Local government as we know it is about to go through a significant change, so I was delighted to be able to help to ensure the health of an English Oak Tree planted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Rother District Council.
The district council was established in April 1974 and was itself a result of the reorganisation of local government. With an oak tree the emblem of Rother District Council, it was very fitting to plant the commemorative tree on Bexhill Down.
Whatever the result of this latest reorganisation, the oak tree will stand for generations to come as a lasting reminder of the hard work and dedication of all of those who served on the council.
I was not the only one getting my hands dirty this week. Volunteers in Rye spent two days planting 1,000 trees in Mason Field to create a new micro wood.
The wood, also known as a Miyawaki Forest, was made possible thanks to money from the Coronation Living Heritage Fund set up to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.
In total the district council received £27,149 from the fund and has already been able to plant a micro wood in Battle.
The trees are densely planted in an area around the size of a tennis court and bring huge benefits to the environment, providing habitats for pollinator species and other wildlife and helping to tackle the effects of climate change in our district.
I look forward to seeing the micro woods and the commemorative tree grow and flourish.
Sadly, I was unable to attend an event on April 2nd celebrating the anniversary of the Kent & East Sussex Railway returning to Bodiam, but our Chairman Cllr Richard Thomas went along and gave a speech.
It’s been 25 years since the first public heritage train arrived at Bodiam after years of hard work and dedication by volunteers to restore the historic line, and financial help from organisations including Rother District Council.
And the hard work continues, with the extension of the line from Bodiam to Robertsbridge, which will connect the Kent & East Sussex Railway to national rail services.
The reopening of this line will bring a huge boost to the district’s economy, and I would like to pay tribute to the army of determined volunteers that have come so far and will continue to work hard to turn the dream of completing the line into a reality.
Our district is full of fascinating history and historic and iconic buildings.
One such building in the De La Warr Pavilion, a Grade 1 listed building that stands proudly on Bexhill’s seafront. This week the De La Warr and Rother District Council unveiled their masterplan to conserve and enhance the building over the next ten years.
The ambitious project, funded through the Government’s Levelling Up fund and supporting by a Heritage Fund development grant, will not only safeguard the building for future generations but harness the potential of the venue, creating new jobs and opportunities for learning and skills.
I look forward to seeing the plans come into fruition.
Published: 17th April 2025
