District news Spring Edition 2017
in this issue: BEAUTIFUL BIRD SONG
BEACH SAFETY
FOOD WASTE RECYCLING EASTER COLLECTIONS REFUGEES IN PICTURES TAKE A SUSSEX STAYCATION Your Lewes District Council Newsletter
www.lewes.gov.uk
Green shoots
FEATURES Fighting fly tipping Protecting our coast Dementia Friends UTC@harbourside Take a Staycation Ranger events
4 5 6 7 8-9 12
REGULARS Housing news 10-11 Council meetings 14 Bank holiday refuse and food waste collections 16
ABOVE Mohammed reading in Welcome to our Jungle (page 6) RIGHT New council homes with LDC Development Project staff, Cllrs Ron Maskell (centre), Andy Smith and Nigel Enever FRONT COVER
Photo by Alexis Maryon District News is available in large print, audio tape, disc or in another language upon request. If you would like to receive an email alert for District News sign-up at www.lewes.gov.uk/districtnews CONTACT 01273 471600 EMAIL press@lewes.gov.uk DESIGN Lewes District Council @LewesDC
Spring is a time of new beginnings, so we are delighted to unveil the first properties in our project to build new council homes on former garage sites (see below and page 11). Keeping our district clean and tidy while protecting the environment is an important part of what we do. We’ve recently made a decision to move to a simpler recycling collection system with some trials of the new service running in the autumn. We want to make it easier for residents to recycle. Recycling collections will continue to be fortnightly, keeping our waste and food waste collection service weekly. In the meantime, we are pleased to announce that we are extending our garden waste collection service just in time for that garden spring clean! See opposite for more information. It is also a great time of year to explore our beautiful district. If you are in need of ideas for places to visit, things to do with children, or somewhere to eat and drink, look no further than our fantastic website StayLewes.org which has some inspirational suggestions accompanied by gorgeous images (pages 8-9). If you are planning a trip to the coast, check out our guide to Seaford Beach and inshore waters which provides invaluable information on how to keep yourself and your family safe on the beach (see page 5). Or why not tune into the birdsong of the dawn chorus at one of our Ranger-led events – turn to page 12.
Good news for green fingers! Our garden waste collection service is coming to Lewes, Kingston, Ringmer, Glynde, Firle, Iford, Rodmell, Southease and Piddinghoe from April. Join up to save yourself the time and effort of taking your garden waste to the tip.
Food waste recycling it really makes a difference! A third of waste in an average household bin is food. By recycling food waste you reduce the amount incinerated which is much kinder to the environment.
No amount of food waste is too small to recycle. You could start with used tea bags and coffee granules. You can put any raw or cooked food into your caddy – even uneaten food straight from your plate. If you compost your food waste you can still put dairy, meat bones, fish and cooked food into your food bin.
To keep your food caddy clean regularly empty it into your outside food bin and use a compostable liner. Caddy liners are inexpensive and can be bought from many local shops, supermarkets and our Tourist Information Centres. Alternatively you can line your caddy with newspaper. After we collect your food waste we take it to be recycled into compost locally which is then used by farmers and gardeners in the district.
You can join our food waste recycling service at any time. Just visit www.lewes.gov.uk/foodrecycling or call 01273 471600.
The service, which is already available in coastal parts of the district, costs £70 a year (there is no collection in December and January), which works out at just £7 a month. Once signed up you will receive a 240 litre bin which we collect from your kerbside every two weeks. We then take your garden waste to be recycled into soil conditioner which is used by local farmers and gardeners. You can join online anytime at www.lewes.gov.uk/gardenwaste
Flood defences underway Environment Agency contractors JacksonHyder started construction on the Newhaven Flood Alleviation Scheme in January 2017 and are now nearing the end of the first phases of work.
Fighting fly tipping Our mini-recycling centres are provided for residents to recycle items named on the signage, but there is a significant problem with people regularly abusing the sites by illegally dumping waste. We have identified offenders from address labels and abandoned documents and sent a written warning. Repeat offenders will face a fixed penalty notice or prosecution. Our new powers for fly tipping mean that anyone caught illegally dumping waste could receive an on the spot fine of between £150 and £400. Thanks to our positive actions, the number of fly tips in the district has reduced from over 600 reports in 2008 to 152 between 1 April 2015 and 31 March 2016.
