News:
New Councillor At the meeting on the 7th of October the Parish Council approved the co-option of Sarah Helen Snow to the Council. Sarah brings with her significant teaching experience and a passion for engaging with young people which will be valuable in helping the Council to reach out to more of the community.
Transfer of St Aubyns Field delayed until Spring 2025. At the October meeting, the Parish Council agreed the Fairfax proposal to delay the transfer of the Field, Chapel and Pavilion to the Parish Council in Spring 2025 as the Field grass will not be sufficiently established to meet agreed specifications before the Winter weather. The Council has also submitted a grant application for 36 trees, fully funded by The Forestry Commission and BHCC, for planting in the Community Field. The objective is to develop areas of shade and pockets for wildlife in appropriate locations in the North East corner and around the Local Area of Play and Picnic tables. Given the high exposure to wind in some areas of the Field, the species selection will be key, so BHCC and the Permanculture Trust are preparing a detailed plan for consultation and final Council approval. Subject to Council agreement, planting could take place early in 2025 before transfer to RPC.“The Sweeps” landscape art is nearing completion. Some final modifications have been made to the retaining wall materials whilst keeping the original colour link to the Archangels stained glass windows in St Margaret’s Church.
Notice of Conclusion of Audit 2023/24 The external audit of the Parish Council Annual Governance and Accountability Statement has now been published and is available for inspection - see here details
E-Petition for creating a ‘Light Touch’ Controlled Parking Zone in Rottingdean. The Parish Council is aware of residents’ concerns about lack of parking in the village. There is no easy solution to this. However, a number of residents have raised an online petition with a proposal for a light touch controlled parking Zone. Councillors are aware that there will be different views regarding this proposal but consider that residents should be aware of its existence and what it means. The Parish Council RPC is not involved in the petition but will monitor residents' interest over the coming months. For any questions please refer to the official BHCC links provided. The petition reads as follows;
“We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to improve road safety by creating a ‘Light Touch’ Controlled Parking Zone in the residential area of Rottingdean including the streets and roads east of the confluence of Nevill Road and the A259 fully inclusive of the area East of Newlands Road and bounded in the North by the intersection of The Green and Falmer Road. Parking of vehicles in Rottingdean is becoming increasingly difficult for residents as available parking is now being used as an unofficial park and ride into Brighton and surrounds with people parking here and getting the bus to and from the city. This being a far cheaper option than parking within Brighton itself. A wide range of vehicles are being dumped or kept here by non-residents forcing residents to park a long way from their homes. The challenges developing are particularly evident as schools empty for the day and, as no casual parking is available, pick up parking is being made illegally increasing congestion and making the roads even more unsafe.This ePetition runs from 09/07/2024 to 23/10/2024..”
A light touch scheme has blocks of controlled hours zones, for example, Monday to Friday 9 am to 10 am, or 2 pm to 3 pm. You do not need a permit to park in these zones outside controlled hours. Permits for these zones cost less than permits for full scheme zones. Should the petition receive a significant number of signatures, BHCC will undertake consultation on the need for, and nature of, a controlled parking scheme. You can find the online petition here, find out more about the online petitions here and what happens next and about controlled parking zones here.
St Aubyns Community Field - update August 2024. Work to prepare the Field, Chapel and Pavilion for transfer to the Parish Council is nearing completion and the handover is now expected around the end of September. Landscapers will be on site for the next month. The grass is being established and will receive its first cut within the next month to promote further growth. The Local Area of Play installation will be completed in the next few weeks with a surrounding fence and health and safety signs. A Wildflower area will be seeded in the Autumn ready for 2025 flowering. The landscape art/seating, ‘The Sweeps’, will be completed when the coloured glass rocks arrive which is expected next week. Both the Chapel and The Pavilion renovations have been completed and bird and bat boxes and bug hotels will be installed to encourage wildlife in various locations across the site. Welcome signs will shortly be installed at each point of entry to the Field and in due course picnic benches and combined dog/waste bins will be installed.
