Buxted Parish Council

Buxted Parish Council came into being in 1894 when the present system of Parish Councils was instituted to give rural communities a voice. Buxted Parish covers some 7,000 acres with an electorate of about 2,500 out of a population of 3,200. It encompasses the villages of Buxted, High Hurstwood and Five Ash Down.

The parish is divided into two wards – Buxted/Five Ash Down (10 councillors) and High Hurstwood (5 councillors). Councils are elected for a term of 4 years. Council meetings are held on the second Tuesday in every month (except August), alternating between Buxted Reading Room, High Hurstwood Village Hall and Five Ash Down Village Hall, at 19.30. Meetings agendas are displayed one week in advance on the Parish notice boards in Buxted (on the Ionides Trust site), High Hurstwood (near The Hurstwood pub) and in Five Ash Down (outside the Village Hall) and on the website. The agenda includes a list of any planning applications received from Wealden District Council for consultation. All meetings of the Council and its committees are open to the public, who are welcome to ask questions or raise issues with the Council before the meetings formally begin.

An early requirement was to provide allotments, which we do. Councils can also support arts and crafts; contribute to maintenance of churchyards; protect commons, provide buildings for public meetings, functions and entertainment, maintain public footpaths and bridleways (jointly with ESCC), provide footway lighting (we don’t), provide and maintain public open spaces, and comment on planning applications.

We also take an active interest in highways matters, policy and our environment (e.g. trees and hedgerows). More and more we have to comment on government policies for local government and voice our electors’ concerns.

Parish assets include Buxted Reading Room, two recreation grounds (Buxted and High Hurstwood), two allotment areas in Buxted (recently re-generated) and High Hurstwood, children’s play areas in Buxted and High Hurstwood, and two bus shelters. The budget is set annually over the period October to December. Planned expenditure less income forms the ‘Parish Precept’ which is levied as part of annual Council Tax. Apart from meeting general running expenses of the council – specifically employing our Parish Clerk – the council makes grants to local organisations and contributes to local projects e.g. Buxted Traffic calming.

The Parish Council recognises the burden of Council Tax but is also conscious of local needs for improvements in the Parish that increasingly are not being covered by either County or District as they seek to keep within national government budgets. Before increasing Precept to cover costs of local improvements such as the recent traffic calming, the Parish Council ensures that such improvements are what our electorate want and are prepared to pay for.

Councillors sit on various committees (e.g. Finance, Planning, Communications) and outside bodies (e.g. Ionides Trust, Buxted Community Hall Trust). Each keeps an eye on different parts of the Parish, e.g. for planning purposes and trees.

Our Parish Clerks, Beccy Macklen & Claudine Feltham (01435 515219) clerk@buxted-pc.gov.uk, who act as the Council’s ‘proper officers’ on the Council’s behalf and under its direction.

28 May 2024

Parish Council Meeting

St Mary's Church Hall, Church Road, Buxted Tuesday 0:00 am View Details

28 May 2024

Planning Committee

St Mary's Church Hall, Church Road, Buxted Tuesday View Details

Latest Parish News

Planning Application being considered by the Parish Council via email

30

April 2024

Planning Application being considered by the Parish Council via email

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE FOLLOWING APPLICATIONS ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY BUXTED PARISH COUNCIL VIA EMAIL CONSULTATION.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO SUBMIT ANY COMMENTS ON THESE APPLICATIONS TO THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY (WEALDEN DISTRICT COUNCIL).

COMMENTS CAN BE SUBMITTED VIA EMAIL (PLANNING@WEALDEN.GOV.UK) OR VIA THE WDC WEBSITE.

Application: WD/2024/0480/O

Link to documents on web: https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=164961

Expiry date for comments: Extension requested but declined by WDC

Location: LAND NORTH OF A272, POUND GREEN, BUXTED

Description: residential development comprising up to three detached one/two storey dwellings.

