East Dean & Friston Parish Council

notice boardThe Parish Council consists of nine members, supported by the Parish Clerk, and Council meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of each month (except September) in the Village Hall starting at 6.30pm. The meeting agendas are posted on the council noticeboards at Downlands Way and the Car Park, and on the agenda page of this website.

The Parish Council has one Standing Committee - Planning - which meets on the third Tuesday of each month also in the Village Hall. All Councillors sit on this committee.

Members of the public are very welcome to attend any of the Parish Council or Committee Meetings. At the start of every meeting there is a public session at which members of the public are permitted to make representations in respect of any item of business. We ask that any representations are submitted in writing to the Parish Clerk, no later than 24 hours before the meeting begins.

The Minutes of all Parish Council and Committee Meetings are published in the Council website. From September 2015 all decision papers are also posted on this website. 

The Parish Council (and the Committee) operate within a strict Governance framework which is set out in three formal documents. These are Standing Orders (operating rules), Code of Conduct (behavioural rules) and Financial Regulations. These documents are included within the Governance section of this site. The Terms of Reference of the Planning Committees are also held within the Governance section.

What Do We Do?

In essence the Parish Council is a statutory body - a branch of local government - which is responsible for what goes on in East Dean, Friston, Birling Gap & Crowlink and which represents all who live here.

The Parish Council owns the Recreation Ground, cricket pavilion, playground, tennis courts, Friston Green (including the pond & car park) and Downlands Way car park. It maintains all of these along with the bus shelters, the white highway finger posts, numerous waste bins, public seats, and 38 rights of way. The Council is the custodian trustee of the Village Hall.

In addition, we are responsible for, amongst other things:

  1. the Village Design Statement (VDS) to help influence the planning authority (SDNP) in determining short and long-term planning and development issues for the village
  2. commenting to SDNP on local planning applications (anyone interested may come along and speak about any application at our monthly planning meetings)
  3. the Village Emergency Plan and Self-Help Guide available here or from the clerk
  4. liaising generally with ESCC, SDNP and WDC (eg on speeding, parking facilities, verge cutting)
  5. working with and supporting the Parochial Church Council, the Village Hall Trust, the Residents Association and other local groups
  6. supporting and encouraging East Dean Responders and Community Watch
  7. supporting the twice-weekly shopping bus service
  8. mowing certain areas of grass and Rights of Way - Village Green, Church Green, Friston Pond, the Greensward, the Recreation Ground, and strimming some 10 footpaths in the village
  9. arranging the Annual Village Meeting
  10. aiming at good value for money for that portion of the council tax we receive.

The Council aims to act in a responsible, ethical, democratic and transparent manner. So why not come along to our next meeting and let us hear your views?