Parish Council Accounts 2023/24. Each year a smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review. Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. More information on how to access the accounts is here The Parish Council financial information can be found here
Telecoms Tower Proposal Refused. The proposed application for a 20-metre-high telecoms tower on land west of Westmeston Avenue (SDNP/24/01472/PA16) has been refused permission by the South Downs National Park Planning Authority (SDNPA). The Parish Council objected to the proposal as a mast at or near this location would have had a very negative impact on sightlines from all directions. The SDNPA acknowledged in their decision that the plans were in conflict with the recently adopted Neighbourhood Plan policies to protect the green space around the Parish and its wildlife corridors. See the full decision here
Lower High Street Project Paused . The Parish Council has decided to pause work on proposals to re-develop the Lower High Street because of the shortage of Councillors. This will allow the Council to focus on the transfer of St Aubyns Field, Chapel and Pavilion expected in July/August.
Road Works on the A259. We have been advised about gas main replacement work taking place on Marine Drive in Rottingdean from Tuesday 07 May for approximately 8 weeks. The work will involve replacing the gas main on Marine Drive between the junction of West Street and Nevill Road. Due to the location of the gas pipe in the road the bus lane between these junctions will be closed.
ROTTINGDEAN NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN ADOPTED BY BHCC. Following the majority of yes votes in the referendum on Friday 9th February, the Neighbourhood Plan was formally adopted by Brighton and Hove City Council on 28th March 2024. This means that the Rottingdean Parish Neighbourhood Plan 2018-2030 has been brought into legal force and forms part of the statutory Development Plan for Brighton & Hove. Consequently, decisions in determining planning applications in Rottingdean Parish will be made in accordance with the Neighbourhood Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. See the Neighbourhood Plan page
Parish Councillor Appointed. At the Parish Council meeting on 4th March Phil Evans was co-opted on to the Parish Council. Phil brings with him extensive experience of dealing with local communities in the UK and abroad and will be supporting the work on preparing for the transfer of St Aubyns to the Parish Council expected in May this year.
Parish Council Budget and Precept 2024/25. At the meeting on the 5th of February, Rottingdean Parish Council approved a 3% increase in the income from the precept for 2024/25. As more households will pay the precept in 2024/25, the increase equates to 0.5% increase for Band D households which will mean an extra 15 pence per year. This small increase will boost funding available to undertake infrastructure improvements important to local residents as set out in the Infrastructure Development Plan. The overall budget for 2024/25 of £162,600 was agreed in December 2023 see here for details
Parish Council Projects Agreed. At the Parish Council meeting on 5th February, Councillors agreed the projects to be taken forward over the next few years. These are set out in the new Rottingdean Parish Council Infrastructure Development Plan
Proposed parking restriction changes on Steyning Road. Following
complaints by residents about poor visibility when exiting Nicholson Place onto
Steyning Road because of cars parked close to the junction, an extension of the
double yellow lines to the left of the exit is being proposed by Brighton and
Hove City Council. Although this means the loss of 4.5 metres of parking space
where the double yellow lines are extended, a similar space would be created on
the other side of the junction, that could be designated for disabled parking
only. See here for details
Public Art on St Aubyns Field
As part of the St Aubyns Developer contributions agreed between BHCC and Fairfax Ltd, a piece of public art will be placed in the St Aubyns Community Field before transfer to Rottingdean Parish Council. The Parish Council has worked with Fairfax and BHCC Public Art department to develop an Artistic Brief. This Brief requires that the selected Art reflects the essence of the Village history and its character and enhances the attributes of the Field as a welcoming open space for informal recreation. With the assistance of a Public Art Project Manager, a selection panel comprising representatives from BHCC, Fairfax, a Ward Councillor and RPC have invited Expressions Of Interest from artists. 54 applications were received and a shortlist of 5 artists have been selected whom best met the selection criteria in terms of quality, relevance of initial idea, ability and experience and aptitude for innovation and experimentation.
