Bale House, Firehills – Amended Planning Application

Dear Resident,

I’ve been asked to remind everyone that the planning application to extend the opening hours of the Bale House, Hastings Country Park, is still live. Late comments from the public are likely to be considered if made promptly.

HS/FA/22/00601 | Variation of condition 3 (operational hours) of Planning Permission HS/FA/19/00303 (Erection of a new visitor centre – originally granted under HS/FA/14/01033). Amendment is to increase operational hours to 8am-9pm (for community use) Monday – Sunday. | Proposed Visitor Centre Hastings Country Park,(The Bale House), Lower Coastguard Lane, Fairlight, Hastings, TN35 4AB

To read the documents and to comment go to –

https://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=dates&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_119815

Best wishes,

Andrew

Cllr Andrew Mier
Southern Rother Ward
cllr.andrew.mier@rother.gov.uk

Postal Strike

Good afternoon Fairlight.

Due to the Royal Mail strike over the last 2 days and for safety, we are unable to accept in any further large parcels until after our 2pm collection tomorrow afternoon.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

Graeme Gambrell

Free Hearing Aid Batteries and Maintenance

IT’S HEARING AID TIME AGAIN

There is a Hearing Aid Maintenance session in Fairlight Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon this Friday (2nd December).

This will be Fairlight’s last session before Christmas so if you require batteries and / or retubing before the festive period don’t forget to come along. 

If you can’t make it there is also a session next week at Pett Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon on Wednesday (7th December).

Batteries, maintenance and advice are free of charge and provided by a trained volunteer from the charity East Sussex Hearing who assist NHS Audiology across the county. Please bring your NHS brown book.

Archive Resource Centre

The Archive Resource Centre invites members and non-members to see our new Website.  There will be a VERY short AGM (our first public one), wine and finger food and a quiz about our local area.  This is free to ARC members, but a small charge of £3.00 to non-members (or become a member for £5 – to take you until April 2023).  A glass of wine for everyone on arrival.

Fairlight Village Hall (back room) from 5pm until 7pm, this Friday, 2nd December.  

This is YOUR ARC, and we value your comments, so please join us.

Royal Mail Post Strikes

Due to Royal Mail post strikes planned for November and December 2022, Fairlight Post Office and Stores recommends that all Christmas mail is posted as early as possible this Christmas.
Planned Royal Mail strike dates:

24th & 25th November 2022
30th November & 1st December 2022
9th & 10th December 2022
14th & 15th December 2022
23rd & 24th December 2022


Fairlight Post Office and Stores will remain open for business during the strike days however, due to limited storage space, we will be unable to accept in any parcels after 22nd December 2022.

The posting date after 22nd December, will be 28th December 2022.
Thank you for your understanding.

Graeme Gambrell

Speed Awareness

Dear resident,

I have received a number of complaints recently about the speed of motor vehicles travelling through the village and along Battery Hill and Pett Level Road .

Can I remind you that the speed limit in the village is 30 mph and 40 mph along Battery Hill and Pett Level Road. 

At this time of year the village roads are dark and there are few pavements.  So please let’s all respect the speed limit when driving and remember that there are children and elderly residents who live in the village.

SPEED CAN KILL

Thank you for your cooperation

Kind regards

Mick Hall

Speed Awareness Group

Warm up Fairlight

Thank you to everyone that has come to join us at Warm UP Fairlight  (WUF)

Can I remind you that everyone is welcome to drop in . We offer tea, coffee, cake and chat, from  10 – 4  Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays, with soup and rolls at lunch time.

We have a TV licence for the village hall so can show live TV or catch up programmes. 

On Wednesday we are in St Peters next to the village hall. On Wednesday mornings we offer ‘Knit and Natter’ with wool and patterns available and also materials for card making. On Wednesday afternoons we will be offering films, and ask for suggestions.

On Friday afternoons the drop in cafe is in operation in the village hall.

All ages welcome.  Anyone can become a ‘WUFFer’ !!

Any questions, please contact Issy Horsley cllrihorsley@fairlightparishcouncil.org.uk  07803 939771

Fish and chip van

To all customers, after much deliberating over the past two weeks about the fish and chip van. I have come to the decision that due to the extent of repairs and cost, that it will now be taken off the road.

I had bought another van to convert some months back, but due to work commitments have not managed to get too much done on it. The decision is now to get on with this and instead of constantly paying for costly repairs the funds can now go to the new van.

How long it will take is not known as off yet, hopefully before Christmas would be nice.
I am possibly thinking of doing phone orders for collection from the unit, as the old van is still with me and fortunately the fryer works. I am still working on the idea of this and will post on here later this week.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the breaks in service this year, as it seems to be one of those years where if it can go wrong or breakdown it has.

Thank you all for your support and hopefully normal service will be resumed asap.

Dean

Remembrance Sunday

All are welcome to join us at our Remembrance Sunday service at St Andrew’s Church on 13 November.

Our usual service time is now 11am, but for this week only the service will begin at 10.45am so that we are ready for the act of remembrance at 11am.

