Rye Town Council meets on Zoom next Monday, October 19, to first admit a new honorary freeman Christine Emson at a special meeting at 6:30 pm followed by the normal council meeting, and the meeting documents and instructions on using Zoom can be found here.
Rugby and the introduction of civil parking enforcement (CPE) in Rye feature on the agenda, but parking may well crop earlier when reports are given by the town’s county councillor and Rother district councillors – and they can be asked questions.
Later in the meeting the council will be asked to note that issues and suggestions concerning CPE are being passed to East Sussex County Council by the town hall.
The council will be asked to note that an objection has been made to Rother District Council’s (RDC) proposed use of the Rye Hire site for housing, before going on to consider the Rugby Club’s proposal to use the land it rents from the town for more fundraising purposes.
More events needed to cover costs
Currently there is an annual shortfall of around £4,500 between the club’s costs and income, and the club wants to expand its fundraising activities by hiring out the clubhouse and the grounds for a wide range of events and activities such as shows and festivals – but needs town hall agreement to do this.
Planning also crops up as an issue as the government is proposing a drastic overhaul of the national planning system, which has met with a mixed reception from many quarters. However RDC does at the same time have to update and revise its own plans and strategies – and it is likely that higher housing targets will be set.
However, as Rye has only recently agreed a very detailed and thorough town plan, which shows there are practical limits and environmental constraints on much more development, the town needs to keep a close watch on any changes proposed – and Anthony Kimber who was a driving force behind the town plan has produced some guidance for the council to consider.
Covid-19 drives information queries
The town hall’s new Information Point, despite Covid-19 restrictions, has been steadily building up business – partly because Covid-19 has meant some important attractions are closed, and the rules around who and what can be open and when keep on changing.
One impact of Covid-19 has been the ability of individual councillors to attend online meetings, particularly when internet connections are not always as good as they might be in the area, so the council will be asked to increase the membership of its planning committee to ensure proposals get considered in time.
Image Credits: J. Minter .