West St Car Park Wall Replacement. Work has now begun to repair the wall around West Street Car Park. The wall will be demolished and rebuilt with the same footprint, with structural improvements and a protective barrier on the inside. The work is expected to be completed by mid January. The work will require the footpath to be closed in sections as the work progresses and there will be temporary loss of a number of parking spaces.
Notice of Conclusion of Audit 2022/23 The external audit of the Parish Council Annual Governance and Accountability Statement has now been published and is available for inspection see
here for details
Parish Council Accounts 2022/23. Each year a smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review. Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. More information on how to access the accounts is
hereWall Repair Rottingdean West St Car Park
A meeting took place on Tuesday 1st Aug 2023 on site at Rottingdean West St car park. Attendees – Councillors Bridget Fishleigh, Mark Earthy, Mike Nixon-Rottingdean Parish Council, Andrew Clark Rottingdean in Bloom, a representative of BHCC car parks and garages team and two representatives of the contractors.
The West St Car Park wall is badly damaged along the length adjacent to the A259 Footpath. The damage was most likely caused, over considerable time,
by cars hitting the wall while parking. It was agreed that the most efficient, cost effective and aesthetically pleasing option was to rebuild the wall in brick to closely match the existing. BHCC will fund the works.
The wall will be constructed of brick to match as closely as possible existing. The height and width will be the same. The soldier course coping (upright bricks at top of wall) will be changed to brick on edge. The wall will incorporate weep holes and expansion joints. There will be two skins of brickwork with soil in the gap between. Planting will be carried out by Rottingdean in Bloom once the project is completed. The two existing poles at the pedestrian crossing entrance previously used for hanging baskets will be removed and not replaced. Although every care will be taken in selection of bricks the new bricks will not match existing.
The new wall will be protected against strike by cars by the provision of a free-standing ARMCO style barrier fixed to posts set car park approximately 300mm away from wall. Note ARMCO barrier is a galvanised steel ogee style barrier of the kind seen by the side of main roads. This will reduce the length of the bays which are at right angles to the wall. Car Parks and Garages team will address this when next the car park is white lined. Works will be in four distinct sections each being worked on consecutively.
- First the centre section that is between second pedestrian access (off traffic lights) to third pedestrian access
- Second section between pedestrian access where notice board is positioned to pedestrian access by lights.
- Third section between third pedestrian access point to end of wall by bus stop,
- Fourth section that portion parallel with High St.
The Contractors compound to be sited by area four. This will require the loss of only two spaces and the bicycle stand for the duration of the project. The suggested time to be on site is anticipated to be end of August/early September. WEATHER PERMITTING the contractor aims to be complete by the Christmas holidays. Communication: Car park team will convene regular site meeting to discuss progress. These to be every three weeks or so. A newsletter will be prepared detailing works to be distributed to all concernedDisruption: For the duration of the works various section of the pavement, South side of wall, will be closed. For all bar three days the access point off traffic lights will be open. While each section is being worked on, car parking bays will be closed off.
Budget and Precept for 2023/24. Every year, the Parish Council has to set a budget to cover the cost of its work and administration. The budget is funded by the precept . At the Council meetings in December and February the Council agreed the budget for 2020/24 and decided not to increase the precept. See the details
here.
Parish Council Accounts 2021/22. Each year a smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review.
Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. More information on how to access the accounts is
here
Neighbourhood Plan Consultation. The consulation has now closed see updates on the
Brighton and Hove City Council Website. The Neighbourhood Plan has now been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council in accordance with Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012 (as amended). The plan and associated documents will be out for consultation from Thursday 2 February to 11:59pm on Thursday 16 March 2023 for 6 weeks.
