2009 review part II: August-December

August

ST BARNABAS Church received a last-minute reprieve from demolition after the Church Commissioners withdrew plans to close it down and rebuild it.

"This is a new chapter in the life of our parish," said priest-in-charge Roger Crosthwaite. "I hope that those who have made representations in favour of retaining the current church building will support the mission and worship at St Barnabas Church as we move into to future."

VICTORIOUS rowers Ian Allen, Nick and Paul McCorry and Matt Hellier were given the freedom of the borough at a civic reception at the De La Warr Pavilion.

It was 40 years since the honour was last bestowed and it has only ever been given to 10 people.

Phil McCorry said: "Someone will break our 68-day record, but one thing that will never change is that the Bexhill Trust Challenger was the first ever four to cross the Indian Ocean. No one can ever take that away from Bexhill and Bexhill will always remain in ocean rowing history."

The Bexhill Trust Challenger was put on display at the De La Warr Pavilion.

Crew members collected donations for the Stroke Association and spoke to members of the public about their ordeal.

A SILENT protest was held against the Next Wave project on Bexhill's seafront.

"The council calls itself the listening council," said protest organiser and chairman of Vox Pop, Jackie Bialeska. "It's about time they listened."

A FREEDOM of Information request by Lewes MP Norman Baker revealed that the Conquest Hospital made nearly 900,000 from parking fees over the last two years.

East Sussex hospitals as a whole, including Brighton made just under 2.5 million.

Parking charges at the Conquest are among the highest in the country with East Sussex Hospitals NHS ranked 16th out of 404.

LINK ROAD planning permission was granted by East Sussex County Council's planning committee.

September

BEXHILL High School plans to revolutionise its school day despite vociferous protests from parents against the scheme.

Lessons will be replaced by activities in learning pods and school days will be from 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday. On Fridays the children would finish at 2pm and homework will be abolished.

"I now urge everybody to come on board with us to make this exciting school of the future work to the advantage of our young people," said Principal Mike Conn.

The new day will be brought in to accompany the 38 million state-of-the-art new school building due to be opened in Gunters Lane next autumn.

A CAMPAIGNING school boy went on traffic patrol with the local police.

Eleven-year-old Rowan Becker is urging motorists to slow down after he lost his third cat on Peartree Lane.

"The road has lots of people speeding and it is quite a dangerous place to walk to school," said Rowan.

THE ROW4CHARITY boys who raised money for Stroke Association received a standing ovation when they were awarded the Overall Acheiver Award at the Bexhill Acheivers Awards at the De La Warr Pavilion.

PLANS for a 2 million redevelopment to the Colonnade were given the go-ahead by Rother District Council. The plans include a restaurant with 170 covers and seven small retail units.

PROMOTION into the Premier Division of the Sussex Cricket League was secured on the last day of the season for Bexhill Cricket Club.

They triumphed in a winner-takes-all match against Stirland.

October

THE CONTROVERSIAL link road was given the go-ahead by the government.

Hastings Labour MP Michael Foster gave his support: "I believe the overwhelming consensus of my constituents is this road is vital both for environmental and economic reasons."

Conservative East Sussex County Councillor Matthew Lock said: "I very much welcome this decision. It is a key milestone for the project which will improve transport links and support the regeneration of Bexhill and Hastings for people and businesses."

48-YEAR-OLD trainee driving instructor Gary Oxley, 48, was given a life sentence for shooting a 'gangster'.

Oxley, of Hornbeam Avenue, Bexhill, owed 6,000 in drugs money to the murdered Joseph Oliffe.

Oliver Glasgow, prosecuting said: "He said he had shot someone, said he was scared for his life and that the people involved were gangsters.

"He said that he had no choice because they had threatened his wife, mum and his dad."

Judge Peter Thornton said: "You killed in cold blood. Whatever the background to this case, whatever the background of the deceased, you have taken a life."

EXTRA rooms were opened at Bexhill Museum to accommodate the hundreds who wanted to see the short-listed ideas for the regeneration of Bexhill's seafront under Next Wave.

"We were pleased so many people took the time to constructively comment on the proposals and speak with the architects," said Rother District Council's Chief Executive Derek Stevens.

But local resident Pam Anderson said: "There's a lot of feeling in the town regarding the Next Wave plans. It would appear that the council is in charge and it does not seem to be listening to all the objections, or so it would appear."

