The following is my July 2023 report to Hailsham Town Council:
ADDITIONAL HIGHWAYS INVESTMENT: East Sussex County Council has agreed up to £15.7 million in additional investment in highways (subject to July Full Council approval) this financial year to include maintenance for extra patching and drainage work and to provide early improvements and resilience.
Decisions on future investment will be made during the council’s normal budget setting process, starting in the autumn. East Sussex County Council continues to lobby central Government for better and longer-term funding for road maintenance.
ERSHAM RD & SOUTH ROAD RESURFACING WORK: After much lobbying over a number of years, I’m pleased to see resurfacing take place this month in key sections of the Ersham Rd & South Rd., including the bridge up to North St.. Officers have also indicated to me that resurfacing on Diplocks Way is planned at some point this financial year.
RECENT LOCAL ARSON & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN THE TOWN: I have been in contact with Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne in relation to the recent upsurge in local car arson attacks and anti-social behaviour. I sought assurances from her that adequate local policing resources are being applied to resolving these issues. She expressed concern and sympathy for our affected residents and reassured me that additional resourcing is being applied. She reaffirmed that efforts to resource and support the local Neighbourhood Policing Team are a clear priority for her and a focus for the Chief Constable.
My key takeaways from our discussion were as follows:
Significant work is being conducted by the Wealden Neighbourhood Police team to tackle current issues surrounding anti-social behaviour (ASB). These include:
- Arson attacks: police have investigated the circumstances around the incidents and are reassured that there is no concerted campaign of arson in the town. They continue to investigate and PCSOs have been out collecting more evidence and reviewing CCTV footage.
- Anti-Social Behaviour: Operation Empire 3 is currently being run to tackle youth ASB in the town centre. Analytical work has been undertaken to identify the main troublemakers as well as the worst hotspots, while engagement has been carried out with parents and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts have been signed. The most prolific offenders have been identified and arrests made with bail conditions and curfews enforced.
- Safer Streets government funding is being used for additional police officers to be present in the town for the weekend later this month when schools break up, to provide reassurance for local residents.
- JAG FUNDING: £12,000 has been allocated by the Joint Action Group (JAG) to extend the remit of Operation Blitz beyond Friday and Saturday evenings, to provide the presence of more police officers in Hailsham at other times during the week to tackle youth disorder.
HAILSHAM & HELLINGLY SET TO BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED BUS SERVICES:
Hailsham Residents are set to benefit from Improved bus services commencing from Sunday 23rd July. This includes new routes being introduced, timetables extended, and improvements to some Sunday services.
This comes on the back of Conservative-run East Sussex’s highly successful Bus Service Improvement Programme bid to the DfT last year, and follows the introduction in May of our new (DDR) Digital Demand Response flexi bus service which is designed to serve rural areas, assisting better access to health, education and shopping facilities, as well as to connect to the wider bus and rail networks. These County Council public transport initiatives come in addition to the lower bus fares which were introduced as part of our strategy, and on top of the government’s fare cap of £2 for a single journey.
More information about FlexiBus, including details of operational zones, can be found here.
Wealden Bus Service Schedule Improvements full details ca be found here:
Wealden District Bus Service Improvements | East Sussex County Council
Hailsham & Hellingly bus service improvements include:
- New service 28 to/from Brighton and Lewes via Laughton, every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime, connecting Hellingly Green (Bulrush Lane) and Hailsham town centre with Brighton and Lewes. Hourly evenings and Sundays. Also extends to/from Eastbourne on Monday to Saturday daytime.
- New route 48 running on Tuesdays and Thursdays linking Eastbourne, Polegate and Hailsham to Knockhatch Adventure Park and Michelham Priory.
- Route 51/251/252 (Eastbourne-Polegate-Hailsham-Heathfield-Mayfield-Rotherfield-Tunbridge Wells). New hourly Monday to Saturday evening service to/from Eastbourne/Tunbridge Wells, which is also increased to hourly on Sundays. Service to be numbered route 51 throughout.
- Route 54 (Eastbourne-Polegate-Hailsham-East Hoathly-Halland-Uckfield) new 2 hourly evening and Sunday service.
- Route 98 (Eastbourne-Polegate-Hailsham-Herstmonceux-Magham Down-Herstmonceux-Windmill Hill-Ninfield-Bexhill-Hastings) new Monday to Saturday evening journeys. Plus new 2 hourly Sunday service 98 between Eastbourne and Bexhill.
ARMED FORCES DAY: East Sussex has an estimated 21,000 armed forces veterans aged 16 years and over, and the county has the fourth highest proportion of veterans (4.6 per cent) in the South East. Within that, Hailsham has one of the strongest military traditions in the County.
On 19 June, the Armed Forced flag was raised at County Hall in Lewes to mark Armed Forces Day. The flag flies in recognition of the whole armed forces community, from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. Armed Forces Day is an annual event which intends to raise awareness of the contribution made by the UK’s servicemen and women, past and present. The council is also a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, a promise that those who have served in the armed forces are treated fairly and suffer no disadvantage.
FAMILY HUBS: Following the receipt of funding from the Government’s Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, families across the county will be able to access a range of support services through 11 Family Hubs which will open their doors this summer. Local hubs serving Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford are to be found at:
- Archery Youth Hub
- Devonshire Family Hub
- Hailsham East Family Hub
- Shinewater Family Hub
Professionals, includes midwives, health visitors, Early Communications Support Workers and Early Years Practitioners, will offer support from the Hubs. Sessions will also give families the chance to socialise and support their children’s needs and development. The Hubs will run across 11 sites, with more support offered online.
East Sussex is one of 15 authorities to be awarded trailblazer status, specifically focussing on parent/infant relationships and perinatal mental health.
More information about this story can be found here.
The Apprenticeship Roadshow is back for 2023. Two events will provide an opportunity for young people, parents and carers as well as job seekers and career changers across East Sussex to meet employers with live apprenticeship vacancies in their area. Attendees can also speak to advisers about which pathway is right for them, and learn from current apprentices about their experiences.
Each event will provide up to date information on apprenticeships, ranging from pre-employment through to higher and degree level apprenticeships. One event will be held in Hastings on 21 June, and the other in Eastbourne on 12 July.
More information about the Apprenticeship Roadshow and registration instructions can be found here.
NEW APP TO SUPPORT VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES: The contribution of volunteers across the county is being celebrated with the development of an app to make it easier for people to find opportunities. East Sussex County Council is working with The Tribe Project on an initiative to boost community involvement across the county and support voluntary for the right roles.
CARER SUPPORT East Sussex County Council has a carers strategy which sets out a commitment to support staff who have caring responsibilities.
Between 5 and 11 June, East Sussex celebrated Carers Week. The week is an annual campaign which aims to raise awareness of caring, whilst encouraging people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support.
More information about support and resources for carers can be found here.
LGBTQ+ Funding has been awarded to the council’s Joint Mental Health Commissioning Team from the Sussex Health and Care Partnership to fund three advice services. The services will offer support and information to those identifying as LGBTQ+, or who are exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Details here: LGBTQ+ support | East Sussex County Council