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Parish Council Statement on the High Street Air Quality Measures. The Parish Council wrote to the joint Parish Council/Brighton and Hove City Council working group on the 29th November 2022 requesting that the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee should be asked to consider adopting the hatching near the junction of the A259 as a permanent measure and removing the planter for a period of 12-months. This would enable any positive or negative impact on air quality of its removal to be measured and respond to the safety concerns expressed by a significant number of Rottingdean residents This statement was ratified at the Parish Council meeting on 5th December 2022. See
here for more.
Hedge trimming Steyning Rd and The Twitten Fairfax have informed the Parishg Council that they will be cutting the St Aubyn’s perimeter hedge along the length of Steyning Rd back to the original boundary fence in the coming days. This will result in some loss of foliage and exposed branches in the short term but we are informed that the leaf cover will return within one or two seasons. In addition the hedge along the Twitten will be cut back to improve access especially at the northern end.
Parish Council Statement on the High Street Air Quality Measures. The Parish Council wrote to the joint Parish Council/Brighton and Hove City Council working group on the 29th November 2022 requesting that the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee should be asked to consider adopting the hatching near the junction of the A259 as a permanent measure and removing the planter for a period of 12-months. This would enable any positive or negative impact on air quality of its removal to be measured and respond to the safety concerns expressed by a significant number of Rottingdean residents This statement was ratified at the Parish Council meeting on 5th December 2022.
Parish Council Accounts 2021/22
Each year a smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review.
Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. More information on how to access the accounts is here
New Village Notice Boards
Rottingdean is an active village, and it has been great seeing events put on by Cinema Club, Rottingdean Arts and the Drama Society running again . The Parish Council are keen to promote these and other community events and have invested in six new noticeboards for the village. These will be installed in the following locations at some point week beginning March 21st.
West Street Car Park next to the Welcome to Rottingdean Sign
On the wall of the Reading Room at the bottom of Nevill Road
In Golden Square next to the flint wall to the left of the old washroom
Behind the planter, next to the old telephone box in Vicarage Lane
At the top of the green in Grand Crescent
On the green in Meadow Parade facing onto the Falmer Road
At the meeting on 7 Februry the Parish Council agreed an increase in the precept for 2022/23 of 2%. This will enable the Parish Council to continue to improve services and amenities and begin to further develop and begin to implement plans for a new public open space at the southern end of the High Street, progress the other projects set out in our Infrastructure Development Plan and support local charities and good causes through grants and donations. See the details here
St Aubyns Field: Offer of Transfer to the Parish Council. The Parish Council have now received a formal offer of the transfer of St Aubyns Field and the Chapel, Pavilion, Water Fountain and Memorial from Fairfax Properties, in accordance with the section 106 agreement. The Parish Council have 12 weeks in which to respond. It is envisaged that the transfer will occur in the Summer of 2023. The offer will be discussed at the Parish Council meeting on Monday 6 December
Publcation of the Parish Council Accounts for 2020/21
Each year a smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review.
Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. More information on how to access the accounts is here
Councillors asked to extend Rottingdean Air Quality monitoring
Councillors are being asked to extend a trial scheme aimed at improving air quality in Rottingdean next week.
In partnership with Rottingdean Parish Council changes were made to the road layout in the High Street in October 2019, including a ban on right turns out of West Street, a planter north of Park Road to encourage free flowing traffic northbound and a no stopping (yellow hatched) box in the narrowest part of the lower High Street.
While the first 18 months of the trial have showed some positive results, travel restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic since March 2020 have significantly impacted how the data can be compared to previous years.
Therefore, recommendations will be put to members of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability (ETS) committee on Tuesday 16 March, that would further the trial for another 18 months. The ban on right turns out of West Street will be made permanent though having received no objections. See More details on the Projects page
Rottingdean Parish Survey 2020 Results, Many thanks to all of you who participated in our Survey this year. This is a summary of some of the main findings. The full report is here on the website, together with a list of all the individual comments made where we asked for information, rather than a YES/NO answer.
