Home
Home
OgImage:

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), alternating between Buxted Reading Room, High Hurstwood Village Hall and Five Ash Down Village Hall, at 19.30. Meetings agendas are displayed one week in advance on the Parish notice boards in Buxted (on the Ionides Trust site), High Hurstwood (near The Hurstwood pub) 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, maintain public footpaths and bridleways (jointly with ESCC), 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 Buxted Reading Room, two recreation grounds (Buxted and High Hurstwood), two allotment areas in Buxted (recently re-generated) 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, Communications) and outside bodies (e.g. Ionides Trust, Buxted Community Hall Trust). 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. 

10 December 2024

Planning Committee

St Mary's Church Hall, Church Road, Buxted Tuesday 7:00 pm View Details
10 December 2024

Parish Council Meeting

St Mary's Church Hall, Church Road, Buxted Tuesday View Details

Latest Parish News

WDC Cllr Shaw - December News

09

December 2024
WDC Cllr Shaw - December News


‘Big Conversation’ launches Wealden’s Climate Strategy

Over 100 people, representing many local organisations, took part in Wealden’s Big Climate Conversation last Tuesday. Recognising that the majority of people understand the need for action, the conference looked at how we can move to net zero, coastal defence projects, sustainable leisure facilities, climate resilience and nature recovery. Participants also heard from Parish Councils and community groups leading local initiatives.

The event formed part of Wealden’s climate change strategy. We would love you to read and comment on our new ‘Climate Green Paper’ at

https://letstalk.wealden.gov.uk/wealden-climate-green-paper

There’s still time to make your voice heard.

There has been a good response to the Community Survey I launched recently, with lots of interesting comments. Thank you to everyone who has already taken part.

The survey will be open until the end of the year and can be accessed on-line at https://s.surveyplanet.com/dnu6vy1z

Your comments and ideas will inform the next Community Forum on Wednesday 26th February – see below.

Meeting on new Five Ash Down planning application

About 15 people attended the discussion of the Parish Council regarding a planning application to build 80 new homes on land north of Buxted Road, Five Ash Down. The audience made a number of points regarding its impact on local heritage assets, on foul drainage and sewage spills, access to the site and impact on the road network (especially the A272).

At some point the application will come for consideration at Wealden’s Planning Committee (North) for a decision. You can see more details of the application at https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/ Application Number WD/2024/2481/MAO.

Labour joins LibDem and Green Alliance

You will know that after the last council elections the Liberal Democrats and the Greens won a majority of seats and formed the Alliance for Wealden to become the administration. For the first time Labour won two seats (in Uckfield). All parties can join the Alliance if they subscribe to our council strategy and the Labour members have recently joined to strengthen the cross-party group. It doesn’t mean there are no political differences between different parties but that all are willing to co-operate to deliver for the people of Wealden. Dan Manville one of the Labour members will join the Cabinet, responsible for Housing and Benefits.

The Council Strategy focuses on Protecting our environment and leading the district towards carbon neutrality, A growing economy which enables people to live well, and Building strong, mutually supporting communities.

Are you a wheelchair user

I have had a couple of conversations recently with residents who use wheelchairs, about the difficulties of getting around the village. I would like to hear from others about their experience – please drop me an email or call me. Details below.

Other planning news

Though refused several times by Wealden – for very good reasons – the application to build a care home on the east side of Coopers Green Road has been allowed upon appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. I know residents living nearby are deeply disappointed at this decision. This was an outline application which means a further, “reserved matters” application for the detail of the site will still have to be made.

Over two years ago, an application to build 40 houses on land at Coopers Row (to the east of the current houses on Five Ash Down) was allowed by Wealden. In common with other developments of this type, the developer was required to sign a “section 106” agreement with the Council. This only finally happened two days before the Planning Committee meeting last Thursday. Legally it was difficult to refuse the application as it had already been agreed, but the Committee added further conditions to a new agreement, with the applicant given two weeks to sign, otherwise planning permission would be lost.

Day Surgery at Uckfield Community Hospital

You may have seen that the local NHS is proposing a six-month pilot project to move the day surgical lists from Uckfield to the main hospital sites in East Sussex. They suggest that they are only at 60% capacity, can only deliver a limited number of procedures safely (especially where there may be complications), and cannot support overnight care. This move will not affect other services at the Hospital.

Along with local people I know councillors in and around Uckfield are concerned about this move. We will be monitoring the impact of this pilot.

2025 Community Forum - Any Answers?

Those of you that have completed the Community Survey have highlighted several issues you would like to see addressed, covering highways and footpaths, healthcare, bus and rail services, sewage and flooding, development and infrastructure, broadband speeds and so on. Many of these services are not delivered by Wealden District Council but by other authorities and companies.

So, at our next Community Forum I hope to bring together representatives from some of these bodies with residents. Perhaps we may get answers to your questions. I hope you will attend – details for your diary below.

…..and finally, as this will be my last update this year…..

NEXT COMMUNITY FORUM – ANY ANSWERS?

WEDNESDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2025

6.30 – 8.15

ST. MARYS CHURCH HALL, CHURCH ROAD, BUXTED

Please don‘t hesitate to contact me to discuss these or any other issues important to you.

Contact me on cllr.graham.shaw@wealden.gov.uk Tel. 07770 571828

Wealden’s website is www.wealden.gov.uk

Can you contribute to the business of policing?

04

December 2024
Can you contribute to the business of policing?

Do you have skills that can contribute to the business of policing, in relation to governance, risk, financial arrangements, internal audit and external audit, and how these services are being managed? If so, then the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) would like to hear from you.

The PCC and the Chief Constable for Sussex (CC) are recruiting a new independent member for their Joint Audit Committee.

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in independent oversight and high-level focus on the adequacy of the governance, risk and control arrangements for Sussex Police and the Office of the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. The role supports the PCC and CC and other Statutory Officers in gaining confidence as to the existence of effective governance, by reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances to meet the needs of Statutory Officers in respect of reliability and integrity.

Your duties as a member of the Joint Audit Committee are expected to typically take up to fifteen days per annum, including time to read papers in preparation for meetings, and a programme of activity to keep you in touch with the organisation’s activities and priorities. This is a paid role and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

For more information please visit SPCC - Independent Joint Audit Committee Member Vacancy, or if you prefer, please visit the PCC’s website www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk and scroll down to Vacancies.

My Parish
°C
Weather Humidity percentage %
mph
Weather Description
FRI Weather Day One ° °
SAT Weather Day two ° °
SUN Weather Day three ° °
MON Weather Day four ° °
TUE Weather Day five ° °