Diplocks Way: I’ve continued to engage with Highways regarding the scheduling of resurfacing works on Diplocks Way. The commitment to do this work in the current financial year remains, but timing looks more likely to be in Q1 2024. Officers have undertaken in the interim to respond to any potholes that meet intervention criteria. I will continue to badger them for a firm date.
At the recent MASHH committee meeting officers finally responded to my long-standing concerns, agreeing to revisit the design of the South Road/Ersham Road/Diplocks Way roundabout with the contractor to ensure that it will be able to accommodate the new DfT permissions on trailer length. Operators will now be able to use longer semi-trailer (LST) combinations up to 18.55 metres – 2.05 metres longer than standard size. We need to be certain that the new roundabout is able to accommodate these longer loads.
Remembrance: I was honoured to represent the Chairman of the County Council in laying the County wreath in Hailsham on Remembrance Day. It was as ever a moving, well attended, and well organised event.
Free maths courses are being offered in East Sussex to help adults build their numeracy skills and to mark Number Confidence week, which runs from the 6th to the 10th of November. The courses are being offered as part of a new national programme, The Multiply Project, to help improve people’s confidence with numbers.
18 different maths and numeracy courses are being run at locations across the county including Plumpton, Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes, Rye, and Newhaven. Courses are free and available to residents aged 19 or over, with beginner sessions to boost confidence and help participants build on the foundations of their maths knowledge, as well as more advanced offers up to a Level 2 Functional Skills Qualification. Read more about this story here.
Gold Award for East Sussex: A commitment to support current and former military personnel and their families has earned East Sussex County Council national recognition. The authority has been given a Gold Award under the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Support Scheme, the highest honour which recognises the positive role employers play in supporting the armed forces community. To achieve the accolade, the council had to provide 10 additional paid days leave for reservists, and have supportive HR policies in place for reservists, veterans, Cadet Force adult volunteers and the spouses and partners of those serving in the Armed Forces.
Strong Corporate Peer Challenge Review for East Sussex: The County Council has received a strong vote of confidence following a recent independent peer review. The council participated in a Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) with the aim of further improving the authority’s work. The review is offered to all local authorities by the Local Government Association and included a three-day site visit in June 2023. The independent CPC report found the county council to be well-run and well-managed, open and approachable as well as a trusted and respected partner. It also noted that it was clear from the interviews conducted that ‘the organisation does what it says it will do and does it well’, with the review team finding a strong record of delivery across all key service areas.
New Highways Control Hub: New technology is now in place in the form of a control hub to enable East Sussex County Council’s highways contractor to monitor activity, track work and find ways to improve the service. The introduction of the hub follows the council’s decision to invest an additional £15.7 million to address increasing road damage caused by extreme weather. The money is paying for more patching and surface dressing work to bring roads in poor condition up to a good standard and protect them for longer. Reports of road defects can be made online, where information about how East Sussex highways are managed and upcoming roadworks can also be found. Read more about this story here.
Recovery Month: As part of Recovery Month events East Sussex County Council has been running a consultation exercise on its drug and alcohol services. Residents are encouraged to complete the online survey to help the council identify what is working well and what could be improved with its current drug and alcohol service that runs across East Sussex. The survey is coming to a close on the 30 November. The feedback will influence how we design a service model that helps people recover from substance misuse problems and which will be available to anyone who needs this support. You can read more about the survey and Recovery Month here.
Happy as ever to answer any questions.
Gerard Fox
County Councillor
Hailsham New Town
Conservatives
