This week in News in Brief: two examples of how people in Rye are stepping up because of cutbacks at Rother District Council (RDC), a look ahead to Rye Town Council’s meeting on Monday, and a selection of events from our what’s on diary.
Sports pitches
Cost-saving at RDC will also affect Rye Cricket Club and Rye Bowls Club with the ending of the council’s grounds maintenance contract in November. RDC’s cabinet agreed to the changes at a meeting on Monday June 10 and savings of £121,413.61 across the district. Councillors heard that face-to-face meetings had been held with both clubs, but also noted that “taking on the maintenance would place a significant burden on the sports clubs across Rother”. RDC has proposed alterations to leases on grounds and buildings to help with the change.
Martin Blincow from Rye Cricket Club says they’ve been expecting the changes for a number of years and have been making plans. “The next step is a process, over the coming year, to enter into a legal agreement between Rye Cricket Club and RDC regarding the maintenance of the Rye Cricket Salts. This is nothing new, as the club had such a relationship with Rye Town Council from 1870 to 1946. The club is exploring a number of ways in which the Cricket Salts can be maintained not only for the playing of cricket, but also to enhance the area as a community asset. To this end the club is looking at a legal vehicle such as a Community Interest Organisation to take on the responsibility for the Rye Cricket Salts. The Club will be working with RDC in the next few months to put in place an interim agreement for when the new relationship with Rother commences on December 1st 2024.”
For Rye Bowls Club the future is more uncertain. Having initially decided RDC’s proposals were not financially viable, councillors were told the club is re-assessing their feasibility. The cabinet meeting was also told: “It was not too late to reach an agreement … however time was short as licences / leases must be agreed before November 30 and if not required, to enable other possible uses to be considered moving forward.”
Public toilets
The toilets on the Strand should re-open next week. Rye Town Council is just waiting for the water test results to be finally certified and to finish some last minute issues. The public toilets on the Strand, along with the ones in the Gun Garden, were closed by RDC at the end of 2023 as part of wider cost-cutting. Rye Town Council voted in May to use up to £10,000 from reserves to reopen the Strand conveniences and since then staff, and volunteers Oliver Lucas and Andi Rivett, have been repairing them.
There are currently no plans to re-open toilets in the Gun Garden. Rye Chamber of Commerce is discussing future funding plans for all of Rye’s public toilets, and the town council is continuing discussions with RDC.
Council to meet
There’s a meeting of Rye Town Council on Monday June 24 at 6.30pm at the town hall. On the agenda: how to use unspent mayoral allowance, the toilets (and whether to re-open Gun Garden conveniences), wearing councillors’ robes on few occasions, the youth club, and a grant to Rye Bowls Club. Councillors are also being asked to sign off last year’s accounts.
You can read the full agenda here
From the events diary
On Saturday June 22 it’s the Peasmarsh Place Summer Fete. All the details here.
There’s a chance to have a go at sailing for free on Sunday June 23. Rye Harbour Sailing Club are holding an open day. Find out more here.
Next week sees the Peasmarsh Chamber Music Festival. It starts on Thursday June 27 and runs until Sunday 30. Click here.
Get in touch
If you see anything happening in and around Rye our email is info@ryenews.org.uk.
Catch up with breaking Rye News on Instagram and Threads @newsrye. On Facebook follow Rye News, and we are now on Twitter or X search for @NewsRye.
Image Credits: Martin Blincow , Nick Forman , James Stewart , Ian Taylor CC .
Well done Rye Cricket Club for stepping up to the mark, both financially and attitudinally, by ensuring that the Rye cricket salts continue to be an asset of which Rye can be proud. For both cricket (which first started in Rye in 1754) and for community use through the Community Interest Organisation (CIO). Instead of just being regarded as a liability, as it is by Rother.