Environmental Health is about everything that affects the health of the public. What we eat, where we live and work, the air we breathe and the land we stand on. Our aim, in everything we do, is to protect public health through proactive inspections, licensing, complaint investigations and routine sampling. We are committed to work with partner organisations to achieve this, UKHSA (United Kingdom Health Security Agency), the Director of Public Health at East Sussex County Council.
Environmental Health and Licensing have been a shared service since 2013.
Our contact details can be found at the end of the page.
CONTENTS
- Air quality
- Caravan and Camp sites
- Community safety (Rother only)
- Contaminated land
- Disabled Facilities Grants (Rother only)
- Disease investigations
- Dogs and cats
- Food safety
- Fuel Poverty (Rother Only)
- Funeral Directors
- Healthy and Safety at work
- Housing conditions (Rother only)
- Licensing
- Pest control
- Pollution control
- Private water supplies
- Public health funerals (Wealden only)
- Skin Piercing
- Taxis
- Contact details
Service Overview
Food and Safety Team
- Food Safety
- Food Hygiene Rating
- Export Health Certificates
- Food Related Illnesses
- Licensing of caravan sites
Licensing
- Alcohol
- Animal Welfare
- Regulated Entertainment
- Gambling
- Taxis
Health and Safety
- In work places and where work related activity affect the public, if we are the enforcing authority, rather than the Health and Safety Executive
- Accident Investigations if an employee is injured or killed at work
- Safety Advisory Groups (for public events)
Environmental Protection
- Air Quality
- Anti-Social Behaviour
- Contaminated Land
- Drainage
- Housing
- Noise
- Waste
Public Health
- Exhumations
- Infectious Diseases
- Filthy and Verminous Premises
- Fuel Poverty
- Pest and Dog Control (lost, found and strays)
Community Safety (Rother only)
- Hastings and Rother Community Safety Partnership
- JAG – joint Action Group
- HASBRAC
- Anti-social behaviour
- Safeguarding- domestic abuse
Air Quality
Air quality is affected by human activities, climate and ecosystems and is one of the most urgent public health issues of our times. The World Health Organisation (WHO) places the mortality rate from air pollution in the UK at 25.7 per 100,000, a rate beaten by Brazil and Mexico (2017). The WHO has described this situation as “a major Environmental Health problem affecting everyone”, where national and international policy makers need to tackle this “toxic air crisis”.
Air pollution is caused by road traffic, industry, oil and wood burning and power plants. The Council monitors for air quality across both Rother and Wealden districts for nitrogen dioxides, particulates and ozone. In 2023 there were no areas in Rother or Wealden where people were exposed to levels of NO2 or particulates in excess of UK air quality objectives. Annual air quality reports can be seen at:
Air quality – Rother District Council or Monitoring air quality in Wealden
We work with Sussex Air so they can provide information via air Alert direct to the public Sussex-air: Promoting better Air Quality in Sussex: sussex-air.net: Home
To tackle air pollution;
- Sign up for Air Alert service
- Remember to turn off your engine when waiting
- Consider replacing your vehicle with a low or ultra-low emission vehicle
- Look at the availability of electric charging points for vehicles at
- Energise network: public EV charging network guide & costs (zap-map.com)
Caravan and camp sites
Well laid out and well managed caravan and camp sites are a safe environment for holidaymakers and contribute to a strong local economy.
Poorly laid out caravan/camp sites are a fire risk. Overcrowding on sites can overwhelm site facilities particularly refuse disposal, sewage, and toilets. To protect holiday makers and to maintain these sites as holiday centres, the Environmental Health department licences each of these holiday sites. Caravan/camp site licences may restrict the opening season and always specify operating conditions. Inspections are made through the summer season to make sure these conditions are observed.
Residential mobile homes, sometimes called park homes, are also licensed by Environmental Health. These parks are permanent homes and standards are higher that for holiday sites. Public registers of all licensed caravan sites are online at:
Community safety (Rother only)
The Council administers the Hastings and Rother Community Safety Partnership. A monthly Rother JAG is held with the ESFRS, Optivo, Police and voluntary sector, to agree actions to resolve crime and anti-social behaviour in the district, including street drinkers and rough sleepers. In addition, a monthly ASBRAC meeting discusses victim and perpetrators of anti-social behaviour -practitioners from all partners take part to agree the lead agency and joint action.
