Byelaws
Ditchling Common Country Park byelaws
BYELAWS made under Section 41 of the Countryside Act 1968 by the East Sussex County Council with respect to a Country Park at Ditchling Common.
1. (i) In these Byelaws:
a) "The Park" shall mean the area of the Ditchling Common Country Park, for the purposes of identification shown as nearly as may be on the map annexed to these Byelaws and thereon coloured pink;
b) "The Council" shall mean the East Sussex County Council;
c) "Firearm" has the same meaning as in Section 57 of the Firearms Act 1968;
d) "Vehicle" shall include any carriage, cart, caravan, machine, truck, motor car, bicycle, motor bicycle and any other electrically or mechanically propelled vehicle.
e) "Model Aircraft" means an aircraft which either weighs not more than five kilogrammes without its fuel or is for the time being exempted (as a model aircraft) from the provisions of the Air Navigation Act;
f) "Power driven" means driven by the combustion of petrol vapour or other combustible vapour or other combustible substances, or by one or more electric motors or by compressed gas;
g) "Jet propelled" or "rocket propelled" means driven by jet propulsion or by means of a rocket, other than by means of a small reaction motor powered by a solid fuel pellet not exceeding one inch in length.
(ii) The Interpretation Act 1978 shall apply to the interpretation of these Byelaws as it applies to the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.
2. (i) An act necessary to the proper execution of his duty in the Park by an officer of the Council or by any person or servant of any person employed by the Council shall not be deemed an offence against these Byelaws;
(ii) Nothing in or done under any of the provisions of these Byelaws shall in any respect prejudice or injuriously affect any public right of way through the land or the rights of any person acting lawfully by virtue of some estate, right or interest in, over or affecting the land or any part thereof.
Restriction of public access
3. No person shall, without written authority from the Council, enter or remain in any area of the Park which by notice is prohibited to the general public Provided that such notice shall not apply to more than one-fifth of the area of the Park.
Damage to or removal of things in the Park
4. No person shall without lawful excuse or authority in the Park, kill, molest or intentionally disturb any animal, bird or fish or engage in hunting or shooting or fishing or the setting of traps or nets or the laying of snares Provided that this byelaw shall not prohibit any killing, shooting or trapping of vermin or other animals for the purpose of controlling the animal population or for Scientific Survey of the animal population which may be authorised by the Council and shall not prohibit any fishing which may be authorised in writing by the Council.
5. No person shall in the Park without reasonable excuse remove or displace any wall or fence in or enclosing the Park or any building, barrier, railing, noticeboard, post, seat, or any erection, structure or ornament within the Park.
6. No person shall in the Park remove or displace any soil or plants.
Relating to animals etc brought into the Park
7. No person shall cause or suffer a dog belonging to him or in his charge to remain in the Park, unless such dog be and continue to be under proper control and be effectually restrained from causing annoyance to any person, and from worrying or disturbing any animal.
8. No person shall, except in pursuance of a lawful agreement with the County Council, turn out, tether or permit any animal to graze in the Park.
Relating to watercourses and ponds
9. No person shall intentionally, recklessly or negligently foul or pollute any watercourse comprised in the Park.
10. No person shall obstruct the flow of any drain or other watercourse or open, shut or otherwise interfere with any sluice gate or similar apparatus in the Park.
11. No person shall in the Park bathe or wade in any pond or other watercourse.
Relating to the use of vehicles
12. (i) No person shall, except in the exercise of any lawful right or privilege bring or cause to be brought into the Park any barrow or vehicle other than –
a) a wheeled bicycle, tricycle or other similar machine;
b) a wheelchair, or perambulator drawn or propelled by hand and used solely for the conveyance of a child or children or an invalid.
Provided that where the Council set apart a space in the Park for the use of any class of vehicle, this byelaw shall not be deemed to prohibit the driving in or to that space by the route provided for the purpose from the entrance to the Park of any vehicle of the class for which it is set apart.
(ii) Where, by a notice conspicuously exhibited on or near thereto the Council set apart any space in the Park as a parking place for vehicles or vehicles of a specified class a person shall not, except in exercise of any lawful right or privilege:
a) park a vehicle in any other part of the Park;
b) leave in the parking place any vehicle unless it is of the class so specified;
c) leave in the parking place any vehicle between the hours of 11 pm and 6 am.
(iii) A person shall not except in the exercise of any lawful right or privilege ride any bicycle, tricycle or other similar machine in any part of the Park.
13. No person shall land any aircraft or hovercraft in the Park except in the case of an emergency.
Noise
14. No person shall by operating or causing or suffering to be operated any wireless set, gramophone, tape recorder or similar instrument or any musical instrument make, cause or suffer to be made, any noise which is so loud or so continuous or repeated as to give reasonable cause for annoyance to other persons in the Park.
Relating to firearms
15. No person shall in the Park without lawful authority fire or discharge any firearm.
Prevention of fire
16. (i) No person shall light a fire in the Park or place or throw or let fall a lighted match or any other thing so as to be likely to cause a fire;
(ii) this byelaw shall not prevent the lighting or use of a properly constructed camping stove or cooker in any area set aside by the Council for the purpose, in such a manner as not to cause danger of or damage by fire.
Camping and caravanning
17. No person shall erect a tent or use any vehicle, including a caravan, or any other structure (including any tent) for the purpose of camping in the Park except on any area which may be set apart by the Council and indicated by notice as a place where camping is permitted.
Public meetings
18. No person shall hold or take part in any public meeting or assembly in the Park.
Public entertainments
19. No person shall hold or take part in any show, performance, concert, exhibition or other entertainment in the Park Provided that this byelaw shall not apply to any show, concert or other entertainment authorised by the Council.
Gates
20. Where the Council have indicated by notice conspicuously exhibited on or alongside any gate in the Park that leaving that gate open is prohibited, no person having opened that gate or caused it to be open shall leave it open.
Riding
21. No person shall in the Park ride any horse:
(i) other than on a public bridleway or other way or path indicated by notices placed by the Council to be available for use by horse riders; or
(ii) to the danger of any person.
Relating to model aircraft
22. No person shall:
(i) release any jet propelled, or rocket propelled, power driven model aircraft for flight or control the flight of such aircraft in the Park; or
(ii) cause any jet propelled, rocket propelled, or power driven model aircraft to take off or land in the Park.
Relating to metal detectors
23. No person shall in the Park use any device designed or adapted for detecting or locating any metal or mineral in the ground.
Miscellaneous prohibitions
24. No person shall erect any post, rail, fence, pole, booth, seat, stand, building or other structure in the Park.
25. No person shall affix or cause to be affixed any advertisement, bill, placard or notice upon any building, wall, fence, gate, door, pillar, post, tree, rock or stone in or enclosing the Park.
26. No person shall in the Park sell, or offer or expose for sale or let to hire, or offer or expose for letting or hire any commodity or article except in pursuance of an agreement with the Council.
27. No person shall climb any wall or fence in or enclosing the Park, or any tree or any barrier, railing, post or other erection.
28. No person shall in the Park intentionally obstruct, disturb or annoy any other person in the proper use of the Park or intentionally obstruct or disturb any warden or any other officer of the Council in the proper execution of his duty or any person or servant of any person employed by the Council in the proper execution of any work in connection with the laying out or maintenance of the Park.
29. Any person who offends against any of these Byelaws shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50.