Derek Deedman

Last week saw grants being agreed for three projects in Upper Beeding, the first two from the Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) and the other from the Viridor Credits West Sussex Committee.

Bus Shelter

There has been a long campaign by local people for a bus shelter in the High Street at the Kings Head which has now been supported by a petition of 58 signatures. It has not however been easy to progress because the site is in a conservation area of the Village and any bus shelter would need to fit in with the surrounding buildings such as the Kings Head.

The Parish Council has now proposed a high quality hardwood shelter, which will enhance the built environment of the area and provide shelter from the rain and wind for people waiting for the bus. It will be especially valuable for non-car owners (old and young) and hopefully encourage others to get out of their cars to use public transport.

Such a bus shelter is much more expensive than a normal modern shelter and the CLC was pleased to be able to approve a community grant of £1,500 for the Parish Council towards the extra cost.

Replacement radiators for the Beeding & Bramber Village Hall

The boiler for the Hall was replaced last year, but had to be connected to a heating system of radiators and pipework which are 35 years old and which regularly break down.

The CLC recently gave a community grant to Ashington for a similar heating system, and so was pleased to be able to approve a grant of £2,000 to enable the Beeding & Bramber Village Hall Management Committee to upgraded their heating system.

Skate Park for Small Dole

Small Dole in the Parish of Upper Beeding is rurally isolated from facilities for young people, and it has been identified that there is a demand in the area for a proper skate park.

The Parish Council therefore bid for a community grant from Viridor Credits West Sussex to help fund this much needed recreational opportunity for young people in the area, which will also provide a usable, yet challenging facility for all ages and levels of experience.

The Viridor Credits West Sussex Committee, Small Dole, which meets at the Horton Landfill Site to allocate grants from landfill tax, was delighted to approve a £30,000 grant towards the cost of over £40,000 for the Skate Park to be sited at Mackey’s Field in Small Dole.

Derek Deedman said, “It is great that these two Committees on which I am a member have been able to part fund these improvements in Upper Beeding which will be of such help to all ages in the local community.”