Parish Council News – September 2019

Parish Council Grants:

As mentioned in the August edition of the Newsletter, applications for grants payable in the 2020/21 financial year should be submitted to the Parish Clerk by 30 September 2019. Individual grants may be made available up to a maximum of £500. They must be match funded therefore applicants must cover at least 50% of the total project cost. Information on how to apply and the application form can be found in the “Key Documents / Finance” section on the Parish Council website: https://mayfieldfiveashes.org.uk/home/. If you do not have internet access, please contact the Parish Council office on 01435 873784.

 

Councillor Vacancies for Five Ashes

There are still two vacancies on the Parish Council to represent the ward of Five Ashes. If you would like to be considered for co-option please send your CV and a letter outlining why you would be a valued member of the Council. To be eligible to apply for co-option you must:

  • be a UK or commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, or be a citizen of another Member state of the European Union (yes, this still will apply;
  • be a least 18 years old.
  • be an elector of the parish, or;
  • for the whole of the previous 12 months have occupied (as owner or tenant) land or other premises in the parish, or;
  • during the previous 12 months have worked in the parish (as your principal or only place of work),
  • for the whole of the previous 12 months lived in the parish or within three miles of the parish boundary.

Antisocial driving and parking

At the last Community Safety and Traffic meeting the usual problems of antisocial driving and parking came up. A particular problem area is the section of Mayfield High Street that is between the junctions of West Street and Rotherfield Lane. Due to parked vehicles cars can only pass in one direction at a time. It was concerning to hear that instead of waiting for a gap in the traffic, vehicles on occasions mount the pavement and drive along it despite any pedestrians. This is very dangerous and worrying if you are walking along the pavement when it happens. The RAC advises that it is illegal to drive on the pavement unless you are turning into a driveway. Drivers should be a little more patient and wait until it is safe to pass the parked vehicles and not ever mount the pavement.

 

Without the help of Sussex Police, not much can be done about the antisocial parking when vehicles exceed the two-hour parking limit in the High Street, park on double yellow lines or park within ten metres of a junction. Something residents can do if they are fed up is to report the antisocial parking to Operation Crackdown. You can take a photo of the offending vehicle and report it to the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership. Their website can be found at: http://www.operationcrackdown.orgor you can call 01243 642222 during office hours to speak to an operator. You will need:

  • The vehicle’s make, model and licence plate number
  • The location of the incident – the more information you can give, the better
  • Any more information about the driver/rider – rough age and gender.
  • You will be asked for your contact details at the end of the form.  These will help them keep you up to date and also give them the opportunity to contact you should they need any more information. You will not be identified if the offending driver/rider is contacted.

As well as badly parked vehicles, anti-social driving and abandoned vehicles can also be reported to Operation Crackdown. Anti-social driving/ riding can cover many different behaviours on the road:

  • Speeding by individuals
  • Using a mobile phone at the wheel
  • Not wearing a seat belt
  • Careless or aggressive driving

Depending on how serious the incident, whether the vehicle has been reported before, and whether the driver falls into a high-risk category, they might:

  • forward your report to the Sussex Police Road Policing Unit so local officers can take appropriate action.
  • send a warning letter to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
  • keep your report in the Crackdown database, providing a history of the vehicle and allegations.
  • identify andaddress regular ‘hotspots’ of anti-social driver behaviour.

So it’s ALWAYS worth making a report, even if no immediate action is apparent.

 

Recycling Bins at Court Meadow

A bit of a moan I’m afraid. The recycling bins are very well used but unfortunately somebody or some people are leaving non-recyclable waste adjacent to the bins which is fly tipping and we have to get it cleared up wasting everyone’s Council Tax. In addition, when the bins are full, leaving bags or boxes of recycling on the ground next to the bins or on top of them is not acceptable and is also technically fly tipping. Most residents see that the bins are full and take their waste to another recycling centre. Wealden District Council is keeping an eye on the problem as it seems that the dry mixed recyclables bins might be being used by a business as they are filling up within a week of being emptied so investigation is required.

 

New Police drop ins, changes to times
The times and dates of the next police drop-ins are:
Thursday 12th September 3-4pm
Tuesday 12th November 6-7pm
These will be held at the Crowborough Town Council Offices. It’s your chance to raise your concerns and speak to your local Officers. They are informal sessions offering a chance for residents to discuss issues affecting their communities. No appointment is required.

 

FRAUD WARNING
A fraudulent male in the Crowborough area has been acting as a Police constable over the phone saying ‘Detective Sergeant Ryan from Scotland Yard Fraud Team, calling about fraud on your bank account; someone has used your bank card fraudulently’. They advise that money must be withdrawn from your bank to check if it is real/ has been used in fraudulent activities and if so, the Police will come to collect it. Please be advised that Sussex police would NEVER call you to advise such information, and would  NEVER ask for your bank details or for you to withdraw cash over the phone or in person. If you have received similar calls, or have heard family members, potentially elderly or vulnerable ones talk about this to you please contact the Sussex Police online or by phoning 101.

 

Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre: Canine Care Card

This is a free service for dog-owners who do not have friends or relations who can take care of their dog after their lifetime. In the event of the owner’s death, they promise to look after your dog indefinitely, providing them with all the care they need until a loving new home can be found for them. This is often of great concern to the elderly as their dog may be their only friend and companion. Every year Dogs Trust care for over 15,000 dogs at their nationwide network of rehoming centres and they never put down a healthy dog. They also offer community groups across Sussex to have a talk about Dogs Trust and its work which may be of interest to local organisations or societies.

To apply contact Lisa.Herbert@dogstrust.org.ukor Pia.Offord@dogstrust.org.ukor phone 01273 466971

 

High Weald Walking Festival

From the 14-22 September you can explore the outstanding medieval landscape with free guided walks for all abilities including easy access, easy, leisurely or moderate walks provided by the High Weald. To sign up and choose which walks are suitable for you visit http://www.highweald.org.

 

Consultation on polling districts and places

Wealden District Council is asking for the views of all residents, particularly disabled residents, or any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability. Persons making representations should, if possible, give alternative places that may be used as polling places. The consultation has now commenced and will run until 11 October 2019. Further details can be found by following the link below;

http://www.wealden.gov.uk/Wealden/Council/Voting_and_Elections/Boundary_and_Electoral_Reviews/Review_of_Polling_Districts_and_Polling_Places.aspx