Party music rocks the neighbours
NOISE pollution officers were not working when a private party held on land in Tutts Barn Lane kept residents across the town awake.
The party took place last Saturday in a field off Tutts Barn Lane and between St Thomas a Becket and Stafford Junior School.
It was a 25th joint birthday party and organisers have apologised for the noise, inconvenience to the police and to anyone that was upset by it.
One said, "We are genuinely very sorry. It was just a birthday party, there was no trouble or anything like that. Unfortunately the noise travelled because it was a calm, still night. Everything was cleared away and there was no damage at all."
It continued into the early hours of Sunday morning despite numerous calls to the council's out of hours service to link up with the environmental health department.
But council officers, who are responsible for dealing with noise issues, were not working and instead the calls were forwarded to Eastbourne Police, who sent officers down to the site to ask the organisers to turn the loud music down.
But as soon as police left, the music was turned up again and residents in Gorringe Road and as far away as Moy Avenue say they were kept awake until 3.30am.
One resident said, "It was loud thumping music and just kept on through the night. I called environmental health several times and the last time was at 3.30am.
"I don't know why environmental health couldn't have gone down there and sorted it out."
Eastbourne Police say it was a council issue but the council has admitted officers were not working.
A spokesperson said the council operates an out of hours service on alternate Fridays and Saturdays between 10pm and 2am and that last weekend officers were working in the town on the Friday night.
He added, "On Saturday night, the council received complaints via Lifeline of loud music from a private party in the Tutts Barn area and is investigating the incident and who was responsible. Had the incident escalated to a major noise issue such as a rave, Environmental Health staff would have been notified via Lifeline and attended.
"If there is a specific and recurring problem at a premises the team will arrange visits outside of the out of hours service. In the event of a major noise incident officers will visit and speak to the responsible person and ask them to turn the volume down to an acceptable level.
"If necessary, the council will serve an abatement notice to require that the music is stopped immediately, and then if this did not resolve the issues, in extreme cases seize the equipment.
"We would ask residents to think about how noise affects their neighbours and to be considerate, particularly over the summer months when doors and windows are open."
Eastbourne Police inspector Tony Wakefield told the Herald police had received eight calls regarding the party.
"Police initially attended and ascertained that this was not a rave but a private party being held on privately owned land.
"Due to repeat calls police attended on a further two occasions and made requests that the music be turned down.
"Police are liaising with the local Environmental Health Office to assist in the investigation of where it was held and who was responsible."
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Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
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