Issue 38 www.shra.co.uk July, 2008 Adoption of North Harbour begins It seemed to many of us that adoption of as an alternative to the usual Section 38 North Harbour residential developments agreements. Although the council has might never happen. some reservations about this process, if agreed, it presents an opportunity to However, we are delighted to tell you that bring to completion a project that has on 4th July, East County Council been running for over seventeen years (ESCC) finally started the process by and end the uncertainty that has been adopting the Persimmon development present throughout. that comprises Coral Reef Way, Barrier Reef Way, Brisbane Quay, Hobart Quay This means that the prospect of the and Tasmania Way. whole harbour being adopted by the end The even better news is that most of the of the year is a real possibility. remaining North Harbour developments The SHRA has liaised closely with the are expected to follow suit in rapid Highways Department over the past succession, with the possibility that few years and, although the process Pacific Drive will also be adopted around has been slow and often frustrating, we November. recognise that it has been a mammoth It isn’t just the North Harbour that will task. see progress. A substantial area of the It has taken an enormous amount of South Harbour, which was started much hard work to get a large number of earlier, has already been adopted, but often reluctant developers, some of the areas inherited by Persimmon from whom have inherited sites and all of Westbury, Sunley, Prowtings and others the associated problems, to bring the have presented enormous problems. individual areas up to the required Fortunately, Persimmon has accepted its standard. We would like to offer our responsibilities and cooperated closely thanks to the EBC Highways Manager, with ESCC. Landscaping of the area in Graham Kemp, for his assistance in Key West, known as ‘The Triangle’ is now keeping us ‘in the loop’. well under way and the very dangerous promenade leading to the lock area One of the projects that will be triggered is being made safe and ‘wheelchair by the adoption of Pacific Drive is a re- friendly’. appraisal of the parking restrictions and traffic flow. By that time, almost Many of the developments taken on by all of the construction work will have Persimmon have not yet even started the been completed and the problem of adoption process and have no ‘Section contactors’ vehicles will, hopefully, be a 38’ agreements in place, even though thing of the past most of the necessary work has already been done. In order to avoid further We have been assured that there will be delay, ESCC is considering adopting a consultation process in which residents these areas under ‘Deeds of Dedication’ will be encouraged to participate. Harbour on the back burner - yet again

At their March 2006 meeting, the EBC had not yet been finalised, over two Cabinet Committee accepted a report years after the Cabinet accepted the from the Parks and Gardens Department report. that the council should adopt an area of land adjacent to Barrier Reef Way as Considering the appalling failure of the public open space. council to ensure adequate play areas for children on the harbour, an opportunity The report stated that Persimmon, the such as this should have been given top land owner would transfer title of the priority, especially as it was at no cost to area to Borough Council the Council Tax payer. and pay a contribution of £12,520 for the replanting of damaged trees and We have been told that the issue is the ongoing maintenance of the site, currently being progressed; we wonder assuming transfer by 31st March, 2006. if this would have been the case without our reminder? Sadly, past experience In mid-June 2008 it was noticed that the leads us to believe that it wouldn’t; site was obviously not being maintained Sovereign Harbour is where Council Tax (see above) and enquiries were made to gets collected, not spent. determine the reason. We asked why, considering the council had received Following our enquiry, the grass in this cash to maintain the site it was not area was cut; perhaps mown would being spent. The response was truly have been a better description. We look astonishing; the contact with Persimmon forward to seeing further progress. The Shape of Things to Come? Health Centre for Sovereign Harbour Medical Practice to design and construct The SHRA has received the following the long awaited Sovereign Harbour Press Release and drawing from Medical Centre. consultants employed by the Harbour “The Harbour Medical Practice of Drs An impression of how the Sovereign Harbour Health Centre could look

