Ninfield and Hooe

Donny-the-President packed his trunk and trundled down to the White House, Off he went with the rest of the Trumps, trump, trump, trump. Then, Donny-the-President made a speech and told the Media-Circus, He was now America First, don’t stump Trump. The head of the Cons was calling, far, far away. In kitten heels and her power suit, her name’s Theresa May. So, Donny-the-President rang her up, inviting her to the White House. And Mrs May, arrives today, with a bump and the ‘ump to see Trump flumpety slump.

PLANNING MEETING: Tonight, Friday, in Ninfield Memorial Hall at 7pm there is a planning meeting to discuss the application, now submitted to Wealden District Council by ECE and RiverOak Homes, for the building of up to 80 houses on land behind Manchester Road. All planning meetings held by Ninfield Parish Council are public, open meetings for everyone to attend, and all residents are encouraged to come to hear the latest updates on this proposed large development: wherever you live in Ninfield, major house development will affect you, and will have a definite impact on travel, drainage, and school placings. At the meeting, there will also be information on how people can formulate responses based on accepted planning regulations and directives; with contact details on hand for email or hand-written submissions. Ninfield Parish Council are compiling results from surveys, and reading through numerous long reports on drainage, highways, archaeology, environment, all of which takes time and effort in their long working days. So, if there is anyone who would be able to help with the research it would be most gratefully received! Ninfield Action Group are also helping with the many pages of data, and have put together a flyer, for delivery to everyone in the parish, which outlines reasons for refusal of this application. Every household should have received it by now and local councillors’ contact details are also on it. There are always time limits on these applications, and the deadline was originally February 1. After an urgent request to WDC planning department, with the scale of this development needing such intense scrutiny, WDC have agreed to extend the time limit on the parish council’s response to February 17, the same as that for residents. NPC are firmly against overdevelopment and are encouraging as many people as possible to join in the opposition to any large scale expansion and urbanisation of Ninfield.

WORKING MEN’S CLUB: Tomorrow, Saturday, there will be a sports competitive evening inside the club, to which both members and non-members are invited. If you have a skill at shove, darts, snooker, pool and various other interesting indoor games, do go along to the Tin Hut from 7pm. Everyone will be made very welcome. There’s a raffle, meat raffles, prize draws and fun to take part in and a cheap libation to be had.

NINFIELD PARISH COUNCIL: The next regular monthly meeting for the parish council will be on Thursday February 2 at 7.15pm in the Methodist Hall, Church Lane. As well as further updates following the planning meeting on January 27, there will be a presentation from East Sussex County Council representatives to show residents the plans for the proposed building of two new classrooms at the primary school in Church Lane, these will replace the temporary building that has been within the playground for years. As previously advertised, these plans were on display for all to view on Wednesday January 18, and many people did go to the school to see the detailed drawings and videos. Some youngsters used the 3D glasses and did the complete virtual reality experience. Along with the new building, there is a proposal to extend the hard and soft play areas, which takes the form of a fenced and gated multi-use court tennis, netball and five-a-side football which would be dual usage, school only during their hours, and village use for the rest. The zip-wire and half-pipes would be re-positioned to accommodate the complete play area, so nothing would be lost. This item on the parish council agenda will be just one of many interesting pieces up for discussion, and progress on it must be made. It may be the start of the year, but the council has been meeting since their last gathering in December on a regular basis for other important and necessary ongoing items. Please do try and get along to this parish council meeting on February 2, there are always so many things get involved with which affect everyone on a daily basis. Call the Clerk, Jackie Scarff on 07725843505 or email [email protected].

CARNIVAL ASSOCIATION: The next meeting for the Carnival Committee is on Wednesday February 8, 8.30pm at the Working Men’s Club. At the meeting in January, the first essential items were discussed and agreed, the marquees and also the first details for what has always been known as the Pram Race in May. There are going to be some major changes this year, as a lot of people have been saying that the growth in popularity of the Jack-o-the-Green fun in Hastings on the first Bank Holiday Monday in May has taken support away from the village event. So, the date for ours has changed, the venue will change and the format will be slightly different, with a name-change as well. Taking the theme for this year’s Carnival into the equation, Fads and Fashions through the Ages, the committee decided that the home-made karts and fancy dress should follow the same sort of line, so Fads of Transport; Past, Present and Future, and the title of the event, The Wacky Races. At the meeting on February 8, final decisions will be made on the venue after discussions with local groups and societies, and residents in the proposed new area. If you’d like to be involved with the Wacky Races, and/or the Carnival itself which is Saturday July 15, please come and have some fun on Wednesday, you’ll be made very welcome, the fire will be glowing and the company convivial.

CHURCH SERVICES: Methodist Church, Sunday, 10.30am Service of Worship and Praise with David Hanson. St Mary’s Ninfield, 9.30am Combined Parish Eucharist. No service in Hooe.

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