The names on the church war memorial plaques will be read out. Hopefully by next year we will have our new village War Memorial.

Valerie Hornsby
Churchwarden

Pygmalion 

Hi everybody

I am pleased to report that we are ready to go, and look forward to performing Pygmalion to some good houses over the next three days.

If you have not yet purchased a ticket, there are still a few available, but please don’t take a chance on getting a ticket at the door, especially on Friday or Saturday night, because you may be disappointed.

You can buy online at www.fairlightplayers.org.uk or at Fairlight Post Office. Alternatively, phone our ticket hotline on 07377 915741, and Sue will do her very best to squeeze you in.

Please note that this play is a little longer than most, and so the interval will be a little shorter. For this reason, raffle tickets will not be on sale during the interval, so please arrive in good time to buy your raffle tickets and pre-order interval drinks before taking your seats.

We will be starting promptly at 7.30pm.

We look forward to seeing you.

With best wishes

Keith

Keith Miller (Chair)

The Fairlight Players

www.fairlightplayers.org.uk

Can you help?

Dear Parents and Friends

As we approach Christmas … sorry – a bit early! … and the children become exited about the prospect of a visit from Father Christmas, we will help them to consider those who are less fortunate than themselves.

We will do this in an age appropriate way by asking them to help wrap a cardboard box with Christmas paper. We will explain that we would like to try to fill the box with presents for people who don’t have a warm bed to sleep in.

We would like to support the Seaview Project which is a local charity, (Charity No. 1058308), who help the homeless in Hastings and St Leaonards, those in temporary accommodation and in hostels, people with issues ranging from mental ill health, substance misuse and learning difficulties. They provide a warm and welcoming building where people can find help, comfort, friendship and inspiration. They offer laundy, washing facilities and healthy hot meals and reach out to those sleeping rough.

We are asking for donations of warm clothing – hats and gloves in particular would be very much appreciated. These do not have to be new. Additionally we are collecting non perishable food and toiletries. If you are able to donate any item to this we would be very grateful. The box will be delivered to the Seaview Project before Christmas.

Many thanks

Fairlight Nursery

Charity No. 1036984

Firelight Lodge Fireworks & roundabout

1   The Firework Extravaganza at Fairlight Lodge tomorrow Saturday 5th November is ticket entry from the Post Office and the Fairlight Lodge Hotel – Event commences 18.00 hours.  £2,000.00 of donated fireworks will be displayed.

2   I have today decorated the village roundabout for Remembrance with three silent silhouettes, wooden crosses etc. if possible would residents continue the bunting around the circle to complete the display.   

Many thanks

John Pulfer

Pygmalion

Hi everybody

Opening night is now only just over a week away, and everything is looking great. The set is built and we are working on the lights and other technical bits.

I understand that ticket sales are going very well. If you haven’t bought yours yet, you probably ought to do so fairly quickly.

Although preparations generally are going very well, there are a few matters that we could use some extra help with. If you can possibly help with any of these, we would be extremely grateful.

Firstly, there are a few gaps in the helpers rota. As you know, a successful production depends on the help of a well-oiled team behind the scenes, and that includes offering excellent hospitality to our visitors.

The attached rota will give you an idea of the specific gaps that we need to fill. If you can help with any of them, please either respond to this e-mail, or you could contact Ann Hohenkerk direct at hohenkerk@aol.com

Secondly we need somebody to operate the sound for us on Saturday night. This is a very important task, but not a difficult one (just a matter of following the script and pressing a button at the right moment) but attendance at one or two rehearsals beforehand would be essential. Give me a call if you would like to know more.

Finally, in order to complete the splendid set, we need a couple of fireside chairs. The style is not important, and they don’t even need to match, so long as they could pass (at a distance and in subdued lighting) for the right period, which is around 1914. Please let me know if you have something that you think would be suitable.

These last-minute details are not unusual, but I will sleep much more soundly at night once we have them sorted. So don’t be shy, drop me a line and enjoy that warm, fuzzy feeling knowing that you have contributed towards a terrific production.

With best wishes

Keith

Keith Miller (Chair)

The Fairlight Players

www.fairlightplayers.org.uk

01424 812235

Fairlight Parish Council Newsletter

NOVEMBER 2022

This month the Parish Council has been busy with various aspects of work around the village.

WARM UP FAIRLIGHT/DROP IN CAFE

Warm up Fairlight has started and has been well received despite the current spell of warm weather. Anyone is welcome to join us for as long or short a time as they wish. Either just for a chat and tea and /or a light lunch on Monday or Wednesday, or for tea and a chat on Friday. 

CHRISTMAS CRACKER – LUNCH ON 25TH DECEMBER 

Planning for the Fairlight Christmas Cracker which will be held on Christmas Day in the Village Hall is advancing well. Those who would like to join us for Christmas lunch will need to purchase a ticket in advance so we know how many to can cater for. The cost of Christmas lunch will be £5 per person and tickets will be on sale at the Post Office or contact Carol Sharpe on 07967 396594. The rest of the day is free and anyone is welcome to drop in at any time for a drink, cake, mince pie or a chat.

