Category: Notices/Information

Mountfield Village Hall – Annual General Meeting

Tuesday 26th July 2022 at 7.00pm

This is an appeal to all residents of Mountfield – your Village Hall needs you.

The Hall is arguably the most important building in the village. Through the diligent efforts of its Trustees and with some government lockdown support, it has survived the pandemic in very good shape but, as things have come back to life, the hike in energy prices are now giving great cause for concern. Few organisations could absorb the rise of 77% in electricity costs which we suffered in January 2022 and the Hall is no exception.

Having invested in a state-of-the-art, fully wireless AV system with electronic screen, integrated high-speed broadband, an automated online booking system, and with a self-contained committee/meeting room, fully equipped kitchen, well-appointed toilets (including baby-changing and disabled facilities) and ample car parking, the Hall has kept up with changing expectations BUT, and it’s a big but, the Committee of Trustees (which manages the Hall on behalf of the Mountfield community) needs your help, if the Hall is to survive and function in coming years.

The Founding Charter for the Hall, created in 1965 when the building was gifted to the community by the Mountfield Estate, expects a Committee of Trustees numbering well into double figures. With two retirements expected at the AGM, the Trustees will number just four– which is well below the “critical mass” required to maintain and manage the Hall on your behalf.

We have lots of ideas for the future, but the Hall needs more Trustees to join the Management Committee. It needs more helpers and volunteers, and it needs the moral support and backing of its villagers.

Please come along to the AGM on 26th July, beginning at 7 pm, and support the Hall.

The High Weald Walking Festival will launch on 10th September at the Ashdown Forest Centre.  All details are on the link below.

Launch of the High Weald Walking Festival

All are welcome to a Jubilee Celebration Service at Mountfield Church on Sunday 5th June at 10.30am.  To be conducted by the Rev. Julia Lewis.
Followed by a Champagne Toast and nibbles!

Reference my post of 13.05.22 about the temporary closure of All Saints Church for repairs to the nave – very happy to tell you all that the repairs are complete and the Church is open again.

Repairs to the floor of the nave and chancel will start on Monday 16.05.22 and last a week.  During this time the church will be closed.  Notices have been posted on the door, Village Hall noticeboard and Church noticeboard.

Please see below details of the Council Tax Rebate Scheme, these have been sent by our District Councillor – Eleanor Kirby-Green.

The 20,000 households in bands A-D who pay their Council Tax by Direct Debit will receive the £150 into their bank account in around 2 weeks.  This follows the April Council Tax payment which verifies the bank details used to pay the April instalment as current and genuine.

The 9,000 households in bands A-D who pay their Council Tax by other means will be contacted to encourage them to give their bank details so we can pay direct.  Otherwise a post office payment scheme may be available, or at last resort, a credit onto their Council Tax bill.  This credit is not desirable as the scheme is meant to be a cash back scheme.

The 15,000 households in bands E-H who do not automatically qualify, will be able to apply for a discretionary scheme, if they reach certain criteria.  A cross-authority scheme is being agreed across East Sussex and will be subject of a Cabinet report in June.  There will be enough money in this scheme to support about 1,900 further households with £150. 

This is an update to my post (yesterday) about Ultrafast broadband in Dallington and Mountfield.

I jumped the gun somewhat after getting the flyer yesterday when the parishes of Netherfield, Ninfield, Brightling, Ashburnham, Penhurst, Catsfield, Dallington and Mountfield were mentioned.  However, Openreach work on telephone exchanges and not parish boundaries, all these parishes were noted on the flyer (only delivered to certain post codes) as some residents of the parishes are connected to the Brightling and Ashburnham telephone exchanges.

I have spoken to Andrew Wedmore (Chair of Brightling PC) today – who has worked tirelessly over the past few years on this project – please click on the link below to see an email from Andrew which shows the post codes that can be connected, through the voucher scheme, at the present time.

• Brightling telephone exchange – Brightling + Netherfield Village + Dallington Woods Corner area.
• Ashburnham telephone exchange – Ashburnham + Penhurst + Ninfield.

There is also a link from Andrew’s email showing FAQs.

1 Broadband in Netherfield and Brightling and Dallington Woods Corner

Ultrafast broadband voucher scheme FAQs

I believe that we cannot have a two tier system for broadband and every resident of Dallington and Mountfield must have the opportunity to apply for this voucher scheme.  I intend to pursue this matter with Openreach – “the next hill that I die on.”

Just as an aside, you can find out which telephone exchange you are connected to by going to the following site – just put your post code in.

Find out which telephone exchange you are connected to

Irene – Parish Clerk

Very excited about this.  There has been tremendous work by Brightling and Ashburnham & Penhurst Parish Councils on this issue for a long time and they deserve a massive shout out.

There are many of us in our parishes who get what is not exactly Ultrafast Broadband, although it may well be called that.  I have just tested my broadband (on my laptop) and I get 35.29Mbps download and 6.54Mbps download – not what I would call Ultrafast!

You can check your broadband speed by going to the site below

BT Wholesale Broadband Speed Checker

This offer guarantees Ultrafast and FIBRE TO PREMISES, most of us have fibre to cabinet.  I’ve just pooled my voucher into the scheme and have classed myself as a business (parish clerk to two councils).

I know for a fact that there are graphic designers, architects, draughtspersons etc., who have real problems working from home without Ultrafast broadband (fibre to premises).

Please do read the document below, it will give you full details on how to pool your voucher and IT WON’T COST YOU A PENNY!

Ultrafast broadband full details

To pool your voucher, go to the link below

Click on this link to pool your voucher

Even if you don’t see the benefit of Ultrafast broadband for your particular circumstances – please do pool your voucher into the scheme, it will benefit so many others.

Irene – Parish Clerk

Please see the statement below from Basil Scarsella, CEO of UK Power Networks, more details on the link below.

Statement from UK Power Networks CEO Basil Scarsella

I appreciate what a difficult time this is, for our many customers who have experienced a power cut caused by Storm Eunice which saw record wind speeds and damage across the South East and East of England.

While we work hard to get everybody back on supply, we have decided to make goodwill payments to our customers who were worst affected by power cuts caused by Storm Eunice and have been without power for 24 hours.

We recognise that being without power for this extended period affects your daily life so we have decided to make an extra £50 payment, earlier than payments would normally apply which would be after 48 hours.  This means that if you were impacted by Storm Eunice you will be eligible to receive £50 after 24 hours without electricity, an additional £70 when you reach 48 hours, and an additional £70 thereafter for every 12 hours without power. 

There is no need for you to call us – we’ll contact everyone who is entitled to a payment by text message, email or letter in the coming days. If you prefer you can fill in our online claim form.

I hope you and your families are safe and well. Please rest assured it’s our top priority to get your power back on as quickly as we can.

Basil Scarsella