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NEWS BULLETIN
FOR THE 
 
 

ADUR VALLEY


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 Word of the Month
 Historical Snippet
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 Poetry Extract

Adur Valley News Bulletin

Link to the Shoreham-by-Sea HomepageAdur Torpedo

This is the first published Electronic Newspaper for 
Shoreham-by-Sea and District, West Sussex, England

November (2) 1999 : Volume 1  Issue 5
    News & Events
     

    The Sussex Conservation Board are planning a "Virtual Reality" web site. 

    Peter Spruce (Liberal Democratic, Peverel ward, Sompting) is the Adur Councillor representative on the South Downs Conservation Board. 
    He is also on the Planning Committee of Adur District Council.

    Planning Application:

    Outline Plan SU/149/99/TP/OA

    Outline Planning Permission by South-east Economic Development Agency (SEEDA) was approved. 

    The Ropetackle Outline Plan gives scant information. The type of use is listed as Industrial Units.

    It is envisaged as being in accordance with the Ropetackle Development Brief. 


    4 November 1999
    Mr Brian Whipp
    Chairman
    Planning Committee
    Adur District Council

    Dear Mr Whipp,

    I would like to be included in the public consultation plans over Ropetackle. If it is necessary we can be called a local group as the Ropetackle Action Committee formed circa. 1979 and never disbanded, although some of the members have died and others had moved away.

    We do not entirely share the views and opinions of other groups. Perhaps, it would be clearer to say that we do not disagree with them, but we are apt to put emphasis on different aspects.

    In order of importance, the consensus is that the most important aspects are:

    1) The appearance of the part of the Ropetackle site south of Little High Street as viewed from the High Street and to a lesser extent the whole of the site viewed from the Norfolk bridge and Adur Recreation Ground. 
    We think that the buildings constructed in the area of the demolished King's Head and May Cottage should be of conservation area standards of architecture (i.e. NOT prefabricated units or formulae standard design). 
    This does not necessarily mean old fashioned, but noticeable, so that people passing by in a car would notice that they were at the focal point of Shoreham High Street. 

    2) Access to the river (views and getting down on to the mussel beds) should not be blocked off by private property and that slipway facilities should be retained. 
    My personal view is that if a Public Hard could be constructed in a better location (i.e. nearer the sea) that some flexibility would be possible. 

    Yours sincerely,

    Andy Horton

    Link to the view of Ropetackle from Shoreham High Street in the 1930s.

    Wildlife Reports 

    The DETR Agenda 21 web site is at:

    http://www.environment.detr.gov.uk/sustainable/la21/policy/sec4.htm

    But then everybody knows what Agenda 21 is, so it will not be necessary to
    download the web site!

    Extract:

    Six components of a Local Agenda 21 process 
     

    • managing and improving the local authority's sustainability performance integrating sustainability issues into the local authority's policies and activities 
    • awareness raising and education 
    • consulting and involving the wider community and the general publicv working in partnership with others - central Government agencies, business, community groups and the general public measuring, monitoring and reporting.
    4 November 1999
    Cormorants, a Little Egret and a Red-breasted Merganser, are all three fish-eating birds that could be seen in the River Adur opposite Ropetackle in the afternoon when the tide was low. The Little Egret foraged in the shallow pools between the mussel beds with a solitary Redshank. The Cormorants were fishing, but the Red-breasted Merganser disdained such activity, and just stood at the edge ot the tidal stream and watched the river flow by. 
    On Kingston Beach, a single Oystercatcher probed on the edge of the mussels beds, for worms etc. 

    2 November 1999
    On a clear day, with the sun low in the sky it was quite murky even at 3.30 pm over the exposed mussel beds adjacent to Ropetackle, between the Norfolk Bridge and the Railway Viaduct. Midway between a high neap tide of 5 metres and the maximum ebb of the day, there was still enough water in the River Adur for the regular populations of Cormorants to dive under for fish. One was feeding in the fast running stream under the Norfolk Bridge. These birds are a common sight in ones or twos throughout the year, and are too familiar to warrant more than one mention on this page. They are the most interesting of the residents, fanning their wings and diving for supper. Eels are often a noticeable prey as the wriggly fish often entangles around the beak of the bird.  Diving amongst the pleasure boat mooring chains, I was treated to sight of a Red-breasted Merganser also making repeated dives. Just like the Cormorant the dives were often extended and it would surface metres away from the dive point, moving further away from my position. This bird is an irregular visitor during the winter. It had not seen this punk-haired bird for at least 5 years. A couple of these birds occasionally spend a few days on Widewater Lagoon feeding on the Sticklebacks. 

