Well I am sure many of us will be glad to see the back of 2011 and all the challenges it has given to so many both in work and business who have struggled or those depending on returns from savings in retirement, there really does seem to have been no let up for most of us. However, every new year brings new optimism and 2012 is no different. Many of the challenges remain but here in Sovereign Ward we have a lot to be hopeful about.
Langney Point suffered a very unpleasant incursion of travellers during 2011, causing damage to our much valued Five Acre Field and misery to residents living close to the popular open space and dog walkers alike. Your Councillors took the Council to task over this and this year we are pleased to be able to announce that further trees will be planted along the Princes Road edge in addition to measures currently being considered by Council officers to better protect the field at our request. These trees will continue the theme of the tree lined avenue along the Lottbridge Drove section and provide extra shielding in future years as the trees mature.
Long suffering residents in Ramsay Way and the surrounding roads have long complained about the speed some irresponsible motorists travel at which has caused a number of car accidents, deaths of much loved pets and noise pollution. Following years of campaigning, our County Councillor David Elkin has been successful in getting some traffic calming measures provided and a consultation took place during 2011 which will see a number of improvements that will hopefully reduce this problem and we will be keeping in touch with residents in surrounding roads to ensure that the problem does not move elsewhere.
In Sovereign Harbour there have been a number of positive developments. During December Doctor Adoki's surgery moved out of the house in Barrier Reef Way in the North Harbour to a brand new state of the art Medical Centre on Pacific Drive so residents now have one of the best medical facilities in the county with a whole host of additional services provided - if you've not yet had chance to go and see for yourself, I thoroughly recommend you do! Additionally, progress seems to have been made on the Sovereign Harbour Master Plan which has involved all political parties working together with residents and local interest groups to get the best for residents from the remaining plots of land and it is believed that this will see at long last a better balance being struck for residents with a new community centre and more open spaces. I have also called for an assisted living development so that elderly residents don't have to move away from the Harbour when they need a little more care than they can manage in their own homes - many people I have spoken to about this believe it would be a really popular addition to the Harbour community!
During later 2011, the owners of the Crumbles Retail Park (more recently known as Sovereign Harbour Retail Park) met with Councillors and community groups to seek opinions on their plans for redeveloping the Retail Park and this lead to a very well attended presentation being held in the site which was formerly occuppied by Fitness First. I believe these plans will not only improve the retail and leisure offer for local people but also help attract more visitors to Eastbourne. Furthermore as a positive side effect I am pleased to advise that the developers have listened and agreed to progress the installation of the long talked about Harbour Bus Gate before the redevelopment of the retail park takes place which will lead to big improvements to bus services in the North & South Harbours.
I am also consiously aware that even though there has been some positive developments, there is still much work to be done. I stand ready to continue to work not only with my ward colleagues, but also the other councillors of all parties, residents, community groups and our local neighbourhood police team who work hard for us all year round and I sincerely hope that 2012 gives further positive results for our community. As always, if anyone needs my help, regardless of their political views, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at councillor.warner@eastbourne.gov.uk or by telephone on 01323 471679 and I will be happy to help.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Wish Tower Update
The situation with the Wish Tower Restaurant has this week worsened considerably with some parts of the roof blowing off in the high wind which has been battering our town.
The only viable option remaining is to bulldoze the site now and start again which was approved by Eastbourne Borough Council's Cabinet Committee tonight.
My colleague and Leader of the Opposition, Cllr David Elkin asked the administration to ensure that no time was lost in progressing this important work and that a quality redevelopment was returned to this key seafront location as soon as possible.
I expressed concern that the mis-management of the town's assets continued to prove very costly for local taxpayers. It seems unfathomable that residents and visitors could have been eating safely in this venue when open just weeks ago given the disgusting state the building has been left in and I have asked when the last environmental health inspection was completed and what it's findings were.
Furthermore I criticised Lib-Dems for congratulating themselves on a process which has seen the previous tennants paid nearly £38,000 to vacate premises that they neglected to maintain during their fully repairing lease on the venue.
I have also expressed concerns about the way asset management is bring handled by the newly created Strategic Asset Board and have requested that until residents can see improvements, regular reports and updates are provided and the maximum detail is made public in an effort to restore confidence.
More news will surely follow but until then, rest assured I remain on the case and will continue to hold the administration to account whilst doing all I can to see this iconic venue redeveloped into an asset that we can all be very proud of.
The only viable option remaining is to bulldoze the site now and start again which was approved by Eastbourne Borough Council's Cabinet Committee tonight.
My colleague and Leader of the Opposition, Cllr David Elkin asked the administration to ensure that no time was lost in progressing this important work and that a quality redevelopment was returned to this key seafront location as soon as possible.
I expressed concern that the mis-management of the town's assets continued to prove very costly for local taxpayers. It seems unfathomable that residents and visitors could have been eating safely in this venue when open just weeks ago given the disgusting state the building has been left in and I have asked when the last environmental health inspection was completed and what it's findings were.
Furthermore I criticised Lib-Dems for congratulating themselves on a process which has seen the previous tennants paid nearly £38,000 to vacate premises that they neglected to maintain during their fully repairing lease on the venue.