Adoki and Cookey has now been in from the present surgery premises. its current premises at 2 Barrier Reef The project has the full support of the Way, Sovereign Harbour North, for five Primary Care Trust for Eastbourne years. Downs and Weald and the practice is The Eastbourne Borough Council keen to bring this much-needed facility Planning Committee recently voted into being. a third extension of limited time at For further enquiries please speak to these premises, to allow the practice staff at the Harbour Medical Practice.” time to develop its own, purpose-built premises. We welcome the commitment of the PCT and Dr. Adoki in driving this project The following is a general up-date on forward but are very concerned that, by progress towards the establishment tying it into the Master Plan for the final of a permanent Health Centre at the development of the harbour, it is being Sovereign Harbour: unnecessarily delayed. It has always The practice has engaged Studio Four been the SHRA’s position that this project Architects of Winchester who have is far too important to harbour residents produced plans for a four-doctor health to be used as a political football, and it centre. The proposed building will be should be allowed to stand on its own. on two storeys with additional facilities We are very concerned by the lack of for medical teaching and training, joined-up thinking amongst our Ward practice nursing, minor surgery, health Councillors. One of them is determined promotion, ultrasound, counselling, that the Medical Centre must wait until visiting hospital consultants, community the Master Plan is agreed, but the nurses and social services staff. There other two, inexplicably, voted against are also plans for a pharmacy on-site. the extension of the Harbour Practice’s The search is continuing to find a site temporary planning consent which, which is acceptable to the Borough but for the good sense of the other Council, the landowners, Carillion plc and committee members, could have forced the practice itself. A number of sites are the closure of the Barrier Reef Way under discussion, none of them far away surgery. Scary!! Social Clubs and Groups For more information on any of these groups, call the number given, or vist the ‘Social Activities’ page of the SHRA website (www.shra.co.uk). Sovereign Harbour Art Group usually run on afterwards with drinks The Sovereign Harbour Art Group meets and a chat on the harbour. in the Christ The King Church Hall, Princes Park on Wednesdays 5pm - 8pm The Harbour Womens’ Institute and Thursdays 9.30am - 12.30pm The Harbour branch of the WI meets Learn to paint with Acrylics, Oils and on the second Monday of the month at Pastels with an Experienced Art Tutor 2:00pm in the Sovereign Harbour Yacht in a friendly, relaxed and enjoyable Club. environment. If you are interested in taking part, Phone Angela on 07914-884378 or e- please contact Mrs Heather Hyrapiet on: mail [email protected] 01323-416263.

Sovereign Harbour Investors Club Vet’s Football The Sovereign Harbour Investors Club The Vet’s football team meets on Sunday meets on the last Tuesday of each mornings for a ‘kick about’. Players can month at the Sovereign Harbour Yacht be 32- 102!!! and the purpose of the Club, starting at 7:00pm. Membership team is to meet like minded lads who is limited to twenty members. live on the harbour for exercise and a bit Dates of meetings will be posted on the of fun (nothing too serious!!) All abilities SHRA website. and fitness levels welcome. Social events are held for players and partners and To join the club, e-mail: more are planned for the future. [email protected] or visit: www.shiclub.co.uk For more information, contact Frank Milmoe on 07771-610158 Harbour Friends [email protected] Harbour Friends is a social group for residents of Sovereign Harbour ONLY. Sovereign Harbour Racing Club The group meets on Sunday evenings The Sovereign Harbour Racing Club from 7:15pm in the first floor bar in the meets on a number of occasions Yacht Club. through the year for excursions to local New members are welcome on the LAST racecourses. Sunday of the month. For more information, or to join the More details can be found on their club, contact Linus Gunning on 01323- website: www.harbourfriends.co.uk 470757. Sovereign Harbour Social Club Call Bev on 479797, or e-mail Bev at [email protected] SHSC meets every Wednesday from 10am to 11:30am in the Harvester at the Waterfront for coffee. Strollers and Toners Each month, there will be one outing, The Strollers and Toners group meets lunch, theatre, places of interest. on Mondays from 2:30 until 3:30 and Thursdays from 9:15 until 10:15 outside All are welcome, for further details. Fitness First in the Crumbles Retail Park. Contact Sam Sweiry on 01323 479111 The cost is £2.50 per session. Everyone