Application: WD/2023/2742/FR

Link to documents on web: https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=163869

Expiry date for comments: 16^th May 2024

Location: LAVEROCK, ST RAPHAELS, BUXTED, UCKFIELD, TN22 4JS

Description: Retrospective proposal to change the flat roof of an existing extension in to a pitched roof to match the main property. Works to also include the installation of an aluminium apex window and set of bifold doors for new kitchen area. Also to construct a bay window to the rear of the property to match the other rear bay windows.

Application: WD/2024/0716/F

Link to documents on web: https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=165247

Expiry date for comments: 15^th May 2024

Location: VILLAGE HALL, CHURCH ROAD, BUXTED, TN22 4LP

Description: conversion of existing redundant parish hall to single unit dwelling change of use (from ‘F2 – local community’ to ‘C3 – dwellinghouses’) associated internal & external alterations

Application: WD/2024/0764/FA

Link to documents on web: https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/plandisp.aspx?recno=165298

Expiry date for comments: 7^th May 2024

Location: TEMPLE GROVE, UNIT 7, UCKFIELD ROAD, HERONS GHYLL, TN22 4BY Description: variation of conditions 12 and 17 of WD/2020/2230/F (demolition of existing medical centre building. residential development for the erection of two detached dwellings, associated garages and parking. provision of new internal vehicular access and landscaping.) to make minor adjustments to the design of the dwellings

30

April 2024

Industrial Action to affect Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services next week

I am writing with details on changes to Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services from next Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May 2024 inclusive, because of industrial action by ASLEF.

The most affected day will be Tuesday 7 May when a strike is expected to take place. This will mean no trains on much of the network. It is however important that customers expect changes and check their journeys carefully on all dates leading up to and during the industrial action period.

Journey planners such as www.nationalrail.co.uk are now showing journeys for Monday 6 through to Wednesday 8 May. Journeys on Thursday 9, Friday 10 and Saturday 11 May will appear in journey planners from this Friday, 3 May.

A day-by-day, route-by-route summary and FAQs for customers is now available on the industrial action pages of our websites:

An overview is available below for reference.

As always, we would welcome your support in sharing this information on your own channels and encouraging all customers to check their journey plans for the period. This includes the days leading up the start of the industrial action given there are some changes because of planned engineering works over the three-day bank holiday weekend.

We’re very sorry for the disruption this will cause.

OVERVIEW

Monday 6 May (Early May Bank Holiday) – Overtime ban

A bank holiday timetable will be in place, with changes for planned engineering works that are happening over the three-day weekend. Customers should check before they travel for any short notice alterations and cancellations.

Tuesday 7 May - Strike

Regrettably, because of strike action there will be no trains on the vast majority of the GTR network. The only services that will be running are:

A limited, non-stop, shuttle service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
A limited shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and St Pancras International only.
A limited, non-stop, shuttle service between London King’s Cross and Cambridge.

It is important to note that these trains will not stop at any other stations.

We are advising any customers who have no alternative but to travel by train that day to leave plenty of time for their journey, as these limited shuttle services are expected to be very busy and there are likely to be queues to board.

Wednesday 8 May 2024 to Friday 10 May 2024 inclusive – Overtime ban

During this time there will be an amended timetable in place with fewer services overall.

These amended timetables have been designed to help passengers plan for their day, providing greater certainty of train times with fewer short-notice on-the-day alterations. Trains will be busier than usual, especially at peak times and customers may have to queue.

Gatwick Express will not be running, but Gatwick Airport will continue to be served by Southern and Thameslink trains.

Saturday 11 May – Overtime ban

On Southern and Gatwick Express our usual Saturday timetable is planned to run. However, engineering works will still be taking place across the network, so customers must check before travelling, as journeys may still be affected.

On Thameslink and Great Northern an amended timetable with fewer services will be running. Engineering works will also be taking place.

Other operators’ services during this entire period

It is also really important that customers check their entire journey when travelling during this period as other train operators across the country are also impacted by the overtime ban and strikes on different days, which could also make our stations and trains even busier.

If a journey involves using another train company, customers must check for any changes to their services and ensure that onward connections are available on the day they are travelling.