Tempers flare at council meeting

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It was a full house at the Rye council meeting on Monday, with Rye residents filling all seats, and the council in full gown attire.

First on the agenda were requests for financial support. Representatives from two worthwhile charities, Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat Association and Rye Bay Football Club, presented how they help our community and they both successfully petitioned monetary support for their organisations. They received £1000 and £500 respectively.

But the main event on Monday, was discussion on the future management of the Rye allotments at Love Lane and South Undercliff.

As background, two members of Rye council have been managing the governance of Rye’s allotments for 10 years, under the title CIC (Community Interest Company). The CIC’s governance ended in November, 2023. In July 2023, Rye council appointed an Allotments Management Task and Finish Group to research options and then report to the council an optimal, new management structure for the allotment sites. The allotment associations of Love Lane and South Undercliff were asked for their views and the majority wanted to combine to create a new organisation to manage both sites on RTC’s behalf. The sub-committee wrote a report of their findings and presented this to the Rye council on Monday. The report recommends that the management of the allotments should be kept under the management of Rye Town Council and that “RTC establishes an Allotments Committee – comprising both (non-conflicted) Members and representatives of the two Associations and the Community Garden. The Committee would provide a formal mechanism for the main interested parties to work together, agree devolved powers, address disputes, identify funding requirements, discuss issues and concerns etc”.

In Monday’s meeting, the mayor asked the sub-committee to identify themselves by raising their hands. Councillors Andy Stuart, Cheryl Creaser, David Bookless, Michael Boyd, John Breeds, William Everett and Chris Hoggart did so. The sub-committee consisted of 6 people who do not have connections to the subject. They do not own an allotment and they are not members of the CIC.

Concerns were raised in heated discussions and passionate presentations by the allotment holders, who were then given one minute each to share key points they wanted the council to address. Various issues of concern and questions emerged from the points made:

  • 77% of allotment holders asked for self-governance as part of a survey the sub- committee carried out. Why is this being ignored in the report?
  • Given the challenging behaviour of CIC members, why are they still potentially allowed to be included in the management group?
  • Why are allotment holders excluded from any voting rights?
  • What knowledge and experience do council members have for making decisions regarding the allotments, that allotment holders and councillors with allotments do not have? (Both groups will be excluded from voting on decisions according to the report).
  • What structures of governance did the sub-committee explore, and how did they reach their decision?
  • How does the governance body plan to build trust between themselves and the allotment holders?
  • How transparent will the council be regarding where fees for allotments are going?
  • What is the time-frame for changing to full self governance in the future?

It was clear one of two of the audience who spoke did so with a great deal of courage, given the anger and upset they have endured through trying to work with the old governance structure.

As the discussions developed, tempers flared and faces reddened. The audience clapped, stamped and shouted “Hear Hear!” for particular comments they supported. This rowdiness provoked the council to remind everyone that there were rules of behaviour that should be adhered to. Certain behaviours were even described as bullying, with hushed tones of “rubbish” from the (now defunct) CIC council members in response. Pleas for “patience dear people” where called for….

To quote Council member Cheryl Creaser:

“You have to realise the process of handover is complicated. I can understand all your frustrations. All the taskforce members, including myself, have never wanted or had aspirations to own an allotment. Everything we do is behind closed doors.  Lots of people need to be involved. If we get this wrong, we will lose the allotments. South Undercliff will get re-developed. Without the CIC involved you won’t have your allotment. So that’s upsetting for all of us. The District Council are not statutory, so they can develop on the land. This will be a tragedy. Even if I don’t have an allotment, I would be very upset. We are not giving up. We are pleased you allotment holders are passionate, but you are letting your emotions get you upset. This is not them versus us. You elected us. A lot of us put our heart and soul into this and seeing your distress upsets us. Sorry you are feeling this way. We are one group. If you don’t like it you can vote in the elections. But at the end of the day you need to trust us to get it right. We cannot give you a SLA (Service Level Agreement) until you become the sole owner, until we can get legal agreement from Rother.”

