Mountfield

In the end, I think we got off quite lightly with the storm last weekend. The winds were certainly ferocious but they didn’t carry that much rain and, as the ground wasn’t too wet, not much came down round us, more brancjes than trees. We hope you fared equally well. Anyway, it’s good to have the lights back on and life back to normal.

We reported last week that Mountfield Parish Council’s formal objection to the proposed closure of Mountfield and Whatlington School has been posted on the parish website. We should probably also have said that additional copies of the objection were sent to The Right Reverend Dr. Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester, to The Venerable Phillip Jones, Archdeacon for East Sussex, and to our County and District Councillors. One of our District Councillors, David Vereker, has written his own blistering objection to the proposals. His letter is masterly and well worth reading. It too is now on the parish website alongside MPC’s objection at mountfield.org.uk. Do take a look. (If you don’t have internet access, please let us know and we can arrange hard copies for you.)

After eight years as our local PCSO, Chris Dewitt has now retired from Sussex Police. Chris was a familiar sight round the lanes and did a particularly good job in (almost) stamping out the illegal trail biking in Darwell Wood, round the Ressie and elsewhere. We are still waiting to hear who will replace him.

Ruby rang to remind us that the Lunch Club will be meeting next Monday, November 4, usual time, usual place. If you can make it, please give Ruby a call by 6.00 pm Sunday.

Mountfield Club’s snooker team travelled to Hawkhurst in a cup match last week.

Alex Gray got Mountfield off to a flying start by winning the first frame against Hawkhurst who are a division higher than Mountfield. Hawkhust soon levelled the match by winning the next frame but Kevin Gray and Steve Smith won the next two frames, both on the black ball, to give Mountfield a worthy 3-1 win and to book their place in the next round.

Following recent heavy rains, the Parish Council has been onto Highways again about the state of our lanes, particularly Kent Lane (Mountfield Lane). As a result, our local highways steward, Mike Sherwood, came and checked it for himself and agreed how bad they are. By the time you read this, he should have organised for the lane to be re-surveyed. This will then be assessed by the “asset team” (remember, they are definitely “assets” but absolutely not potholes). Let’s hope that helps bump us up the list. The repair schedules are prioritised according to whether they are for A, B or C roads; Kent Lane is, officially, an unclassified road so we could do with a bit of a leg up.

We regularly have to do a litter sweep along Kent Lane as we get embarrassed when holiday guests drive all the way from Germany or Holland to stay in Butters Cottage and, as they turn into the final stretch, are welcomed by litter: fag packets, beer cans, McDonald packaging and more. These people must come from miles around to dump their litter here as the nearest McDonalds are in Hastings or Uckfield! We are most astonished by those louts who collect all their packaging, drink cups, straws and random bits of uneaten cholesterol, carefully put them into a plastic bag, meticulously tie a tidy knot in the bag — and then chuck it out of the car window. And that’s just on Kent Lane which isn’t even a rat run; on Eatenden Lane you can dump your coke and McDonalds at the same time as you fly tip the aubergine bathroom suite. That’s class. What can our lovely and very house-proud Dutch and German guests think of us?

Enjoy the bonfire tonight (1st). As ever, you know where we are: 880614 (evenings) or [email protected].