Author: Andrew Taylor

The East Grinstead Access Group, whose offices are at East Court, has been helping out at a video shoot in the Bluebell Railway’s engine shed at Sheffield Park. Chairman of the Access Group, Paul Johnson said. “We were approached to see if we could provide some wheelchair users for a promotional video they were producing for submission to the Heritage Lottery Fund, in connection with their grant towards work they are embarking on in the Engine Shed. We not only provided them with Stewart Cook, one of our members, with his ‘mini scooter’, but we were also able to put them in contact with Emma Bashford who is running an internet service for disabled children”.

The video, introduced by BBC newsreader Nick Owen, will be part of a funding bid to replace the engine shed roof and then separate off a section of the shed as an exhibition centre, with a replica Stepney engine which will be accessible to disabled children, as well as able bodied, and where they can pull the levers, and the wheels will rotate on a display screen. The proposed new ramping and ability to get onto the footplate of the locomotives will change the experience for young and old alike. The photographs showing the children demonstrate vividly how restrictive the present experience is – they can only stare upwards and wonder.

Referendums have been called in Lindfield and Lindfield Rural, Turners Hill and Twineham for Thursday 28 January 2016. Residents will decide if they would like the Neighbourhood Plans produced by the local Parish Councils to determine planning applications in their area.

Neighbourhood Plans give people the opportunity to decide on the future of their local area. Town and Parish Councils work alongside local residents to develop plans that will influence the planning of the area where they live and work.

Lindfield and Lindfield Rural, Turners Hill and Twineham Parish Councils have now finalised their Neighbourhood Plans and, if over 50% of people who vote in each area support the plan, they will be used by Mid Sussex District Council to decide local planning applications. Although they will be held on the same day, the referendums are completely separate.

Recent home movers should check that they have updated the electoral register and will be eligible to vote. Only residents in Lindfield and Linfield Rural, Turners Hill and Twineham are eligible to vote in these Neighbourhood Plan referendums.

The deadline for new registration applications is Midnight on Tuesday 12 January 2016 and the deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 13 January 2016. Residents who are already registered to vote by post should receive their postal vote pack by 8 January 2016.

New applications to appoint someone to vote by Proxy must be made by 5pm on Wednesday 20 January 2016 and applications for an emergency Proxy vote must be received by 5pm on Thursday 28 January 2016.

If you have any questions regarding registration or the electoral process then please contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team on 01444 477003 or email elections@midsussex.gov.uk.

Opportunity for young people aged 16 -21 years to:

• Visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg
• Take part in European Youth Event
• Have your voice heard on an international platform
• Meet young people from across European and have the opportunity to have your voice heard and debate important issues.
• Experience the atmosphere and interactive events happening in the Yo Fest Village
• Help to run a workshop on raising awareness of young people mental health

There will be a range of workshops, seminars, political debates and discussion groups on the 5 key themes.

• War & Peace – Perspective for a peaceful planet
• Apathy and Participation – Agenda for a vibrant democracy
• Exclusion and Access – Crackdown on youth unemployment
• Stagnation or innovation – Tomorrow’s world of work
• Collapse or success- New ways for a sustainable Europe

What you need to do:

• Complete the application form giving us the reasons why you would like to take part
• Return the completed form to claire.denby@westsussex.gov.uk by Friday 22nd Jan 2016

If successful in gaining a place:

• Commit to attending the briefing and the preparation meetings
• Briefing meeting wed 3rd February 6 -8pm @ County Hall North, Horsham
• Work with your PA or worker to ensure you have all the documents needed.

For more information contact Claire Denby on 07793 369784

The Trust has a vacancy for a trustee to its board. The Trust is in the process of changing to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation where the maximum number of trustees is to be 7.  Up to 5 will be appointed from the elected members of the East Grinstead Town Council and 2 would be external appointments.  It is one of these 2 that is vacant.

