You may (or may not) be aware that the government is seeking to make changes to who delivers local government services at regional and local level.
Within the next couple of years, the district / borough councils and county council in East Sussex will be abolished and (probably) replaced with a unitary council for the area. Above this, there will be a new tier – a directly-elected mayor-led combined strategic authority (covering East and West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove), responsible for strategic planning, transport, economic development etc.
Parish and town councils (like Rye) will remain.
This re-organisation, the first since 1974 - when Rye Borough Council was abolished and Rother District Council and Rye Town Council were created – presents Rye Town Council with an opportunity to acquire some of Rother District Council’s numerous assets in Rye. These include areas like the Salts and the Gun Gardens (amongst others) as well as the Landgate; Rye’s litterbins and bus shelters; and its car parks.
It should be noted that it is likely that any Rother assets not transferred to Rye Town Council will be passed to the new East Sussex Unitary Council.
The town council believes that Rye’s assets can be better looked after – and services improved – at a local level. It is required to submit expressions of interest to Rother District and, as such, is seeking residents' priorities.
There is unlikely to be any associated funding for the running costs and maintenance of these services. So, the town council is also asking how residents would feel about a potential increase in their Council Tax precept, to enable the town council to take on the provision of additional services. Currently Rye is charged a "special expense" by Rother for the maintenance of some of these assets, however it is expected that this would cease in the event Rye Town Council had the ownership of them.
Residents of the parish should click here to complete a short survey on their priorities and views on future funding. The deadline for responses is midnight on Sunday, September 14.
You can also contact Rye Town Council to request a paper copy of the survey: townhall@ryetowncouncil.gov.uk or 01797 223902
