In March of this year Rother District Council agreed at its Cabinet Meeting to “carry out urgent works to the Landgate, Rye, up to £74,000, to be met from the Repairs and Renewals Earmarked Reserves and to include a contribution of at least £7,000 from local stakeholders including Rye Town Council and continue negotiations with local stakeholders to secure a long-term solution” as it accepted that it has a duty to look after its heritage assets. Rye Town Council has agreed to underwrite the contribution of £7,000 and the Rye Fund has recently agreed to find £3,000 towards this figure.
At the last Executive Meeting, it was agreed that Rye Conservation Society(RCS) would guarantee a further £1,000 towards the overall figure that Rye will need to find. This will come from its financial reserves, which have been boosted by a recent bequest from a previous Chairman, the late Paul Blomfield. As part of the repair works, RCS will look to ensure that a separate electrical supply will be maintained to the clock and to the external floodlights together with safe access to the clock. This is to allow for separate projects to repair and maintain the clock as well as to reintroduce the floodlighting, to be taken forward without additional future cost.
Photo: Julian Luckett
