Parish Council profile

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General
Number of Councillors	7
Meetings per year	6 plus Annual Parish Assembly
Average period between meetings	8 weeks
Usual venue for meetings	Brightling Village Hall
Chairman	Judy Petty
Vice Chairman	Caroline Croft
Planning Committee	All Councillors
Councillors	Joanna Coleman, Caroline Croft, Jane Oxenford, Judy Petty, Andrew Wedmore, Katrina Blench, Philip Garbutt
Statutory Functions
Churchyards	Annual grant made to Brightling PCC towards maintenance of the churchyard.
Crime Prevention	The expenses of Neighbourhood Watch Chief Co-ordinator are reimbursed by Council. The council consults and reports incidents to Sussex Police and has regular contact with the local PCSO.
School Governors	Dallington School provide occasional news updates from the school.
Rights of Way	In partnership with ESCC, the council regularly checks footpaths and bridleways for clearance, surface condition, signage and bridge maintenance and reports to ESCC for work to be carried out. Limited clearance work undertaken by council.
Trees and Verges	All councillors are registered as Tree Wardens, various training courses available. Overgrown hedgerows abutting highways are observed and landowners notified when cutting back of trees or hedges required, if no action taken reported to ESCC as Highways Authority have powers to serve notices for clearance. Reports damaged or missing furniture and signs to ESCC. Taken responsibility for maintenance and decoration (biannual programme) of traditional guideposts from ESCC who remain the ‘owners’.
Drainage	Road drainage is responsibility of ESCC Highways, council regularly checks for blockages etc and informs ESCC as necessary.
Post and Telecoms	Consulted by Post Office and BT regarding changes to services.
Buildings and Halls	Supports the independent Village Hall Committee, appoints representative to the Committee (currently Cllr Jane Oxenford) who reports back to council. Gives financial support annually.
Planning Proposals	Consulted by Rother District Council (RDC). Reports unauthorised work to RDC. Consulted by RDC/ESCC on planning strategies.
War Memorials	Partner with PCC for maintenance/restoration as and when necessary.
Emergency Planning	Responsible for drafting and maintaining Parish Emergency Plan and issuing to RDC/ESCC.
Community Benefit	The council gives annual donations to various charities that provide a tangible benefit to the residents of Brightling. Currently they include Sussex Air Ambulance, St Michael’s Hospice, the Rural Rother Trust, Bexhill and Rother Citizens Advice Bureau, RNLI, Battle Food Bank and Sussex Victim Support.
Administration
Clerk	Mr Sam Dugan Email: clerk@brightling-pc.gov.uk
Council Office	FAO Sam Dugan, Mountfield Heath School, John’s Cross Road, John’s Cross, TN32 5FA
Internal Auditor	Mulberry & Co (appointed Dec’21)
Subscribes to	Sussex Association of Local Councils (NALC through ESALC) Rother Association of Local Councils (RALC) Action in Rural Sussex
Key Relationships	Cllr Eleanor Kirby-Green, ESCC Cllr John Barnes, RDC Rother District Council Sussex Police High Weald AONB
Last updated	9th May 2024

Parish Councillor Lead Responsibilities

Broadband	Cllr Andrew Wedmore
Crime, anti-social behaviour, police relationships	Cllr Caroline Croft
Defibrillators	Cllr Caroline Croft
Environment Policy & Biodiversity	Cllr Katrina Blench & Cllr Andrew Wedmore
Footpaths and Bridleways	Cllr Katrina Blench
Hedges overhanging highway	Cllr Judy Petty
Messenger Magazine	Cllr Jane Oxenford
Phone box	Cllr Joanna Coleman
Planning	All Councillors
Potholes and road surface problems	Cllr Judy Petty
Refuse collection	Cllr Caroline Croft
Road drainage	Cllr Judy Petty
Signposts	TBC
Trees	Cllr Philip Garbutt plus Tree Warden
Utilities (water and electricity)	Cllr Caroline Croft
Village hall	Cllr Jane Oxenford
Website	Cllr Andrew Wedmore
Welcome packs	All councillors