The Council has safeguarding responsibilities, particularly in relation to domestic abuse. Community safety and emergencies – Rother District Council
Officers also attend the Wealden CSP, JAG and ASBRAC
Contact: Carol Studley (Rother) Caroline.Studley@rother.gov.uk , Peter Hill (Wealden) peter.hill@wealden.gov.uk
Contaminated land
Land may become contaminated due to past uses, buried waste, oil leaks. When a planning application is made for a site where there may be contamination, we will work with the developer to make sure that an investigation and remedial works are carried out. This is done to make the land safe for its new use.
Local authorities have a duty to declare land as contaminated if chemicals in the soil can impact human health. Contaminated land that may impact on controlled water, may be declared special sites, where the Environment Agency is the enforcing authority e.g., Rye Harbour.
Land that may be contaminated – Rother District Council
Land that may be contaminated – Wealden District Council – Wealden District Council
Contact: Greg Minns greg.minns@rother.gov.uk
Disabled Facilities Grants (Rother only)
We administer disabled facilities grants, which help disabled persons to fund adaptations to their own home and enable them to live independently for as long as possible.
The grant contributes towards the cost of adaptations, such as:
- Widening doors
- Stair lifts
- Stair ramps
- Wet floor shower rooms
- Specialist baths
- Ceiling track hoists
- Kitchen adaptations
- Ceiling track hoists.
Each person is assessed by an occupational therapist, who gives advice on and assists with choosing home adaptations. We receive their recommendations and consult with East Sussex County Council social services on whether the proposed adaptations are necessary and appropriate.
Contact DFGrants@rother.gov.uk
Further information Disabled facilities grants – Rother District Council
Disease investigations
The UK Health Security Agency report cases of infectious disease such as Salmonella and E.coli O157, which occur in the community to the Environmental Health department. These infections can be passed from person to person and through poor food preparation, so it is important that we advise on how they can be stopped.
- We contact reported cases with advice on personal hygiene and food preparation.
- Where the case is a food handler, we will interview them and if necessary, take legal action to prevent them from going to work.
- When reports of TB in a dairy herd are received, we check immediately that the milk is not being used for human consumption or cheese making without pasteurisation.
- We trace people who have come into contact with those already diagnosed with infectious disease and give them prompt health advise.
Duty manager
The Environmental Health department has a Duty Manager system so a manager is always available to requests for assistance with disease investigations.
Contact: dutyeho@rother.gov.uk or 01424 787074
Dogs and cats
Environmental Health issue licences for kennels, catteries, home boarding and breeding of dogs to make sure that animal welfare standards are observed. Each business is given a star rating which is published at:
Animal Licensing Register – Rother District Council and
Animal Licensing Registers for Wealden District Council
Licences are also issued for pet shops, hiring out horses, dangerous wild animals and zoos.
Stray and lost dogs
Our contractor, Animal Wardens Ltd receives reports of lost and found dogs and seeks to reunite owner and pet. If this does not happen then the dog is kept in kennels for 7 days, after that the dog is normally rehomed.
Contact: Animal Wardens-01424 490034 (24-hour service)
Lost dogs – Rother District Council
Lost And Found Pets In Wealden
Control of dogs (Rother only)
Dog fouling on pavements, on the seafront and in parks is a health risk especially to children. Dog faeces may contain the eggs of the parasite Toxoplasma, which can cause Toxoplasmosis in humans. “We’re watching you” campaigns are staged for “hot spots” especially during the winter months.
In Wealden, this work is carried out by the Street Scene Team.
Food safety
There are 1000 food premises within the Rother District and 1500 food premises in Wealden which either manufacture, process, wholesale, prepare or retail food.
All food businesses are routinely and regularly inspected, without appointments, and a food hygiene rating awarded on the standards seen at that time. The Food Hygiene Rating System (FHRS) provides information to the public about the hygiene standards so they can make a choice about where they eat. All ratings are published on the Food Standards Agency website. To check for any local business, go to
Door stickers are provided, but there is currently no requirement to display these. In addition to routine inspections, visits are undertaken because of complaints by members of the public either concerning unsatisfactory premises or food bought in Rother or Wealden.
When standards are poor we take enforcement action;
Cafe prosecuted after rat infestation discovery
We receive numerous requests for advice from people who wish to start up a new business. Full advice is available at;
- Starting a food business – Rother District Council or
- Starting a Food Business – Food Hygiene and Safety – Wealden District Council
The Food and Safety Team can be contacted at; foodhs@rother.gov.uk
Fuel poverty (Rother only)
We are members of the East Sussex Energy Partnership and are working to reduce fuel poverty by referring residents to the Winter Home Check Service, which can access grants to install energy efficiency measures, including new boilers for eligible households.