Her statement was challenged by Anthony Kimber, also in the audience and author of the Neighbourhood Plan:

“Let me please state the status of the allotments. They are quite clearly statutory.  In 2019, we finalised the neighbourhood plan, which in itself is a statutory document, with a national examiner and key Rother officials and it was agreed that the allotments are statutory. It is recorded in the plan. So it is dangerous for councillors here to start talking about Rother’s ability to develop the allotments.  They are statutory. I have all the documentary evidence that goes way back to the 19th century. The plan that is owned by Rye Town Council makes that quite clear.”

Sitting in the audience, one got the impression that if this had been a previous century, for example under the rule of King Henry V11, we might even have had a few allotment holders dragged out and put into stocks for their insolence …

But, Rye’s mayor finally brought proceedings to order. A justifiable delay in governance decision-making was agreed (we think?) by the council, to ponder over the evidence and the passion for self-governance from the allotment holders.

Image Credits: Burton Wheeler .

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11 COMMENTS

  1. The way the representatives of the two organisations that stood to speak about why their organisations needed financial help with particular projects were an example how civil society should behave in public meetings.
    The Rye bay football club I was most impressed with…hearing about how they voluntarily work to keep it going to help young boys enjoy sport ,teamwork and confidence building.. they need money for new football goal posts.. if any one would like to help I am sure they would appreciate that. I recall that I saw young boys kicking around on their field during Covid as I walked along the path through the sheep field, and at the time lifted my spirits to see them enjoying themselves.

  2. Hear hear, Judith! All the people who give their time and energy to support Rye Bay’s teams of boys and girls make an incalculable contribution to the health and well-being of our young people, and by extension, to the town. And it’s not just coaching, it’s pastoral care, admin, accounting, fund-raising, organisation and lots of early mornings! They really deserve our thanks, and I’m so glad funds were found to invest in the club – and in Rye’s kids.

  3. Liz Byrne presented an excellent request for funding which was met by £500 grant from Rye. This let to a potential matched funding
    opportunity from RDC, which we are pursuing. Hopefully, this will provide further funding. The RDC members for Rye and Winchelsea will support. This is
    absolutely the type of endeavour both Rye Town Council ad

    Rother
    District are keen to support.

    • TB I tried yesterday to speak to someone who would know, but they were not available.
      I will try Monday. But another idea would be to contact the Rye town council as they will have contact details about the club.

  4. There have been a number of people – who have happened to be members of the Town Council – who have been directors of the (not defunct) Rye Amenity CIC since it was established. It was formed to ensure that there was local management/oversight of the allotments. The Town Council had refused the offer of a long lease from Rother, arguing that the allotments are ‘statutory’, the Town Council is the Proper Allotments Authority and, therefore, the freeholds should be transferred to the Town Council (now in progress).

    To provide stability and assess the situation fully, the Task & Finish Group recommended that the allotments (once transferred) be managed by the Town Council in the short-term – whilst the proposed Allotments Committee spends a few months considering the functions that could be devolved to the allotments associations – with a review of how this had worked in 12 months. The review could, potentially, result in ‘full self-management’ by both associations (or a combined one).

    If Members of the public on the proposed Council committee were given voting rights they would need to comply – in full – with the Council’s Code of Coduct – which would mean (if plot holders) that would not be able to speak or vote on allotment matters unless they obtained a dispensation.

    The day-to-day running/oversight of the allotment sites would be undertaken by Town Council staff. The Deputy Town Clerk has knowledge of both sites by virture of having been the CIC Company Secretary previosuly. The Clerk helped to faciliate the formation of the Rye Allotments Association, has managed the setting up allotments from scratch in another parish – and drafted the governing document for its allotments association.

    Yes, it was agreed that the Task & Finish Group would consider the comments made on its recommendations at the meeting (as well as any received after) and then report back to the Town Council.

  5. Cyril. The Rye Bay football club would love that generous offer. either contact the Rye town council for the Clubs details or look up the club on line where there is more information about all they do. I have since heard that this weekend they were having to sort out the club building due to water damage from the rainy weather. 6 long hours the volunteers did..

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