Z DPC Meeting 17.03.26

DRAFT MINUTES FOR THE DALLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 17th MARCH 2026

Present: Councillors N. Harding (Chair), J. Gray (Vice-Chair), M. Gray-Smith, P. Ridley

Mrs. I. Marchant (Parish Clerk/RFO)

County Councillor E. Kirby-Green (part)

1. Disclosure of interests

None declared.

2. Dispensations requested

None requested.

3. Apologies for absence

None.

4. Accuracy of the minutes of the previous meeting(s)

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the DPC meeting held on 27.01.26 be confirmed as being an accurate record of the proceedings. Councillor Gray proposed and the Chair seconded, the voting was unanimous. The minutes were signed by the Chair.

5. Open Forum

5.1 County Council report (ESCC) – Councillor E. Kirby-Green

  • Councillor Kirby-Green’s report is attached at the end of these minutes.

5.2 District Council report (RDC) – Councillor N. McLaren (Councillor McLaren sent apologies, her report is attached at the end of these minutes).

5.3 Public Question Time – no member of the public present.

AGREED: to discuss item 12 Highways/Rights of Way now as Councillor Kirby-Green has to leave the meeting early.

12. Highways/Rights of Way

  • The Chair is to email the Clerk with urgent actions required regarding Highways and RoW. (CHAIR)
  • Councillor Gray is to respond soonest to the issues with the B2096 at the Woods Corner Junction. (COUNCILLOR GRAY)
  • Potholes: these are still a very major problem and ESCC Highways do not seem to be attending to the most serious ones. Very many complaints from residents about this.
  • RoW: the footpath at Rabbets Farm has been found to be completely accessible.
  • There is considerable support from residents regarding the bridge issue at Glaziers Forge.

6. Digital Dallington

Councillor Ridley reported that:

  • A laptop and 2 lockable cabinets have been purchased.
  • A session on using the NHS app has been completed.
  • The new equipment will be also used for the Local History Group.

7. Parish Priorities Project

A working party is to be set up before the end of April 2026 and a lead member, a DPC Councillor to be appointed. (ALL)

8. Defibrillator covers

RESOLVED: to install insulated covers for outside use on both Dallington defibrillators. Councillor Ridley proposed and Councillor Gray-Smith seconded, the voting was unanimous. (CLERK)

9. Dallington Parish Assembly 2026

This will follow the usual friendly and informal procedure. We are hoping for a brief presentation by RAYNET. The Clerk will order wine, soft drinks and nibbles. (CLERK)

10. Planning

10.1 No planning applications for Dallington.

10.2 There are no housing allocations for Dallington Parish on RDC’s Local Plan 2025-2042.

11. Enforcement

11.1 No Dallington items on RDC’s most recent enforcement list.

11.2 No other enforcement matters for discussion.

13. Finance

13.1 Bank balances at 28.02.26

  • DPC deposit account – £8,757.66
  • DPC current account – £2,313.76
  • DRG current account – £472.34

13.2 RESOLVED: to approve the following payments:

  • Clerk salary/home office Feb/Mar 2026 – £1,151.00
  • *RALC subscriptions 2025-26 – £26.00

* already paid

14. Dates of next meetings

  • 21.04.26 – Dallington Parish Assembly 2026
  • 19.05.26 – Annual Council Meeting

ESCC report to Callington Parish Council on 17th March 2026

Budget

Full Council agreed the budget on 10th February 2026. We have requested approval from Government to borrow £70 million to allow us to balance the budget. If we had to balance with council tax alone we would have to increase by 19% this

year. Despite having made savings of £156 million since 2010 and potentially agreeing a further £3.5million of savings this year the costs of local government have rocketed. Adult Social Care has increased by 40% since 22/23 and Children’s Services by 54%. Increases to employment costs as well as inflation have put further pressure on the budget. In addition, the Fair Funding Review has resulted in a decrease of £12.6 million funding received from central government. This loss of funding is driven by several key factors in the new funding methodology: the impact of council tax equalisation; the absence of a metric that reflects the significant proportion of residents aged over 85; the limitations of using median wages as a proxy for the labour costs borne by the Council; and the Government’s decision, announced with the Policy Statement, that rurality was to be removed as a factor from all but the ASC needs formulae. This is compounded by the continuation of the Recovery Grant (which has been top-sliced from the overall quantum to be paid to qualifying authorities). These changes fail to capture the true cost pressures in delivering statutory services in a county with high social care demand and a dispersed population, with limited opportunities to raise income locally.

