Concerns over litter and lighting prompt town funding rethink
Worries about overflowing bins and poor lighting have been a theme of meetings over the last few weeks to decide how to spend the first phase of the town fund, worth up to £20 million over ten years. We join one meeting to hear what people are saying
- Meetings across all nine council ward areas of Eastbourne are being held for residents to suggest how their share of the Neighbourhood Fund could be spent over the next year or two
- The Eastbourne Neighbourhood board has allocated £10,000 for each of the town’s wards for schemes to make an immediate impact
- The fund is worth up to £20 million in total for Eastbourne over ten years
By Paul Bromley, volunteer writer
More litter bins and better street lighting have emerged as immediate spending priorities for residents.
Concerns about lack of bins/overflowing bins and poor lighting have been a strong theme of the meetings held over the last few weeks to decide how to distribute the first phase of the money.
The neighbourhood board members are now considering funding priority schemes across the whole town alongside ward-by-ward projects.
They also plan to raise residents’ concerns about bins with Eastbourne Borough Council.
One of the contracts for grounds maintenance in Eastbourne, which includes emptying some bins in some parks, has been held for many years by idverde, currently paid £1 million annually. This contract ends in spring 2026; it has been put out to tender.
Other bins are the responsibility of the Environment First team of Eastbourne Borough Council.
The latest ward meeting was at Victoria Baptist Church in Eldon Road, Old Town, on Wednesday (12 November).
About 25 residents and business owners joined Eastbourne Neighbourhood Board (ENB) chair Richard Garland, board members Catherine Clifford and Loretta Lock, Old Town borough councillor Ali Dehdashty and East Sussex county councillor John Ungar.
What do residents want to see?
Residents drew up a list of projects they would like funded then compiled their top three priorities. People were asked to vote for their favourite schemes.
Planting bulbs, more trees on streets to replace those affected by Dutch elm disease, rewilding and community growing were favoured by residents.
The lack of litter bins in parks and on streets was also mentioned alongside brighter street lighting to make people feel safer at night.
Other suggestions included:
- History trails
- Play equipment
- Accessible routes
- Connected walking and cycling paths
- Reducing traffic speeds
Mr Garland told the meeting: “Nothing is being discounted … everything matters and we are taking account of every idea people come up with. It just helps us understand the different thinking in the wards.”
The Old Town evening meeting was the ninth ward meeting held by the town board plus a meeting of the neighbourhood youth board.
What does the neighbourhood board say?
Mr Garland said litter and lighting had come up as concerns in many of the meetings as well as better signs and connecting different parts of the town.
The board may now look at funding bigger schemes for the whole of Eastbourne rather than smaller projects on the same theme in each ward.
“There are lots of things that we're realising and we almost want to pull away from the wards and say, okay, let's make sure in Year One, we look at this across the town and improve everyone's outlook … we're just trying to get an understanding of what quick fixes are needed,” he added.
Mr Garland stressed the wards would still receive their £10,000 but that it would be focused on more specific neighbourhood projects.
The board is planning to raise residents’ concerns about bins. “Clearly there are either not enough bins or they’re not clearing them away. Something’s not right,” said Mr Garland.
He said the board would be telling EBC as a partner: “Something's wrong across the whole town. Nobody is happy with the bins that we've spoken to. So what do we need to do to make it right? Are there different ways of approaching it?”
Mr Garland supported the idea of shops sponsoring litter bins as suggested by one café owner.
On lighting, Mr Garland said a change to energy-saving light bulbs meant lighting was not as bright.
Mr Garland told the meeting: “I think people who are actually using those parts and roads are saying ‘it's obvious to us, but not to the people who specified and got the change’, particularly people in the evenings on their own, walking the dog or walking with children.”
Street lighting on public roads is the responsibility of East Sussex County Council. Eastbourne Borough Council maintains lighting in council-owned parks, off-street car parks and along the seafront promenade.
Two further ward meetings have been arranged. They are: Meads ward at St Saviour’s Church on Monday, 17 November, at 6pm and St Anthony’s ward at Langney Community Centre on Friday, 21 November, at 6pm.
The neighbourhood board is arranging more ward meetings and other forms of engagement for next year. It is also expanding its membership with community representatives joining existing board members.
:: Paul Bromley is a qualified journalist and broadcaster who worked for 40 years for regional newspapers, the Press Association and Sky News. He now works in community rail. He is a volunteer writer with Eastbourne Reporter
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