Our October meeting opened with an interesting and informative presentation by Sue Palmer and Paula Curran entitled Footpaths and Rights of Way (and how to maintain them). Both Sue and Paula are local Parish Path Inspectors that undertake periodic inspections on behalf of WSCC. Their duties include walking the footpaths etc and noting their condition with special emphasis on overhanging vegetation, animal and bird habitats, gates and fences and adequate signage to ensure the public are aware of potential dangers. The inspections take place on a 9 month cycle to ensure all paths are viewed in each season over a 3 year period. A Working Party is then established by the WSCC Access Ranger to undertake any required repairs. Ed Miller delivered an update on local planning issues. He advised us that the storage area application for Hangleton Nurseries has been withdrawn. An application for development on a limited scale at the Bluebird Café and Ferring Country Centre and also an application for a development of 2 houses in existing back gardens in Ferring Lane have all been submitted. Ed emphasised that the requirement under the Neighbourhood Plan to build 50 new dwellings in Ferring over the next 15 years was set by Arun DC. Tricia Hall concluded the meeting by giving an update on bird sightings in the area and commented on how the wildflower beds in the village are still thriving. She said that there had been sightings of Stonechats, Grey Wagtails, Little Egrets, Snipe, a Wheatear, Gold Finches and Brent Geese in the area.
