Latest news with #LewesDistrictCouncil
Metro
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
What is a 'personhood' and why has this chalk stream been granted one?
A historic chalk stream immortalised by a Poet Laureate has been granted 'personhood' by a council, giving it the right to sue. The River Loddon, near Basingstoke, Hampshire, will be recognised as a legal entity in a move hailed as a 'landmark' by wildlife campaigners. 18th century Poet Laureate Thomas Wharton wrote a sonnet praising the 'sweet native stream', which has been dubbed 'The Cinderella River' as it is 'hard working but overlooked'. Now, Basingstoke town council has voted for it to acquire a legal status that environmentalists say will help restore it to its former glory. In law, 'personhood' means a river becomes a legal entity despite not being human, much like a company. The river can own property, sue, and agree to contracts. The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Rivers states that rivers have… The right to flow The right to perform essential functions within their ecosystem The right to be free from pollution The right to feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers The right to native biodiversity The right to regeneration and restoration The decision was made after years of underinvestment, pollution and toxic road runoff. Now, all local waterways – including the Loddon – have the 'Rights of Rivers'. This declaration, which has been adopted by countries across the world since 2017, gives the habitats 'Personhood', including the right to flow, the right to be free from pollution and in theory, the right to sue. Kate Tuck, an independent politician representing the Basing and Upton Grey ward, said: 'Not a single river in our Borough is in overall 'Good' condition – the current system just isn't working and hasn't for a long time. 'We need to change the way we do things if we value nature and want to see things improve, and this motion is the start. We will be working with our residents to create a 'Declaration of the Rights of Rivers' which will ensure a new approach and I hope will mean more weight in our Local Plan.' Liberal Democrat Councillor David Conquest told the council meeting that the rivers and chalk streams in Basingstoke have suffered from 'years of neglect and mismanagement'. More Trending Debbie Tann MBE, Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, said: 'Hampshire is home to so many of England's iconic chalk streams, but those in the north – like the River Loddon – are often overlooked and have no formal legal protection. 'Years of underinvestment, over-abstraction, pollution from untreated sewage, and toxic road runoff have pushed these habitats to the brink. 'This Rights of our rivers (Chalk Streams) motion is an important first step in turning this around. It sends a clear message: nature matters, and healthy rivers must be a priority in local planning, investment, and governance.' Though the River Loddon is the latest UK river to have personhood, it's not the first. In March, Lewes District Council voted for the River Ouse to be a 'living entity'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Foragers rescued from remote Welsh island after eating highly poisonous plant MORE: Passengers are 'swerving' train fares with trick to save over £50 per ticket MORE: Map reveals the UK loan hotspots where people borrow the most money
BBC News
19-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lewes District Council to launch air quality action plan
An action plan to improve air quality in an area of East Sussex is set to be adopted from the summer as a public consultation into the project comes to a District Council said improving air quality in its jurisdiction by 2029 was a "priority" and recently set out the five ways it hopes to achieve council said its Air Quality Action Plan aimed to deter people from driving private vehicles, promote transport alternatives, improve transport planning and infrastructure, provide increased public information, and improve traffic have until 17:00 BST on Friday to give their thoughts on the plans via an online survey. A spokesperson for the council said that based on the feedback it had received so far, the action plan was expected to be put in place later this year."We are grateful to all those who have contributed to the consultation on the draft Air Quality Action Plan," they said."Improving air quality is a priority for the council and the proposals in the consultation are designed to achieve this key objective over the next four years."Chief among the council's ambitions is a new cycle path which is estimated to cost between £1m and £10m, though according to the plan it has not yet secured plan states: "Various route options have been considered over the years but it has not been possible to identify a satisfactory route."The council said it would monitor progress each year in its Annual Status Reports and review the plan every five years.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lewes residents object to 5G mast erected by Three
A residents' group is opposing a third application for a 5G mast which they say blights the landscape of the South company Three erected the 18m tall mast in Nevill Road, Lewes, in October 2022, but a retrospective planning application was refused after it was dubbed a "white elephant" by residents and criticised for its proximity to schools.A consultation on the mast is due to end and will be determined by the end of the UK said it tried to keep masts as "unobtrusive as possible", while Lewes District Council said the mast was not currently operational. 'It looms above' Viv Vignoles, who lives near the site, said: "The Nevill Road mast is completely unnecessary – an 18m high white elephant."We were told it was supposed to blend in with the streetscape, but it looks like a monstrous white plastic toy that has landed in our semi-rural corner of the National Park."It is the first thing I see when I look out of my bedroom window in the morning, it looms above when I'm in the garden, and if I go for a walk on the Downs to clear my head, it is there again intruding into the view towards Lewes."Campaigners said more than 1,000 people had signed a petition calling for its removal after it was first District Council said planning permission was initially rejected due to inaccuracies in its radiation protection certificate.A council spokesperson added it "will consider the submitted planning application ahead of any formal enforcement action that may be taken".Three UK said 5G rollout was "vital" and masts needed to be "in precise locations to ensure the widest breadth of coverage".It added: "The Local Planning Authority will assess all material planning considerations as part of the application process and we look forward to hearing its decision."
