A Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year to all residents of Mayfield and Five Ashes!

2025/26 Precept

At its meeting on 11 November 2024 the Parish Council approved the 2025/26 budgets and voted for the precept to remain unchanged with no increase next financial year. It is however anticipated that it will most likely have to be increased the following year as costs are rising quite considerably. 

Within the budget came the approval of the following grants payable in 2025/26:

• Mayfield Bonfire Society                        £500
• Five Ashes Village Hall:                         £500
• Mayfield Band:                                      £500
• Kent Sussex & Surrey Air Ambulance     £500
• Wealden Citizen Advice                         £500
• TBW District Samaritans                        £250

In addition to the above, annual grants of £150 are paid to each of the primary schools. Other contributions that have been approved in the budget are annual contributions of £5,250 to MAYFACS, £1,050 for the Bonfire Society towards next year’s Bonfire Festival and £1,250 to the Parochial Church Council towards graveyard maintenance.

Christmas waste collections

Collections resume on your usual collection day, from Monday 13 January 2025 

Garden Waste collections are suspended from Wednesday 25 December 2024 and resume on your usual collection day, from Wednesday 8 January 2025. 

Check your collection days online: www.wealden.gov.uk

• Extra recycling can be placed out in non-black plastic bags next to the recycling bin for collection (except for glass which should only be placed into the recycling bin). 
• All your wrapping paper and cards (except foil/glitter) can be placed in the recycling bin. 
• Recycle your real tree in your Garden Waste Bin or take it to your local
  Household Waste Recycling Site. 

Community Speed Watch

There is a newly formed Community Speed Watch for the Parish comprised of local residents who have kindly volunteered their time to take the training courses and to carry our speed checks. At the time of writing this article there had been two sessions in Five Ashes and one in Mayfield. There have been a surprising number of offenders caught speeding in excess of the speed limits.

Children’s roundabout at Court Meadow

To keep everyone informed: Following the antisocial behaviour and fire damage, the central area of the kiddie’s roundabout has been made safe so no fibreglass splinters can harm little fingers. The delay in repairs is due to trying to locate spare parts. Unfortunately, it turns out these are now obsolete so the plan will be to get the whole piece of equipment replaced. An insurance claim will be made to assist with the funding as the costs will be significant.

Booking system consultation – household waste recycling sites

East Sussex County Council (ESCC) is seeking views on proposals to introduce a booking system at household waste recycling sites across the county. The proposals are part of the authority’s work to identify areas where savings can be made to address an expected £55 million funding gap next year.

The consultation runs for eight weeks, closing on Sunday, December 22^nd 2024.

ESCC informs that the move could reduce queuing at sites, help save as much £50,000 a year and ensure only residents’ waste is being disposed. 

They also inform experience of neighbouring County Councils is that booking systems have provided a range of benefits to residents, including:

• less queuing, particularly at sites that can get very busy
• less traffic at and around the Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRSs), because customers take their waste in bulk and visit less often 
• reduced crowding within the HWRSs
• less disruption to customers as site servicing can be planned around customer demand
• residents have been able to plan their time more effectively with the certainty of a booking and less chance of getting caught in a queue
• a deterrent to traders who try to tip business waste for free at our sites – a cost unfortunately passed on to the taxpayer / resident 
• allows staff to concentrate more on managing the site and less on managing queuing traffic

Newsletter readers should consider whether would like to see this introduced or whether they would prefer the convenience to be able to continue to visit household recycling sites spontaneously. The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on Sunday, December 22. For more information:

https://consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk You will need to click on “See all open consultations”.

Roadworks information –  A267 Argos Hill and B2101 Bicycle Arms Road, Rotherfield

Balfour Beatty will be carrying out drainage investigation works on the A267 Argos Hill and B2101 Bicycle Arms Road. The works will be carried out on Monday 9 December 2024 to Thursday 12 December 2024 between 9am and 4pm. 

The work involves CCTV surveys of the underground drainage system so they will also be using high pressured water to clear the pipework.

The team will start work outside property ‘Gables Cottage’ and continue approximately 500 metres South to outside property ’Green Ridge’. They will also be working from the junction with Argos Hill and Bicycle Arms Road. The roads will remain open with temporary traffic signals in place whilst the work is undertaken.

Weather: All of these works are subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress of the works. Also, it can be a noisy process and there may be flashing lights and reversing sirens. 

Wealden Community Grants Programme

As mentioned last month, the Wealden Community Grants Programme has launched to fund services and activities supporting residents living in the district. Organisations and community groups across the Wealden district are being invited to apply for grants, which have been made available through Wealden District Council’s budget and supports the priorities within the new Wealden District Council Strategy. The council is asking not-for-profit organisations, such as charities, community and voluntary groups, community interest companies and more to apply. Organisations will need 50% match funding, which can include in-kind and/or cash match funding. The deadline for applications is 04 December 2024. For more information visit: 

Office closure over Christmas

The Parish Council office will be closed from 23 December 2024 and will reopen as usual at 9am on Monday 06 January 2025. 

Parish Council Meetings

The meeting schedule on the website: http://www.mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk/ shows this month’s Council and Committee meetings as well as agendas, minutes of meetings and other meeting documentation

Janna Todd, Parish Clerk, Old Manor House, High Street, Mayfield TN20 6AL

Telephone 01435 873784          E-mail: clerk@mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk