Fairlight Focus

The Post Office counter will be closed tomorrow Friday 31/3/2023 between 3pm and 4.15pm due to a medical appointment.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Graeme 

Dear resident

Please can I remind you that the Parish Council is holding it’s annual Parish Assembly on Wednesday 29th March from 6.30 pm at the Village Hall

Come along and meet the Councillors and Proper Officer, see what the PC has done in the past four years and visit the stalls and the Drop In Social Hub.  Also, the John Lutman award will be presented .  Refreshments and nibbles will be provided

See you there.Pauline

Mrs P Collins

Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com
Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

Please click this link to see the election information

You will now nee photo ID to be able to vote.

If you need help getting your photo ID, come along to the Drop In Social Hub at the Fairlight Village Hall any Monday from 10am til 4pm.

Alternatively, click here for the Electoral Commission website.

Dear resident

Please click here for the agenda for the FPC Planning Committee meeting and Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 28th February 2023 from 6pm in the Village Hall

All members of the public are welcome 

ThanksPauline

Mrs P Collins

Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com
Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

Hello everyone

Tickets are selling well for our upcoming production of Allan Ayckbourn’s “Improbable Fiction.”

If you haven’t bought your ticket already, you might wish to do so soon and, just to remind you, you can do so either at Fairlight Post Office or online at Box office – Fairlight Players

As always, there are many tasks to be covered over the four performances. Here are just some of them.

• Meeting and greeting
• Refreshments
• Bar staffing
• Raffle tickets
• Programme sales
• Setting out chairs and tidying away after

I’ve probably forgotten something, but you get the idea.

If you would be willing to help at one or more of the performances, please speak with Sue, who is compiling the rota.

You can contact Sue on 07377 915741 or at sueevansattheplayers@aol.com

Sue will also be able to help you if you have any difficulty in acquiring tickets by the normal means.

This is going to be a cracking production. We hope that, more than just watching, you will want to be a part of it.

We look forward to hearing from you.

With best wishes

Keith

Dear Resident,

Please note that Chick Hill will be closed for 9 days from 15 March due to gas works.

Best wishes,

Andrew

Councillor Andrew Mier 
Rother District Council – Southern Rother Ward
T. 01424-814178

Dear resident

I have been contacted by the organisers of the Hastings Half Marathon – Nice Work who wished me to relay the following information.

“There will be some road closures on the 26th March that may impact the residents of the parish.

The Hastings Half Marathon is returning on the 26th March 2023 and will involve some road closures. The start time of the race is 10:30am.

It is advisable that you avoid travelling into Hastings while the race is taking place unless you are participating, supporting or it is for essential travel. Expect delays between 10:00 and 13:00.

Details of the road closures:

10:15: Bexhill Road and Harley Shute Road are closed until the last runner passes Wishing Tree roundabout
10:30: No access to Queensway until approx 12:30
10:50: No access along the distance of The Ridge and through Ore Village until approx 13:00
11:00- 13:30 No access to Old London Road

There is no access into Hastings via Rye Road between 10:50 and approx 13:00. You will be redirected via Westfield.

There is access to Hastings Via A21 Sedlescombe road and the B2159, Battle Road.

Email us at info@nice-work.co.uk if you have any specific questions.”

 Thanks
Pauline

Mrs P Collins
Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com
Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

Activate is Fairlight’s Youth Club, open to those aged 9-16 years old. We meet on Wednesday evenings from 6-7:30pm at the Clubhouse on Wood Field (the recreation ground).

Activate’s AGM will be held on Thursday 20^th April, 7pm for a 7:30 start, at the Clubhouse on Wood Field. The agenda for the meeting, plus the minutes from the 2022 AGM are attached.

All are welcome and refreshments will be served – if you would like to find out more about the club or to get involved please come along, and please pass this on to anyone else who you know who may be interested in getting involved with Activate. We always welcome volunteers to help run the sessions, or even just one session if you have something you could share with the group.

If you have any questions please get in touch with Katie: YouthClubActivate@gmail.com

I am pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for the Fairlight Players’ forthcoming production of Improbable Fiction by Alan Ayckbourn.

This technically challenging play demonstrates the writer’s inventiveness at its best, and our talented cast are having huge fun in bringing the hilarious script to life.

Performances dates are Thursday 27^th to Saturday 29^th April.

Tickets, costing £8, may be purchased from Fairlight Post Office or via our online Box Office at www.fairlightplayers.org.uk

We very much hope that you will be able to join us, and promise you an absolutely first class evening’s (or afternoon’s) entertainment.

As always, we would welcome any offers of help with the front of house operation. If you could spare a couple of hours to help with refreshments, raffle tickets, or any of the many tasks that need doing, we would be pleased to hear from you.

Dear resident

It is that time of year again when the Parish Council asks for nominations for the John Lutman award.  Details are included on the attached poster and nomination form

Closing date Monday 20th March

Thanks
Pauline

Save the date!

Activate Youth Club is 25 years old!!!

Village Celebration, For All!

On Woodfield, Saturday May 20^th 2023 from 4pm

Celebrating the history, the present and looking to the future!

🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈🎈

More details to follow!

IMPORTANT TO THE VILLAGE
Dear Resident
By now you may have read the Preservation Trust report in the March edition of theFairlight News. If you haven’t read it yet, it is on page 20. Please may I draw yourattention to the Southern Water link to the Pathfinders Project :-

www.southernwater.co.uk/our-performance/storm-overflows/pathfinder-projects
projects. This indicates that Fairlight is one of the six areas, with complex 

challenges to overcome.The Lower Waites Lane Maintenance Association has been successful in talking toSouthern Water about the excess sewerage particularly in that area. The committeeof the Fairlight Preservation Trust continues to be involved with the monitoring ofthe amount of surface water that flows through the village from the firehills all theway down to Marsham Farm treatment works. The committee is involved with themanagement of the drainage of surface water in Rockmead Road which, I am sureyou are aware, is in the firing line when it comes to cliff erosion particularly duringthe recent persistent rainfall this past winter. Rockmead Road has also suffered from4 water pipe breakages causing even more water soaking into the ground. The FPTcommittee, led by Issy Horsley, is talking to Southern Water as well as working withRother District Council. The time has come when ALL residents need to look at howthey are contributing to the extra water.
Southern Water will be making recommendations where we can all help.FPT cannot do all the work without your help. If you are a member of the Trust, thenthank you. Supporting the Trust, shows the authorities that residents care about theirVillage. It is easy to show your support and yes it does come down to money, but forjust a small contribution of £10 per person for 3 years your support will be seen.
A membership form will be attached to my email on FRA, please help us to help youand preserve our lovely village.
Thank youJill Lewing Membership Secretary
PS I would also like to draw your attention to The Fairlight Pathfinders Technical Report December 2022, on Fairlight focus. (fairlight.org.uk) It is a long read but it is interesting.Perhaps a book at bedtime. ��

To whom it may concern,

We intend to close the road between Smugglers Way and fairlight Gardens on 10/03/2023 for approximately 1/2 a day in order to lay a temporary water main into the site.

There will then be another closure (date to be confirmed) for the water board to do the connection.

Kind Regards

Future South homes Ltd 
Tel: 07541 200509

Dear Resident,

I am aware of numerous complaints about the way the construction work and deliveries to the Market Garden Site are being handled. Those complaints have included inconsiderate driving and parking, deliveries in unsuitably large vehicles, mud on the road and debris in the stream.

As part of the conditions attached to the planning permission there is a Construction Management Plan. If Rother Enforcement Officers are to take effective action it is essential that all complaints are reported on-line via Rother’s website so they can be logged and actioned. Photos / videos are especially helpful. Go to –

https://www.rother.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-enforcement-team/alleged-breaches-of-planning-control/

and do not be put off by the introduction. Rother’s planning and enforcement teams are now back up to strength. I am happy to help any resident who has difficulty with the on-line forms.

Road traffic offences are a police matter and anti-social driving can be reported to the police on-line via Operation Crackdown. A photo or video is essential –

http://www.operationcrackdown.org/

I have been in regular contact with Rother’s Enforcement Team and know that some problems have been sorted out as a result. However, the nature of the work is that the problems change from day to day as the work progresses so they must be reported as they arise.

The contractor’s Site Manager, is 07541-200509 (Piers Cowley). Please note it is not a 24 hour number.

It is worth texting or phoning Piers to try to nip problems in the bud..

Best wishes,

Andrew

Cllr Andrew Mier
Southern Rother Ward
Rother District Council
The villages of Fairlight, Guestling, Icklesham and Pett
01424-814178

Dear all,

I hope you are keeping well. Thank you to everyone who has signed our petition regarding the threat to our brilliant local fire service. Over 2000 of you have already signed my petition opposing these changes, and I write to invite you to join one of the public meetings I am holding to update you on the campaign and hear how you can help us stop any downgrade of our local fire service. We will be holding these meetings across Hastings and Rye so do check below for the nearest one to you.

Saturday 25^th February, 2pm Icklesham Memorial Hall

Saturday 25^th February, 2pm Winchelsea New Hall

Sunday 26^th February, 1pm Tilling Green Community Centre

Sunday 26^th February, 4pm West Hill Community Centre

Saturday 11^th March, 1:30pm Fairlight Village Hall

Saturday 11^th March, 4pm Guestling Village Hall

If you have any issues on the day then please call 07514 731893.

At the meeting we will be joined by local firefighters to hear more about how we can help.
Recently, the East Sussex Fire Authority laid out proposals to change the way the local fire service operates, with a proposal to downgrade the Ridge Fire Station in Hastings and to rethink a previous commitment to increase the number of fire engines stationed on duty at any time in Hastings. As you will know, The Ridge Fire Station provides a vital service to both the northern edge of Hastings and surrounding villages including Guestling, Fairlight, Pett, Pett Level and Icklesham as well as Rye and Winchelsea.

Thanks to your overwhelming support and our campaign, the proposals are now undergoing a rethink , but we now have until June to show the strength of public feeling on this as the Fire Authority are currently embarking on a reconsideration of ‘the way we provide emergency response for the East of the Service’ focussing on our patch of East Sussex.

All of us know how important the service our fire fighters provides is, and as we face the increased number of extreme weather events that climate change brings this is only more true. In the past year alone we have seen not just several large fires but also Storm Eunice, flooding, the extreme heat and wildfires in Hastings and Rye.

Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep us safe so it is only right they have the equipment and resources to do their job safely and quickly. I hope to see you at one of the meetings.

If you can’t make it then of course feel free to get in touch with your comments or questions. You may wish to let me know your priorities by answering a few questions here .

Please do continue to encourage friends and family to sign the petition at https://www.helenadollimore.com/saveourfireservice Thanks again for your support.

If you would like a campaign poster to put in your window then just let me know!

Helena Dollimore

FREE HEARING AID BATTERIES & FREE HEARING AID MAINTENANCE

Pett Village Hall between 10am and 11.30am on Wednesday 1st March

Fairlight Village Hall between 10am and 12noon on Friday 3rd March

If you have an NHS Hearing Aid come along to collect your free batteries

And have your aids checked over, cleaned and retubed

This service is provided free of charge by a trained volunteer from the charity 

East Sussex Hearing who support NHS Audiology across the county

Dear Resident,

I have seen the Fairlight Residents’ Association email from Helena Dollimore drawing attention to the Fire Service Review and her campaign to maintain a proper level of Fire and Rescue coverage for our villages.

It would be useful to set out the current position. I have been in communication with Sally-Ann Hart MP’s office over this issue and received the following statement –

“Sally-Ann had a meeting with Chief Officer Dawn Whittaker of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) on the 1 February in which she raised her serious concerns about the possibility of the downgrading of the cover provided by The Ridge fire station in Hastings and the impact that this would have on Hastings and the outlying villages.

Sally-Ann is very pleased to learn of the announcement by the East Sussex Fire Authority last Friday that they have agreed that the way that emergency response is provided for the east of the service is reconsidered in order to enable the continued provision of 2 immediately available fire appliances in Hastings for 24 hours 7 days a week.”

At first sight that is an encouraging response, but it does not make clear that the appliances are to be at The Ridge, rather than Bohemia Road. Accordingly I wrote to Sally-Anne’s office on 17 February seeking clarification as follows – 

“A remaining point of concern is that the wording does not specifically refer to the retention of fully-staffed appliances at the Ridge, but only “in Hastings”. That could mean at Bohemia Road station, which is unacceptably far from the villages of Fairlight, Guestling, Icklesham and Pett which I represent.”

Sally-Ann Hart’s office has taken this up with the Fire Service and I await a response.

I would like residents to be assured that I have been actively dealing with this issue, as I did during the 2012 Review, and that Parish Councils are also actively engaged. 

It is certainly worthwhile expressing our views to the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Response times in the villages are already not the best and we have narrow lanes and wooden houses (one burned down in Clinton Way quite recently – happily it was not occupied). Best wishes,

Andrew

Councillor Andrew Mier 
Rother District Council – Southern Rother Ward
T. 01424-814178
07941-693737

We’re Hiring

Fairlight, Westfield and Guestling Churches are looking for a Parish Administrator and PA to the Priest in Charge.

Could this be just the role you’ve been waiting for?

Please see the Job Description for more information and if you have any questions give Sandi our Priest a ring on 07395 106514.

To apply please email a letter outlining your experience with a separate CV to revsandiwickens@gmail.com.

Closing date for applications: 11th March 2023

Interviews: week beginning 20th March 2023

Rev’d Sandi Wickens

Priest in Charge

Fairlight, Guestling and Westfield
Telephone 07395 106514

Dear resident

Please click here for the agenda for the Parish Council meeting to be held on Tuesday 28th February 2023 at 7.00pm in the Village Hall

These meetings are open to the public so please feel free to attend

Pauline

Dear resident

Please click here for the agenda for the FPC Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday 28th February 2023 at 6pm in the Village Hall

All members of the public are welcome 

Thanks
Pauline

Dear resident

Please find below information for anyone who is proposing to stand for election at one of the local elections.

The Electoral Commission is hosting a pre-election webinar for candidates and their agents taking part in elections in England on 4 May.

The webinar provides an opportunity to gain essential information on the nomination process and the spending and donation rules, including information on:

·        standing for election

·        the nominations process

·        when the spending rules apply

·        how much you can spend

·        notional spending rules

·        who you can accept donations from

·        what you need to report after the election

There will also be a chance to ask questions. If you have a specific question in advance, or topic you would like the Commission to speak about, please do get in touch before the event.

The webinar will take place virtually on Tuesday 7 March 2023 at 12pm –1pm. To confirm attendance please email Stuart Butler on sbutler@electoralcommission.org.uk

Thanks
Pauline

Mrs P Collins

Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer
Fairlight Parish Council
Kerri, 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings. TN35 4AX
Tel: 07487 822729  Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com
Working days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 

Hi

As the Centre Manager of The Bale House Visitor Centre, I wanted to take this opportunity to make you aware of the potential for using the venue as a meeting place. If you’re familiar with the building, you’ll know that it has excellent ecological credentials, but also offers a fascinating and educational backdrop for any gathering.

I’d be delighted to discuss with you any potential event that you might be planning, where we might be able to help at a reasonable cost.

Regards

Sue Learoyd Smith
Centre Manager
The Bale House Visitor Centre, Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve
Groundwork South

Dear TBH Supporters

Major building works are being carried out in The Bale House Visitor Centre. It will be closed for 5 working days on Monday, 27^th February  to Friday, 3^rd March, but we will be open at the weekend.

Apologies in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sue Learoyd Smith

Centre Manager
The Bale House Visitor Centre, Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve
Groundwork South
Mobile: 07736 132 451
Email:   sue.learoydsmith@groundwork.org.uk
Hours:  Wednesday – Saturday

Everyone is most welcome to come to Café Church at St Peter’s on Sunday at 4.30pm. A warm place, a warm welcome and afternoon tea included. A very informal time with singing, quiz and something to think about.

If you haven’t met Sandi Wickens, our new priest, this is a good time to say hello.

Dear resident

The agenda for the Planning and Finance meetings can be found here. The meetings will be held on Tuesday 14th February 2023

All members of the public are welcome to attend.

Thanks

Pauline

Hello Fairlight,

Wow, you certainly rose to the occasion. We have been overwhelmed with jumble donations ready for our big sale on the 18th. Huge thanks do everyone who has donated already and further thanks to those who have pledged their time and efforts to help with the set-up, sale, clear-up and making of cakes!

Tomorrow (Thursday 9th) is the FINAL day for donations as the nursery will be CLOSED for half-term. Please DO NOT leave any donations after tomorrow as this may obstruct and inconvenience other hall users. 

Donations may be able to be accepted early Friday evening prior to the sale but please do message us on Facebook or email fairlightnurseryoffice@gmail.com to let us know to expect you. Again, please DO NOT leave unattended donations after Thursday 9th.

See you there – Saturday 18th February 

Poster attached with more details or

find us on Facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/fairlightnursery

Attention Fairlighters!

Tickets for the Valentines “Love Your Village” Dance are selling fast and will be sold out shortly!

To avoid disappointment, get along to the Post Office to pick up your tickets to this fantastic event now.

Entertainment from The Kytes, hot food, a bar and raffle prizes.

Dance away your winter blues!

All profits from this event will go to the new Village Sign project.