LWLRMA – PROGRESS WITH SOUTHERN WATER

Congratulations go to LWLRMA who have managed to persuade Southern Water to include Fairlight as one of the six Pathfinder locations to look at reducing the amount of sewage overflow in the vicinity.

LWLRMA have been lobbying Southern Water for a long time and it is good to know that their efforts have borne fruit.

KNOWLE WOOD VOLUNTEERS 

Thank you and well done also goes to the Knowle Wood Volunteer Working Party who have been repairing the boundary around the bomb crater and demarcating/ clearing the pathways within the Wood. All the hard work has made the Wood a safer place for those who wish to visit and enjoy it.

The Working Party will continue with necessary works throughout the winter. If anyone wishes to join them, please contact cllrgsmith.fairlightpc@gmail.com.  

WOOD FIELD RECREATION GROUND

The Parish Council continues to endeavour to get walking football set up on Wood Field. Hastings Athletic Football Club who are using Wood Field on Saturdays for their junior matches are now working with us and we hope soon to be able to offer sessions for anyone who would like to join in.

BUDGET 2023/24 

The preparation of next year’s budget is now underway If anyone has a project(s) that they think the Parish Council should be taking into consideration for next year, then please contact Pauline Collins, Parish Council Clerk before the next Parish Council meeting. 

THE THREE P’S 

On a less pleasant note, there has recently been a sewage spill at the bottom of Stream Lane near Leather Waggon. When Southern water came to investigate the problem, they found that the pipe was blocked with material that should not have gone into the waste system. 

The waste system is designed only to deal with the three P’s i.e., Pee, Poo and Paper. 

It is also advised to be careful what is poured down the sink as fat etc. can congeal with food waste and create blockages.  All waste other than the three P’s should be put into the rubbish bin.  

Continuing on the theme of poo, it has unfortunately come to our attention that whilst the level of dog poo on Wood Field has reduced, it has not been eliminated altogether. Also, there has been an incident of poo bags full of dog poo being thrown into the undergrowth alongside a footpath. Can we remind people to dispose of the dog poo bags either in the appropriate bins provided by the Parish Council around the village or in their own domestic bins.

CRIME AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

There have been several incidents recently in the village of suspicious activity and attempted break-ins. The Police are aware and have increased the number of patrols particularly early in the morning and late at night within the village. Graeme Gambrell is our local Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator and can be contacted in the Post Office. If you see any suspicious activity, please report it to the Police. The Police are only able to access the CCTV images if they have received a report.

PLANNING ISSUES

Rother District Council Planning Committee is due to meet on Thursday 10th November 2022 and we understand that the Market Garden planning application for the variation of conditions will be on the agenda for consideration.  The Parish Council will be making a representation to the RDC Planning Committee to speak at this meeting and make members aware of the local issues. 

FAIRLIGHT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS/DECORATIONS COMPETITION 

Following the success of past years, the Parish Council will again be running the Christmas Lights Competition.  Time to get those decorations and lights down from the loft and add a bit of sparkle to this dull and dreary time of year.  This year however, due to the high energy costs the Parish Council will not be expecting lavish lighting displays but please decorate your windows, doors and trees/bushes.  Councillors will be driving round the village during the day and evenings to see what different displays you have achieved.  Perhaps even Father Christmas, a snowman or festive scarecrow might appear.

First prize of £50 and second prize of £25, to go to the winners’ charities of choice.  (Please note that the same house won’t be able to win the prize for more than 2 years in a row).  Everyone is automatically eligible so no need to enter.  

Issy Horsley – Chair of Fairlight Parish Council   

Email: cllrihorsley.fairlightpc@gmail.com

Clerk to the Council: Pauline Collins 35 Waites Lane, Fairlight, Hastings
East Sussex, TN35 4AX
☎ 07487 822729   Email: fairlightparishcouncil@gmail.com

Free NHS Hearing Aid Maintenance & Replacement Batteries

FREE NHS HEARING AID MAINTENANCE & REPLACEMENT BATTERIES

It’s the first week of the month, so local NHS hearing aid maintenance sessions are being held this week at:

Pett Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon on Wednesday 2nd November

Fairlight Village Hall between 10am and 12 noon on Friday 4th November

Sessions are also held once a month in Hastings, St Leonards, Rye and Bexhill. 

For further details contact local charity East Sussex Hearing on 01323 722505

Reminder about Sewers

Dear Resident,

I’ve been reminded that items such as cotton buds, wet wipes, nappies and of course fat should not be flushed down the sewers.
This applies everywhere, but especially in Fairlight where sewers are already overloaded at times of high rainfall and any blockage causes a real problem.
Your neighbours downstream will thank you for keeping the drains clean.
https://www.southernwater.co.uk/help-advice/keep-it-clear/the-unflushables

Best wishes,

Andrew
Councillor Andrew Mier 
Rother District Council – Southern Rother Ward