Cuckmere Estuary Partnership

What isthe purpose of the events?

The events are an opportunity for people to share their views about the future of the Cuckmere. They have been designed to give everyone the opportunity to speak, and to be listened to.

The specific aims of the engagement workshops are to:

• provide a neutral and independent forum for a wide range of views to be heard and listened to;
• develop understanding of community views on the future of the Cuckmere;
• raise awareness of the issues facing the Cuckmere using all available evidence;
• provide evidence of the widest possible range of views on community, business, tourism, recreation, archaeological / historical, landscape and biodiversity, coastal needs and priorities for future decision making. 

Where are you holding these events?

The events are being held at Alfriston War Memorial Hall on 6 July, Clinton Centre, Seaford on 8 July and Eastbourne Town Hall on 13 July.

Why are you holding these events now?

In December 2008 the Environment Agency published its decision, under its Flood Risk Management Strategy, to withdraw maintenance of the river banks within the Estuary.  This withdrawal will take place from April 2011. We are holding these events now, in 2009, to inform development of a  long-term management plan for the estuary by then, which fully reflects the views of local residents and businesses.

We have timed the events to take place over the summer months, but so that they do not coincide with school holidays, which we hope will give people more opportunity to attend.

What will happen at the events?

The events will begin with a brief welcome by a representative of the Cuckmere Estuary partnership and an introduction to the professional facilitation team who will be running the day.

There will then be a factual, neutral presentation of the history and current issues facing the Estuary, followed by a brief question and answer session where attendees may raise urgent matters of clarification.

Attendees will then be asked to split into working groups for facilitated discussions. These discussions will take up to one hour. These will focus on: What matters most to you about the estuary? What are the key concerns? What is your vision for the future of the estuary? And what are the priorities for the future? 

No subjects will be ‘in’ or ‘out’ of these discussions – anyone can raise any issues they feel relevant, provided the facilitator can ensure that everyone has the same opportunity to speak and contribute.

There will then be a round-up in groups, after which all the comments and suggestions will be written up on display sheets, and attendees will be given the opportunity to see what other groups have said.

The events will close with a brief summary of next steps.

What will happen after the events?

These major public events will be followed by a series of smaller, subject-specific workshops which will cover issues such as tourism, business, landscape, wildlife and biodiversity, sport and leisure.  We will describe these workshops in more detail at the engagement events. If there is a specific subject you would like to discuss further, please let us know on the day. 

After the events and the workshops, all of the comments and suggestions  we receive will be written up into a report by the facilitation team. Remarks will be unattributed (ie, we will publish a record of what was said, but not who said it). The report will be made publically available on the Partnership’s website at www.cuckmere.org.uk.

Is anybody allowed to attend the events?

Yes, we warmly welcome anyone who wishes to attend the events, and we would encourage all those with an interest in the Cuckmere to sign up as soon as possible.  Everyone who wishes to attend one of these events will be given the opportunity to do so. If more people sign up than we can accommodate at the three events we have currently planned, we will look at holding additional events to enable them to attend.

Because we are limited by the size of the venues and the number of facilitators available, we are asking delegates to limit themselves to attending just one event each. Similarly, organisations and institutions are being asked to send just one delegate to one event, to ensure there is a fair balance of views.

Members of the press will be allowed to attend the events, to report on the plenary presentation and to view the display sheets made by the working groups. They will not be allowed to report on what is said in the break-out groups because we do not want to discourage anyone from speaking freely. However they are welcome to join the groups and take part in discussions in their capacity as local residents.

How have you chosen the locations and venues?

We have chosen Alfriston because it is the closest village to the Estuary; Eastbourne and Seaford are the closest larger towns either side of the Estuary.

We have used venues which are easy for people to get to by road and by public transport, and we have used public spaces such as community halls because they are more cost-effective than private venues.

How have you chosen the timings?

Two events are being held in the evenings to allow those who work to attend. One event is being held during the day for those unable to attend in the evenings (this was decided after feedback from some local residents).

Why can’t you guarantee me a place at my preferred venue?

We very much hope that everyone will be able to attend their preferred venue, and we will do our best to make this happen. However, space is limited by the size of the venues and the number of facilitators, and priority may have to be given to those with special needs, such as wheelchair access.

It is extremely unlikely that you will not be offered a place at your preferred venue, but if that is the case we will let you know as soon as possible and we will offer you a choice of alternatives.