Notice Board

Allotments to rent:

The Parish Council has a number of plots to rent on the allotments at the electricity substation, Lewes Road. Rents are from £11 for a half plot to £22 for a full plot. If you are interested please contact Chris Elphick at the Council Office, Ringmer Village Hall between 10am and noon Tuesday or Wednesday or call 813242 (24 hour answerphone) at any time.

Bus Passes

From 1 April 2006 people who are aged 60 or over, or who are disabled, are entitled to free bus travel anywhere in East and West Sussex. If you hold a current 'Countycard' you can use this to obtain free travel. If you do not have a card, or yours has expired, you may obtain an application form from the Parish Council office or direct from Lewes District Council at their office in Fisher Street, Lewes. These new arrangements mean that the scheme operated for many years by the Parish Council to allow free travel within the village is no longer needed and it has, therefore, been stopped with effect from 31 March 2006.

Basically the new scheme allows free travel after 9 am Monday to Friday and at any time at weekends.

Please call into the Parish Office if you want further information on the scheme or experience any difficulties.

SEE IT, HEAR IT, EXPERIENCE IT -

REPORT IT!

There has also been a dramatic improvement in the Police Call Centre. Gone are the days of a 30 - 45 minute wait before being connected. Recent personal experience has shown a 30 - 90 seconds delay before being connected and

usually a follow-up call from the police after

having reported an incident.

Sadly the police can only work on the dreaded "statistics"; if they do not receive reports of

problems they must assume there are none.

Therefore we must report every incident to the

police, even if you do not expect a police

response the call will be recorded. This includes vandalism to your or other peoples property,

vandalism to public places, anti-social or

threatening behaviour, and those who think

Ringmer is Le Mans.

Remember - no reports = no problems = no

police = no action

Useful numbers are:

Call Centre 08456070999 or Lewes 404366

Ringmer Neighbourhood Watch Website

In support of Ringmer's Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator Ken Batchelor, a new website has been made available by Janet Skeef and can be viewed at

www.skeef.freeserve.co.uk/ringmerwatch/

Dog Fouling

There is a continuing problem in the village caused by a minority of people who do not pick up and remove faeces left by dogs under their control. The Parish Council has been asked by the Lewes District Council Animal Wardens to remind people of their responsibilities. Dog faeces should be removed immediately from all pavements, roads, verges, and recreational areas and the maximum fine for non-compliance is £1000. There are strong health reasons for these regulations and the Parish Council would urge all people responsible for dogs to always carry the means for collecting and safely disposing faeces. There are also a number of dog bins around the village to help with disposal. Please do not use the ordinary litter bins as this makes it very unpleasant for those who empty them. Your co-operation would be much appreciated as it will make the village a more pleasant and healthier place for us all, particularly our children. For further information please contact the Animal Wardens on 01273 484472.

New Tree Warden

Dave Moore has been appointed as the new volunteer Parish Tree Warden by the Parish Council. His role extends to identifying trees that need protection and care; identifying potentially dangerous trees; gathering information for surveys etc; and organising/assisting with practical projects. Previously trained as a tree surgeon, and having worked on conservation projects, Dave is available for anyone to contact if they have matters about trees that they wish to discuss. He can point them towards sources of advice on technical matters and possible sources of funding for tree projects. The Council is pleased Dave has kindly agreed to take on this role and hopes people will make use of the help he can offer. Dave can be contacted on 01273 813995 or by email at dave@netprophets.co.uk

National Blood Service

The National Blood Service (NBS) are coming to Ringmer to complete two blood donation sessions at Ringmer Village Hall as follows:

Friday, 1st August between 2 & 4.30 pm, and 5.30 & 8 pm.

Friday, 12th December between 2 & 4.30 pm, and 5.30 & 8 pm.

Currently only 5% of the eligible population donates blood while the demand in hospitals is 8,000 units a day. Giving blood saves lives. Unfortunately the attendance to blood donation sessions in Surrey and Sussex has become lower than normal recently, which is why we are asking for your help.