing them from nesting on your property.
In Lewes town, Bonfire is
organised by the Lewes Bonfire
Council and is not a Lewes
District Council event. However,
we work with partners to ensure
the safety of those attending the
event. Our waste and recycling
team work through the night to
ensure the town is clean and
tidy the following day.
• Once seagulls find a nesting site, they usually return each
year.
• If seagulls start nesting on one roof, it is likely that more will
be attracted to nest on nearby properties.
• Gulls usually cause the most problems during the breeding
season from May to July. They are noisy and can be
aggressive when protecting their nest and chicks.
• ‘Bird-proofing’ can be carried out by qualified contractors to
make nesting sites less attractive. Autumn, when the nests
are not active, is a good time to do this. These measures
include chimney guards, roof spikes, roof wires and nets.
• Where more properties have gull-proofing measures in
place, there will be less chance for a gull colony to grow.
• On warm weekends over the summer, we added an
afternoon litter bin collection on the seafront at Seaford to
help combat seagull problems and we are working with
Seaford Town Council on a joint approach for 2017.
For more information about seagulls and how to deal with them
visit www.gov.uk/government/news/advice-on-how-todeal-with-problem-seagulls
It is important to be aware the
event may not be suitable for
children and Lewes is not set up
to handle large crowds with its
narrow streets and limited
access into and out of the town,
with road closures on the night.
We are working with the bonfire
societies and other agencies to
reduce accidents. We are keen
to promote the use of eye
protectors and ear defenders
and discourage the throwing of
fireworks in the crowds or
processions.
Take care of
our waste staff
We would like to thank
motorists for the care they
take when passing our waste
and recycling staff during
their collections.
Open for business
In any one round our teams
collect up to 17 tonnes of waste
from around 1,000 homes. To
achieve this our staff need to
cross the road frequently to get
from kerbside to vehicle. This
can be hazardous if motorists
do not take care when passing.
High quality space for growing businesses, a community
hub and extra childcare places are all on offer in the
newly-extended Newhaven Growth Quarter.
The safety of our waste and
recycling staff is of the utmost
importance and we thank you
for taking into consideration the
hazards our staff face when
providing these services.
We have worked with partners to complete this exciting
£2.5 million project which has increased the number of
units available at the Enterprise Centre to 60, extended the
Denton Island Community Centre and provided a new breakout space at Sussex Downs College.
To find out more about work we
have done to improve health
and safety visit
www.lewes.gov.uk/
HealthandSafety
Leader Andy Smith said: “We want to firmly re-establish
Newhaven as a place to live, work and do business.”
One of the first businesses to benefit is SFXC
Special Effects & Coatings, who specialise
in cutting edge colour changing ink and
paint products. Research and Development Area Director Oliver Dredge,
said: “I am thrilled to be located in the
newly-extended Enterprise Centre. I
really want my business to enjoy the
kudos and fantastic facilities on offer to
new businesses in Newhaven.”
If you are interested in renting a unit, please contact Abbi
Burgess, Basepoint Centre Manager on 01273 615250.
7
Small is
beautiful
Our district boasts a wealth of
small, independent businesses
with big ideas, as the winning
line-up from the Lewes District
Business Awards 2016 shows.
Cheese Please >
Winner: Best Independent Retailer
Sponsored by Viva Lewes
This Lewes-based specialist cheese shop run
by Fiona Kay sells in excess of 100 different
carefully selected cheeses from the local area
and across Britain. This business has an
impressive and constantly growing line of
products, a well-developed staff programme,
growing online presence and expanding events.
8
Front Room ^
Tracey Horan, Dolly Fixtures ^
Winner: Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism
Sponsored by Harvey & Son Ltd
Winner: LEAP Entrepreneur of the Year
Sponsored by LEAP
This family-run coffee house and tapas
restaurant is located on the High Street in the
heart of Seaford’s Old Town. The building dates
back to 1896 and once upon a time Front Room
would have been just that – a front room. This
has formed the basis of owner Victoria Young’s
hospitality philosophy.
Tracey studied fashion design and textiles at
school and has gone on to set up Dolly Fixtures,
a business that creates a quirky range of home
furniture and accessories based on mannequins
covered with decoupage fabrics and textiles.
