Author: Andrew Taylor

THE Town Council’s portion of the Tax precept will rise by 3% this year, bringing it to £70.75 for a Band D property.

The modest rise –  which equates to an extra 4p a week or £2.04 a year – pays for all the services provided by the Town Council including burials, the maintenance of grounds and open spaces, street furniture, winter gritting,  maintaining the Meridian Hall, planning advice, removing graffiti and flyposting, hanging baskets and civic planting.

The precept also pays for grants to local clubs and community groups, and for public events like the hugely popular free concerts, which this summer will include a party in the High Street to mark the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

The Council tax base has still not returned to pre-2012 levels (when the local council tax support scheme reduced the base) and as Mid Sussex District Council is not passing on the government grant to alleviate this, it means that the shortfall falls on the local taxpayer.

The total charge a Band D resident will pay for Town Council services is £1.36 per week, which is less than the cost of a loaf of bread.

EAST Grinstead Town Council is to report to the Airport Commission that it still has “grave reservations” as to the impact on the environment and community of a second runway at Gatwick following a vote at a meeting of the Town Council last night.

Council Leader Rex Whittaker has replied to the Commission that without further investigation and a commitment to ensure that the appropriate mitigation factors would all be in place, East Grinstead Town Council will be unable to make any decision to support Gatwick expansion.

He said: “At this stage it would appear to this Council that the Commission has:

• underestimated the potential negative impact on a beautiful, natural, mostly rural area
• underestimated the costs needed to bring this option to Gatwick in local infrastructure
• over-estimated the economic benefits.

He concluded: “At this time the East Grinstead Town Council would oppose the Gatwick Option being pursued.”

The full text of East Grinstead Town Council’s reponse to the Airport Commission is below.

Sir Howard Davies
Airport Commission

By email to: airports.consultation@systra.com

Dear Sir Howard

East Grinstead Town Council is pleased to have an opportunity to respond to the Commission’s option paper (attached).

It is noted that the Commission has not asked respondents whether or not they agree that an additional runway is needed. Nor has it asked if respondents have a preference as to where additional airport capacity should be provided.

The Commission wishes to:

  test the evidence base it has assembled

  understand stakeholders’ views as to the accuracy, relevance and breadth of the 
assessments it has undertaken

  seek views on the potential conclusions that might be drawn from them.

This Council has read the Commission’s documents (which are extensive on this issue) and finds that grave reservations as to the impact on the existing environment and community of a 2 runway airport at Gatwick have not been mitigated.

Further investigation, satisfaction of results and a commitment to ensure that the appropriate mitigation factors would all be put in place, is essential before any decision is made as to development at Gatwick.

At this stage it would appear to this Council that the Commission has; underestimated the potential negative impact on a beautiful, natural, mostly rural area; underestimated the costs needed to bring this option to Gatwick in local infrastructure; and over-estimated the economic benefits.

The East Grinstead Town Council is opposed to the Gatwick Option.

Yours sincerely

Cllr Rex Whittaker

Leader of the East Grinstead Council

Full letter and response

Mid Sussex District Council is encouraging any local residents not yet registered to vote, to take advantage of National Voter Registration Day (5 February) and go online now to register.

There are fewer than 100 days until voters go to the polls to elect a Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex. Local District, Town and Parish Council elections are also taking place on 7 May 2015. Anyone not registered can do so at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Tom Clark, Returning Officer for Mid Sussex District Council, said:

“Anyone not yet registered to vote should do so as soon as possible in order for them to be able to have their say on issues that affect their lives. I’d urge Mid Sussex residents to use National Voter Registration Day to spread the message amongst family and friends who may not have registered yet that it only takes a few minutes to complete the form online.”

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

“National Voter Registration Day exists because it’s important that anyone who’s eligible to be on the register, but has not yet registered, does so. Young people, students and people who move frequently are much less likely to be registered to vote. We’re urging them to use the day as an opportunity to get onto the electoral register.”

All Mid Sussex properties will receive a letter in early March with details of who’s currently on the electoral register for that property. Anyone living at the property, but whose name is not on the letter, should register to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Local residents can obtain a paper copy of the registration form by visiting https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-registration-forms-paper-versions or by contacting the electoral registration office on 01444 477222.

IN a regular feature on the Town Council website, we will be remembering, on the anniversary of their deaths, the East Grinstead soldiers who died during WWI,  and who are named on the High Street War Memorial.

This month we recall (as recorded on The Roll of Honour website):

Cecil Charles Newman Mighall

Sergeant 560 1/16th Battalion, The London Regiment. (Westminster Rifles) 6th Division. Killed in action 7^th  February 1915. age 27.

Son of William and Mary Anne Mighall of East Grinstead.

Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Westminster. Resident of Kensington.

Buried Houplines Communal Cemetery Extension. F.1140

Arthur Walder

Private L.10388 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 1st Division.

Killed in action at Givenchy 8^th  February 1915. age 20.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walder of Hampton House, The High Street, East Grinstead. Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Horsham.

Commemorated on The Le Touret Memorial MR22

Photo credit B. Hamill

THE Copthorne Players gave one of their charity performances in support of Town Mayor Nick Hodges’ charities at the Meridian Hall on Friday.

The evening was sold out and the play, set at an Antiques Roadshow, kept the audience guessing as all the cast revealed their motives for murder most horrid…

Fish suppers were provided free in support of the charity by the Harbour Fish Bar.

The Mayor’s next fundraisers will be on 23 February, when he will host a curry night at Roochi in Forest Row.

The Town Mayor’s Ball is on 18 April.

For more details about either event, and tickets, contact East Court on 01342 323636.

SIMON Kerr and Dawn Spalding of the town tourist desk have put together a new town guide listing attractions including the theatre, local pubs, the town museum and parks.

THE East Grinstead Tourism Initiative has published a new leaflet which highlights the many attractions of our historic town on the short walk from the mainline railway station and the historic Bluebell line up to the statue of Sir Archie McIndoe and Sackville College.

SUSSEX Police have reported the theft of several items of tack from a stable yard and caravan at Stroods Farm in Hassocks sometime between 7pm on Sunday 25 January and 7am Monday 26 January.

The stolen items are:

• 1 Albion legend 5000 leather saddle
• 4 trackright bridles
• 2 hunting breast plates
• 10 – 15 head collars
• 2 leather girths
• 2 material girths
• Lunging roller
• Leather side reins
• Lead ropes

If you are offered any of the above items for sale, or have any information regarding this incident, please contact Sussex Police on 101 quoting serial 0167 of  26/01/15.

BRAMBLETYE teacher Dave Holden, whose pupils’ work is currently being exhibited at Chequer Mead’s Gallery, has written to the theatre to say how impressed he is with the new look in the foyer.

Thanking manager Pete Jenkins and the staff for their help, he wrote: “The foyer and bar area look stunning and help create an inviting West End feel to the venue. It looks polished and highly professional, and the new look certainly made a huge impression on the many parents who attended our private viewing last night.

“The Art gallery itself is also a fantastic facility and is a great showcase for East Grinstead town.

“Please pass on my thanks and congratulations to all your staff for re-vamping and giving the theatre a much needed uplift.”