Money put to good use

By: John.Dowling ADDITIONAL income gathered since local authorities were empowered to cut the Council Tax discount on second homes has been put to good use by Rother Strategic Partnership.Since the creation of the Rother LSP in 2003 following the Tell Us What You Think community consultation in 2002 and the community forum in 2003, the LSP board published the Rother Community Plan in 2004.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Oct 2006, 09:32 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 21:33 BST

This sets out its vision and priorities for the district up to 2009.

In 2005 action plans were drawn up by priority action groups, which are intended to bring about sustainable improvements across eight Community Plan priority action areas.

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During 2004-2005 funding was made available from the income generated by second homes revenue under an agreement between the county council and the districts and borough councils in East Sussex to support local community projects that met priorities identified in the Rother Community Plan.

Rother LSP agreed that 19 projects would be funded from the 90,000 available.

Examples of local use of the second homes cash include:

Children's Fund Activities Programme - provided five-13 year olds with out-of-school activities during winter and spring half terms in the Sure Start area.

Community Safety Initiatives - a contribution was made towards packs for new drivers advising on car security and other relevant matters. A contribution was also made towards the cost of installing a CCTV camera project in Fairlight. The remaining amount was requested for a graffiti project, which set aside money to be offered as rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of grafitti "taggers."

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East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service projects included a Safer Roads Campaign; the promotion of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership and safety messages; provision of week-long LIFE courses designed to combat anti-social behaviour, youth crime and arson; support for local parishes to

buy SID cameras which encourage safer driving and speed reduction in villages.

Detached youth work intervention enabling enabled the Youth Development Service to work with young people on the streets of Rye and Robertsbridge offering support, advice, information and the opportunity to engage in new activities.

Start Up Bexhill project providing pre-start business advice surgeries (pre booked) a start-up surgery (drop in) and two three-day business start-up workshops in Bexhill

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Refurbishment of ground floor office at Rye railway station for use by Sussex Community Rail Partnership. The office is now used by the development officer for the Marshlink line

Rother LSP commissioned Rother Voluntary Action to investigate and initiate a service to support the development of social and community enterprise in the district. The Local Strategic Partnership is currently funding a two-year support programme to assist communities in rural Rother and Sidley and Pebsham wards in Bexhill to develop and implement Local Action Plans. Two community development workers are now in post providing one-to-one support to 23 Local Action Plan groups who are either in the process of developing plans or offering help to those hesitant or unsure about how to begin the process.

The Rother Local Action Plans Consortium meets quarterly, in advance of LSP meetings to oversee the progress of the Programme.

Related topics:MoneyCouncil Tax