Support to stay at home | East Sussex County Council
We also promote community energy supplier switching every winter:
Cold homes and fuel poverty – Rother District Council
Funeral Directors
For the first time in 2024, we visited all funeral directors in Rother and Wealden to “reassure the public that local funeral directors are safe, professional and care for loved ones as we would want”. This new work was requested by the Ministry of Justice, and of Local Government and Communities, following the criminal investigation into Legacy Funeral Directors in Hull and other similar cases.
The visits focus on hygiene and safety, dignity and condition, traceability and transparency and pre-paid funeral plans. Each visit is made by appointment and is voluntary. At the end of this special project a public report will be made of the findings.
Contact: Una Kane 01424 787542
Healthy workplaces
The Council is responsible for regulating health and safety at work in particular workplaces – retail, leisure, warehouses, catering and care homes. We give advice and guidance to businesses, spot safety problems during food hygiene/licensing inspections and we undertake reactive investigations into accidents and complaints. We take appropriate action when necessary, including enforcement notices and prosecutions.
Prison Sentence for illegal gas installation
Advice for business is available at
- Health and safety at work – the basics for business – Rother District Council or
- Health and safety at work – the basics for business – Wealden District Council
Contact: foodhs@rother.gov.uk
Housing (Rother only)
Tenants in private rented accommodation can experience poor conditions, typically dampness, cold, lack of hot water, overcrowding.
Advice for tenants is available at Private rented housing – Rother District Council
In December 2022 tenants of a house in Camber complained to Rother DC about the poor condition of the property. A subsequent inspection by Environmental Health Officers found collapsing ceilings, dangerous electrical installation, poor safety of stairs and steps, mould and damp, as well as general disrepair. There was no heating in the property, despite the outside temperature being 1°c, the maximum internal temperature was 13°c. Enforcement notices were issued to the landlord in January 2023, but no action was taken, and the tenants remained in the same hazardous conditions.
In June 2024 Hastings Magistrates found the landlord guilty of noncompliance with three Rother DC enforcement notices and was find £20,000 plus surcharge of £2000 and surcharge of £1649.72
Contact: Private.sectorhousing@rother.gov.uk
Licensing
A variety of businesses and services that are used by the public are licensed by Rother and Wealden Councils to make sure that they are safe. Public houses, entertainment venues, betting shops, street collections, pleasure boats, scrap metal dealers, keddle net fishing. Each licence has conditions which set down the rules for protecting public safety, public health, children and preventing crime and disorder.
Every business that supplies or sells alcohol has specific times at which they may operate. The sale of alcohol is often combined with entertainment which may give rise to local disturbance. There must always be a balance between the trade of a business and residents rest and enjoyment of their own property. Where disputes arise officers will visit and speak to all concerned. Elected members form a General Licensing Panel or Licensing Subcommittee which can be asked to adjudicate on specific cases.
For further information on licensing please go to:
Licences and permits – Rother District Council or
Licensing – Wealden District Council
Contact: Mark Randolph or licensing@rother.gov.uk
Pest control
The control of rats and mice is central to public health. Rats and mice can carry a variety of diseases including Salmonella and E.coli. When found in a household they must be dispatched, the house thoroughly cleaned and where necessary disinfected, and the structure repaired to prevent their re-entry. Wasp colonies establish in/outside homes in the late spring or a swarm may arrive suddenly making rooms uninhabitable or barring entry. A wasp sting is painful to most people but for some it can trigger an anaphylactic shock.
Residents of Rother & Wealden can book pest control treatments at:
Pest control – Rother District Council or
Pest Control – Wealden District Council
- We treat households for rats, wasps and mice as soon as possible; other pests on request.
- We investigate the sources of rat infestations
- We take enforcement action against landowners who have allowed rats to shelter and find food on their land
Pollution Control
The Community Protection team work to support neighbourhoods by investigating complaints of noise, smoke, dust, odour, artificial light and private drainage.
This team will also investigate complaints of:
- bonfires (including demolition sites, dark smoke from businesses) & odours
- noise complaints (including domestic, commercial, car and house alarms)
- drainage complaints (drains, cesspools and septic tanks)
- waste accumulations (including fly-tipping & harbourage for vermin)
- filthy or verminous premises
Rother normally investigates 800 complaints and Wealden investigates 1200 complaints a year. During the pandemic, with people working from home the number of complaints has been significantly increased.
Many of these issues can be resolved informally between neighbours.
When this isn’t possible officers can issue enforcement notices requiring the removal of rubbish, cessation of noise/smoke/artificial light. A mediation service is available to residents, free of charge, when neighbourhood living becomes stressful.
