"For Sale" Estate Agents' boards

QUESTION: Are estate agents authorised to place "for sale" boards on land remote from the property involved?

ANSWER: No. One board may be displayed on the property only. Any other sign placed on any other land, include on Highway Authority land such as a grass verge, needs permission.

Yellow and black road signs

QUESTION: Do you know what the small yellow signs mean that have recently been put up, including through the Village?

ANSWER: These signs are to help drivers navigate diversion routes.

Added 24/03/2010

Spelling of name "Sedlescombe"

QUESTION: I note your spelling of Sedlescombe with one "d". I have a Penny Post letter dated April 1843 with Sedlescombe spelt with two "d's".

ANSWER: Yes, the current spelling is with one “d” but, in the 19th century, it was often spelt  Sedlescomb as well as Seddlescomb.  Of course, back further in history, there really was no set spelling for place and other names.  We have on our parish map the following spellings as well:  Setelscumbe, Sedelscumbe, Setylscombe, Selescome and Salescome (both Domesday Book), Selecomb, Saddlescomb, Selecombe, Selscombe, Selscomb. 

Added 22/03/2010

Troughs

QUESTION: I am trying to track down all the remaining cattle/horse troughs that were erected by the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. I recently noticed there is such a trough in your village in the car park of the Queen's Head pub. According to the archives, the trough was not originally located in Sedlescombe. Do you know anything about the history of the trough, When it was moved to Sedlescombe, and where it came from?

ANSWER: This trough used to be outside The Mill at Northiam and was saved from the scrapyard and brought to Sedlescombe somewhere between 1976 and 1980 when road widening work was taking place.

NB: On checking the historical records, the person posing the original question was able to find that the trough was erected in Northiam on 1 June 1933 and was funded by the Hastings branch of the RSPCA.

Added 22/03/2010

Footpaths

QUESTION: Can a farmer keep a bull in a field crossed by a public path?

ANSWER: It depends. A bull of up to ten months old, yes. Bulls over ten months of a recognised dairy breed (Ayrshire, British Friesian, British Holstein, Dairy Shorthorn, Guernsey, Jersey and Kerry) are banned from the fields crossed by public paths under all circumstances. All other bulls over ten months are banned unless accompanied by cows or heifers. If any bulls act in a way which endangers the public, an offence may be committed under health and safety legislation.

(Information from Ramblers Association Footpaths Law)

Car Lot next to Bridge Garage Antiques

QUESTION: Is it in order for the tenant of the car lot area to erect large blue signs, flags and balloons to advertise the vehicles that are for sale?

ANSWER: Yes, this has been investigated by Rother District Council's Enforcement Officer and the Parish Council has been informed that there is no legislation that requires these items to be removed, despite the site being within the Sedlescombe Conservation Area.

Buses - link to County Council webpage

Concessionary fares - link to County Council webpage

Dogs - link to Rother webpage

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

In Rother, you must clean up after your dog in all publicly owned open spaces and highways except woodlands, marsh and agricultural land. Please read the Dog Control Order on the Rother webpage for details. Dog owners who fail to comply can be prosecuted or issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75. This Dog Control Order was introduced on 1 April 2008.

Rother District Council has also introduced a Dog Control Order which makes it an offence (fixed penalty notice of £75) for a person in charge of a dog to permit it to enter or to remain on any land to which the Order applies. Exemptions will apply to guide dogs and dogs for the disabled. The Order applies to Bowling Greens, Enclosed Children's Play areas, Sports and Playing Field under the control of educational establishments, Ornamental planted areas of public walks and pleasure grounds. In addition, there are other specified areas including Red Barn Field Nature Park in Sedlescombe

Fly-tipping - link to Rother webpage

Grass verges.

QUESTION: Can you tell me who is responsible for cutting the grass verges in and around Sedlescombe?

ANSWER: East Sussex County Council cuts the majority of grass verges both within the Village and in the outskirts. Click for further information from the County Council including the reason why clippings are not removed.

The Parish Council cuts the grass at the Village Green, the Riverside Playing Field, at East View Terrace Kickabout Area and at the Brede Lane Public Car Park. 

Public Transport - Is there a central contact point for bus and rail timetables in this area?

Yes - Please use the following link to Traveline: http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk/se/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&t

Tonne Bags' Recycling

QUESTION: My wife and I find the practice of throwing builders' bags into skips and then presumably into wastefill concerning. Very near to us there is a skip with 12 bags in. At one time, there used to be a deposit on them. Can anything be done about this?

ANSWER: I have referred this question to Rother's Recycling Officer, Fergus Cameron, and he has written to local builder supply companies. A reply has been received from Jewson Ltd. and can be seen by clicking on the spyglass in the next column.