This was our first village-wide survey since 2013 and will help us to focus on identified priorities for Rottingdean over the next few years.The survey was completed by 252 people (237 of which were residents), an increase on the previous one of 71. You told us you mainly hear about the workings of Rottingdean Parish Council (RPC) via the local magazines and flyers along with visiting the website, noticeboard and word of mouth. Some respondents said information was difficult to find. There was an even split regards whether people know enough about what RPC is doing.
One suggestion was for residents to have the opportunity to sign up to a regular e-mail.The main area of contention for people seems to be related to the experimental traffic scheme in the High Street, introduced to reduce high air pollution levels in the Air quality Management Area. There was particular anger towards the Planter. 32% of respondents approved of the scheme but 56% i disapproved. The junction between Park Road and the High Street (72) was considered the most dangerous junction, closely followed by Steyning Rd and the High Street (41). You commented that the zebra crossing was often obscured by queuing traffic behind the Planter.
Calls for a traffic camera on the traffic lights were made (18). High up the rankings as roads causing safety concerns came Dean Court Rd and Falmer Road (9) and some people mentioned Tesco Carpark being used as a cut through with the no right hand turn needing to be clearer (8). Court Ord Road and Eley Drive seem to have a problem too (7).
The question of a Residents’ Parking Permit was met with 28% for and 47% against.
The High Street was listed as the most difficult part of the Parish to access and needing improvement, followed by the slope to the beach. Traffic was listed as the thing that mostly affected people’s enjoyment of the village but 21 people actually said that nothing affected this. Litter, graffiti and dogs were high on the list .
Whilst 32% were satisfied with the paving in the Conservation Area, 40% were not. The main factor is it’s being uneven and slippery when wet (72). 18 people said it could be improved whilst wanting it to remain aesthetically pleasing. Paving outside of the Conservation Area was deemed to be uneven/broken but not to such a high extent as within. 50% were satisfied with 24% dissatisfied. Similarly, 32% were satisfied with street infrastructure whereas 26% were not.
An impressive 90% of respondents used the High Street at least weekly, but to be encouraged to shop more in the High Street less traffic, more parking and more independent shops along with wider pavements were suggested. 9 respondents said they could get all they needed from the High Street.
An outdoor gym and resurfacing the tennis courts were highest on the agenda for improving outdoor space. 21 people reported that they were unaware of any indoor sports facilities, i.e.at Longhill School. 77 people thought there were enough outdoor play areas for children whilst 30 thought there were not and 23 said something more central was needed. A directed question regards the need for an adult gym met with 47% for and 24% against. Of these, 49 said in the Recreation Ground and 27 on St Aubyns Field. 6 people commented that the one in Saltdean Park is under used.
There was a fairly even split regards whether more allotments should be created, with only 11 people saying they had one and 13 on the waiting list.
The majority of respondents use the beach and undercliff and only 5% use beach huts with the main niggle being cyclists. More regular litter/pebble collection, bigger bins, and sprucing up the beach huts were high on the list. There was one suggestion of a drinking fountain which is already on our RPC to-do list.
Benches, pathways and a peaceful community garden with shrubs and flowers were high on the list of suggestions for St Aubyns Field, along with keeping as much open space as possible. No dogs was quite a popular request. Setting up a volunteer group to maintain the site was suggested.
Generally, people seemed happy with bus services although 28 asked for a bus route to Lewes via the Universities and Falmer Station.
Over the range of cycling-related questions, nearly 40% of respondents indicated that they were not cyclists. Approximately 18% of respondents were satisfied with cycle routes and paths with 18-26% respondents dissatisfied. Highest ranking comments were requests for cyclists to use the lanes/road rather than the pavement, along with the banning of cycling on the Undercliff path. There is a lack of cycle parking that, again, is already on our RPC to-do list.
Age analysis of submissions:-
24-30 5
31-40 10
41-50 28
51-60 67
61-70 68
over 70 50
total answers 228
average age 61