The embankment north of Cantells Boatyard is almost finished and we will open the footpath and clear the site. Huggett’s Green and Riverside Park will be restored with new seeding and tree planting. The footpath by the Ark pub and access points to the fishermen’s jetties are now being reinstated and the flood wall adjacent to Denton Island is being completed. Over the next couple of months the existing sites on the west bank will be cleared and work on the east bank will begin. Construction is disruptive and we thank you for your continued cooperation. For details go to www.gov.uk search ‘Newhaven’, or call 03708 506506.
If you have household waste which cannot be disposed of in your normal waste collection you can:
Check if your local household waste and recycling site takes the waste and take it yourself. This service is free of charge.
Use a commercial waste collection service. You may be charged and you have a duty of care to check if they are a registered carrier. If they are not authorised to take your waste and it is illegally disposed of you could be prosecuted and fined. You can check whether a carrier is registered on the Environment Agency website or call 03708 506506. Use our paid-for bulky waste collection service. Visit www.lewes.gov.uk/waste/771.asp for more information.
Protecting our coast We have been working with Brighton & Hove City Council and specialist coastal engineers to explore how the cliff and coast between Brighton Marina and Newhaven will evolve over the next 100 years. Sections of the cliffs are protected from cliff erosion by sea defences at their foot, though where roads and property are some distance from the cliff edge there are sections where there are no sea defences.
Keep safe on Seaford beach
If you are planning a trip to the seaside now that Spring is here, please check out our new updated guide to using Seaford Beach and inshore waters for visitors and local residents. The guide is available from the Tourist Information Centre on Church Street, Seaford and online at seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk Cllr Tony Nicholson, Lead Member for Customers and Partners, said: “I encourage visitors to familiarise themselves with the information contained in this handy and very helpful guide. If people are aware of how they keep themselves and their family safe, while enjoying all that Seaford has to offer, they will have many great days out.”
The project includes the study of how the cliffs have eroded in the past and how they may change in the future. This has led to an assessment of how roads, sewers and property may be at risk of damage. We have assessed a wide range of ways to manage the cliffs and coast. We will now share the ‘Brighton to Newhaven Coastal Implementation Plan’, with local landowners and residents. For details visit www.lewes.gov.uk/community
Cllr Lindsay Freeman, Mayor of Seaford, said: “I am thrilled that the Town and District Council have been able to work together with the Seaford Lifeguards to revitalise and update this leaflet. Families, couples, fishermen, water sports enthusiasts, walkers, dog walkers and swimmers alike can all enjoy what’s on offer from Seaford Bay, and safely!” Seaford Lifeguards regularly patrol the beach at weekends and on public holidays between 10am and 6pm. They are all volunteers who give many hours of their time to protecting people using the beach. Look out for the lifeguards in their bright yellow shirts, along with their support team in red.
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How can life go on? Fanny and Stefi: Tales of Loving and Leaving
Being dementia friendly In 2015 we joined the Dementia Friends campaign led by the Alzheimer’s Society to raise awareness about what it is like to live with dementia and to make our community more dementia friendly.
We are proud to have supported a series of events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day this year. Refugees Stories was a photographic exhibition in Lewes High Street on the theme ‘How can life go on?’. The photos shown in many windows provided some answers including ‘How refugees manage’, a series of arresting photographs by Jenny Matthews showing how refugees from various countries manage essential aspects of daily life. As well as offering information sessions to our staff and Councillors, we have joined with local organisations, businesses and community members to establish two local Dementia Action Alliances – the Havens and the Lewes DAA. The Lewes DAA will be attending the ‘Every Sort of People’ event at Lewes Football Club on 13 May to promote Dementia Awareness Week (15-21 May). The Lewes DAA are running the next information sessions on 24 March and 12 May at 12:30pm in the Yarrow Room at Lewes Town Hall.
Young traumatised asylum seekers who receive therapeutic support from the Baobab Centre for Young Survivors in Exile were asked to think about their resilience and express their hopes and dreams, resulting in another collection of photographs. A third set of images, ‘Welcome to Our Jungle’, were taken by refugees in the former refugee camp in Calais. A fourth element, ‘Tasting My Future’, featured photographs from a Brighton-based project for refugee women to help rebuild their lives by sharing food and cooking. Other events to mark Holocaust Memorial Day included an evening of stories from refugees past and present, and a display at Lewes Library based on Tales of Loving and Leaving by local author Gaby Weiner, telling the story of her mother, who survived the Nazi period through the kindness of others and her grandmother who perished in the Treblinka death camp.
Make a difference We are pleased to be one of the sponsors of UTC@harbourside, a specialist science, technology, engineering, maths and computing college for 14-18 year olds which attracts talented students from all over Sussex who are passionate about using science to create a sustainable future and want to make a real difference to the world in which we live. With hands-on sponsors such as the University of Brighton, Aldridge Education, Lewes District Council and Veolia and impressive employer partners such as E.ON, EDF Energy, Brightwells and Infacom, who have helped create its unique curriculum, the UTC gives its students a head start into an exciting career. Students benefit from the involvement of the University of Brighton who support their transition from the UTC into higher education and will guarantee interviews to applicants from the college to the majority of their courses. UTC@harbourside is situated in an award winning building on Newhaven Harbour with pioneering science and engineering facilities and excellent rail and bus access from across Sussex. They are currently recruiting for year 10 and 12 entry into the college, please visit www.utc-harbourside.org/apply or call 01273 916170 to arrange a visit or a discussion with the Principal, Adanma Umunna.
The annual ‘BIG Futures Show’ is set to return to the Winter Garden in Eastbourne on Wednesday 22 March. BIG Futures is the largest employability and skills event in the area and is aimed at students from across East Sussex as well as parents and anyone looking for work or training. Students groups who pre-book will receive a preparation pack and follow-up materials to ensure they get the most out of the show and guide them toward their ‘BIG Future’. The show provides an ideal opportunity for businesses to reach out to and help develop their future workforce. Exhibitor space and sponsorship packages are available. New for 2017, BFS Extra is a drop-in pre-show event on Thursday 2 March 2017 at the View Hotel to bring together exhibitors and educators to prepare them for the show. Student groups, parents, educators and exhibitors can find more information and book online at www.bigfuturesshow.org.uk Facebook: BIGFuturesShow #BIGFS2017
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Take a
Staycation
............
From beautiful beaches to rolling downs; from rich history to tempting places to eat, Lewes district has so much to offer – whether you are visiting for a weekend or have lived here all your life.
Our Stay Lewes, Coast & Country website has a wealth of information on activities for all ages. It offers the perfect showcase for our tourism businesses and attractions, as well as providing a useful, free guide for residents and visitors alike. Whether you are planning a fun day out or want to promote your business, please visit www.staylewes.org and follow us on Twitter @enjoylewes Seaford – take a fresh look Seaford is a genteel town with a colourful past, once smuggling and ship-wrecking were rife here! But it is also changing with the times. Seaford Beach has brightly coloured beach huts and small seafront cafes as well as a fascinating museum in the Martello Tower, while Seaford town boasts new eateries and shops, offering everything from homemade ice-cream to a bespoke haberdashery. Seaford beach Moving On, Lewes by Carlotta Luke CENTRE Newhaven fishermen by Alexis Maryon TOP LEFT
TOP RIGHT
Newhaven – a small port town where the sea meets the Downs A working port with a proud nautical and industrial heritage, Newhaven originated as the fishing village of Meeching in Saxon times and it is still home to working fleets. Visitors can uncover Britain’s wartime past at Newhaven Fort, visit the beautiful Castle Hill Nature Reserve, or visit the Triassic Treetops Adventure Playground at Paradise Park and the quirky Newhaven History Museum next-door.
............ Peacehaven – where the Greenwich Meridian crosses the English South Coast American founder Charles Neville designed Peacehaven using the US grid system, which gives the town a unique feel. The Big Parks Project completed in March 2015 is a great place to take kids of all ages. On the beach you can often find fossils at low tide, while a short distance outside Peacehaven is Telscombe Tye, an area of common land that stretches from the coast to the unspoilt village of Telscombe.
