In April 2021 Upperton councillors were allocated a budget of £5,000, known as the devolved budget.  This is provided by the council to be spent on any projects which benefit the Upperton community.

This year the money has been spent on:

• Travel Maps for Gildredge house school in association with EcoEd 2030, to coincide with International Car Free Day on 22^nd September 2021 and the 2021 Eastbourne Walking Festival

• Mural artwork by Jewl on 7 x 8ft x 4ft plywood sheets, fixed onto the Gingerbread Café in Gildredge park, to add some colour and help deter unattractive graffiti

• Additional raised beds and seeds for Eastbourne Allotments Society to help more people enjoy the benefits of gardening and to provide fresh produce for Eastbourne Foodbank

• Dutch Oven to provide hot food for volunteers at the Grow Eastbourne allotment in Gorringe Road

• On-going project to re-wild St Mary’s churchyard, creating a more biodiverse habitat

• Contribution towards a heavy duty, pop-up Gazebo for East Sussex Hearing, for their client outreach service

• Additional funds to Plastic free Eastbourne, required for siting of water-refill station in Gildredge Park

• Placement of new ‘dog-poo’ bin at junction of Mill Gap Road and St Anne’s Road to help combat dog fouling on the grass verge

• Contribution towards repairs to thatched roof on the Hermitage in Manor Gardens for the Friends of Manor Gardens and Gildredge Park

The 2021 Devolved Budget is now fully spent. But a further £3,000 will be available from April 2022.  If anyone has a worthy cause for us to contribute to next year, please contact us and we will explain how to apply.