Council Offices, Civic Centre, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 1AE
ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
GROUNDS STAFF
The Town Council employs 3 full time grounds staff, who maintain all the open spaces owned by the Council within the Town.
The grounds staff maintain and mark out all sports pitches as required, maintain and water flower beds and floral displays, hedgecutting and carry out other works in woodlands and Local Nature Reserves. The grounds staff also undertake regular inspections at the Council’s allotment sites, and provide additional litter picking as required.
ESCC Ranger Service
The Town Council employs the service of an ESCC Ranger for 2 days a week to work on and around the natural open spaces within the Town. The Ranger has a particular interest in West Park and Hempstead Meadows Local Nature Reserves and advises on the management plan for both reserves and Boothland Wood.
LITTER
The Town Council provides a number of multi-purpose bins throughout the Town and employs a full time environment warden, whose post includes regularly emptying the bins, litter picking on Town Council owned land, playground inspections and cleaning of graffiti. The Services aims to promote responsible disposal of litter, especially from fast-food outlets, and to work with all relevant local agencies to tackle the litter and associated problems and to promote responsible dog ownership. A Best Value review of the litter collection service was undertaken in 2004.
GRAFFITI REMOVAL SERVICE
A FREE graffiti removal service is available within the boundary of Uckfield Town Council. When a report of graffiti is received, the owner of the property on which the graffiti has appeared is asked to complete an indemnity form to authorise the Council to remove the graffiti.
Once the completed indemnity form is received at the Council offices, grounds staff will be asked to attend the site to assess the work required. Where the graffiti is found to be of an abusive, obscene or racist nature, the grounds staff will try to remove it within 48 hours. All other graffiti be removed within 28 days where possible. If you would like to use this service, please click here to download a graffiti removal indemnity form.
OVERGROWN HEDGES AND SHRUBS
Following an initiative by East Sussex County Council, the Town Council is now able to approach local people directly on problems arising from overhanging trees, shrubs, etc on the highway. In the first instance, the Town Council will write to you if your hedge or shrub overhangs the highway to seek your co-operation in removing the obstruction. If you do not own the hedge or are not the occupier of the land, you should contact the Town Council offices immediately.
TREES
Each week the Council received enquiries from residents concerned about trees growing near the boundary of their properties. The Council has a policy regarding trees in its ownership, which includes an intention to retain trees and woodland wherever possible. If you wish to obtain a professional assessment of the trees from an experienced and qualified tree surgeon or arboriculturalist, the Council will consider such an assessment and may reassess your request. Before carrying out any work to any trees, it is up to you to check whether or not any Tree Preservation Order, or other statutory protection exists. This information can be obtained from Wealden District Council. You should also inform the Town Council in writing if you intend to prune a tree in its ownership.
Under common law you can prune branches that over hang your boundary, only to the boundary, providing your return the debris to the tree’s owner. Unnecessary pruning can damage a healthy tree and reducing the height can be highly disfiguring and result in decay of structural parts of the tree. If you wish to exercise this Common Law right, all works must comply with British Standard 3998 Recommendations for Tree Work 1989 - a copy of which can be obtained from BSI, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W4 4AL. Tel: 0208 996 7000.