As a result the ESCC council tax increase for the forthcoming year will be 2.99% plus the adult social care precept of 2%.

Governance

The authority’s external auditor (Grant Thornton) has provided an assessment of the authority’s arrangements for Financial Sustainability, Governance and Improving Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness in the use of its resources. It is pleasing to be able to report that, given the financial challenges, GT have not identified any significant weaknesses in the Council’s response to these challenges, with a green rating in terms of Governance arrangements and for Improving Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness.

The full report can be found here

Sussex Councils continue to create new Combined County Authority to unlock investment

East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council are reaffirming their commitment to devolution for Sussex.

The Cabinet meetings taking place at each local authority over the next few weeks follow confirmation from Government that the Sussex & Brighton Combined County

Authority will be created as planned this May and releases £1.14 billion of additional investment into Sussex over the coming years.

This has followed confirmation from Government that while mayoral elections may have been delayed, devolution proceeds apace and Ministers remain committed to delivering significant powers and funding for the region.

Work to establish the new authority is already underway and partners across Sussex have been involved in discussions that will help shape the opportunities that devolution will bring to the region and the priorities for a new Sussex & Brighton Combined County Authority.

The three councils will continue to work closely to finalise arrangements and prepare for the expected launch of the Sussex & Brighton Combined County Authorities in the spring of 2026.

More information can be found here

Elections

County Council elections will be going ahead! The Government has u-turned on its previous decision to delay for a further year because of LGR. Therefore there will be elections to the existing County Council on 7th May. Unless the Government decides to delay LGR there will be elections to the new Unitary Authority in May 2027.

Highways

The roads are in a dreadful state as a result of the recent wet weather. Repairs are just not holding up and I am in constant dialogue with the Highways team around our worst areas.

Dark Skies

I attended the recent meeting which the local Dark Skies groups held with our MP Kieran Mullan where I explained that ESCC will be reviewing their lighting policy in the Spring and will be engaging with a11 the local groups in the High Weald.

Dallington PC Tuesday 17 March 26

  1. RDC Cabinet 2/3/26:
    1. Community Asset Transfer Update – Recreations grounds, allotments and playgrounds could be among 71 community assets transferred to town and parish councils in a bid to give local communities greater control over their own facilities and ease the financial pressure on Rother District Council. Following a thorough assessment of expressions of interest and business cases, Cabinet agreed the transfer of a range of community assets across the district, pending legal and financial checks. Authority was given to the council’s head of housing and strategic assets to take the transfers forward. For Battle recreation grounds at Netherfield and Coronation Gardens were included in the list.
    2. The Council will enter in a new agreement with Rother Voluntary Action for infrastructure support to the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector. The agreement comes with £38,000 for 2026/27 as well as £34,200 for 2027/28, pending a review before next year’s council budget is set. A further £30,000 for 2026/27 and 2027/28 to help deliver the Rother Age Friendly Network, funded by East Sussex County Council.
    3. Cabinet agreed funding for 1066 Country Marketing to continue to boost the tourism economy and help promote Rother businesses to visitors. Grants of fS0,000 for 2026/27 and £45,000 for 2027/28, pending a review next year, were unanimously agreed. Cabinet also agreed to continue to support 1066 Marketing with a project officer and management support
  2. Local Plan – The draft plan, which provides for 8,427 new homes across the

district, is currently out for consultation and members of the public have until Monday, March 23. I would encourage as many people as possible to share their views at Draft Local Plan 2025-2042- Rother District Council. The Local Plan exhibition in Battle 10/3/26 was well attended; officers explained that many of the sites which were brought forward following RDC’s call for sites will be subject to further assessment to establish their suitability for specific development.

  1. Blackfriars show home in Battle opened 28/2/26; the development includes 200 homes of which 130 are affordable. Hosted by Rother DC Housing Company, the event marked a major milestone with house-hunters now able to see the high quality, eco-efficient homes that will be available in the new development, which

can be seen at Tapestry Life, Battle I 3 and 4 bed new homes Battle. It was

named best housing development in the UK at the Inside Housing Development Awards and the scheme’s contractor was recently given and Local Authority Building Control Site Recognition Award for the quality of the site-wide workmanship and management of the scheme.

  1. Northeye prison site in Bexhill, previously purchased by the Home Office with the aim of transforming it into temporary accommodation for asylum seekers, has been transferred to Homes England. The site was allocated for housing in our 2019 Local Plan and remains in our current draft Local Plan.