The Eastling Parish Appraisal is not the only measure of local opinion or gathering of local information.

There is, of course, the National Census - last carried out in 1991 and due to be repeated again later this year. When the results of the 2001 Census become available they will give far more accurate statistics for the local population, car ownership and travel patterns than is possible with the Appraisal.

Another Survey - conducted last Autumn by Ben Bromley of The Nook, The Street, Eastling for a College Project - produced a number of results not dissimilar to those in the Parish Appraisal.

Ben gathered in the views of 147 people, mostly living in the main area of the village.

He found that most people regarded Eastling as attractive, with 40% saying it was “very attractive”. Some 95% of his respondents agreed there was a need to conserve Eastling’s natural surroundings and protect the existing built environment.

There was strong demand for a village shop (74%) - although the sad reality is that the local population is too small to support one.

Some 73% would like to see a village green created. Ben discovered that demand for a green was uniform throughout the village area.

Demand for a more regular bus service came mainly from younger and older people, the very people who rely on it most.

Ten per cent of people in Ben’s survey suggested a children’s playground and there were some calls for more sports and recreational facilities in the village.

And when it came to traffic, Ben found much the same concerns that surfaced in the Parish Appraisal. People felt threatened by fast moving traffic in the village and some regarded speed bumps or lower speed limits as an answer.