EAST SUSSEX County Council named Ashdown Brickworks in Turkey Road as their number one choice for a new landfill site.

Nick Hollington, chair of Bexhill Against Landfill and Incineration call the plans "a pernicious proposal with a devastating effect on the whole town of Bexhill".

November

A PARAMEDIC rescued a pensioner from a burning building.

Jeanette Yeoell, a paramedic at Bexhill Ambulance Station, kicked through a glass door and crawled through thick smoke to save a 73-year-old woman after candles in her bedroom set the duvet cover and mattress alight.

"To be singled out makes me uncomfortable," said Jeanette. "It is my job and I know a lot of other guys do exactly the same. I'm very proud of my profession."

A BLUE PLAQUE, possibly the town's first, was put on the former residence of television inventor John Logie Baird, who lived the last 10 years of his life in Bexhill before he died aged 57 in 1966.

Councillor Paul Lendon said: "I'm pleased to see it up there, and this is something Bexhill can be proud of."

THE FIGHT against a potential landfill site in Turkey Road gathered speed.

Leaders of Bexhill Against Landfill and Incineration pleaded for more money. "We don't want to have to tell people sorry but we ran out of money," said chairman Mike Rosner.

Earlier 350 protesters packed Bexhill High School and police were called as even more were locked out after it reached capacity.

Brian Storkey of Bexhill Chamber of Commerce and Tourism said: "Bexhill absolutely depends on tourism for our shops to survive. This could deter big business from investing and small businesses from starting up."

AN INQUIRY into Compulsory Purchase Orders for the Bexhill-Hastings link road was launched at the White Rock Theatre.

"The council is firmly of the view that the regeneration and transportation benefits of the scheme outweigh the environmental harm,"said Mr Rhodri Price-Lewis QC on behalf of East Sussex District Council.

"This is surely a good time not to give the go ahead to a dirty and environmentally last-century solution to a local problem," said Nicholas Bingham, Chairman of the Hastings Alliance for Sustainable Transport Solutions. "We believe that the link road will not create the jobs hoped for."

NINFIELD celebrated its first bonfire night in 50 years.

Battle and Hastings Bonfire Societies helped out. The procession marched up Church Lane to Blacksmith's Inn to the Kings Arms and up to Ninfield recreation ground with their torches. The evening was capped off with a firework display.

There are plans for another celebration next year.

December

A CONFIDENTIALITY agreement between the owners of the proposed landfill site was signed with a waste disposal firm.

Nick Hollington of Bexhill Against Landfill and Incineration said the pact between Ibstock and waste management company, Cory Environmental 'was a total shock'. "We never thought this would happen soon."

East Sussex County Council denied encouraging Ibstock to enter a planning application and a spokesman for Ibstock said: "I cannot say that we are going to proceed with an application."

District councillors were finally allowed to speak on the subject. Cllr Gadd said: "I am so pleased to say that this is an atrocious idea."

Mayor Bridget George said: "I cannot understand how anyone can be oblivious to the outrage of most of Bexhill's residents."

THE PUBLIC inquiry in to the council's Compulsory Purchase Orders for the Hastings-Bexhill link road came to an end.

The report's findings are due in the new year.

Protesters summed up their objections to the plan by urging Inquiry Inspector Chris Tipping to watch the 2009 film The Age of Stupid about a man looking back on archive footage from 2055 to the present day and wondering why we did not do more to save the planet.

"Please take a look at this film before you begin writing your report," begged Nicholas Bingham of Hastings Alliance. "It will make you seriously ask yourself if the South East Plan, the Rother District Plan and the Local Transport Plan (which all support the road) are really on the right track."

THE WINNING sea front shelter, a part of the controversial Next Wave Project was announced.

A Y-shaped design by young London architects Michael Tite and Tom Ebdon was chosen by the judging panel.

The 220,000 shelter scheme remains contentious, with judge Councillor Frances Winterborn withholding her vote.

"I don't like what they are putting on the seafront because it doesn't capture the spirit of our town," she said, labelling it as a 'monstrosity' that does not 'sit comfortably on the seafront or with the people of Bexhill.'

Councillors delayed approving the winning shelter until they could see a 3-D model brought down from London.

This was later rejected as the architects pulled out - and the runner-up shelter was chosen.