is welcome and the sessions Community Police Update (by PC Ed During the trial period, the bridge will Faulkner) be raised at 10 and 40 minutes past the hour, and lowered at 25 and 55 minutes A new initiative has been launched by past the hour. Please note that the West in conjunction with forces harbour bridge was not, as was originally from across the , to intended, included in the trial. ensure that your property remains yours. Although the SHRA was given advanced notice of the trial, there was no prior The website www.immobilise.com allows consultation and it was our view that you to register items such as mobile the proposed timings would not serve telephones, bikes, digital camera, the best interests of residents and satnavs and other such items so that visitors. We felt, however, that the trial when Police find property either in should be given a chance and decided houses being searched or elsewhere we to monitor the situation before making can link the item back to its owner. a judgement. The system will be incredibly effective In the event, the reaction from residents as long as people who have access to has been very negative and we have the internet use it. It is free and will go received a large number of e-mails some way to making sure that if you are and phone calls complaining that large unfortunate enough to have property numbers of people have been kept stolen you have an increased chance of waiting for fifteen minutes, on several getting it returned to you. occasions, without a single boat passing On other matters, a gentle reminder of through the Neighbourhood Panel and anyone We have suggested to Premier that this that is interested in joining the group trial should be suspended pending a can contact me on 0845 60 70 999 using meeting to discuss the situation. Our extension 19768. requests have been refused. Change to bridge operations We will continue to monitor the situation and will continue to try to persuade On 30th June Premier Marinas started Premier to consider the needs of all raising and lowering the North Harbour marina users. bridge at regular times. At the end of the trial period, a decision will be made Premier would welcome your comments, as to whether this regime will be made in writing to the Harbour Office, and we permanent. would be grateful for a copy. ARRIVINGNEW STOCKDAILY Bright Ideas The Waterfront • Sovereign Harbour

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Weekend and evening staff required, please call 471080 for details

Sovereign Harbour Racing Club (by first outing of the year, to for Linus Gunning) the family fun day, we will let you know how we got on in the August issue. The SHRC is staging it’s annual luxury coach trip to Glorious Goodwood’s family Sovereign Harbour Social Club (by event on Sunday 24th August. Pauline Hale) The price per adult is just £25 including We meet every Wednesday at the admission to the Grandstands. Harvester on the Waterfront, from And, as many as nine under 16 years 10.00am - 11.30am for coffee and olds will be travelling as our guests at a chat. We sit outside now that the no cost. weather is good and it feels just like being on holiday. This month (June) we Paul and Molly Rhodes will be organising took a leisurely stroll from the Harvester matters on the North Harbour. My wife Margaret will be helping me on the South at the Waterfront, to Princes Park, where Harbour. sadly the café in which we were going to have refreshments has closed due to Based on the past two seasons, this vandalism. outings will be a sellout. At the time of going to print, the trip is filling up fast, We also had a Saturday afternoon at so don’t delay, book now!! the Bandstand, listening to music from Broadway and West End Shows. It To confirm your places, please send was very pleasant; sitting there in the a cheque to me, Linus Gunning, at 61 sunshine instead of going to the shops Daytona Quay, Eastbourne. BN23 5BN, and, on a Saturday you can get there or phone 470757 or phone Paul on and home by bus. 479643. By the time you receive this issue of On Wednesday the 25th June we had Waterlines, the club will have been on its lunch at Coopers Pub, Stone Cross. It was a bit of an adventure as we went other Harbour Social Club groups and there by bus, the no. 5 to Lidl and the events please contact Sam on 479111 no. 11 Cavendish bus to Stone Cross or e-mail: [email protected]. area. It didn’t take much time. Shingle Survey (by Jan Weeks) On Thursday 7th August we are going to the craft fair at Michelham Priory. South On Tuesday 1st July, a group of harbour Harbour pick up is at the Haven School residents who had responded to the at 10.00am. North harbour pick up is at call for volunteers in the May issue of Long Beach View, Pacific