Playden

Marion Lovell
Abingworth, New England Lane

The sun was lovely while it lasted. Pity about the N.E. wind though. Now we’re back to what is becoming ‘normal’. Grey.

Only a week to go now before we welcome lots of visitors to the Playden Open Gardens. They will be available to view on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd June from 1 to 5 pm. The best parking is by the church where you can buy your ticket map - £5. At this point there will be plants, produce and preserves, handy to pop straight into your car. There is limited disabled parking at Cherries, and some in Fair Meadow. Don’t even think about New England Lane. Come and enjoy a ramble through this hidden village and marvel at the spectacular views from several places. Teas will be available in Point Hill. Each garden will have some tickets, so you may begin your visit at any garden that suits you.

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The Iden and Playden Garden Society has the Summer Flower and Produce Show in Iden village hall on Saturday 22nd June from 2.30 pm. This should be where you will find the roses and sweet peas on display, so there will be plenty of perfume.

Playden Church will be holding a Coffee Morning with stalls tomorrow morning in the Butter Market in Rye from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm.

Playden Parish Council met last week. Apologies were received from Cllr. James Sanderson, Peter Savory, PCSO Dan Bevan and RDC Cllr. Nick Ramus.All other councillors were present, also ESCC Keith Glazier and RDC Cllr. Paul Osborne and 3 members of the public.

Cllr. Osborne was asked if any update on the postcode muddle had been received. Many house addresses are wrong. The lack of response is unacceptable. Cllr Osborne will try to sort this out.

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Mr. W. Ross thanked the council for their support of his planning application for the Coach House. All is now completed.

The Assistant Director of Transport assures us that the potholes in Houghton Green Lane have been fixed. There were sceptical murmurs! Generally, keep reporting potholes.

The nasty hole at the corner of New England Lane and the A268 is now a hazard: the drain is blocked also, and water overflows down New England Lane every time it rains. Surface water drains are still blocked adjacent to Steps Cottage, despite attempts by the resident to rod through .

The speeding in Houghton Green Lane is still a serious issue, and the school parents might wish to be ‘careful what they wish for’. Many of the offending vehicles are driven by parents. Cllr. Glazier offered to go into a school assembly and to liase with the school. It is a matter of education and enforcing the limits. 20 mph past the school might be a possibility.

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Letters had been received from pupils at the school regarding the speed in Houghton Green Lane. It was suggested that 4 of them should come to the July council meeting and make their presentation. This will involve their parents and be a good community exercise.

The letter received from Mrs. Ryan regarding speeding on the A268 was passed to Cllr. Glazier for attention.

Cllr. Glazier said that he was now the leader of ESCC. It is a minority council, but he hopes to lead it for 4 years and will make it work.

Cllr. Osborne has arranged a Strategic Planning Meeting for 18th June at 3.30 pm in the Town Hall, Rye. This is for liaison with Rye and the surrounding parishes. Icklesham have indicated that they are not interested. Rother is now asking for 10,000 new houses. This defeats the idea of ‘localism’, where local residents can make decisions. Each council should prepare a 5 year land supply programme, and suggest whether the infrastructure can support this increase. The responsibility for identifying land available is with the Parish Council, also suggestions as to the number and type of housing. None is identified in Playden at present.

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The Chief Executive of the RDC will retire in August and not be replaced.

There is no further news concerning the Iden Cycle path, nor response to the question as to who owns the land between the highway and the cliff at the end of Houghton Green Lane.

The President of the Butt Field Trust - the Vicar - is contacting English Woodlands who supplied the trees in the Butt Field, one of which has died.

We are asked to make quite sure that the gates are firmly closed when using the footpaths across the field. Otherwise the supposedly ‘stupid’ sheep can escape from the field into the churchyard, from where it is but a step or three onto the main road.

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In AOB, the footpath from Rectory Lane to Houghton Green Lane was reported as being almost impassable. It is the responsibility of the householders, and notices will be sent, in the first instance, asking them to rectify the problems. If this is not done, the council will do the necessary work and send in the bill.

The brambles round the base of the Coronation Oak have been cleared.

The next meeting will be on Thursday 4th July at 7.30 pm in the W. I. Hall.

The mid-week services continue on Tuesday at 9.30 am for Morning Prayer and 3.30 pm for Evening Prayer, in church, led by the Vicar.

The 11 am service on Sunday for the Commemoration of St. Richard of Chichester, will be led by the Vicar, and will be Parish Communion.