The state of the station toilets, fears Rye could be left behind because of the reorganisation of local government, and the latest on proposals for social housing in the town were discussed by the town council on Monday, June 23. Councillors also approved last year's accounts during a ninety-minute meeting at the town hall.
Toilets
Rye's public toilets were once again on the agenda following last week's news on commercial leases. Rother District Council (RDC) has approved plans to allow the toilets in the Gun Garden and Strand to be partly converted into coffee shops. A third toilet, on the Salts, will see the development of a cycle hub.
With these three toilets likely to be closed for refurbishment from the autumn, and the town having fewer conveniences from next year, councillors' focus turned to the public toilets by Rye station, which are owned by Network Rail and run by RDC. They expressed their horror at the condition the toilets are in - and the message it gives to people visiting Rye.
"The toilets on Station Approach are under huge pressure," clerk Richard Fairhall told the meeting. "We get many complaints about the standard of cleanliness and it's embarrassing when people tell us how appalling they are. It got really bad last Friday." Contractors working for RDC were contacted, which resulted in the gents toilet being closed. "We need to seriously think about taking on the lease for these toilets. We do have money available in the budget as we won't have to pay to keep the toilets in the Gun Garden and Strand open after September when the new leases begin."
"The station toilets are in a terrible state and probably need knocking down," said Cllr Gilbert. "If we do take them on we will have to look at it commercially as there's a huge amount of work to be done." She commended the work by Rye Chamber of Commerce in exploring potential options.
Councillors agreed discussions should start with Network Rail and to explore restarting a committee to come up with a solution.
Local government reorganisation
Consultation on the future of local government in East Sussex finished on Monday, June 23, however public bodies like Rye Town Council still have time to submit a view. The government's plans for devolution will see the replacement of East Sussex County Council and the local district councils with a new unitary authority, with several different plans being discussed.
The mostly likely scenario will see one authority for the whole of East Sussex, but the government is also being asked to explore the creation of a new authority along the coast from Seaford to Rye. Monday's meeting at the town hall expressed frustration at the plans.
"I can see the benefits of bringing everything together, but here in Rye we are already some distance from the decision making in East Sussex," said Cllr Brookless. "It worries me this is called devolution when it's almost the opposite."
"We currently have urban councillors making decisions about rural areas with no clue about how we live," Cllr Creaser told the meeting. "We have lots of people with the idea that everyone who lives in the country is loaded, and that's absolute nonsense."
ESCC has produced a video to explain the potential changes, which also include plans for an elected mayor for Sussex.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrVh48e6v6g&t=53s[/embed]
A number of alternative scenarios were discussed with no consensus, although councillors accepted that change was inevitable no matter what they wanted to happen. "Our hands are tied," argued Cllr Fiddimore. "Perhaps a way forward is to accept what's going through and then negotiate."
The leader of East Sussex County Council, Keith Glazier, attended Monday's meeting in his role as county councillor for the town. "We have to have a proposal for the new authority into government by the end of September. We can shape it, but they will make the decision."
Earlier in the meeting he gave an update on ESCC's finances, with a meeting taking place on Tuesday, June 24. The closing accounts for 2024 / 25 showed a £29 million overspend despite £40 million being taken from reserves. "We will need government assistance on top of a 5% increase in council tax. Our social care budget is huge but the government thinks East Sussex is just like London and the South East. I don't think they get it."
Rye News will have a full report on the ESCC finance meeting next week.
Affordable housing
Councillors also reviewed progress on the community land trust (CLT) project, designed to develop social housing in Rye. Progress continues to be made, with a consultant now appointed to produce more detailed plans, due for submission next month, on a potential development in Tilling Green. Councillors were advised that much depends on land pricing and if social housing can be built economically, with no clear position on disposal plans by East Sussex County Council of some of the land involved.
Anthony Kimber pointed out that Tilling Green was not the only site being considered by the CLT, with the Freda Gardham school site and East Rock Channel also under consideration, along with an early stage proposal to build a new equipment store at the very north end of the Cricket Salts with social housing units above. Cllr Fiddimore also advised the council that sites on the borders of Rye may also be considered in the programme.