Boom Boom the Label >
Winner: Small Business of the Year
Sponsored by Swindells
A small fashion label run by 24-year-old Alie
Mackintosh who has a passion for creating
trend-setting clothing. Since its 2013 launch,
this business has begun to demonstrate global
success, with an amazing 70% of orders being
shipped internationally and a remarkable sales
growth of almost 200% in the first quarter of
this year.
Other winners >
Company of the Year: Cheesmur Building Contractors
Businessperson of the Year: Richard Soan, Richard Soan Roofing Services
Best Employer: Wave Leisure Trust
Best Customer Service: Community Transport for the Lewes Area
Green Business: Ringmer Community College and Sixth Form
Business Growth: Cheesmur Building Contractors
Business in the Community: Burleys
Housing
advice surgeries
Attractively
affordable
If you are having difficulties paying
your rent or mortgage, need advice
on your rights as a tenant or owner,
need to find somewhere to live, or
are having problems maintaining
your home then come to a
“Housing Advice” drop-in surgery:
Peacehaven Community House,
Meridian Centre, Meridian Way
Monday 9am-12.30pm
Lewes Council Offices,
Southover House, Southover Road
Tuesday 9am-12.30pm
Newhaven Saxon House, Meeching Rd
Wednesday and Friday 10am-12.30pm
Seaford The Police Building, Church St
Thursday 9am-12.30pm
You can also visit our website
www.lewes.gov.uk and complete an
online housing advice request
or email [email protected]
For our duty housing officer rota visit:
www.lewes.gov.uk/housing/21619.asp
For people living in villages with no
means of transport, or people with
disabilities our advice
officers would be
happy to arrange a
home visit.
Building new and affordable homes across our
district is a priority for us.
We are in the process of building 22 new council
homes on five of our own sites currently occupied by
old, dilapidated garage blocks that are no longer
suitable for storing cars.
These have now all been granted planning permission
and we have commissioned construction company
Thakeham to build the new homes, which are due to
be completed in summer 2017.
The sites are located in Hythe Crescent (Seaford),
Rectory Close (Newhaven), Headland Way and
Balcombe Road (Peacehaven) and Grassmere
Avenue (Telscombe Cliffs).
We are also working to ensure that affordable homes
are built and made available to local households in
need on a regular basis across the district, often as
part of mixed housing developments where market
and affordable homes are built side-by-side in an
integrated approach.
Cllr Ron Maskell, Lead Member for Housing said:
“Beaumont Gardens in Peacehaven is an example of
one such development that has been completed
recently. The development, also built by Thakeham,
includes 12 new affordable homes managed by
housing association Affinity Sutton and shows how
affordable housing can look just as attractive as
neighbouring homes being sold on the open market.”
YOU ARE INVITED to our annual tenants’
conference on the morning of Saturday
22 October at Priory School, Lewes.
Come along to find out all the latest housing
news, as well as enjoying information
stands with freebies to take away, followed
by a scrumptious free lunch. There will be
workshops on carrying out repairs in your
home you are responsible for, enjoying
healthy living and fire safety in your home.
We will also be presenting awards to the
‘Tenant of the Year’ plus others. Visit
www.lewes.gov.uk/housing/25429.asp
or call 01273 471600 to book.
Letting
your property
We are responsible for managing the property,
giving you peace of mind that your property is in
safe hands while earning you a steady income.
The benefits:
Guaranteed rental income for the term of
the lease.
Rent paid monthly to your bank account even
if your property is empty.
Through the Private Sector Leasing
Scheme, we take on privately owned
homes usually on a three year lease
and use them to house local families
in need of accommodation.
What we need from you:
Self-contained properties of one to three
bedrooms in Lewes district.
Unfurnished properties that are clean, safe,
secure and in reasonable state of decoration.
Properties that meet health and safety
standards and have current gas and electrical
safety certificates.
No management fees or commission charges.
An Energy Performance Certificate for your
Guaranteed vacant possession at the end of
To find out more and arrange a free, no
obligation appointment with our team contact:
Tel: 01273 471600
Email: [email protected]
www.lewes.gov.uk/PrivateSectorLeasing
Regular inspection visits to your property.
the agreed term.
We manage the tenants and the property.
At the end of the lease your property will be
property.
returned in good condition.
11
Helping you to help yourself
Around 500 residents have signed up for our new online selfservice facility since it was introduced in March, enabling
them to view their account information easily and swiftly.
