News and Events

Next Council Meeting:

Monday 9 December 2019

Full Council Meeting       C15 Agenda – 9 December 2019

Rye Relief in Need Meeting          RR02 Agenda – 9 December 2019

Planning and Townscape Committee Meeting        PT11 Agenda – 9 December 2019

Click here for recent Council Meetings

Rother District Council Budget Consultation for 2020

Rother District Council is consulting on its budget for 2020/21,  and has to find over £3 million in savings.

In particular, Rother District Council would like to hear your response on the options to change how their services are delivered.  This work will be delivering a substantial part of their proposed savings.  All the options have the potential to have an impact on residents in the parishes and towns in Rother.

Please go to –  http://www.rother.gov.uk/budget2020 – for more information.  This consultation is open to 31 January 2020.

Christmas Refuse Collection Information

Rother District Council say no rubbish and recycling calendars will be sent to residents this Christmas. There will be changes to collections from 25 December to 11 January 2020. After this date collections will return to their normal collection day, the same day their rubbish and recycling has been collected on during 2019.

Here is the calendar of dates of collections – Rother Christmas bin dates 2019

What is happening to my rubbish and recycling collections over Christmas?

• There are changes to collection days from 25 December (Christmas Day) to Saturday 11 January inclusive
• From Monday 13 January Collection days will return to the same days as in 2019
• As in previous years Garden waste collections are suspended from 25 December (Christmas Day) to 7 January – they will start again from 8 January 2020.

How can I find out when my collection days are?

• Residents can check their collection days and view or download a calendar at rother.gov.uk/findmynearest
• They can sign up to My Alerts to receive weekly collection reminders at rother.gov.uk/myalerts

Our bins weren’t collected when you said they should be?

• Within the two-week Christmas period bins should be left at their collection point and crews will get to them as soon as possible.

What do I do if I can’t fit my rubbish & recycling into my bins?

Residents can place additional recycling in sealed clear or white bags and place alongside the appropriate bin on their collection day. Better still, they can take excess recycling to their local ‘bring site’. They can take excess rubbish to their tip

Other useful information:

• For a reminder of what they can recycle they can visit rother.gov.uk select ‘Rubbish & Recycling’ and then ‘What can I put in my bin?’
• If garden waste residents want to dispose of their real Christmas tree they may chop it up and place it in their bin but they must be able to close the lid.

The Future of Rye Heritage Centre

At a meeting held on 28 October, Rye Town Council decided that it could no longer delay taking action to address the substantial public subsidy required to support the Heritage Centre, home of the Town Model Sound & Light Show, a visitor information service, audio tours and Old Pier Amusement Machines.

Since the loss of visitor information funding from Rother District Council 10 years ago, the Town Council has struggled to run the Centre without placing an excessive burden on Rye Council Tax payers.

Despite reducing expenditure, re-merchandising and changing the retail offer in order to support local producers, the Centre has continued to be impacted adversely by factors outside of its control. Visitor numbers are affected not only by the weather but also postponed Brexit deadlines, which have resulted in a significant number of overseas students group Model booking cancellations this year. Additionally, the £12,500 a year business rates payable on the premises has not been helpful.

The level of subsidy required has continued to rise. Over the last 3 years it has averaged £22,000pa and, without urgent action, is forecast to reach a similar figure this year.

At the Council meeting, members of the public voiced their concerns about the possibility of visitors and residents no longer having access to the Town Model, a much-loved visitor attraction for some 40 years, as well as the impact of a closure of the Centre on neighbouring businesses.

Those present were advised that the Council had explored alternative locations for the Model and different governance structures for the Centre, without success. The need to subsidise the Centre at £22,000pa had depleted the Council’s reserves, which resulted in the suspension of grant giving to community organisations, an asset disposal and two vacant posts being left unfilled.

Members of the public were assured that their comments would be considered before the Town Council made a final decision on the future of the Centre and were advised that the Council’s priority is to ensure the continued provision of a face-to-face visitor information service in the town.

After careful consideration, the Council reluctantly concluded that, to protect the interests of local Council Tax payers and the Council’s other services, as from April 2020 the visitor information service should be relocated to the Town Hall, the Centre should be let and the Town Model should, if necessary, be placed into storage.

However, should any members of the community express a desire to work up a proposal to keep the Model at the Centre, the Council would be happy to provide support and guidance. Because a local charity has expressed interest in renting the Centre for another purpose, any such proposal would need to be agreed with the Council no later than 31 December.

Additionally, the Council welcomes any suggestions for alternative locations for the Model, probably as a static exhibit.

Richard Farhall     (richard.farhall@ryetowncouncil.gov.uk)

Rye Town Clerk

Audit 2019

Notice of Conclusion of Audit 2019

Annual Town Meeting Reports

Thanks to all those who came along to the Annual Town Meeting on Wednesday 6th March at Rye Community Centre. Below are the reports available on the night, in addition to the Mayor’s Overview of the Year from Cllr Michael Boyd.

Mayor’s overview of the year 2018-19

ESCC Annual Summary of Acheivements 2019

Rye Neighbourhood Plan Annual Summary 2019

REACT Update 2019   (Rye Emergency Action Community Team)

Rye Heritage Centre Annual Report 2019

Getting Married at Rye Town Hall

For more information and to download an information pack – click here.