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Taxi drivers may quit over licence costs
Taxi drivers in Lewes and Eastbourne may have no choice but to leave the industry after licensing fees were increased by 50% with some additional charges up by 66%, a union representative has said. James Kiernan, a Lewes taxi driver of almost 25 years and the Unite union rep for Lewes and Eastbourne, said drivers would think twice about renewing their licences. Councillors at Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council voted last week to bring in the new fees from 1 April, but customer fares have not increased since 2021. In a joint statement, the councils said increases were approved to address budget pressures related to taxi licensing, increased CCTV data control costs and, in Lewes, work to reduce a backlog in new applications. A driver's licence will increase by £60 a year, from £120.75 to £181.13, while a vehicle license will rise by more than £100, from £205.50 to £308.50. The English language test retake fee has gone up by 66%, from £68.25 to £113.20. Fares on the other hand have not gone up since 2021. Drivers applied to the councils for a fare increase last summer but said they were still waiting for the council to launch a public consultation into any proposed changes. Mr Kiernan said drivers would struggle to absorb hundreds of pounds of additional fees so soon after spending about £700 to install CCTV in their vehicles after both councils made it mandatory. He said: "We've certainly got a handful of drivers that I know of who are already looking for work before their licences run out. "Vulnerable people won't be able to get a taxi, won't be able to get their lifts to the shops, to the town, to stations." "The department needs to explain itself as to why it costs so much to run that department, because it's a lot of money. We would like to see it audited." In a joint statement, Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council said the increased fees had been approved "following full consideration of multiple factors". It continued: "These are being introduced to address budget pressures related to taxis in our roles as licensing authorities, and to cover the increased operational costs associated with CCTV data control. "Additionally in Lewes district, they will fund extra resources to reduce a backlog in new applications, ensuring a more efficient service for the future." Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Sussex taxi drivers may quit over licence fee rises
Taxi drivers in Lewes and Eastbourne may have no choice but to leave the industry after licensing fees were increased by 50% with some additional charges up by 66%, a union representative has Kiernan, a Lewes taxi driver of almost 25 years and the Unite union rep for Lewes and Eastbourne, said drivers would think twice about renewing their at Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council voted last week to bring in the new fees from 1 April, but customer fares have not increased since a joint statement, the councils said increases were approved to address budget pressures related to taxi licensing, increased CCTV data control costs and, in Lewes, work to reduce a backlog in new applications. A driver's licence will increase by £60 a year, from £120.75 to £181.13, while a vehicle license will rise by more than £100, from £205.50 to £ English language test retake fee has gone up by 66%, from £68.25 to £ on the other hand have not gone up since 2021. Drivers applied to the councils for a fare increase last summer but said they were still waiting for the council to launch a public consultation into any proposed Kiernan said drivers would struggle to absorb hundreds of pounds of additional fees so soon after spending about £700 to install CCTV in their vehicles after both councils made it said: "We've certainly got a handful of drivers that I know of who are already looking for work before their licences run out."Vulnerable people won't be able to get a taxi, won't be able to get their lifts to the shops, to the town, to stations.""The department needs to explain itself as to why it costs so much to run that department, because it's a lot of money. We would like to see it audited." In a joint statement, Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council said the increased fees had been approved "following full consideration of multiple factors".It continued: "These are being introduced to address budget pressures related to taxis in our roles as licensing authorities, and to cover the increased operational costs associated with CCTV data control."Additionally in Lewes district, they will fund extra resources to reduce a backlog in new applications, ensuring a more efficient service for the future."