Whether it is to check your council tax balance, instalment plan
and payments records – or to find out more about discounts,
exemptions, reliefs or reductions, or copies of letters the Council
has sent to you, this new service is proving extremely popular.
Enhanced features mean you can also sign up for direct debits
and in the future you will be able to report a change of address
online for council tax, claim online benefits and notify changes in
circumstances.
Cllr Tony Nicholson, LDC Lead Member for Customers
and Partners said:
“The new online service means that residents,
businesses and landlords can access
information about their accounts whenever it is
convenient to them. So please don’t delay, visit
our website www.lewes.gov.uk and go through
the steps to create your own account with your
own unique customer reference number for
whatever service you require.”
A recipe
for disaster
• Use a timer.
• Take pans off the heat, or turn the heat
East Sussex Fire and Rescue
Service is highlighting the
importance of paying
attention while cooking.
• Teach children kitchen safety so they
We would urge people to take
some simple steps to stay safe.
For more safety tips go to
www.esfrs.org
down, if you are called away from the
cooker, eg: by a phone call or someone
calling at the front door.
understand not to distract you. However, if you do have to
tend to the children always ensure that cooking is put on hold
and the heat is turned off.
• Avoid cooking if you have been drinking alcohol or taken
prescription drugs: you may get drowsy or lose concentration.
• Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of
your home and they are tested regularly.
Night-time
beauties
Our local moth expert Steve Teale
and our Community Rangers treated
members of the public to a night of
never before seen beauty at ‘Nighttime at Newick Common’.
The event was part of Moth Night, an
annual celebration of moth recording
throughout Britain. This year’s theme
was Hawk-moths and the crowd was
treated to some stunning examples.
With over 2,500 species of moth in the
UK, the Hawk-moths are definitely the
sports car of the moth world. From the
electric pink of the Elephant Hawk-moth
to the army camouflage of the Lime
Hawk-moth, they provide some of the
most colourful and exciting moth
encounters in the country and are
always a crowd pleaser.
Our Community Ranger Dan Fagan said:
“Moths are a hugely important part of
the natural world. They help pollinate
lots of plants and provide a food source
to other animals such as bats. The
general thinking is that moths are brown
and boring, but events like these let
people see how exciting and beautiful
these creatures truly are.”
For more information about our nature
reserves, conservation work and ranger
events visit www.lewes.gov.uk/nature
Going wild
This summer we invited you to visit some of our
beautiful nature reserves to hunt for hidden pictures
of some of the amazing wildlife that lives there.
LDC Wild encouraged residents and visitors to
get out and about and discover the beautiful and
varied green spaces our district has to offer including
the Old Brickfield in Seaford, Landport Bottom and the
Railway Land in Lewes, Meeching Down and Castle
Hill in Newhaven and the Big Park in Peacehaven.
Lots of you tweeted in photos of yourselves next to the
pictures including an adder, a lizard, a peregrine falcon
and native butterflies.
TOP
Elephant Hawk-moth
Lime Hawk-moth
RIGHT
For more information about our Community Ranger
events and the nature reserves in the district visit:
www.lewes.gov.uk/rangers
13
Lewes District Council meetings scheduled for autumn 2016 are open to the public
Planning Applications Committee 1
Audit and Standards Committee 3
Cabinet 2
Planning Applications Committee 1
Council 1
Planning Applications Committee 1
Cabinet 2
Scrutiny Committee 2
Planning Applications Committee 1
Audit and Standards Committee 3
Council 1
Planning Applications Committee 1
Employment Committee 3
21 September
26 September
28 September
12 October
13 October
2 November
16 November
17 November
23 November
28 November
7 December
14 December
19 December
5:00pm
10:00am
2:30pm
5:00pm
6:00pm
5:00pm
2:30pm
10:00am
5:00pm
10:00am
6:00pm
5:00pm
10:00am
Venues:
1 Council Chamber, County Hall, St. Annes Crescent, Lewes
2 Telscombe & Ditchling Rooms, Southover House, Lewes
3 Ditchling Room, Southover House, Lewes
For further information and to
confirm meeting times, dates and
locations, please contact the
Committee Section at
[email protected] or
call 01273 471600 Information
is correct at time of going to press.
15