NEWS July-December 2008

July-December 2008
for January-June 2008 click here

'We missed school waiting for places'

Monday 29th September 2008 © The Argus

Find some very unsympathetic comments to this here

Two children spent the first three weeks of the academic year at home while the council struggled to find them school places.

Rhiannon Pyett, 12, and brother Nicholas, ten, have been spending days around the house with their mother Sonja, while their would-be classmates have been making friends and getting on with lessons.

Mrs Pyett said she had been frustrated and angry as the family waited for something to happen. She said: “The children have been bouncing off the walls.

You might think they would be happy to be off school but they haven’t been. They’ve been getting very bored and just wanted to get started.”

Mrs Pyett said the problem arose when she moved to Saltdean, Brighton, with the children and her husband Andrew in August.

The family had been living in Ireland but moved to be close to her parents, who were unwell.

Before moving Mrs Pyett tried to call schools in Brighton to make arrangements for the children but was unable to get through as they were closed for the summer holidays.

She only eventually got through once term started, on September 3, when she discovered she should have been contacting Brighton and Hove City Council all along. The council has a duty to provide school places for every child living in the city. Mrs Pyett said that when she called them she was told she needed to fill in an application form so the school places could be considered.

She filled it in as quickly as possible and it reached the council on Monday, September 8. She finally found out her children were being given places on Thursday, September 24, more than a fortnight later.

Mrs Pyett said: “It has been very frustrating. I just wanted them to be at a school, any school. We’ve just moved here and they need to settle in.”

The children have been given places at their nearest schools, Saltdean Primary in Chiltington Way, Saltdean, and Longhill High, Falmer Road, Rottingdean.

Sonja Pyett with Nicholas, ten, and Rhiannon, 12

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said the Pyetts had originally asked for a place for Rhiannon at Cardinal Newman Catholic School, in Upper Drive, Hove, which delayed the process.

He said: “The school wrote to the parents on September 19 saying they could not offer a place so we offered the family a place at Longhill, their second preference, as soon as we could.

“For primary places we can only offer a space where there is a vacancy. We offered the Pyetts the only space at Saltdean Primary for their second child as soon as we knew about it.

“We may have been able to secure places for the beginning of term if the family had contacted us earlier, as we did for many others who contacted us in the holidays.”

Grand Ocean Hotel News

Thursday 25th September 2008 © The Argus

The developer turning a historic art deco hotel into apartments has denied rumours the project is in jeopardy because of the credit crunch.

The managing director of building firm Explore Living, which is converting the 1930s Grand Ocean hotel in Saltdean into 279 flats, said the project would be completed despite some delays.

In an exclusive tour of the site, Karl Pickering, said: “We are categorically not pulling out of this project – 110% not.

“The first occupation is next month and then the programme goes on from there.

By the end of 2010 this will be 100% complete. It would have been earlier but we’ve been delayed.”

The Argus had heard from several sources, including a former worker at the site, that the project, worth £60 million in sales, had been hit by the economic downturn.

Reports of hardly any workers on the site were wide of the mark, according to Mr Pickering, who said that on average 120 workers were on site daily.

The first phase of the development, a new building separate from the hotel, is due to be handed to housing association Hyde on October 17 ready for social housing tenants to move in.

Almost 40% of the development has been allocated as affordable housing while the rest will be sold as private housing.

Mr Pickering said: “We’re 12% sold (of the private housing) but just to confirm how committed we are, I’m one of those purchasers.

“Once we get the new showrooms open for the beginning of the new year, we expect to see more go.”

The project is a phased build with the first building two weeks ahead of schedule.

The renovation of the former main hotel building has been delayed by nine months because of asbestos and conservation issues. Work is to continue on the other four buildings while people move in and Mr Pickering expects sales to pick up once flats are ready.

He said: “In the past market people would have bought further ahead. Today they will want to see units completely or completed shortly after they confirm.”

Flats range in price from £178,000 for a one-bedroom unit to a £500,000 penthouse apartment.

The Grade II-listed hotel was opened in 1938 and could cater for more than 700 guests. In 1953 it was bought by Sir Billy Butlin and turned into a “leisure hotel”.

It closed for good in January 2005.