If you have an eatery, B&B, hotel or visitor attraction you’d like to promote with us, with prices from just £60+VAT per entry, you can’t afford not too! Visit www.staylewes.org or email staylewes@lewes.gov.uk
Picturesque villages
We have plenty of lovely villages in our area, including bustling Ditchling with its awardwinning Museum of Arts + Craft and nearby Ditchling Beacon, one of the highest points in Lewes – county town of East Sussex East Sussex. Plumpton, known for its Lewes has long been known for its spirit racecourse is also a great place to take a stroll of independence – the Battle of Lewes in ancient woodlands. Beautiful Barcombe and laid the foundations for a parliamentary Barcombe Mills are great spots for picnics and democracy and Tom Paine, author of boating. Chailey Common Nature Reserve has ‘The Rights of Man’ once lived an abundance of heather, grazing ponies and an here. But Lewes is not all about impressive variety of birds. Pretty Glynde, famed the history, it is also a great place for Glyndebourne Opera to shop with many independent House and the shops and eateries – it is also picturesque village of home to a working brewery and if Firle are also must-see you are in town on a Tuesday you destinations. In the may be lucky enough summer months the to see the Harveys Beanstalk Tea Garden dray horses (left) is the perfect place delivering the beer. to rest after a walk on Firle Beacon.
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Housing advice surgeries If you are having difficulties paying your rent or mortgage, want 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 housingneeds@lewes.gov.uk 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.
Time to downsize? If you are one of our tenants and your home is starting to feel too big for you, we can help you to downsize to a smaller property with grants of up to
We can help you find the right size
£4,000 Perhaps the children have flown the nest, or you are finding heating bills too high and the garden too big to keep on top of. Or you may be facing less housing benefit because of the government’s ‘under occupation’ rules. Our downsizing incentive scheme can help. We have a limited supply of family-sized accommodation and we recognise that a number of our homes are under occupied whilst at the same time we have families living in temporary accommodation or in properties that are overcrowded. We have therefore introduced the incentive scheme to free up some of our properties and make the best use of our housing stock. For more information or advice please visit www.lewes.gov.uk/housing/incentivescheme.asp or contact the Duty Housing Officer on 01273 471600.
Satisfaction with sheltered housing Every year we undertake a survey of our tenants in sheltered housing accommodation to gain a better understanding of how satisfied they are with the standard of service provided. This year we received 182 completed surveys showing a good level of satisfaction with the service. Of those who responded, 93% were either fairly or very happy with the service provided, while 96% of tenants felt that we support them to maintain their independence some or all of the time and 98% found scheme managers to be available to them some or all of the time. We were pleased to see that 84% of tenants socialise weekly or more often, which is a significant improvement on 64% in 2015 and shows an improving trend in recent years. We were also pleased to hear that almost half of tenants now have access to wifi in their homes which they access through their smartphone, PC or tablet. This builds upon the Join Us digital inclusion project Lewes District Council funded last year which has helped tenants aged over 55 to safely get online.
New homes ready
The first new properties in our project to build 22 new council homes on former garage sites have now been completed. The two sites located in Seaford and Peacehaven have been completed and advertised to households on our housing register. Some of the new tenants have already had a chance to look around their new homes and are pleased with the space and accessibility features. The remaining sites including houses and flats will be completed between March and June. Council Leader Andy Smith and Cllrs Ron Maskell and Nigel Enever have visited the homes to hear about the positive impact this new affordable housing will have. We are pleased with the construction of the homes by Thakeham Homes. We are now talking to other Sussex building companies about how we can deliver further affordable homes. Anyone not already registered on our housing register but in need of affordable housing can email housingneeds@lewes.gov.uk or call 01273 471600.
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Free online community information
Flirting and fighting
If you want to find out more about community information and events in our district, you need look no further than the East Sussex Community Information Service (ESCIS). ESCIS.org.uk is a free online database of local and community information developed and managed by the Library and Information Services of East Sussex County Council in association with the Brighton and Hove Library Service.
Beautiful spring birdsong is both a battle cry and a love song. Many male birds are really saying: “Look at me, I’m so strong and handsome” as they drive off rivals and keep or attract a mate.
