Big night for Battle Town Council
Dignitaries and community groups packed into The Abbots Hall at Battle Abbey School on Wednesday night for a special presentation.
A civic reception was held to mark the council receiving it's Quality Town Council status from The Earl of Lytton, president of the National Association of Local Councils and Sussex Association of Local Councils.
Handing over the certificate to Battle mayor Ron Harris, Lord Lytton said: "This of course is an opportunity that does not come very often and to get to Quality Council status you have to keep re-emelishing it.
"It's a continuous development progress - you have to keep building up."
He added: "A real hearty congratulations to everybody in Battle.
"It's a team effort and an intergenerational effort, as it happens over a period of time, and they should share in your success here tonight."
Lord Lytton praised town clerk Peter Mills for his continued hard work.
He said: "Quality Council's do not grow on trees and do not arise without having an extremely competent clerk.
"Good clerks are like gold dust - hang on to your clerk!"
After requesting a few moment's silence for deputy mayor Stuart Gray, who died last week, the mayor accepted the certificate on behalf of Battle Town Council.
He said: "Achieving Quality Council status has been the aim of our town council for about three years now and I'm so proud to accept this."
The mayor thanked everyone who helped the town council to get the award, including Peter Mills, the Sussex Association of Local Councils and his fellow councillors.
He also paid tribute to the community groups, saying: "You are the cement that binds the fabric of Battle together."
In it's effort to gain the status, the council introduced an annual report to distribute to everyone in the town, produced a regular newsletter, set up surgeries for residents and set up a council website.
Battle Town Council first applied for Quality status earlier in 2007, but was turned down.
Battle is the fourth council in Rother to be awarded with the status, joining Sedlescombe, Crowhurst and Rye.
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: East