Murals in the hotel's former ballroom show images of a bygone era of ocean steamers and society parties

Marina in the Sun....

Boomerang Barn News

I have received several emails reagrding concern reagrding the Grade 2 barn in the park and Boomerang Kids planning apllication.

Please look on the mesaage board for more information from Glenys from Revel and you can also find the plans on the Brighton and Hove website here.

Saltdean Barn/Boomerang Kids - Planning Application BH2008/01460

New Seat in Saltdean

This is a lovely email I received through the website regarding a new seat opposite the Lido. Thanks so much to Douglas d'Enno for nipping out on his bike and taking the photos - they are great!

What a lovely story!

I hope the residents of Saltdean do not mind but the Council have given permission for a seat to be sited (which I understand is now in situ) on the cliffs somewhere opposite the Kittiwake where the view overlooks the Lido and the coast road and the eastern beaches.
The seat, for the benefit of people who like to rest and admire the view is in remembrance of my Father and Mother
Roland and Brenda Tucknott.

My Father passed away August 2006 quite suddenly at the age of 83.  He was a very agile person and had very few ailments.

My Mother passed away February 2008 peacefully. She was 86.

Brief History

Roland was born in Newhaven 1923 and had two brothers Christopher and Gordon and two sisters Daisy and Dorothy.
Gordon still resides in East Saltdean and Dorothy in Brighton.

The family moved from Newhaven to the old coast guard cottages which as far as I know were located somewhere in the region of the Saltdean Estate office. I do have a picture of these which was kindly given by Douglas d Enno.

They then moved to Bevendean Avenue East.  Roland joined the RAF as a mechanic and while stationed at RAF Innsworth he met my Mother who was serving in the WAAF's also stationed at RAF Innsworth.

They married in 1942 at Barnsley which was Brenda's home town.  They eventually moved to Saltdean shortly after the war and if I remember correctly I was then 3 years old.  We lived at 4 Oaklands Avenue East where the fields were green or gold with corn, where they promptly named the house 'Innsworth'.

The site of the seat was a favourite picnic spot for my parents, but I was more interested in wanting to play in the then derelict Lido where many a strange creature were living in the trapped rain water in the two pools. They made a change from cockles, crabs and shrimps.

We later moved to Yorkshire (much to my dismay at the time) in 1954, where my Father ran a successful Haulage and Removal business.

They visited Saltdean usually twice a year work permitting

In June of 2002 my parents celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary and were very pleased to receive a card from the Queen.

My parents both loved the Saltdean area and that particular picnic spot so I hope that any one sitting there will enjoy the view as much as my dear parents did many years ago.

Mike Tucknott

Birkenshaw
West Yorkshire

Huge t hanks for getting these photos Douglas - same day as well - you are a star********

Saltdean Lions Fair 17/07/08

thanks to Douglas d'Enno for taking these lovely photos

Click images for close-up

Art Deco Fair at the Saltdean Lido

thanks to Douglas d'Enno for taking these lovely photos

Click images for close-up

Lights and bus lane cause roads chaos

see all the comments as well here

© Andy Whelan Friday 25th July 2008

A controversial new road scheme aimed at reducing congestion has created huge tailbacks and more than doubled commuting time.

The three mile bus lane on the A259 South Coast Road between Ovingdean and Telscombe Cliffs was opened on Monday but has caused traffic chaos and left motorists fuming.

And East Sussex County Council bosses tonight apologised to commuters and promised to take action to ease congestion on the route.

The new bus lane has taken up part of the road and traffic lights have replaced a mini roundabout at the junction of Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, and South Coast Road.

The scheme was expect to cut rush hour bus journeys but Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company managing director Roger French said it has instead added 45 minutes to some journeys.

Mr French said traffic was grinding to a halt because of the traffic lights and has called for the return of the mini roundabout.

The changes were introduced as part of a £1.8 million Sustainable Corridor scheme which will eventually see a bus lane between Brighton and Hove and Newhaven

Hero surfer braves waves to save a life

© Argus Lawrence Marzouk Tuesday 22nd July 2008

A surfer dragged a floundering man from dangerous seas.

Martin Lovell was on his surfboard off Brighton beach when he spotted the man struggling with the strong current.