The Trust operates a 300+ seat purpose built theatre and ancillary facilities including art gallery and meeting rooms. It has a catering franchise for café/bistro. The board will meet regularly and work with the Centre Manager to ensure that this valued community asset continues to prosper

The appointments will be made based on the experience and skills that the trustee can bring to the Trust. Applicants will have a strong proven background in fundraising or marketing and be able to attend regular meetings during the working day and evening to a notified schedule.   Trustees are not paid positions although reasonable travel expenses may be met for trustees living outside of East Grinstead.

Written applications highlighting experience and why you wish to be a trustee should be submitted to the Clerk to the Trustees, c/o East Grinstead Town Council, East Court, East Grinstead, RH19 3LT.  Applications to be received by 12.00 noon on 18^th January 2016.

£225,000 is being made available to improve connectivity for groups of businesses in West Sussex that are without access to ‘superfast’ broadband at speeds of 24Mbps and above. The new county-wide scheme will support the installation of a ‘superfast’ broadband connection for groups of businesses not planned for inclusion in either of the commercial or publicly-funded rollouts of broadband infrastructure. This is a time-limited opportunity. Applications need to be made by 5pm on 15 January 2016.

Applicants for a Digital Connectivity grant will need to outline the connectivity needs of their business, what technology they intend to use to meet those needs together with an outline cost. Applicants will need to ask their internet service provider for advice and to arrange a quote. Successful applications will receive a capital grant towards a maximum of 40% of their total connection costs. The applicant will need therefore need to pay for a minimum of 60% of the total cost, by 31 December 2016.

You can find out more in the attached document and download the application form and guidance notes online. If you have any immediate questions please contact broadband@southdowns.gov.uk.

• Digital Connectivity Grant information

One of East Grinstead’s finest views is now out there for all to see and share via the Internet. The Town Council has recently had  a web cam installed which looks out over East Court and can be viewed here.

It is part of a Sackville School 6th form IT project which the Town Council is supporting. The camera is located in the first floor offices, and is part of a weather recording system. The Sackville student who has put this all together is James Akehurst, who has also written the software. The image is scheduled to refresh every 5 minutes. There are often quite spectacular sunrises looking in this direction, but take a look and see for yourself. The view also shows where the Greenwich Meridian runs across the terrace.

Mid Sussex District Council is reminding residents that waste, recycling and garden waste collection days will change over the Christmas and New Year period.

The waste and recycling collection changes start from Saturday 19 December and end on Saturday 9 January 2016. Bin hangers with details of collections over the festive period are being distributed in the run up to Christmas. Residents can also access personalised information about their collection day, and if they are due a blue lidded recycling collection or a grey lidded waste collection, by entering their postcode at www.midsussex.gov.uk/collectioncalendar.

The festive bin collection changes are as follows:-

Due collection date	New collection date
Monday 21 Dec	Saturday 19 Dec
Tuesday 22 Dec	Monday 21 Dec
Wednesday 23 Dec	Tuesday 22 Dec
Thursday 24 Dec	Wednesday 23 Dec
Friday 25 Dec	Thursday 24 Dec
Monday 28 Dec	Tuesday 29 Dec
Tuesday 29 Dec	Wednesday 30 Dec
Wednesday 30 Dec	Thursday 31 Dec
Thursday 31 Dec	Saturday 2 Jan 2016
Friday 1 Jan 2016	Monday 4 Jan 2016
Monday 4 Jan 2016	Tuesday 5 Jan 2016
Tuesday 5 Jan 2016	Wednesday 6 Jan 2016
Wednesday 6 Jan 2016	Thursday 7 Jan 2016
Thursday 7 Jan 2016	Friday 8 Jan 2016
Friday 8 Jan 2016	Saturday 9 Jan 2016

There will be no garden waste collections between Monday 21 December and Sunday 2 January 2016.

Residents with a real Christmas tree can recycle it in their garden waste bin as long as the lid can be closed firmly.  Alternatively, the Council provides lots of sites where residents can drop off a tree for recycling. To see the details of dates and locations, go to www.midsussex.gov.uk/recycling. Sites are open between Thursday 31 December and Friday 14 January 2016.

For more information about Christmas waste and recycling collections visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/recycling, email wastematters@midsussex.gov.uk or call 01444 477440.