What We Do and What We Cover

Among them are well known functions such as social care, schools, housing and planning and waste collection, but also lesser-known ones such as licensing, business support, registrar services and pest control.

Local authorities receive funding from a range of sources, including government grants, council tax and fees and charges. Together, council tax and business rates make up local authorities’ largest source of income.

There are three tiers of local government in East Sussex

1. East Sussex County Council
2. District, and borough councils, such as Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council
3. Town and parish councils (e.g. Peacehaven Town Council)

Your local town council is Peacehaven Town Council.

Alongside working with local charities, voluntary organisations, schools and the Chamber of Commerce, Peacehaven Town Council also works closely with Lewes District Council and East Sussex County Council. However, it can sometimes be rather confusing as to which council is responsible for what, as each has its own area of service delivery and responsibility.

Peacehaven Town Council consists of 17 elected Councillors from four Wards, North, West, East and Central Peacehaven.

• Maintenance of allotments, bus shelters, the Peacehaven & Telscombe War Memorial, several local parks, green spaces, sports and recreational facilities
• The provision of grants for local projects and organisations, and halls for social clubs and meetings
• Hosting local events for the benefit of the Community

• Peacehaven’s lowest tier of government is the Peacehaven Town Council who have a statutory right to be consulted on local planning, highways and other amenities.

East Sussex County Council is responsible for services across the whole of East Sussex, these services include:

Communities, economy and transport

• Road maintenance
• Traffic safety
• Waste disposal (such as Household Waste and Recycling Sites)
• Environment
• Passenger transport
• Statutory plans for a better environment for future generations
• Economic development
• Emergency planning
• Trading standards
• Consumer advice
• E-government
• Libraries, information and the arts
• Community planning
• Archives and records
• Registration of births, marriages and deaths

Children and families

• Adoption and fostering
• Child protection
• Improving the prospects for vulnerable children
• Improving behaviour in schools
• Early years education and child care
• Encouraging children to have a voice
• Looking after children in care

Learning and schools effectiveness

• Improving pupil achievement
• Support for school head teachers
• Improving school attendance
• Providing school places
• Improving school buildings
• Adult education
• Improving e-communication in schools
• Home to school transport

Adult social care and health

Assessing people’s need for social care

• Help for people to remain in their own homes
• Home care
• Respite care
• Day care
• Residential care
• Living at home programme
• Occupational therapy and home adaptations
• Community safety
• Health and well-being in the community

Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils

Lewes and Eastbourne cover smaller areas within East Sussex County Council. They are responsible for services that include:

• Anti-social behaviour, noise, and nuisance reports
• Beach and seafront issues
• Building control (Lewes only)
• Business rates
• Business grants
• Council Tax
• Community issues in parks and playgrounds and graffiti clearance
• Environmental health
• Democracy – local and general elections
• Dogs – lost/ found dogs and attacks on other dogs
• Electoral registration and voting methods
• Events
• Food – business registration and safety
• Grants and loans – to help with rent
• Health and safety -business and environmental
• Housing benefit and council tax reduction
• Housing Benefit overpayment collection
• Housing – including the local housing register, rent and garage rent
• Homelessness prevention
• Land charges
• Licensing – taxis, alcohol, tattoo, street party etc.
• Memorial bench maintenance and tree sponsorship
• Open spaces – downland, parks, and public gardens
• Public toilets
• Playgrounds
• Off-street car parks
• Pest control
• Planning and conservation applications and advice
• Private housing – help with property issues, landlords, heating, HMO’s and disabled facilities grants
• Sports facilities
• Waste and recycling – including food waste, bulky item collection and fly tipping investigation.