    Poetry Extract

    Big Jim was no one's fool, he owned the town's only  diamond mine,
    He made his usual entrance lookin' so dandy and so fine.
    With his bodyguards and silver cane and every hair in place,
    He took whatever he wanted to and he laid it all to waste.
    But his bodyguards and silver cane were no match for the Jack of Hearts.

    Bob Dylan 

    Word of the Month

    sustain  | ssten |  v. ME. [AN sustein-, OFr. so(u)stein- tonic stem of so(u)stenir (mod. soutenir) f. L sustinere, f. as SUB- + tenere hold, keep.] 1 v.t.  a Support the efforts, conduct, or cause of (a person); support (a cause or course of action). ME-M18. b Support the argument, maintain, that. Now rare. LME. c Support as valid, correct, or just. LME. d Be adequate as a ground or basis for; substantiate, corroborate. E19. 2 v.t. Keep (a person, the mind, spirit, etc.) from failing or giving way. ME.  3 v.t. Cause to continue in a certain state; maintain at the proper level or standard. ME.  4 v.t. Maintain or keep going continuously (an action or process); carry on (a conflict or contest); spec. prolong (a musical note). ME.  5 v.t. Support life in; provide for the life or needs of; (of food) give nourishment to. ME. b Support (life). LME.  c Supply (a person's need). rare (Shakes.). Only in E17. 6 v.t. Provide for the upkeep of (an institution, estate, etc.). ME.  7 v.t. Endure without failing or giving way; withstand. ME.  b v.i. Bear up, hold out. LME-L16.  c v.t. Bear to do, tolerate that something should be done. Usu. in neg. and interrog. contexts. LME-E18. 8 v.t. Undergo or experience (something); esp. suffer (an injury or loss). LME. b Bear (a financial burden). arch. LME. c Represent (a part or character); play the part of. M16. 9 v.t. Support, bear the weight of, esp. for a long period. LME. b Withstand (a weight or pressure). LME.  c v.t. & i. Hold (something) upright or in position. LME-E18.
    2 P. G. WODEHOUSE The excitement which had sustained him had begun to ebb. J. BRAINE There was something to sustain me over the next four weeks. 3 G. S. HAIGHT Next to Lewes, John Blackwood did most to sustain George Eliot's genius. News of the World Goalkeeper Allan Ross sustained his side's dwindling hopes with saves. T. BENN Coalan industry which had sustained our manufacturing economy since the industrial revolution. 4 K. AMIS She played a slow arpeggio, sustaining it with the pedal. A. T. ELLIS She wondered how long Charles could sustain this conversation. J. SUTHERLAND This story opens with briskness and sustains a rattling pace thereafter. 5 J. TROLLOPE Ian the bought a fudge barto sustain her. P. MAILLOUX Tramping the roads sustaining himself entirely by begging. 7 A. R. WALLACE Each species [of plant] can sustain a certain amount of heat and cold. I. MURDOCH Antonia would not have sustained such a steady gaze for so long. 8 R. L. STEVENSON Labouring mankind had sustained a prolonged series of defeats. S. RADLEY Bell sustained multiple injuries. Japan Times They sustained burns and bruises. 9 L. SIMPSON These houses built of wood sustain Colossal snows.
    sustainability n. the quality of being sustainable L20. sustainable a. (a)rare supportable, bearable; (b)able to be upheld or defended; (c)able to be maintained at a certain rate or level: E17. sustainably adv. L20. sustainer n. (a)a person who or thing which sustains, upholds, or maintains something; (b)a supporting structure; 

    Excerpted from The Oxford Interactive Encyclopedia*  (containing the Shorter Oxford Dictionary)
     


    Historical Snippets

    Census 1981 Adur District statistics:
    Population density:  1402 per sq. km (Worthing is 2820, Brighton 2535)
    Foreign born = 3.6%
    Pensionable age = 24.4%  (Worthing = 34.9%, Brighton = 24.3%)
    Households with car = 63.5% (Brighton = 49.6%, Horsham District inland area = 78.1%).
    Owner occupiers = 73.4% (Brighton was 56.6%), Council tenants = 19.2%, Private Tenants = 7.4%.
    Employment = Manufacturing 22.9% (highest in Sussex, Brighton was 17.1%), Services 57.3%, Agriculture 0.9%,
    Married Women working 59%.
    Unemployed 6.2% (Brighton was 11.1%, highest in Sussex).
    Adur unemployment in 1971 = 3.22% (Brighton was 4.72%).
    In October 1982, the UK unemployment rate was 13.6%, but the rate in Brighton was 12.6%.

    Brief History of Shoreham-by-Sea

Compiled on Netscape Composer, part of Netscape Communicator 4.6
Extent the tide recedes at low neaps. The tide goes out further on the low springs that occur at dusk and dawn.Sea Defences made of syenite rock from Norway