I have also expressed concerns about the way asset management is bring handled by the newly created Strategic Asset Board and have requested that until residents can see improvements, regular reports and updates are provided and the maximum detail is made public in an effort to restore confidence.
More news will surely follow but until then, rest assured I remain on the case and will continue to hold the administration to account whilst doing all I can to see this iconic venue redeveloped into an asset that we can all be very proud of.
Friday, 25 November 2011
Strikes are just plain wrong
I have a real problem with the planned strikes for the 30th November!
1) How can it be right that public services are disrupted when only 25% of the union members voted for a strike?
2) Why was a ballot for strike action taken before negotiations had even started?
3) Why are the Union Baron's who live very comfortably on their six figure salaries (paid for by much less well off ordinary working people) able to subsidise the Labour Party so heavily (again from subs taken from much less well off ordinary working people) when the former Labour Government presided over the financial mess we are in? Remember, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury famously left a post-it note for the incoming Government last year explaining that 'there is no money left'.
4) What sort of example are teachers setting to impressionable young pupils?
5) Why should the many hard working ordinary people in this country suffer inconvenience and financial hardship whilst strikes that have so little support take place?
I plan to write to our local MP to ask him to campaign for a tightening on laws concerning strike action. If you agree, why not do the same?
1) How can it be right that public services are disrupted when only 25% of the union members voted for a strike?
2) Why was a ballot for strike action taken before negotiations had even started?
3) Why are the Union Baron's who live very comfortably on their six figure salaries (paid for by much less well off ordinary working people) able to subsidise the Labour Party so heavily (again from subs taken from much less well off ordinary working people) when the former Labour Government presided over the financial mess we are in? Remember, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury famously left a post-it note for the incoming Government last year explaining that 'there is no money left'.
4) What sort of example are teachers setting to impressionable young pupils?
5) Why should the many hard working ordinary people in this country suffer inconvenience and financial hardship whilst strikes that have so little support take place?
I plan to write to our local MP to ask him to campaign for a tightening on laws concerning strike action. If you agree, why not do the same?
Monday, 21 November 2011
Great News! Harbour Bus Gate will open before Retail Park redevelopment
Following numerous calls from residents in Sovereign Harbour for improved bus services and much talk about the 'Harbour Bus Gate' that will make it possible for the local operator, Stagecoach to increase service frequency to both Harbours, it appears they may now at long last be light at the end of the tunnel.
Local Councillor & Former Eastbourne Buses Chairman, Patrick Warner met with property developers planning the redevelopment of Sovereign Harbour Retail Park to request that priority be given to delivering the bus gate before any construction starts and today was given the assurance that this would happen.
The introduction of the gate will allow buses only to follow a special route from the end of Atlantic Drive in the South Harbour behind the Retail Park and out into Harbour Quay and on to the North Harbour and this will be prevented from becoming a rat run for other motorists by special bollards triggered by equipment on the buses.
Local operator Stagecoach have already indicated that the opening of this gate will enable them to re-route the two existing services that serve the North & South Harbours to be combined, doubling the peak frequencies and enabling improvements to evening and Sunday bus services.
Local Councillor & Former Eastbourne Buses Chairman, Patrick Warner met with property developers planning the redevelopment of Sovereign Harbour Retail Park to request that priority be given to delivering the bus gate before any construction starts and today was given the assurance that this would happen.
The introduction of the gate will allow buses only to follow a special route from the end of Atlantic Drive in the South Harbour behind the Retail Park and out into Harbour Quay and on to the North Harbour and this will be prevented from becoming a rat run for other motorists by special bollards triggered by equipment on the buses.
Local operator Stagecoach have already indicated that the opening of this gate will enable them to re-route the two existing services that serve the North & South Harbours to be combined, doubling the peak frequencies and enabling improvements to evening and Sunday bus services.
Save our Seafront!
We've had to tolerate the dithering over The Congress Theatre which has been shrouded in mystery and faded costly tarpaulins and scaffolding since bits of concrete started falling off 18 months ago, we had the Treasure Island fiasco where rent arrears were allowed to rack up for months and months and has now been closed throughout the 2011 season.
Now we hear that The Wish Tower Restaurant has been trashed by it's tenants before closing and now being boarded up by the bungling Lib-Dem administration and seems unlikely to reopen for the 2012 season.
Is it any wonder that increasing numbers of local residents are becoming concerned about the future of our seafront?
Now we hear that The Wish Tower Restaurant has been trashed by it's tenants before closing and now being boarded up by the bungling Lib-Dem administration and seems unlikely to reopen for the 2012 season.
Is it any wonder that increasing numbers of local residents are becoming concerned about the future of our seafront?
Lib-Dems increase seafront parking charges
Shocked residents and visitors to the Lifeboat Museum & Promenade have been hit by a hike in parking charges from Eastbourne's Lib-Dem administration with a whopping £2.40 for 2hrs, however East Sussex County Council have reduced their on seafront charges to just 20p for 2hrs so take care!
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