Drive bus stop Waterlines, joined Tim Smith (Shingle at 10.15am. The coach cost is £6 and Officer) from ESCC Transport and the entrance to the Priory is £5-£4.90. Environment department, to conduct We have now started a Book Club, this a survey of the flora of the remaining months book is ‘The Kite Runner’ by areas of the Crumbles beach. Khaled Hosseini. The books have to A selected area of the beach close to be returned to the library by the 18th the North Harbour Martello Tower was August. Our meeting date to discuss the marked into grids and we identified book has yet to be decided. and took note of all the vegetation, the characteristics of the shingle (size, shape Digital Camera Club for seniors and colour) and human intervention If you have a digital camera and (litter, dog mess, building materials etc.) would like to make better use of it, within each square. the Sovereign Harbour Social Club has The process will be repeated at four started a new group to be known as monthly intervals and the results will ‘Sovereign Harbour Digitals’. The group be compared to assess the speed and plans to meet every Tuesday at 10 am at level of regeneration, and the impact of the Harbour Harvester. human activity. Sam Sweiry will be purchasing a new lap This exercise will be repeated at various top computer, at his own expense, so locations along the south coast’s shingle that members of the group can start on beaches to build up a pattern of the the basics of using the computer as well changes in the coastal environment. as the use of their digital camera. Basic computer instruction is also ESCC Mobile Office available to all harbour residents at the The County Council’s Mobile East Sussex County Council’s mobile Office visits Sovereign Harbour every office. (See next item) Tuesday afternoon. The office, which is There is currently no plan to charge for housed in a large white transit van parks this activity, provided anyone joining in the overflow area of the Waterfront this group becomes a member of the car park (across Harbour Quay from the Sovereign Harbour Social Club. Yacht Club) from 2:00pm until 4:00pm. You can easily recognise the van by the Sam is also asking that anyone living satellite dish on the roof. in the harbour, willing to share the knowledge of basic computing and digital The very helpful staff will provide photography, who would be willing to help with all County Council services, help with this project should contact including library services, and offer him. instruction in basic computer skills in a relaxed environment. Sam is hoping this new project within Sovereign Harbour Social Club will The office, which has five personal bring together people with a common computers on-board, also provides interest. free access to the internet and e-mail services. For details of the Camera Club, and If you would like to take advantage of You will be most welcome to come and this excellent facility, just turn up on the join us. day and have a chat to the staff, they Harbour bus service are looking forward to meeting you. Thanks to those of you who wrote to our Harbour WI (by Pauline Hale) ward councillors about the drastic cuts Although a few ladies were on holiday, to harbour bus services and to those our June meeting on Monday 16th was of you who let us know the outcome of very busy. The president opened the your correspondence. meeting, welcoming visitors, members, guests and speaker, and gave the results It seems that your letters were just of the WI Resolutions. forwarded to Eastbourne Buses and its response was exactly as expected, “The inappropriate imprisonment of the routes were not paying their way the severely mentally ill” was PASSED and were consequently cut, leaving but “The ban on bottom trawling (sea)” many elderly residents stranded in the was REJECTED. A few alterations to the harbour and unable to take advantage ‘wording’ were required. of the many evening attractions in the Our speaker this month was Judith Town Centre. Kinneson-Bourke, reincarnating “Dorothy At a time when we are all being in the Workhouse”. None of us present encouraged to leave our cars at home would like to have lived 100 years ago and use public transport, this is a very when Dorothy and her family were retrograde step. treated so badly. Our thanks to Judith were given by Liz Beuzeval The one ray of sunshine in the whole situation is that the prospect of a better Our competition ‘Your most treasured service would be greatly enhanced if the photograph’ resulted in a display of long awaited ‘North- South Bus Link’ beautiful brown-sepia photos of our lady was constructed. relatives in wonderful embroidered or beaded clothes. The men, in rolled up It seems all that is required is for the sleeves or sitting