We are fortunate to be blessed with 94 individual beaches in Eastbourne - and we’re seeing the very best of them during Airbourne! However, our seafront is being put at risk by raw sewage dumps in the sea and disgusting smells emanating from Southern Water’s water treatment works (aka ‘poo castle’).

After months of pressure from residents and by raising Southern Water in Parliament, we forced the water company to come to a public meeting in Eastbourne to answer for their appalling conduct.

I said to Southern Water point-blank that they are failing our town. Full stop.

Residents spoke about the impact on their health, their property values and livelihoods. Our town has suffered for far too long.

placeholder image — Speaking a the public meeting

At the same time, the water companies are generating huge profits, big bonuses and eye-watering dividends while putting our water bills up. The scandal of being rewarded for failure is so brazen.

Following significant pushing by all of us locally, Southern Water have finally agreed to expedite work to refurbish the failed odour ‘scrubbing’ system (to a point where things will start to improve) by the end of this year.

Southern Water also switched off the perfumed mist after residents at the meeting requested that it stopped, in light of the concerns they had.

However, the wholesale refurbishment of the wider system that we deserve isn’t due to finish until Dec 2028, which is too late and I made it clear to Southern Water representatives directly. I will keep pushing for acceleration and they are committed to reviewing this.

I also made the case for local residents who have had to deal with the consequences of Southern Water’s failures to receive compensation, just as residents in Hastings have recently.

I will keep fighting for this compensation - and Southern Water have agreed to discuss this with me further.

Exam results:

In other news, congratulations to all those local students who have got your exam results back! I remember doing my GCSEs at Cavendish School and my A-levels at Sussex Downs College like it was yesterday!

I want all students to know that, regardless of the grades you got, nothing can take away from the hard work that you’ve poured into your education.

A huge thanks, too, to teaching staff, parents, guardians, carers and more for doing your bit to give our students the education they deserve!