Having welcomed Councillor Hacking at the start of the meeting, the Chairman paid tribute to her predecessor, Councillor Sally-Ann Hart who, when COVID restrictions allowed, resigned her position on this Council to concentrate on her new role as Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye.  Councillor Hart was first elected in 2015 and during that Administration was Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture.  After her re-election in 2019 she continued to make valuable contributions to the workings of this Council especially as a member of the Licensing and General Purposes Committee, where the Chairman found her wise counsel invaluable and he wished her well in her role as MP.

Since the last meeting on 4 May, in addition to the Council’s own By Election in Eastern Rother, there were elections for the Police and Crime Commissioner, East Sussex County Council and the new Bexhill Town Council.  If you believed in the democratic process and felt that people should exercise their vote it was only right that they had a proper choice of candidates. Therefore, in addition to offering his congratulations to the successful candidates he thanked those who stood for election as without them there would have been no choice.

The slow return to normality continued and as a community the residents and businesses of Rother had and were continuing to do what was asked of them by central Government.

A key aspect of recovery seemed to be the general health and fitness of the population and the Chairman was pleased to say that the official visits he had made since the last meeting had all resulted from contributions made by Active Rother through the Council’s tireless workhorse Adrian Gaylon.

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend, Bowls England ran another campaign to introduce people to the sport. On the Monday, the Chairman visited both Bowls clubs that shared the Council’s greens in The Polegrove. The Bexhill Bowling Club and The Polegrove Bowls Club attracted large numbers of interested people who were given a taste of bowling by club volunteers. Anyone signing up for membership over that weekend were able to have their first month’s greens’ fee paid for them.

At the end of the that week, Friday 4 June, the Chairman joined the Mayor of Battle and the Head of Battle4Tennis as a new Tennis Wall was opened in the courts at Battle Recreation Ground.  The Chairman was impressed with the facilities that been brought together in this wonderful public space through the efforts, contributions and support of both this Council and Battle Town Council and of course the individuals and groups that made use of them.

On Saturday 5 June, the Chairman was able to meet with a committed group of beginners who had been introduced to the joys of running by the Council’s own Planning Officer, Jeff Pyrah through the Rye Runners. Jeff and his team made the Chairman very welcome but unfortunately as he had forgot to take along his running shoes, he was unable to join in. Groups like this across Rother who catered for all ages and abilities, were making important differences to people’s physical and mental health.

As the country started to come out of lock down in May, Bexhill Cricket Club started up a Dynamo’s ‘Girls Only’ cricket coaching scheme. Led by Hamish Russell and helped with a grant from Active Rother towards some of the costs the scheme immediately attracted some 20+ girls between the ages of 8 and 11. This scheme was in addition to the mixed All Stars Cricket and Dynamo’s coaching which the Club were already running.  The Chairman was able to visit during the ECB’s Big Cricket Month and saw some really good skills on display. With top class coaching from professional and England Women Cricketers and the enthusiasm shown at 9.30 on a Sunday morning the Chairman was sure this coaching scheme would grow and grow. The Chairman knew Hamish was hoping to enter one or even two teams into a competition in August and the Chairman wished him, the girls and the Club all the best for the future.

Whilst there had not been too much activity, the Chairman had thoroughly enjoyed each visit and it was good to have a healthy theme.  The Chairman reminded Members, particularly those outside of Bexhill, that he was willing and able to attend events and represent Rother District Council across the whole district.