looking very severe three owners of the land over which orpo-faced. the route would pass to work together for the common good and forget their Our craft meeting was on Monday 30th parochial interests. June at the Baptist Church, Pevensey Bay, at 2:00pm when we were shown MVS Fun weekend how to make greeting cards. We are also planning a Flower Arranging class The MVS Fun Weekend which was held soon and bead ‘stringing’. We still have at the Sovereign Harbour Waterfront on our W.I. cloth to design and embroider. the 14th and 15th June was, as usual, a huge success and included the third Our next meeting is on the 14th July. running of the ‘World Championship The speaker will be Mrs. Romy McCabe, Pantomime Horse Races’. ‘I Married the Vicar’. Our competition will be the ‘Prettiest Cup and Saucer’. The SHRA took part on the Saturday, but Please note, we have NO MEETING was unable to be there on the Sunday IN AUGUST, but, we have arranged following the destruction of our gazebo an outing to Sissinghurst Castle and by a strong gust of wind. Even so, a Gardens for Monday 11th August which number of residents visited our stand and should be very nice, very beautiful and ten new members added to our collective pleasant on the eyes. If you are free strength. Some took advantage of the on the 14th July, please come along and opportunity to give their opinion on join us at The Sovereign Harbour Yacht the best use of the £10,000 that has Club, at 2pm on the second floor. There been provided for Sovereign Ward, and is a lift if you require one. these have been forwarded to our ward councillors for their consideration. correct level of care for all concerned. The battle, to make decisions in the Eastbourne’s MP, Nigel Waterson and the ‘best interests’ of the vulnerable, is often Chairman of East Sussex County Council, fought on a grey canvas with conflicting Cllr. Bob Lacey MBE, both came in for a legal authority as to who is best suited chat and an update on harbour issues. to make these crucial decisions. The event attracted a very large number Thanks to new legal powers conferred in of visitors, and the Waterfront area was the Mental Capacity Act 2005, however, absolutely ‘buzzing’. Car parks were it is now possible to appoint a trusted full, with visitors touring around for family member or friend to legally make a space. This reinforces the massive ‘health and welfare’ decisions on your importance of this area to the economy behalf during your lifetime, precisely of the town, and the contribution it can when you need it the most. make to its income from tourism. All “The law has been unwilling to recognise that is required is the full support of the a power to make ‘health and welfare’ Borough Council, common sense, and decisions on behalf of another without the ability to think further than the next the backing of a Court Order,” says Pat year’s balance sheet. Sands of Temple Bird – the Harbour’s Whatever the pressure from the land sole resident firm of solicitors. “The owners and developers, this area must new Act gives us the best opportunity be kept open and available for events we can have of ensuring that our wishes such as this. To use such a valuable are followed quickly when we are at our resource for more unwanted and most vulnerable,” she continued. unneeded apartments would be criminal The new power is granted in a document, in the extreme. known as a ‘Lasting Power of Attorney.’ Thy Will be Done – By Others Once the LPA is registered with the Office Regardless of your Wishes of the Public Guardian, the appointed Happy making your own decisions? Attorney has the legal authority to make What if you are not able to? Who is then decisions on your behalf without fear of legally entitled to make a decision on being challenged by others. your behalf? A doctor? Your partner? A “The power can be granted to up to 4 relative? While you recover, who takes people, it can contain restrictions and care of the kids, feeds the dog and makes can be revoked at any time until you sure the monthly mortgage payments become mentally incapable” said Pat. are paid in time? “It is a flexible lifetime planning tool,” she continued, “almost like an insurance In the past, members of the ‘family’, policy that can be used to the great social services, legal and medical comfort of others relying on you, both professionals have grappled… sometimes on a financial and emotional level. It is apologetically, sometimes aggressively difficult to put a value on this level of with one another in trying to give the care, especially when considering the Fashion Show Hosted by the Harbour W.I. on Monday 8th September 2008 at 2.00 p.m. at The Sovereign Harbour Yacht Club

