Wealden Your District
Wealden is the largest district in East Sussex covering 322.4 square miles (83502 hectares) and is home to 160,600 people (2019 based projections). Two thirds of the District is designated an a Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are 41 conservation areas and it has the largest amount of ancient woodland of any district in the country.
The Ashdown Forest falls completely within the north of the District and part of the south of the District is in the South Downs National Park.
One half of our population is located in the five main towns of Crowborough, Hailsham, Heathfield, Polegate and Uckfield, with the remainder divided among 37 rural parishes.
Wealden had 8,510 businesses in 2018. Small and micro-businesses form a fundamental part of the Wealden economy with 91% approx. of businesses in Wealden employing less than 9 people.
There are two distinct structures of local government:
- Unitary: a single tier structure where an all-purpose principal authority is responsible for providing most of the services such as Brighton and Hove City Council. This may have some Town or Parish Councils providing a lower local tier.
- County/District: comprising at least two levels, often with a third tier of town/parish councils, and found in the remaining shire counties in England.
What do we do?
Wealden District Council is part of a County/District structure and delivers a wide range of services everyday to residents and local businesses through face to face contact, on-line access 24/7, on the phone, and in partnership with other organisations. The District Council is responsible for the provision of:
- Planning and Building Control
- Council Tax, Council Tax Benefit and Business Rates
- Environmental Health
- Leisure Services
- Business and Tourism Support
- Housing and Housing Benefit
- Elections
- Land Charges
- Waste Collection and Recycling
- Car Parking
East Sussex County Council based in Lewes is responsible for the following services:
- Roads Maintenance
- Education
- Libraries
- Trading Standards
- Transport and Traffic Safety
- Adult Social Care
- Waste Disposal
- Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages
The Town and Parish Councils usually have the responsibility for the following services:
- Allotments
- Street Lighting
- Bus Shelters
- Cemeteries
- Play areas and and recreation grounds
- Removal of graffiti
- Dog hygiene bins
- Grit bins