The experienced surfer was taking advantage of the sun and waves near the Palace Pier as a friend of the man, who was also in the sea despite the red flags, shouted for help.

The 28-year-old, who works for a yacht insurance company in Brighton, sprang into action, paddling more than 100m out to the unidentified swimmer, dragged him on to his board and pushed him back to the beach.

Lifeguards then arrived at the shoreline to help the man to safety.

Martin, of Chailey Crescent, Saltdean, said: “I was just having a surf next to the Palace Pier and there were a couple of lads swimming.

“The red flag was up so they probably shouldn’t have been out.

“One of them asked me to help his friend because he was in trouble and was quite a way out to sea.

“I paddled out, got him on my board and swam him back to the beach.

“He didn’t say that much and when I got him back the lifeguards took over. He wasn’t injured and didn’t seem particularly troubled but he did say thank you.

“I think they were jumping off the groyne and I don’t know how they got swept out so far.”

Mr Lovell said he was just doing what anyone else would, adding: “I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago and it is always good to help people out. It’s good karma.”

The incident happened at 3pm on Saturday. The swimmer was not injured.

After handing the man back to the lifeguards, Mr Lovell carried on surfing.

Global warming blamed as venomous spider nibbles shocked window cleaner

© By Miles Godfrey

A window cleaner has told how he was attacked by a relative of the black widow spider as global warming brings more of the creatures to Sussex. The false black widow, whose Latin name is steatoda nobilis, can cause a heart attack by injecting venom into its victim's central nervous system. And the creature, more commonly found in warmer climates, is on the march through Southern England.

One of the spiders attacked Darren Skilton, causing swelling the size of a golf ball. Mr Skilton, of Arlington Gardens, Saltdean, now believes people must be on their guard against the spider in case it strikes again. He said: "I was settling down for bed the other night and was lying on my back when I suddenly felt this bite. advertisement "I looked down and saw this thing walking off so I grabbed it. I got another two bites and saw two other spiders. Luckily, I managed to capture them and put them in jars. I've had them identified as steatoda nobilis, otherwise known as the false black widow."

Experts told The Argus the spiders are increasingly common in Sussex and confirmed their bites can cause serious illness. Darren Skilton, who was bitten by a false black widow, and his son Samuel Mullis Dr Gerald Legg, of the Booth Museum of Natural History in Brighton, has himself been bitten by one of the spiders. He said: "It is not uncommon in the South of England, especially along our coast. "It usually lives in dark places like sheds or behind stacks of timber." The false black widow originates from the Canary Islands but has found its way to Britain during the past 100 years, beginning in Dorset, with populations slowly working their way east to Sussex and Surrey.

Global warming is said to be one of the reasons the spider has thrived in this country and could now be increasing in population. Mr Skilton's encounter is not the first time someone in Sussex has been bitten by the species. In 2005 scriptwriter Charlie Langman, from Brighton, fell seriously ill and was taken to hospital after being bitten by one of the creatures.

It is thought she may have suffered the combined effects of the spider's venom and an allergic reaction. Mr Skilton is now concerned a baby or a small child could be bitten by the false black widow and urged people to be on the lookout. He said: "I was fine. The swelling went down quickly and I didn't suffer any long-lasting effects. But I am worried that one of these things could do some real damage if it bit a small child.

Wednesday 9th July 2008

TEL: 307973

KEYWORKER\PRE SCHOOL ASSISTANT REQUIRED

15\18 hours per week term time only

We are an established committee run pre-school. We are looking for an experienced nvq level 3 or equivalent practitioner to join our friendly team.  Knowledge and understanding of the E.Y.F.S is required.

Duties include setting up and packing away resources and equipment on a daily basis.  Helping with children’s activities and assisting them to learn through play. The right person will be flexible, hardworking and able to adapt to children from different age groups.

THIS POST IS EXEMPT FROM THE REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT 1974 AND IS SUBJECT TO A CRB ENHANCED DISCLOSURE CHECK.

For an application form or an informal chat about this vacancy please contact us on 01273 307973 or contact us through our website www.stnicholaspreschool.org

CLOSING DATE JULY 12TH 2008