The show will be presented by Anna Seymour from the Eastex and Alex & Co. departments of Debenhams in Eastbourne. Outfits from both ranges will be modelled by some of our members who will be experiencing life on the catwalk for the very first time! We are pleased to be able to invite a number of visitors & guests to join us at this event. Entrance will be by Ticket Only and will cost £2.50, payable on the door on the day. Tickets are limited to two per application. The name, address and telephone number of each person must be shown on your application so that the tickets may be correctly made out. Applications to be sent to: Liz Beuzeval, 67 Hamilton Quay, Sovereign Harbour North, Eastbourne BN23 5PX Tel: 01323 470519 Applications to be received by Friday 15 August 2008. If the demand for tickets exceeds supply, a draw will be made by an independent person. Tickets will be sent to the successful applicants by Friday 29 August. Please note that entrance will be free for members of The Harbour WI – although will still be by TICKET ONLY alternative… a squabble to determine will not interfere with birds of prey taking what is in your best interest without any sparrows in a garden or foxes taking involvement or directions from you at cygnets etc. These are natural situations all.” which we should not interfere with. Anyone interested in granting a Lasting The situation at Sovereign Harbour is far Power of Attorney to ensure that someone from natural. The key reasons the cygnet you trust carries out your wishes should was picked up was due to the past history take legal advice. where the cygnets have died as a result of them not being able to get out of the WRAS news (by Trevor Weeks) water, one previously was run down by I’ve had a mixed reaction to the removal a boat, several previously had become of the cygnet from Sovereign Harbour injured and killed by the well-meaning last month. One person contacted me but badly constructed ramp which to say that we were interfering with had been erected too. These are not nature and I can understand why this natural effects like a mink or fox taking might be thought. WRAS does not aim a youngster, it is not a natural barrier to interfere with nature. I regularly get stopping the youngster from getting complaints from people when I say we back to its nest but a man made one. The whole situation was of man made loving boat owners on site who have origin even down to the nesting material been very helpful in the rescue and having been planted by man which capture of swans in the harbour. would naturally not have been present I am in no way interested in bring in before the harbour was constructed. The casualties unless there is a genuine cygnet was removed by fishermen and need to do so as our charity can’t afford placed back on the nest several times to unnecessarily bring in casualties. This and the cygnet kept going back into the cygnet will not be kept in a sanctuary water. I would not support leaving any for the rest of its life. It will now go into animal to suffer a slow and painful death a rearing programme with other cygnets regardless of the cause. and foster parents where it will learn The harbour office has called us out on and be suitable for release back in the numerous occasions to badly injured wild where it belongs. swans at Sovereign Harbour and also I hope this will help answer any concerns to swans covered in oil and fuel from that any one has. Please feel free to irresponsible boat owners. However, contact me if you have any concerns on I must add that the I have met some my e-mail, trevor@wildlifeambulance. extremely nice and very kind and animal org. Join the SHRA and get fit

Do you want to get fit, but are reluctant the SHRA until March 2009, and entry to take on the commitment of a contract to the David Lloyd Centre for five days. with a fitness centre until you are sure that it will be right for you? Then join By signing up for this offer, you will be the SHRA. looking after the harbour and looking after yourself at the same time. How We are delighted to say that the SHRA can you lose? has negotiated a unique deal with the David Lloyd Centre that will help you This great offer is not just for new make that decision. members, all current SHRA members may also take advantage of it, but hurry, All you need to do is to turn up with a the offer ends at the end of August. current (2008/2009) SHRA membership card (white card with red text), and you PLUS, take out membership before the will be given a FREE ‘Five Day Trial Pass’ end of July and get a free mountain which usually costs £25. bike with a RRP of £200. So, for just £10, you get membership of One per household Sovereign Harbour Residents Association Membership Application/Renewal 2008 - 2009

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