Agenda item

To receive the Chairman's communications.

Minutes:

The Chairman announced that during his first month in office he had attended the following interesting and varied events:

 

1)         Since the Annual Meeting he had continued his own education in Local Government and had been fortunate enough to attend four virtual Parish Council Meetings, at Beckley, Rye Foreign, Battle and Etchingham. The local knowledge of Councillors was vital in making the correct decisions for their Parishes and the Chairman urged residents across Rother to take an interest in what was being done on their behalf both at Parish and District level. A new volunteer was co-opted onto Battle Town Council at the meeting he attended reinforcing his view that involvement and co-operation were so much better than just expressing an opinion on social media as some people choose to do.  It was noted that both Etchingham and Beckley Parish Councils had vacancies now and there may well be others. [It was confirmed by the Ward Member present that the Etchingham vacancy had in fact been filled].

 

2)         The Mayor of Bexhill, Councillor Langlands and the Chairman were both Directors of and volunteer drivers for, the Bexhill Community Bus and were both present in early June to mark a donation of £1,000 from Hastings Direct towards fitting protective screens which has enabled the service to resume from next Monday, 13 July.  Rye and District Community Transport restarted their services on 17 June while Battle Area Community Transport had yet to announce a date.  The Chairman paid tribute to all the Community Transport providers and their volunteers, not forgetting the Brede Voluntary Car Scheme and the Sedlescombe Lift Scheme, both of which were run by Parish Councillors.

 

3)         The Chairman was reminded by Etchingham Parish Council of just how much the Council and residents had been helped by incredible groups of volunteers across Rother. In Etchingham, a village of just 400 people 40 stepped up to support their fellow citizens and this had been replicated across the District.  The Chairman thanked all the Rother Volunteers. 

 

4)         Last Friday, the Chairman attended a Virtual Tea Party hosted by The Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Mr Peter Field, together with The Mayors of Bexhill, Battle, and Winchelsea. As ‘virtual’ may be the way for some time yet, the Chairman assured Members that he was not going to be cheated of an afternoon tea, so he had made his own arrangements.  The Lord-Lieutenant gave an account of his responsibilities as The Queen’s Representative which included some involvement in the delivery of Her Majesty’s 100th Birthday Cards to East Sussex residents. The Chairman and the Mayors present would like to play some role in this and Members were requested to alert them when they knew one of their residents was reaching this milestone. Given the demographics across Rother it might mean they would be busier than colleagues elsewhere, but what a lovely thing to be busy doing.

 

5)         With regard to Super Saturday, the Hasting and Rother Police Commander had informed the Chairman that the vast majority of hospitality venues that did open, and their customers, followed the required distancing rules and very little police intervention was required.        

 

The Chairman also announced that:

 

6)         in accordance with paragraph 3.2(a) of the Council Procedure Rules, he had used his discretion in favour of varying the order of business so that Agenda Item 12, the presentation from Stewart Drew was taken after Agenda Item 5, public questions; and 

 

7)         there was an updated Agenda Item 8, Report of the Executive Director, that had been circulated separately to the Agenda.