The Rye Partnership and its raison d'être have often been something of a mystery to many residents of the town. One of the reasons has been that this not for profit company, although in existence since 2003, has disseminated information primarily to its members, rather than to the community at large. A recent upgrade of their, until recently, almost defunct website, however, provides significantly more information as well as providing access to a newsletter (although not saying how often that newsletter is issued), and a more transparent application for membership.
The website also gives a suitably vague mission statement and list of primary aims and objectives
The AGM was chaired by Keith Glazier assisted by Ian Ross, the only other director to turn up to the meeting. In his report, the chairman dealt mainly with the property holdings of the partnership and made much of the new 30 year lease that had been negotiated with ESCC (of which Mr Glazier is leader) for the Tilling Green Community Centre and the attached land. This would allow planned upgrades to the building to take place, but no mention was made of development possibilities for housing - particularly social housing - on the land that had been vacant since earlier development proposals had fallen through several years ago.
In other areas, upgrades had been made to the Rye Harbour Stores, Rock Channel remains a 'challenging area' and the fisheries is currently fully let with further development planned. Their business plan for the future was also presented, but on the basis that nothing could be decided while negotiations for the new lease were progressing, much of it was inevitably vague. It is available to see on the website, but only by members of the partnership.
The rest of the formal part of the AGM proceeded at pace with the re-appointment of retiring directors - no alternative names being submitted - and of the accountants.
The meeting came to life briefly when, in other business, two members challenged the directors for the lack of any initiative over land development (and the uselessness of a 30 year lease in this respect) and general lack of perceived progress in most other areas over the last two years.
An impassioned, albeit unconvincing, defence came from Ian Ross, and following some further discussion over development possibilities and the chairman's assurance that they were open to talk to anyone about anything, the meeting was closed.
