Author: Andrew Taylor

At a Special Council last night East Grinstead Town Councillors approved the draft Neighbourhood Plan for consultation.

The Plan, accompanied by a sustainability appraisal, sets out the policies the Town Council will require to be adhered to for all development until 2031. A Working Group of Councillors has revised the plan following an earlier round of consultation in the autumn of 2013. Since then the responses to that consultation and emerging results of other inspections, more national statistics and guidelines have informed this second draft which will now go forward for an eight week consultation period starting on Monday 27th July. The Council will be making copies of the Plan available at the Library and East Court and is available to download at the Councils website www.eastgrinstead.gov.uk.

All residents are urged to read the Plan and to submit comments before the closing date of 21st September. All comments will be collated and considered, and then, the Plan will come back to Council to be approved before going forward for independent examination against the Mid Sussex Plan and the National Plans. The final step will be a referendum for East Grinstead residents to decide whether to adopt the Plan which will set out the policy requirements for future planning applications.

Cllr Rex Whittaker, chairman of the Working Group, said: “This plan is the result of considering the responses to the first draft and building on the strengths of that plan but in accordance with experience from other regional plans which have passed to inspection stage. This plan is less aspirational and more focused on planning policy, to make sure that the character and setting of the town is preserved while recognising that sensible housing growth is required together with much needed investment in infrastructure. It is important that East Grinstead residents read for themselves the document and understand what is and what is not in then plan”.

Town Councillors will be holding a surgery every Saturday between 10am and noon during the consultation, to answer questions. They will be in Queens Walk (Iceland end)

Changes to local bus services

East Grinstead Town Council is seeking a meeting with Affinity Sutton following their announced review of elderly social housing in Packer Close and Dart Court.

It is understood that 43 units which have been dedicated to house elderly residents are to be considered for remodeling in to family units.  While more family units are welcome the Council are concerned for the existing residents who Affinity Sutton will seek to move and as nationally populations are getting older, the number of social rented units in East Grinstead which will be available for the elderly.

Affinity Sutton have advised that the units are in need of modernization and they are struggling to let them as they stand. As part of a wider review they are considering the best use of the two schemes.

Cllr Liz Bennett, chairman of Public Services Committee said “If the proposal goes ahead, the remaining residents will be relocated and this brings concerns for elderly residents who will find the prospect of a move distressing.   The Council wish to discuss the options and ensure that vulnerable residents are heard before final decisions are made.”

South and South East in Bloom Judges were back in town again today touring the town.

The Town Council has its own separate entry for the Town Centre, which features our acclaimed floral displays.

The judges toured the town with members of the Town Council staff after viewing a presentation about the Town Council’s involvement and commitment to the In Bloom competition.

Town Mayor Dick Sweatman later joined the judges and staff at East Court for lunch.

Town Mayor Dick Sweatman cut the ribbon at the opening of the new Family Shopper store in London Road yesterday.

Seen here with co-­owner Yati Rawat with his family and friends, Dick said how pleased he was to see yet another new retail enterprise bringing back life and further job opportunities to this part of the town.

July is vehicle crime awareness month and Mid Sussex District Council is handing out leaflets in Council car parks to help motorists keep their vehicles safe.

With summer finally here, many people will want to enjoy the good weather and relax in the sunshine. Unfortunately, vehicle thieves are also looking to take advantage of the warm weather by targeting cars that have windows left open, so it is important to take precautions.

Mid Sussex District Council and Sussex Police work together to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour across the District. They are asking residents to remember some key points to help reduce the risk of them becoming a victim of vehicle crime:

• Always lock your car; for however short a period of time
• Remove valuables from your car; don’t hide things in the glovebox
• Wipe off any tell-tale sat nav marks left behind on your windscreen and close your windows
• Never leave your valuables on display
• Double check the central locking has worked and your car is secure
• Where possible, park your vehicle in a busy, well-lit area
• Never leave your keys in the vehicle, even if you are just leaving it for a few seconds

“It takes just 10 seconds for a thief to empty your possessions from an unlocked vehicle,” said Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Health and Community. “We’re urging all motorists to protect your belongings by following these simple crime prevention tips this summer.”

For more information about crime prevention in Mid Sussex, contact the Mid Sussex District Council Community Safety team on 01444 477550 or email communitysafety@midsussex.gov.uk.

Mid Sussex District Council is inviting the public to submit sites and broad locations for assessment and inclusion in the Strategic Economic Land Availability Assessment (SELAA). The Strategic Economic Land Availability Assessment is an assessment of sites of 0.25 hectares or larger across the district that may be suitable for development for B1, B2 and B8 uses and can include existing employment sites with potential for redevelopment, extension and intensification.

Sites should be submitted via the District Council website (http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/planning/10007.htm) and accompanied by a map clearly showing the boundaries of the site.

The Strategic Economic Land Availability Assessment forms part of the evidence base used to support delivery of sufficient land for economic uses over the course of the Mid Sussex District Plan period to 2031. All sites should be submitted by Friday 21st August for inclusion in the 2015 SELAA.

For more information, please contact the Planning Policy and Economic Development Team at planningpolicy@midsussex.gov.uk or telephone 01444 477435.

Households in Mid Sussex will soon be receiving an annual enquiry form asking residents to check whether the information that appears on the electoral register for their address is correct, and everyone is required to respond.

Mid Sussex District Council must carry out a voter registration canvass at this time every year to ensure the electoral register is up to date and to identify any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so. With the Police and Crime Commissioner election taking place across Mid Sussex in May 2016, this is an opportunity for residents to make sure that when the elections take place they will easily be able to take part.

“Anyone that wants to vote must be registered. To make sure you are able to have your say at the elections next year, simply check the form when it arrives and respond as promptly as possible,” said Tom Clark, Returning Officer for Mid Sussex District Council. “It’s simpler and cheaper to reply online as the form explains.”

“If you’re not currently registered, we’ll send you information explaining how to do this or you can just go online to apply to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

It’s particularly important that anyone who has moved address recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.

Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that across Great Britain, recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time. The research showed that 94 % of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered compared to 40% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

The same research indicates that whilst almost 95% of outright home owners are registered, this is the case for only 63% of private renters.

Kay Jenkins, Head of English regions at the Electoral Commission said:

“The annual canvass is an opportunity for people to easily check whether they’re registered. It’s essential for a healthy democracy that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to, and for those who need to, registering is now easier than ever with the online system of registration.”

“If you have changed address in the last year, it’s particularly likely that you will need to register at your new address, so check the form as soon as it arrives.”

For more information about registering to vote contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team by emailing elections@midsussex.gov.uk or calling 01444 477003.