Author: Andrew Taylor

AN exhibition celebrating the work of East Grinstead’s volunteers will be at the town museum in Cantelupe Road until 27 February.

It has been arranged in partnership with East Grinstead’s Council for Voluntary Services, which helps volunteers find places where their particular skills and talents can be best employed, as well as providing advice and help to local voluntary and community groups.

The exhibition concentrates on the work of several local groups and tells their stories using objects and images from their own archives.

Volunteering has enjoyed a long history in the town. In the 19th century the cottage hospital was started by volunteers, and the railway was brought to the town by public-spirited people who realised that an economic decline in the 1840s had been caused by the railway through Three Bridges which took trade away from East Grinstead.

While their efforts may not be a classic example of what most of us think of when considering the work of volunteers, those involved gave their time and efforts to a local concern which made a real difference to the town community.

The definition of volunteering is the free offering a service to others without expectation of reward. However most volunteers say they get as much if not more out of the experience than they put in, including the opportunity to use old skills or learn new ones, make friends, work alongside like-minded people and the satisfaction of feeling they have contributed to their community.

The museum is open from Wednesday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm, and on Sundays and Bank Holidays between 2pm and 5pm. Entrance is free.

THE many new businesses which have opened in East Grinstead during the past few months have seen the number of town centre premises standing empty drop to 6.8% compared to a national average of 14%.

The figures show a continuing downward trend from a previous survey in October carried out by Cllr Bob Mainstone of the Council’s Business Support Group, when 8% of the town’s shops were vacant.

“East Grinstead seems better placed than many similar sized towns,” said Bob, “and the influx of new business is a very welcome sign that we can hope for growth in 2011.”

Among the new shops which have opened over the past year are the Casablanca cafe, Market Square, Bluebells, Wear it Again Sam, Gmail, The Works, Master Fryer, the Print Shop, Matthew Hole and Fellows Bakers.

The town has also welcomed two new chain stores, Pound Stretcher and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

“The Town Council is always delighted to welcome new traders and if East Grinstead continues to respond quickly to consumers’ needs the town will thrive.” said Bob.

THE East Grinstead Life Show will take place at the Jubilee Community Centre in Charlwoods Road from 10am until 1pm on 2 April.

The event, which will be attended by the town’s GPs, is open to people of all ages who would like health advice, or to find out more from local voluntary, statutory and private organisations concerned with matters related to health and well-being.

There will be free refreshments and entertainment will be provided by local bands, dance troupes and choirs.

* For more details call Jakki Jackson at East Grinstead CVS on 01342 328080 or email her at jakki@egcvs.co.uk

THE Town Council has resolved a nil increase in Council Tax in the 2011/2012 financial year. This is the second successive year for which the Town Council’s element of the tax burden will remain unchanged. The Council’s net expenditure in the financial year will be £718,708 of which £691,600 will be achieved from Council Tax with the residual element coming from revenue balances.

TOWN Council elections for the next four-year period are to be held on Thursday 5 May, 2011. Anyone interested in standing for election is invited to attend one of the two dedicated information seminars to be held at East Court Mansion on Wednesday 9 March from 7 pm – 9pm, and on Saturday 12 March 2011 from 10am to noon, to find out more about the role and what it entails.

Just turn up on the day as there is no need to pre-book.

Being a Town Councillor can be a very rewarding way of contributing to the community and, in particular, making a difference in the way things get done locally.

Whilst the local Council cannot run everything, it does play a vital role in overseeing, guiding and directing community activity by other groups: and unlike others it has a legal status, the power to raise money through Council Tax, is subject to a code of conduct and is both financially and democratically accountable to the electorate.

* For more information contact Chris Rolley, Town Clerk, on 01342 323636 or email him on townclerk@eastgrinstead.gov.uk
 

A pioneering deal between the Town Council and Mid Sussex District Council could see the temporary public toilets in King Street car park replaced by the end of 2011.

Town councillors have repeatedly complained that the temporary facilities opposite the cinema are inadequate and reflect poorly on the town with visitors.

But negotiations now concluded between the two councils will see the District Council paying the £200,000 cost of building a permanent replacement, while the Town Council has agreed to take on the cost of cleaning and maintaining the new facilities.

The new brick-built block will include separate toilets for men and women, facilities for the disabled and a baby-changing area.

Cllr Ginnie Waddingham praised the two councils’ cooperative approach to the scheme saying it was “essential” to offer first class facilities to the influx of tourists expected to visit once the Bluebell Railway extension reaches East Grinstead.

NETWORK Rail has released an artist’s impression of its latest design for the town’s new railway station which has recently been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.

The design comes at the end of a two year discussion with town councillors who called an earlier proposal ‘drab and unprepossessing’.

Work on the new station, which will include ticketing facilities for the Bluebell Railway when its northern extension into East Grinstead is complete, is scheduled to start later this year.

EAST Court is now home to a new art school run by the South East School of Art which offers a wide range of classes for students of all ages and abilities.

Professional artists and experienced teachers help small groups of pupils develop their skills in drawing, painting, printmaking, lettering, calligraphy and sculpture.

There are also classes for A level students, workshops for 11 to 14-year-olds and an after-school drawing class for 7 to 11-year-olds.

To find out more visit the school’s website at www.sesart.co.uk, phone 01342 316315 or email info@sesart.co.uk

COUNCILLORS have rejected a report by the Mid Sussex Independent Committee which looked at the expenses paid to county, district and town councillors, and have agreed to accept a lower rate than that recommended.

In 2010/11 town councillors received a sum of £1085 pounds to cover out-of-pocket expenses including travel, telephone costs and postage.

But they have agreed to take a 5% reduction in the coming financial year, bringing the sum payable to £1030, slightly below that recommended by the committee.

Next year’s mayor will also receive £1,270 to off-set some of the expenses attached to being the town’s first citizen.

THE Council-owned Small and Upstairs Parish Halls opposite Chequer Mead theatre are to be restored thanks to the intervention of a local church group.

Jesus Living Water Christian Church, which already hires the Parish Halls on a regular basis, has agreed to lease the building in De la Warr Road for the coming 28 years.

The rent paid for the rear portion of the building, which will include the use of the upstairs hall, meeting room, kitchen and toilets, will finance the renovation of the Large Parish Hall in the front.

Council leader James Baldwin said he was delighted that the matter had finally been resolved after previous schemes to make it a centre for Age Concern, and to pull it down and build new flats, had both come to nothing.

“This proposal will result in an improved facility for the whole town to enjoy,” he said.

"We don’t want to waste any more time in terms of restoring the building to a state that the public rightly expect, so we are pleased that we can now go ahead as quickly as possible.

"This solution is a win three times over: a win for local residents, a win for better community facilities and a win for the local taxpayer."