Please see below details of the two East Sussex County Councillors who are responsible for Heathfield and the surrounding area.
For a full list of Councillors, please visit:
www.eastsussex.gov.uk/yourcouncil/about/people/councillors/find/default.aspx
Rupert Simmons is the East Sussex County Councillor for the Heathfield division and Vice-chairman of the East Sussex County Council. As vice-chairman Rupert has specific responsibilities for three projects:
1. Representation of the County in Europe and especially regarding INTERREG funding.
2. Chairs the Central Rail Corridor Board which has examined the potential for re-introducing the Lewes-Uckfield link.
3. Joint chairman of the "flying high" gifted and talented teaching project in conjunction with the Temple Grove Trust.
Since being elected in 2001 Rupert has had the honour of being the cabinet member for education and then learning and school effectiveness. It is a matter of personal pride that during that term of office, the standards of education performance at all key stages have improved beyond all recognition. The investment in our school buildings and equipment and facilities has also been dramatic and lastly and not least, the recruitment of outstanding headteachers and high quality teachers has gone from strength to strength.
Heathfield Partnership
For the last few years Rupert has chaired the Board of the Heathfield Partnership Trust Company Limited. Since 1997 the Heathfield Partnership has evolved from a steering group into a limited company which in turn is now recognised as a charity trust. Over that time an enormous amount of work has been done to regenerate the town and improve its amenities and over £1 million has been raised in grant funding to execute a number of projects across the Heathfield and Waldron parish. Please see project page for full information.
When Rupert was elected in 2001 Heathfield was policed from Hailsham so he campaigned to the Chief Constable for the re-introduction of the local police station, a local police team and an arrest station within Wealden, which we now have. Uckfield police station is now available for police officers to take citizens needing to be arrested rather than travelling to Eastbourne. In the last year, 8 anti-social orders have been placed and an innumerable number of crimes have been dealt with. The end result is a safer community for everyone.
With Rupert's education portfolio he has had the privilege of seeing, throughout the County, the young at their best and has regular dealings with the Youth Council in the Youth Centre.
Rupert has spent much of the last 7 years trying to bring in increased safety measures within his ward. Establishing the Heathfield Local Transport Plan - 9 projects were identified and only the A265/A267 junction to commence by the end of the year and the A265/Lewes Road junction scheduled for 2010/2011 are yet to be concluded. The Halley Road safe crossing and 40mph speed limit is now installed and should be a major help to students gaining access to the school. In addition speed controls in Broad Oak, Horam and Cross-in-Hand had been implemented early in his term of office. Further reductions in Broad Oak, Rushlake Green and Three Cups are now scheduled for the near future.
Rights of Way
Having worked closely with the rights of way officer team to improve access to pathways throughout his ward the greatest success has been the rebuilding of 6 bridges in the Warbleton parish.
Transport
Over recent times there has been a gradual erosion of bus routes and services connecting Heathfield and its surrounds. Rupert met with the Managing Director of Eastbourne Buses to save the 6pm service of the 52 leaving Eastbourne which helped those with working or had student courses in Eastbourne. Rupert is chairing a partnership project to establish a local service which would be complimentary to Age Concern but offer other people in the community, especially the young, access to public transport to and from the town. Please see transport section for further information.
Hailsham Road Post Office
Much of Rupert's representation work has been very successful but he is very sad that he failed to protect against the closure of the Hailsham Road Post Office.
Other Associations:
Governor of Broad Oak and Punnet's Town Primary Schools
Governor of Heathfield Community College
Member of the Parochial Church Council of All Saints Waldron Church
trustee of the Waldron 800 Trust
Chairman of the CATTAM Committee
Contact Details:
Telephone: 01435 813481
e-mail address: cllr.rupert.simmons@eastsussex.gov.uk
Postal address for division responsibilities:
Beacon view Cottage
Waldron
nr Heathfield
East Sussex
TN21 0QU
Postal address for responsibilities as Vice-Chairman of the County Council:
East Sussex County Council
Westfield House
St Anne's Crescent
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1RJ
Chris Dowling is the East Sussex County Councillor for the Framfield and Horam division which includes part of Uckfield, Framfield, Blackboys, Waldron, Horam, Cross-in-Hand and Five Ashes. Chris was first elected to the County Council in 2001 and is a Conservative Councillor.
Chris lives in Uckfield and is married with two grown up daughters and runs a print and graphics business in Uckfield.
Chris is always happy to speak to local residents about County Council matters and can be contacted by the following:
Email address: cllr.chris.dowling@eastsussex.gov.uk
Telephone number: 01825 767695
Address: 89 Hunters Way, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 2BB
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