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Buxted Parish Council
Buxted Parish Council came into being in 1894 when the present system of Parish Councils was instituted to give rural communities a voice. Buxted Parish covers some 7,000 acres with an electorate of about 2,500 out of a population of 3,200. It encompasses the villages of Buxted, High Hurstwood and Five Ash Down.
The parish is divided into two wards – Buxted/Five Ash Down (10 councillors) and High Hurstwood (5 councillors). Councils are elected for a term of 4 years. Council meetings are held on the second Tuesday in every month (except August and January), alternating between High Hurstwood Village Hall and Five Ash Down Village Hall, at 19.00. Meetings agendas are displayed one week in advance on the Parish notice boards in Buxted (on the Ionides Trust site), High Hurstwood (outside the village hall) and in Five Ash Down (outside the Village Hall) and on the website. The agenda includes a list of any planning applications received from Wealden District Council for consultation. All meetings of the Council and its committees are open to the public, who are welcome to ask questions or raise issues with the Council before the meetings formally begin.
An early requirement was to provide allotments, which we do. Councils can also support arts and crafts; contribute to maintenance of churchyards; protect commons, provide buildings for public meetings, functions and entertainment, provide footway lighting (we don’t), provide and maintain public open spaces, and comment on planning applications.
We also take an active interest in highways matters, policy and our environment (e.g. trees and hedgerows). More and more we have to comment on government policies for local government and voice our electors’ concerns.
Parish assets include two recreation grounds (Buxted and High Hurstwood), two allotment areas in Buxted and High Hurstwood, children’s play areas in Buxted and High Hurstwood, and two bus shelters. The budget is set annually over the period October to December. Planned expenditure less income forms the ‘Parish Precept’ which is levied as part of annual Council Tax. Apart from meeting general running expenses of the council – specifically employing our Parish Clerk – the council makes grants to local organisations and contributes to local projects e.g. Buxted Traffic calming.
The Parish Council recognises the burden of Council Tax but is also conscious of local needs for improvements in the Parish that increasingly are not being covered by either County or District as they seek to keep within national government budgets. Before increasing Precept to cover costs of local improvements such as the recent traffic calming, the Parish Council ensures that such improvements are what our electorate want and are prepared to pay for.
Councillors sit on various committees (e.g. Finance & Planning) and outside bodies (e.g. Ionides Trust, village hall committees). Each keeps an eye on different parts of the Parish, e.g. for planning purposes and trees.
Our Parish Clerks, Beccy Macklen & Claudine Feltham (01435 515219) clerk@buxted-pc.gov.uk, who act as the Council’s ‘proper officers’ on the Council’s behalf and under its direction.
Latest Parish News
Council launches targeted support to help low-income Wealden families manage back-to-school costs
19
August 2026
The new scheme offers a one-off payment of £50 for each child in an eligible household, funded by the council’s Cost of Living Reserve. The funding is limited and awards will be made on a first come, first served basis, so families are urged to apply as soon as possible.
The scheme is designed to provide practical help with some of the costs associated with the start of the school year, including school uniform, shoes, equipment and other essentials. This scheme runs alongside existing support available to families, including East Sussex County Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund, and Holiday Food and Fun programme, as well as established advice and crisis-support pathways.
Applications are open for a three-week period from today until midnight on 8 September 2026. The scheme may close earlier if the available £100,000 funding is fully committed. Families should apply early and make sure they submit all supporting evidence with their application.
To be eligible, applicants must receive Child Benefit and at least one other qualifying benefit. Only one application can be made per household. Applications must include all required evidence, as applications without the required evidence may be delayed or refused.
Councillor Daniel Manvell, Alliance for Wealden (Labour Party) and lead councillor for Housing, Benefits and Revenues, said, “The end of August is back to school time, with parents and carers facing the cost of new uniforms, sports kits, shoes, and stationery. This can be really expensive, so we are pleased to give this extra support to help up to 2,000 children and their families pay for these essentials.
We can afford to do this because we passed our Cost-of-Living budget earlier this year, where we set aside money to help take pressure off people at difficult times like this.
While this fund is for low-income families and those with disabilities, we know a lot of people across Wealden are struggling. We are continuing to look at ways we can support more residents facing cost-of-living pressures.”
This fund has been supported by the Wealden Partners council group.
Check eligibility information and apply online through the council’s Cost of Living for Residents page.
Ashdown Forest Open Studios - Friday 4th to Sunday 6th September, 10am to 5pm
18
August 2026
We are excited to announce the inaugural Ashdown Forest Open Studios which is taking place this coming September to coincide with the centenary of Winnie the Pooh.
The studios will be open from Friday 4th to Sunday 6th September, 10am to 5pm. There will be over 80 artists/makers taking part at 20 venues situated on Ashdown Forest and in the surrounding villages, namely Forest Row, Hartfield, Crowborough, Herons Ghyll, Fairwarp, Nutley and Fletching. All the participants are Sussex based and some will be offering demonstrations and workshops.
Come along and see the diverse creations from talented painters, ceramicists, textile artists, glass artists, sculptors and much more. The weekend is being organised in association with/sponsored by Ashdown Forest, The Ashdown Forest Foundation (TAFF), Friends of Ashdown Forest, Crowborough Arts, Wealden District Council and Wealden Creative. There will be a Gala Evening at The Ashdown Forest Centre on Friday 4th September which will include a silent auction of works donated by some of the participating artists in aid of TAFF. Visit the studios and enter the competition to win a monetary prize to be spent with one of the artists/makers.
Ashdown Forest Open Studios celebrates creativity, community and a deep connection to nature. Artists and makers living and working around the Forest draw daily inspiration from its unique and beautiful landscapes. The event not only aims to share this creativity response to place, but also, to contribute to the preservation and future stewardship of this special natural resource.
Please visit our website www.ashdownforestopenstudios.co.uk for full details.
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