Hellingly & Horsebridge

CHRISTMAS SERVICES: Hellingly: Sunday 23 '“ Family Service 10.45am and 6pm Nine Lessons and Carols by candlelight '“ remember to bring a torch. Christmas Eve '“ 5pm Crib Service, 11.30pm Midnight Communion. Christmas Day '“ 10.45am Holy Communion.

Upper Dicker: Christmas Eve – 4pm Crib Service. Christmas Day – 9.15am Holy Communion.

FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST: It is on Saturday 2 February at Hellingly village hall between 8.30am and 1.45pm. Suggested donation is £10 and U14s £5. To book please contact Gill and Bryan Hesselgrave on 01323 844613 or email [email protected]. The event is in aid of RABI the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, which supports farming families. You can find out more at www.rabi.org.uk.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Three years have passed since work began on preparing a Neighbourhood Development Plan for Hellingly Parish. It has been a long haul but there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

The latest cause of delay was a decision by the European Court of Justice in April 2018 which meant that (as with Hailsham, Herstmonceux and others preparing NDP’s) it became necessary to produce a full Sustainability Appraisal setting out the range of options that were considered and explaining why the Plans proposals best met environmental, economic and social sustainability objectives. The Sustainability Appraisal has now been drafted and sent to the relevant statutory bodies for comment. IT will now be completed after Christmas and the Plan and all its supporting documentation will be formally submitted to Wealden District Council in mid-January 2019. It will then be put ‘on deposit’ for six weeks to enable people to make representation of support or objection if they so wish. Wealden District Council will send the Plan and supporting documents, together with any representation it receives, to the Planning Inspectorate who will appoint an Inspector to examine it for soundness, effectiveness and justification. A public local enquiry may be held but it is hoped that this will not be considered necessary. Finally, a local referendum of all registered electors in Hellingly Parish will be organised by the District Council. If there is a majority of votes in favour of the Plan, it will become part of the statutory planning framework for the area, against which future planning applications will be considered. By then we should with luck be basking in warm sunshine – John Blake, Project Leader.

PARISH COUNCIL: At its November meeting in response to a member of the public – they were advised that there could be swings but may need to move the play area to a more suitable open space as the current area is too shaded and wet and the ground not level. This will be reviewed once Community Hall is built. The replacement Whitebeam tree for Phyllis Peake had been ordered and would be placed in Peake Gardens. The Scouts have agreed to maintain the tree and would be planting other trees as part of a Scouts project. Councillors have agreed on email to contribute towards the cost of the planting. The Scouts would arrange an event once the trees are planted, to include the press. Deputy Clerk would write to Phyllis Peake’s family notifying them of the replacement tree and the event once details are known. Hackhurst Lane –the signs had been adjusted to represent Commercial (new) and Residential (old) entrances. Also, the developer had written to all residents, advising them of the work to be carried out. Request the developer pay for resurfacing of the old (now Residential) entrance roadway.