Full details at Mediation East Sussex | Neighbourhood Mediation
Complaints of anti-social behaviour alleging damage to the environment are investigated by Environmental Health. Allegations of harassment of people are investigated by Sussex Police.
Comments are made on the environmental impact of various types of planning applications when requested by the planning officer (e.g. restaurants, take-always, industrial, stables & contaminated land).
Further information can be seen at:
Neighbourhood problems – Rother District Council and
Supporting neighbourhoods – Wealden District Council
Contact pollution@rother.gov.uk
Contact: Greg Minns Greg.Minns@rother.gov.uk
Private water supplies
There are over a hundred households in Rother and Wealden that are dependent on wells, boreholes and springs for their drinking water. Such supplies may not be treated with chlorine. Private water supplies can become contaminated with Campylobacter, E.coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium and may pose a threat to health, especially for children.
Picture showing officer sampling from private water supply.
Advice for consumers is available at:
Private Water Supplies – Rother District Council and
Private Water Supplies – Wealden District Council
- We sample and risk assess the large supplies
- We act on significant risks to health found during the risk assessment
- Agree to sample from small supplies when asked by householders
- Survey the district for unknown supplies
Contact: Phil Wright Philip.Wright@rother.gov.uk
Public health funerals (Wealden only)
The Council is responsible for organising funerals of people who die in the district, where sadly there are no relatives or friends able to make the arrangements.
A Council Officer arranges a funeral, taking into account the known wishes of the deceased. If there is an estate, then the costs of the funeral can be recovered.
Contact: Christina Martin Christina.Martin@rother.gov.uk
Skin Piercing
Rother and Wealden registers practitioners who use needles to penetrate the skin for treatments for acupuncture, body piercing, electrolysis, semi-permanent skin colouring (make up) and tattooing. These treatments are very popular and when done correctly can give satisfaction with personal appearance. Rother and Wealden adopted Byelaws to ensure public safety.
Each practitioner must comply with the Council’s Byelaws to make sure their operation is safe and does not transmit infectious diseases from one client to the next. In the summer of 2016, there was an outbreak of a serious skin infection called Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Southeast England which originated from defective saline solution used as part of cartilage ear piercing.
To protect consumers
- Rother and Wealden have byelaws for acupuncture, body piercing, electrolysis, semi-permanent skin colouring (makeup) and tattooing
- Each premises must be registered, and each practitioner must hold a personal registration.
Further Information;
- Skin Piercing – Rother District Council
- Skin Piercing – Wealden District Council – Wealden District Council
Taxis -Hackney Carriages and Private Hire
All taxi (hackney carriage and private hire vehicles), drivers and operators are licensed by Rother and Wealden Councils to ensure safety and comfort of passengers.
Drivers are required to consent to a criminal records check (enhanced DBS), DVLA check; pass a DSA test, local knowledge test, English proficiency test; undertake child sexual exploitation, customer care, disability awareness and safeguarding training and satisfy medical requirements.
All complaints from the public are investigated. In autumn 2023 a report was received describing poor behaviour of a licensed driver. Wealden District Council Licensing Sub Committee met to hear from the driver, and to review the evidence submitted. Their conclusion was that the driver was not a fit and proper person to hold all the licences held and all were revoked immediately.
Licensing Sub-Committee 2nd October 2023
Taxi and Private Hire Licensing – Rother District Council and
Taxi and private hire licensing – Wealden District Council
Our Contact details
Rother Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Cllr K Field
Wealden Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Cllr K Williams
- Email: envhealth@rother.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01424 787550
Richard Parker-Harding – Head of Environmental Health
- Telephone: 01424 787551
- Email: Richard.parker-harding@rother.gov.uk
Duty Manager
The service is divided into 3 teams.
Food and Safety Team
- Email:foodhs@rother.gov.uk
Manager: Una Kane
- Email: una.kane@rother.gov.uk
The primary focus is carrying out inspections of food businesses and health and safety at work including Covid 19 security, pest and dog control.
Licensing Team
- Email:licensing@rother.gov.uk
Manager: Catherine Beaumont
The primary focus is dealing with administering licences.
Community Protection
- Email: Pollution@rother.gov.uk
Manager: Greg Minns
- Email: greg.minns@rother.gov.uk
The primary focus is on responding to complaints about anti-social behaviour such as noise and odour.
Private Sector Housing
- Email: private.sectorhousing@rother.gov.uk
Manager: Catherine Beaumont
In Rother only, we respond to complaints from tenants about their housing conditions and can take legal action against landlords who do not act. We also administer disabled facilities grants.