Local Democracy Reporting Service

These reports are from the BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Eastbourne Reporter is eligible to receive them as a regulated website with high journalistic standards.

SPOTLIGHT: Sovereign Harbour retirement flats approved at third attempt

Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democrary Reporter Rebecca Maer, Eastbourne Reporter Controversial proposals to build a six-storey retirement living complex in Eastbourne on the waterfront have been approved by councillors. Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee last night granted permission to build 126 “apartments for older people” on land to the east of Martinique Way in Sovereign […]

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Kings Drive Eastbourne flats plan

SPOTLIGHT: Developer bids to replace one house with 20 flats

By Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporting Service A developer has submitted plans for an apartment building in Eastbourne to replace a large detached house. In an application submitted to Eastbourne Borough Council, a developer is seeking outline planning permission to demolish the home at 273 Kings Drive and replace it with a building containing […]

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Mornings Mill Farm sign Eastbourne

SPOTLIGHT: Council paid developers more than £750,000

By Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter Wealden District Council has paid out more than three-quarters of a million pounds in appeal costs since January 2021. The single largest payout resulted from the council’s decision to refuse the 700-home Mornings Mill development on farmland at Willingdon, Eastbourne, which was approved on appeal. One Labour councillor […]

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The Shires, Gorringe Road, Eastbourne

SPOTLIGHT: Planning inspector approves care home conversion

By Huw Oxburgh, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporting Service Controversial plans to convert a former Eastbourne care home have been approved on appeal. A planning inspector has approved retrospective proposals for an 11-bedroom property at 13 Gorringe Road — a building which had formed part of a care home known as The Shires. Eastbourne planners had refused […]

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Jonathan Kent PCC candidate

SPOTLIGHT: Green police and crime commissioner candidate

By Sarah Booker-Lewis, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter Below are the responses from Green candidate Jonathan Kent, a former BBC journalist who tweets as @jolph. He is pictured above. What difference will you make if you are elected? For years we’ve had a Conservative police and crime commissioner under a Tory government bent on cutting public […]

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Katy Bourne PCC candidate

SPOTLIGHT: Conservative police and crime commissioner candidate

By Sarah Booker-Lewis, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter Below are the responses from Conservative candidate Katy Bourne, who tweets as @KatyBourne. She is pictured above. What difference will you make if you are elected? Continue cutting crime – neighbourhood crime already down 23 per cent, residential burglary down 33 per cent, fighting drugs gangs (585 disrupted […]

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Jamie Bennett PCC candidate

SPOTLIGHT: Liberal Democrat police and crime commissioner candidate

By Sarah Booker-Lewis, BBC-funded Local Democracy Reporter Below are the responses from Liberal Democrat candidate Jamie Bennett, 34, a hotel manager who tweets as @JamieBen120689. He is pictured above. What difference will you make if you are elected? Liberal Democrats believe the post of PCC should be abolished but, until we are in a position […]

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East Sussex potholes

SPOTLIGHT: East Sussex pothole reports double

Reports by residents of potholes in East Sussex more than doubled last year.   In figures released in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, East Sussex County Council said it received 26,309 reports of potholes and other carriageway defects in 2022/23.   This was more than double the previous financial year (2021/22), which […]

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Eastbourne Town Hall

SPOTLIGHT: Top East Sussex council pay packets revealed 

The latest Town Hall Rich List has been published, showing how many council employees received more than £100,000 in 2022/23.  Collated by The TaxPayers’ Alliance, the figures showed that 73 employees of councils across East and West Sussex – not including Brighton & Hove – took home more than £100,000 in salary, pension and other expenses.   […]

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