HORAM AND VINES CROSS VILLAGE NEWS:
Please note. This column will now include Chiddingly in its copy. Any organisation wishing to promote their event please contact: melbutch160@gmail.com
NEW CAR CHARGERS:
Horam village now has three car chargers open to the public. Probably the closest charging location to Heathfield. They are connected to the Tap electric payment system at +-50p per kwh. Charge rate is 7.4kw. I hope this infrastructure is useful to people that live here. No government funds were used to install it. But the guys at the May Garland car wash will be happy to wash your car while charging.
TOADS ON THE ROADS:
Toads on the Road - whenever you see that sign you know that spring is on its way, although it hasn't actually made its presence felt so far this February. In one night over 100 Toads were helped across a small section of road in Vines Cross. When we lived in Alfriston and headed down through Litlington to walk our dogs, you knew something was afoot when the Toads on the Road signs appeared. They were set in the verges north and south of the Friston Forest car park and everyone, but everyone took note and slowed right down. I'm sure we all rained doom on some of the little vertebrates, but hopefully enough of them survived to create more toads, and frogs that year. Now Toad Patrols are starting everywhere and you'll find them right across East Sussex from Burwash to Ditchling. Log onto the Froglife website and you can download a map with tiny representations of frogs and toads dotted onto sites throughout the county. There seems to be a healthy number of toad and frog patrols in and around Uckfield. The Litlington Toad Patrol has moved on more than a hop and a skip from our days there. Now they are advertising for volunteers to cover short evening shifts over the next few weeks to carry toads across the road to safety (and count the squashed ones for Froglife'. They say: "You'd be with a small team and a pub is the meeting place. A short training session is required," Message Helen Frederick on Facebook if you are interested. Froglife says at this time of year toads are migrating back to the wetland areas near rivers and streams. "To do this many of them have to cross roads - this usually happens at night making them very hard to see. Please drive slowly and try to avoid squashing them as they look like little dark triangles easily mistaken for leaves or debris. There are toad patrols out on the busiest nights trying to help as many to safety as we can so please be aware of people on the road ((in hi viz clothing with a bucket.) If you'd like to volunteer in your area contact: penny@aeberhard.co.uk or go to www.Froglife." Over in Plumpton, patrols have already been out and about. On the Plumpton Community Group Facebook page, Sandie Jackson noted: '149 toads and 38 newts were carried safety across Plumpton Lane. Sadly there were also casualties - we counted 12 dead. Thank you for slowing down.' Volunteers we've spoken to say they love the work and feel it makes up a little for the large scale destruction of so much habitat vital for wildlife. They say: "We can't do much, but even this small amount does make you feel better."
CHIDDINGLY PARISH BONFIRE SOCIETY:
Well, that’s 2024 signed off in style for Chiddingly Parish Bonfire Society. A huge thank you to all the members who attended last night’s spectacular fourth Annual Awards Dinner & Dance. A big thank you to the Six Bells team for providing an absolutely delicious dinner, to Harrison for providing the Disco, and to Roz for providing much of the photography. Thank you to Seaford Bonfire Society for their attendance. Many congratulations to our winners at last night’s Annual Awards Dinner, all very well deserved…Member of the year 2024: James Webb. Members’ member of the year 2024: Brady Ells. Best Dressed member of the Year 2024: Saul Bysouth. Chairs Special Recognition Plate 2024: Rob Puttick. Chiddingly Humbug of the year 2024: Rowan Hylands. The Outstanding Bravery award 2024: Elijah. The Saturday Night Headliner 2024: Ash & Iris Hylands. The Mary Berry Award 2024: James Webb. The Lazarus Award 2024: Hetti Kidd.
How the bloody hell did you lose that Award 2024: Rob Merrills. Don’t try this at Home Award 20124: Paul Kidd. Captain of cannot pronounce it Award 2014: Simon Parks. Here’s to 2025…Success to the Parish!
WEALDEN COUNCIL TAX
A Council Tax increase of £6.42 a year (for a band D property) has been approved by Wealden District . The 2.99% increase in Council Tax was recommended to Full Council by Wealden’s Cabinet Committee which met earlier in the month. The decision to increase the Council Tax was ratified at today’s Full Council meeting. This increase means that for households in Band D properties their council tax bill will increase by an additional 12p per week for the 2025/26 Wealden proportion of the Council Tax share, with other bands adjusted according to the Council Tax formula. Of the total Council Tax bill, Wealden District Council receives only 8.5% of the collected Council Tax, which funds essential services such as waste and recycling collections, planning, street cleaning, environmental protection and free car parking. The remaining portion of the Council Tax bill supports a variety of public services provided by East Sussex County Council, Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire and Rescue, and local town and parish councils. Councillor Greg Collins, Alliance for Wealden (Green Party) and lead councillor for Finance, HR and Customer Services, said, “We agreed today to raise Wealden’s share of council tax by 2.99%. Despite everything going on around us, in terms of local government reorganisation, now is not the right time for a Council Tax freeze by Wealden. We would need much more certainty than we have today to implement a freeze. The agreed increase for Wealden amounts to just 12 pence per week for someone living in a band D home. Of course, residents’ bills will increase by a much larger amount overall as the other authorities we collect for have raised their Council Tax, some by significantly higher percentages, we cannot control that. “We looked at Wealden’s finances, and factored in things like the council’s increasing costs from increased Employer National Insurance contributions and decided that this adjustment is essential to ensure we can continue to provide, and improve, high-quality services, maintain public safety, invest in our communities, achieve good value for money, and deliver our strategy of making Wealden a greener, fairer, kinder district.”