Rother is a local government district in East Sussex, England. Its council is based in Bexhill-on-Sea. The district is named after the River Rother which flows within its boundaries.
The neighbouring districts are Wealden, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Folkestone and Hythe, and Hastings. Aside from its coast, Hastings is surrounded by Rother.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the area of three former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[1]
The new district was named Rother after the River Rother which flows through the district.[2]
| Rother District Council | |
| Coa Res: | 150 |
| Logo Pic: | Rother District Council Logo.png |
| Logo Res: | 200 |
| Logo Alt: | Rother District Council logo |
| House Type: | District Council |
| Leader1 Type: | Chair |
| Leader1: | Richard Thomas |
| Party1: | Liberal Democrat |
| Election1: | 20 May 2024[3] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | Doug Oliver |
| Party2: | RAOIC |
| Election2: | 22 May 2019[4] |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | Lorna Ford |
| Election3: | May 2023[5] |
| Seats: | 38 councillors |
| Structure1 Res: | 250px |
| Political Groups1: |
|
| Voting System1: | First past the post |
| Last Election1: | 4 May 2023 |
| Next Election1: | 6 May 2027 |
| Session Room: | Town Hall, London Road, Bexhill (2).jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Town Hall, London Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, TN393JX |
Rother District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by East Sussex County Council.[6] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[7]
The council has been under no overall control since the 2019 election, being led by a coalition called the 'Rother Alliance' comprising Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens and some of the independent councillors.[8] The independents in the Rother Alliance formed a local political party in January 2023 called the 'Rother Association of Independent Councillors' (RAOIC).[9]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[10] [11]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1974–1979 | ||
| 1979–1983 | ||
| 1983–1991 | ||
| 1991–1999 | ||
| 1999–2019 | ||
| 2019–present | ||
The leaders of the council since 2001 have been:[12]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivor Brampton[13] | 17 Jan 2001 | |||
| Graham Gubby[14] | 2001 | 6 May 2007 | ||
| Carl Maynard[15] | 23 May 2007 | 22 May 2019 | ||
| Doug Oliver | 22 May 2019 | 31 Jan 2023 | ||
| 31 Jan 2023 | ||||
Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:[16]
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | |||
| 8 | |||
| 8 | |||
| 7 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 2 | |||
| Total | 38 | ||
The council is based at Bexhill Town Hall on London Road in Bexhill, which was built in 1895 for the Bexhill Urban District Council, which became Bexhill Borough Council in 1902. The building continued to serve as the seat of local government following the reorganisation in 1974 which created Rother District.
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 38 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.[17]
The lowest level of local government is the civil parish; there are 34 within Rother. The parish councils for the three parishes of Battle, Bexhill-on-Sea and Rye take the style "town council". The two parishes of Ashburnham and Penhurst share a grouped parish council. The parish of East Guldeford has a parish meeting rather than a parish council due to its small population.[18] [19]
Rother District covers two areas of relief: to the south, a section of the High Weald; and to the north the lower land, named the Rother Levels, across which flow the River Rother, which rises on the Weald and flows easterly towards Rye Bay, and its tributaries. For much of the course of the main river it constitutes the boundary between East Sussex and Kent, and is given the alternative title of the ’’Kent Ditch’’. Tributaries of the river include the Rivers Dudwell, Tillingham and Brede.
The district reaches the coast in the vicinity of Bexhill, and on the shores of Rye Bay.
Climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year round. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[20]
Rother has one of the oldest populations (with a median age of 52 years)[21] and the lowest per capita income[22] in the UK.
There are several main roads crossing the district. The major trunk road is the A21, London to Hastings road; it is joined by the A28 road from Ashford road near Hastings; which in turn is crossed by the A268 Hawkhurst to Rye road. There is also the A259 coastal route
The Hastings Line, East Coastway Line and the Marshlink Line are the three railway lines in the District; The Kent and East Sussex Railway tourist line terminates at Bodiam.
Long-distance footpaths include the Sussex Border Path; and the Saxon Shore Way, which links with the 1066 Country Walk.
Major landmarks include Bodiam and Camber Castles; and Battle Abbey.