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Newsletter 229 - February 2008

In this issue:

• Meet Waitrose
• Treasurer Needed
• Where's our litter bin?
• Some are consulted and others are not
• Bollard Breaks
• Grand Hotel to get grander
• Subscriptions are now due
• Many thanks...
• New Members Needed
• Strength in Numbers

Meet Waitrose

Where would we be without Waitrose? Whether you love it or hate it, Waitrose is our nearest large supermarket.

Well here is your chance to meet one of the store's senior managers. Andy Seggie will be a guest speaker at the Annual General Meeting at 7:30pm on Wednesday 2 April, in the Osborne Room at the Metropole Hotel. He will give a short talk about the store and then there will be an opportunity to ask questions or make comments.

Andy's talk will be followed by a break for refreshments. Then we will hold the Society's AGM.

Put it in your diary now!

Treasurer Needed

Andrew Walker has been the Society's treasurer since 2002. He was Society Secretary for several years before that. He has decided to step down as treasurer.

So we are now looking for a new treasurer to take over. No particular qualifications are needed. The accounts are kept on a simple computer system at present but could equally well by transferred to an account book.

The treasurer needs to be able to go to the bank fairly frequently, especially when subscriptions are coming in, around this time of year. We use the Nationwide Building Society in West Street. The treasurer is also a committee member and attends our monthly meetings.

If you would like to talk to Andrew to find out more about the job you can call him on 01273 700340.

Where's our litter bin?

There used to be a really nice litter bin on the east side of the lowest green in Regency Square. It was so nice that someone took it away and it is now probably adorning their living room as an ornament.

In the meantime, people with litter in that part of the Square no longer have a convenient place to put it. We have asked the Council to replace the bin.

Some are consulted and others are not

As predicted in our last issue, the Council has distributed leaflets with a questionnaire to give us an opportunity to comment on the plans for communal bins.

However, not everyone has been given the opportunity to have their say. Those who live in blocks of flats such as Sussex Heights did not receive the consultation leaflet. The Council's reason for excluding these addresses is that they are not affected by the bins because their buildings already have their own communal bin arrangements.

This indicates clearly how the Council officers who are proposing this scheme see it simply as a question about how rubbish should be collected. If that was the case then obviously only those affected by the changed collection arrangements should be consulted.

However, the proposal for large bins to be used to store rubbish in the streets is not just about refuse collection. It also relates to the appearance of the town in which we all live. These bins will have an impact on some of the finest seaside architecture and townscape in England. Everyone who lives here and uses these streets should be allowed to have their say about the scheme.

We have raised this failure of consultation with our local councillors. Councillor Sven Rufus agrees that "the issue of the communal bins is of wider community concern and not just one about whether people want one form of waste collection service or another."

He plans to raise the issue with Council officers. His view is that it "may draw into question the validity of the consultation". We agree.

Bollard Breaks

One of the bollards in the twitten outside the Regency Tavern has been moved by the contractors who have been digging up our streets for the last few months. The result is that the gap between the two bollards is much wider than before. This encourages even more cyclists to ride through the twitten, rather than walk.

We have already asked the Council to re-position it. The bollard is now loose. Don't try, but if you give it a gentle push it moves. Both these bollards are listed and the Council has a duty to protect them. We have asked the Council's Conservation team to arrange for it to be repaired.

Grand Hotel to get grander

The Grand Hotel has submitted a planning application for some big changes. They are proposing an extension to provide forty-one new guest rooms, leisure facilities and ancillary accommodation. The scheme will include a glazed bridge link, passenger lift and creation of an internal landscaped courtyard.

Subscriptions are now due

The Society's financial year finishes at the end of February, which means that membership subscriptions are now due for 2008/09.

About half our income each year comes from donations made by members. If you are able to add something to you subscription, it will be most welcome.

A few members may already have paid, in which case you will find the code 08/09 on your address label.

Many thanks...

... to three of our committee members who are not standing for re-election at the AGM next month.

John Gavin was secretary of the Society until the end of 2006. He now lives in Hove but has continued to help the Society as a committee member, including representing us at meetings of the Conservation Advisory Group. He has decided not to stand for re-election

Warden Swinfen joined the committee last year. He has been a valuable member over the year but unfortunately poor health now prevents him from continuing.

Traude Tappin first joined the committee back in 1984 and has been one of the Society's most energetic supporters. Her work as a fundraiser has ensured that we have always been in a strong financial position. This proved particularly important when we were able to provide much of the money for the Save our Seafront campaign against the plans for large buildings either side of the West Pier.

Traude is now standing down because she is finding it hard to get to meetings because of work commitments.

Many thanks to all three for their work as committee members, and we hope that they will remain as members of the Society for many years to come.

New Members Needed

As some members leave, new members are needed to take their place.

Tom Mackillop was co-opted as a member last year and will be standing for election at the AGM. Tom lives in Russell Square.

If you would be interested in joining the committee, or you know someone who would, you can find out more by contacting the chairman, Roger Hinton (Tel 01273 321794 or contact us).

The committee meets once a month, usually on a Monday evening. Meetings last between one and two hours, depending on how much business there is.

Strength in Numbers

The more members we have, the more seriously the Council and other public bodies will take us.

We plan to distribute about 1,000 membership leaflets around the area in the next few weeks.

A personal approach from & member is far more likely to be effective than a leaflet through the door. If you would like some copies of the leaflet to give to friends or neighbours (especially new neighbours) please contact Roger Hinton.

We are sad to report the death of Joyce Evans. Those who have been members for some time will probably remember Joyce, who lived in Regents Court In Regency Square and was a member of the Society committee between 1984 and 1992. She died recently after a brave battle with Alzheimer's. Our thoughts are with her loved ones.

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