Wealden

Wealden is a local government district in East Sussex, England: its name comes from the Weald, the area of high land that occupies the centre of its area.

History
Wealden District was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by the merger of the Hailsham and Uckfield Rural District Councils (RDCs), both set up under the Local Government Act 1894, which also revived the parish councils. It is one of three Districts within the county and is the central one: the other two being Lewes to the west, and Rother to the east.

Governance


Wealden District Council is elected every 4 years, with the Conservative party having had a majority on the council since the first election in 1973, apart from a couple of years after 1995 when no party had a majority. As of the last election in 2011 the council is composed of the following councillors:-

The district is second-level in local government. There are 55 members of the Council, representing 35 wards. The towns have more than one ward: Crowborough has five; Hailsham, three; Heathfield, two; Polegate, two; and Uckfield, four. The ward boundaries are regularly redrawn in an attempt to maintain a standard elector per councillor ratio throughout the district. The ward boundaries as at 2007 are:

The lowest level of local government is the civil parish. The parishes are formed on a geographical basis.

Those within the Wealden District are:

Geography
Wealden District covers two main upland areas: the section of the High Weald within East Sussex; and the eastern end of the South Downs, between which lies the Vale of Sussex. The River Ouse, some of the tributaries of which originate in the district, forms the border with the Lewes District; and the River Cuckmere is entirely within its boundaries. The south-western border is on the Pevensey Levels. Both flow into the English Channel. The River Rother rises on the Weald and flows easterly towards Rye Bay.

Transport
There are several main roads crossing the district. The major trunk road is the A22, London to Eastbourne; it is crossed by the A26 Maidstone–Lewes road at Uckfield; and the A267 Tunbridge Wells to Eastbourne road. There are also three west-east roads: the A259 coastal route; next inland is the A27 Pevensey–Brighton trunk road; and further to the north the A272 cross-country route to Winchester.

The East Coastway Line, serving Eastbourne and Hastings, uses the Vale of Sussex. The only other railway line in the district is the Oxted Line branch terminating at Uckfield.

Long-distance footpaths include the South Downs Way; the Monarch's Way; the Sussex Border Path; and the Wealdway.

Landmarks
Major landmarks include Beachy Head, the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven along the coast; and the Long Man of Wilmington together with various high points along the South Downs.