Look on ESCIS to find out about the following: local services; groups and hobbies (including support groups); family information, including childminders and toddler groups; places to visit; advice and information; events calendar. ESCIS lists over 8,000 organisations and has over 7,000 unique visitors a week. All listings are free and each entry shows the last updated date to reassure you the information is up to date. For more information, to list an organisation or club you are involved with, or to promote an event email Vicki Holland at info@escis.org.uk, or visit www.escis.org.uk
on our Nature Reserves
Chaffinch – At Castle Hill, Newhaven listen for the singing male bird with a lovely pink breast. People say he sounds like a cricket bowler with his song getting higher and faster until the ‘throw’ with a flourish of sound at the end. Blackbird – You will probably recognise the blackbird. He may be common but blackbirds have one of the most beautiful songs – listen out for his low fluting notes at Lewes Railway Land. Whitethroat – These little birds migrate all the way from Africa in April. They sound like they have a sore throat with a sweet but rather scratchy song - hear them at Bollens Bush. Dawn Chorus at Lewes Railway Land Saturday 6 May 4.30am Listen as the Reserve slowly comes to life. Let our Ranger help you identify the commoner birds or just enjoy the birdsong on this short ramble. Breakfast provided after. Booking essential. Morning birdsong on Newhaven Cliffs Sunday 7 May 8am Join us for a morning walk round this lovely Nature Reserve and learn to identify some of the birds with local birdwatcher Neil Greenaway and our Ranger. Please book for this walk. Nighttime creatures at Castle Hill, Newhaven Friday 23 June 9.45pm into the night Come and watch and learn about the exquisite and delicate moths that fly here at night. We may see bats too. Visit: www.lewes.gov.uk/rangers Contact: thyone.outram@lewes.gov.uk or 01273 484136
Council meetings These scheduled Lewes District Council meetings for Spring 2017 are open to the public: Planning Applications Committee 1 Audit and Standards Committee 2 Cabinet 3 Scrutiny Committee 3 Planning Applications Committee 1 Cabinet 3 Planning Applications Committee 1 Scrutiny Committee 3 Annual Council 1
15 March 20 March 20 March 23 March 5 April 24 April 26 April 27 April 10 May
5.00pm 10.00am 2.30pm 10.00am 5.00pm 2.30pm 5.00pm 10.00am 6.00pm
Venues: 1 Council Chamber, County Hall, St. Annes Crescent, Lewes 2 Ditchling Room, Southover House, Lewes 3 Telscombe & Ditchling Rooms, Southover House, Lewes
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For further information and to confirm meeting times, dates and locations, contact the Committee Section at committees@lewes.gov.uk or call 01273 471600. Information is correct at time of going to press.
Refuse and Food Waste Collections EASTER BANK HOLIDAY COLLECTIONS
KERBSIDE RECYCLING COLLECTIONS
Normal Collection Day
Altered Collection Day
Monday 10 April
No change to normal collection
Tuesday 11 April
Bins out Monday 10 April
Wednesday 12 April
Bins out Tuesday 11 April
Thursday 13 April
Bins out Wednesday 12 April
Good Friday 14 April
Bins out Thursday 13 April
Easter Monday 17 April
Tuesday 18 April
Tuesday 18 April
Wednesday 19 April
Please refer to your kerbside recycling calendar. If you do not have one you can download one from our website: www.lewes.gov.uk/waste or you can request one by calling customer services on
Wednesday 19 April
Thursday 20 April
01273 471600
Thursday 20 April
Friday 21 April
Friday 21 April
Saturday 22 April
For commercial refuse and recycling collections follow your normal cycle and allow the same bank holiday alterations as shown on this table.
MAY BANK HOLIDAY COLLECTIONS Normal Collection Day
Altered Collection Day
Monday 1 May
Tuesday 2 May
Tuesday 2 May
Wednesday 3 May
Wednesday 3 May
Thursday 4 May
Thursday 4 May
Friday 5 May
Friday 5 May
Saturday 6 May
SPRING BANK HOLIDAY COLLECTIONS Normal Collection Day
Altered Collection Day
Monday 29 May
Tuesday 30 May
Tuesday 30 May
Wednesday 31 May
Wednesday 31 May
Thursday 1 June
Thursday 1 June
Friday 2 June
Friday 2 June
Saturday 3 June
Please ensure that your rubbish is put out by 6am. We will collect on this date or the day after.