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Parish Council

Icklesham Parish Council includes the four villages of Winchelsea, Icklesham, Rye Harbour and Winchelsea Beach. Each village is a separate electoral ward. Winchelsea is represented by three councillors, Icklesham by four, Rye Harbour by two and Winchelsea Beach by four.

The Parish Council has a Clerk and Deputy Clerk. It runs four allotments, several playgrounds and the recreation ground in Icklesham. It owns the football field in Winchelsea Beach, the footlights in Winchelsea, Smeatons Lane in Winchelsea Beach, several bus stops, numerous public benches, various waste and dog bins, and four parish noticeboards.

The Council meets monthly, at 7:15pm, usually on the second Monday of the month, and stages an Annual Parish Assembly. In recent years, meetings have rotated between the wards.

The majority of residents in Winchelsea wish to have their own Parish Council. They view Icklesham Parish as too large and diverse to run efficiently or democratically, and see the Council as largely irrelevant to the special needs of Winchelsea. There is also much unhappiness in Winchelsea about the often dysfunctional behaviour of Icklesham Parish Council and its history of incompetent management. Information on the proposal for an independent Parish of Winchelsea is available on another page.

Information on Icklesham Parish Council

Council Minutes


District Council | County Council | Town Meeting

2011/12 parish council budget

The budget for the next financial year was voted in at the December council meeting. It imposed a tax hike on residents of 20.6%, despite government calls for restraint by parish councils and the fact that Icklesham Parish Council never spends all its takes from the public in taxes. All new Winchelsea projects were axed. In contrast to Icklesham, 21 of the other 32 town and parish councils and meetings froze or reduced their tax, while the other 11 increased by modest amounts (between £145 and £2,130). The Icklesham increase was larger than the sum of all the other increases. 

Is Icklesham Parish Council doing its job?

Would you like an allotment in Winchelsea?

There are often spare plots on the Cricket Field allotments and sometimes in Pear Tree Marsh. The Cricket Field allotments are located behind St Giles Close but are accessed across the Cricket Fields or down Hogtrough Lane. Pear Tree Marsh is off Tanyard Lane. Each full plot is 2 rods (33 feet) wide by 5 rods (82.5 feet) long and the rent is £35 a year. Half plots are available. There is a water tap on the allotment. If you would like one of these allotment plots, contact the Parish Clerk directly or a Councillor.

Reports by Winchelsea ward councillors

As published in the Rye Observer. The latest was published on 27 May 2011. You can also read their blog for a personal view of what is happening at Icklesham Parish Council.

Contact your ward councillor

Ben Chishick 01797-223333
Richard Comotto 01797-224446
Steve Turner 01797-226642

The Parish Clerk

Steve Foreman
3 Chitcombe Walk
Hastings TN34 2UE
Phone: 07714-169901

Jocelyn Cannings (Deputy Clerk)
Phone: 01424-445974

Council meetings

These are held in the following locations:
Winchelsea --- New Hall (but may be at the school)
Icklesham --- Memorial Hall
Rye Harbour --- Village Hall
Winchelsea Beach --- Village Hall

All full Council meetings are held on Monday and start at 7:15pm. In 2012, meetings are currently scheduled for:

9 January (Rye Harbour)
13 February (Winchelsea)
12 March (Icklesham)
10 April (Beach)
14 May (Rye Harbour) AGM
21 May (Winchelsea) Annual Parish Assembly
11 June (Winchelsea)
9 July (Icklesham)
13 August (Winchelsea Court Hall) cheque signing only
10 September (Beach)
8 October (Rye Harbour)
10 November (Winchelsea)
12 December (Icklesham)