ABOUT US

A Community Benefit Society

We are a Registered Society, under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, listed as RS7923 on the Mutuals Register with the Financial Conduct Authority. Our legal form is that of a Charitable Community Benefit Society. 

Read our governing document, known as Rules HERE

As a voluntary led non profit and social enterprise we exist to benefit the wider community and reinvest surplus funds back into the Society. Our purpose is exclusively charitable and we are recognised by HMRC as an exempt charity with the same tax benefits as registered charities. Read our Business Plan HERE

Our membership is drawn from across the community. Anyone can join upon payment of £1 for a non-withdrawable membership share. This allows members one vote at an AGM. We are community-owned and community-led by an elected board of officers drawn from our membership.

The Society can raise finance from a variety of sources and a key feature of a Community Benefit Society is the ability to seek socially minded investors and issue withdrawable Community Shares to raise equity finance. All other restrictions on regulated financial activities apply in the usual way. 

 

Our Board

Our team of volunteers consists of qualified and motivated professionals supported by business and construction specialists. Collectively we have many years experience of serving our community. Together we are committed  to bringing affordable home ownership to modest income families in Eastbourne.

Sandy Medway

Sandy has led and worked with several local charities, including People Matter; Street Pastors; Hope Woodwork; Aid for Trade; and Networx. Secure housing is a common problem for most clients. 

Derek Cordrey

Derek is a qualified Accounting Technician. He was with Barclays Bank for 22 years and also the public and private sectors for 19 years in accounting and finance roles, including for the council and in housing. Derek is now a self-employed part-time bookkeeper.

Johnny Coombe

Johnny has lived in Eastbourne for the last 15 years and works as a Relief Chef Manager in Assisted Living settings. He longs to see local people on modest incomes be able to afford a home of their own. Johnny's food offerings are renowned so don't miss any of our pop up restaurant fundraisers.

Co-opted Members

Susan & Jonathan Chiswell-Jones are hugely valued Members of the CLT serving as co-opted Board Members. They bring a fresh perspective to ensuring we keep focused on the important issues. Crispin Freeman is a chartered accountant and a Member who has recently agreed to join the board to help us with our financial projections.

Legal, Financial & Technical Advisers

The Board is supported by Zara Coton, Property Solicitor at Stephen Rimmer; John Caladine from Caladine Accountants and Verity Stevens from Lawson Queay (Surveyors).

Business Support

We have been supported throughout our entire journey these past six years by the excellent and knowledgeable Graham Maunders from The Sussex Community Led Housing Hub.

Our Members

We currently have 179 paid up Members (March 2024), which gives them a say in how we are run and governed. Our public events and annual AGM is where Members can meet with active volunteers and vote in board members for the year ahead. Our aim is to build a Society that will develop in the long term an intermediate housing marketplace.

Community Support & Goodwill

Our Partners

Eastbourne Borough Council

Our journey began in April 2018 with a presentation about Community Land Trusts at Eastbourne Town Hall. The event was led by Graham Maunders from the Sussex Community Led Housing Hub.

We are thankful for the help given to us by Eastbourne Borough Council staff. As an apolitical community group we are grateful for the support of our MP and local councillors from all political parties.

Our Construction Partner:

Since 2019 OSM have actively helped and supported us. They have proved to be the ideal partners for us as a community group.

"OSM offer full design and build services for both traditional and MMC projects. 

Being product agnostic we provide cost analysis on a variety of modern build systems, or hybrid combinations, in order to meet budget requirements.

On all projects we offer full transparency and flexibility to clients depending on their risk appetite:

  • Full Design & Build
  • Two stage Design & Build
  • Cost plus / measured works contracting.

OSM Construction take a positive approach to value engineering and identifying opportunities for cost savings throughout the design and product specification stage."

Find us HERE

Our Associates

Our associates are working with us to help us achieve our aims. They are qualified and motivated professionals, who are all experts in their field, and with many years of experience.

Community Led Housing Adviser

Graham Maunders

Graham provides a range of technical advice and support to community led housing groups and projects. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Chartered Surveyor

Verity Stevens

Chartered Building Surveyor at Lawson Queay Chartered Surveyors

Solicitor

Zara Coton

Associate Solicitor in the Commercial Department with Stephen Rimmer Solicitors.

Accountant

John Caladine

Managing Director at Caladine Chartered Certified Accountants.

Our First Build Project

Five houses in Biddenden Close Langney

We are raising funds to build five new homes for key worker families under a shared ownership scheme. This is a part rent/part buy opportunity where we will own homes with owner occupiers. We envisage families having an annual household income of around £40k which will enable them to put down a small deposit and get a mortgage to buy a 30% share in their new home. They will pay a modest rent on the remaining 70% that Eastbourne CLT own.

Our Community Networks

Our networks provide us with links to communities of interest nationally, regionally and locally. We learn from each other, share news and expertise, connect to other communities and support one another.

Community Land Trust Network

The network supports over 500 CLT groups in the UK, and Eastbourne CLT has been a full member since 2019.

Sussex Community Housing Hub

The network supports about 23 community led housing across East & West Sussex. There are CLT projects in Herstmonceux, Bexhill, Hasting, Brighton, etc.

Eastbourne Society

Our Chair is an active member of The Eastbourne Society and has links to other heritage groups. They meet monthly at the Gather space in the Beacon Centre on the last Friday of the month.

3VA

The network covers all of East Sussex combining the work of three voluntary associations.
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Registered Office: Caladine Chartered Accountants, 

Chantry House, 22 Upperton Rd, Eastbourne,  BN22 1BF

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