Thursday 26th June 2025 - Beach Restrictions, White Lining, Caden and Overflowing Bins

While I was looking at various yard sales on Sunday, I was asked if I could find out why there are no red and green dog signs on the promenade and entrances to the beach areas, this year.  These signs show where dogs are and are not allowed on the beach.  Why ask me?  Probably because they know, through my blogs, I’ve been in contact with the district council regarding the cliff slumps and Japanese knotweed.  I didn’t know which was the correct department at the council office to contact, so I sent an email to Coastal Management (my contact regarding the slumps) and asked them to forward my query.  This they kindly did.  I received a very defensive email back from Leisure and Locality requesting more information and stating, ‘we have been around the coast and all respective signage is in place’.  Well, they weren’t in place here in Overstrand ………. that was until we checked on the morning after receipt of Leisure and Locality’s email, and low and behold signage was in place.  Funny how the signs appeared immediately after the exchange of emails!

I have been reading, our County Councillor, Ed Maxfield’s report in the Parish Council’s June minutes.  He stated, under the heading of Highways, ‘I received lots of complaints about the surface dressing through Overstrand as it was done just a few days after new white lines were installed. The County Highways Area Manager has confirmed that this was a mistake by the contractor and the lines will be repainted at no cost to the taxpayer.’  A number of villagers we’ve spoken to, commented on the white lining fiasco; we now know from Ed Maxfield’s report we won’t be footing the bill.

Cadent have been in the village for some time, laying replacement gas pipes.  There are still some roads and properties which have not been provided with new connections (some newer builds already had up to date piping).  I understand the workmen will be back again in October, presumably to continue revamping the system.   I have to say, the areas where the’ve been working, have been left in good repair and the other day, we saw a stretch of pavement being pressure cleaned.

I am impressed with the way Fix My Street have been able to contact the correct Council Departments regarding two issues within the village.  Both of these have been fixed within the allotted timeframe.  This week I sent Fix My Street another two areas, both of which need repairs. Within a day, I received confirmation emails from the relevant Council Department’s informing me, they will be looking at the two areas, after which I should get a report stating if and when they will address the repairs.

Both the bins in the area of the car park filled up over the weekend and with no collection since Thursday, by Monday afternoon there was rubbish stacked around the base of the bins.  A disgusting mess and as it was windy on Monday, the rubbish was being blown around.  Strange, other bins in the village had been emptied!  Tuesday morning, armed with plastic sacks and disposable gloves we bagged the rubbish.  This was subsequently cleared during the day.  We had the same problems with overflowing bins last year.  It seems as soon as the sun comes out, drawing visitors to the village, the car park bins are ignored.  Last year I reported, through the district council’s online form, of the problems, as they arose.  These reports were totally ignored and rubbish continued to build.  No doubt the local rat population appreciated the left-over foods, as additions to their diet.  In the end, I was so annoyed by the lack of action by the Council, I gave up reporting – which is probably exactly what they wanted me to do.  Anyway, I’m not going to even consider filling in any reports this year, only for them to be ignored. 

Moving away from village matters, today’s photo is one of our orchids in bloom for the second time since it’s purchase last year.