Author: Andrew Taylor

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."

TOWN Councillors received copies of the Station Quarter Master Plan, produced by Optimum Consultancy, at a presentation in January. The Plan can be viewed by clicking on the Notice Board pages of this site.

Neil Bowsher and his colleagues Dan Accorsi, Ron Terry and Mike Goddard presented the Plan and answered questions at last month’s meeting of the Public Services committee, which was also attended by representatives from West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex District Council.

They told councillors that Optimum regards the development of the Station Quarter both as “an exciting opportunity” in its own right, and one which they hope will inspire landowners and local authorities alike to progress other much-needed developments in adjacent areas.

For the purposes of the Station Quarter development, the site was divided into three key parts – the station area itself; the land to the west of the railway line which includes the high level car park and surrounding area, including land owned by Sustrans; and the area to the east of the Station site including the western end of Railway Approach and the commercial area immediately to the north of the A22 Beeching Way.

The proposals for zone 1 and the station forecourt will provide for a new car park with a closer association with the station, all parking in a single area, with linkage from the car park to the pedestrian bridge link and west of the rail track.

The key developments will include a remodelled station forecourt area, enhanced bus interchange and the development of a landmark building (a new hotel with café, bar and restaurant facilities was identified) with minor residential use.

The zone 2 proposals provide for residential use with the relocation of the existing car parking, and zone 3 proposals include both a potential residential solution and meaningful commercial opportunities which might, if commercially attractive, result in the relocation of the petrol station if the landowner felt this could be beneficial.
The scheme would also allow for some realignment of the relief road as it comes into Station Road, which would create more commercially viable parcels of land for development.

Replying to the presentation, councillors welcomed the plan and thanked the consultants for their work on it.

They recognised that the current economic climate is not altogether favourable for major schemes, but felt the plan would offer real opportunities for ambitious landowners, including Network Rail, the County Council, Sustrans and the commercial sector, when the economy picks up.

They also agreed that the work on the Station Quarter Master Plan could be embraced within a future Neighbourhood Plan, which would need to be produced in accordance with planning guidance and in conformity with the Local Development Framework, and that this tied in well with the Localism agenda which would be the subject of “extensive public engagement and consultation”.

Note: Grateful thanks are recorded to Graham Flight, Chairman of Bluebell Railway plc for permission to use his photograph on page 2 of the Plan. He retains copyright of the photograph, which is not to be reproduced without his express permission in writing.

I hope you have all had a pleasant Christmastime with friends and family despite the travel chaos in the lead-up to Christmas.

But with the celebrations now almost over it is time to reflect on last year and look forward to 2011.

For all the difficulties we no doubt face with cutbacks I believe we are better placed than many, largely because of the community in which we live – although the needs of those who live alone or are otherwise more vulnerable always need extra consideration.

With all the snow, both at the start and end of the year, we have had to adapt to weather conditions not seen to this extent for a long time. But the efforts of the Town Council staff and community-minded volunteers have kept the town open for business, although I appreciate that for those with any form of disability icy conditions pose extra risks.

A small expenditure by the Town Council on new snow-clearing equipment has proved its worth. We are now much better placed to respond than at the start of last winter, and I hope the pavement clearance is now less patchy to make you feel safer getting about, once you reach the town centre.

The past year has seen the end of one of the town’s business institutions with the closure of Wickenden’s. I am sure many, if not all, of you will at one time have been customers, and will join me in wishing the family well in their retirement. But the number of empty shops gradually fell throughout the year as new businesses opened, many of them locally-owned independents, maintaining the character of East Grinstead.

As ever our voluntary organisations have done a wonderful job not only in providing a service to residents but also in the way their presence adds to the spirit which is such an important part of making this town our communal home. Of all the things I have seen in a busy 2010 it is the role of volunteers, both organised and those acting individually to help others, which I think has been most important.

Chequer Mead has again hosted a wonderfully varied year of live entertainment as well as many other exhibitions and displays. November also saw the culmination of the community play project with ‘Matters of Chance’ playing for two weeks in the icy weather at Sackville school.

As a representation of our community’s ability to treat people fairly and rise to challenges it is probably without equal and has left its own mark for the future. I hope and trust that we would always treat with respect and support those who come to us needing help. I have seen plenty of individual examples of that since becoming Mayor in May.

No-one, especially in times of financial cutbacks, can expect everything to be provided by the state or by councils, nor should they anyway. Also we have, perhaps sadly, passed the time when all our extended families lived close by; mine for instance is over 200 miles away which is not uncommon these days.

And that is why it is so important that we live in an area where people do care about their community, and whether their neighbours are okay and have all they need.
Over the past year our community has shown just what it is capable of and it has mostly been a positive year.

Our Town Council is confident about its ability to deal with the inevitable challenges of the year ahead as cutbacks elsewhere pose problems for us locally. But I believe we can continue to support local voluntary organisations who in turn help support others as a visible part of our community spirit.

I wish you and all your families all the very best for 2011 and hope that you are able to make the most of opportunities as they arise.

Cllr Stephen Barnett

THERE is still a chance to catch the behind-the-scenes story of the work which went into making Matters of Chance, the community play (reviewed below in December news) which was mounted at Sackvile school last month.

The play, which was two years in the planning and involved more than 80 cast members, was based largely on the real life reminiscences of East Grinstead’s residents collected during an oral history project called Talk of the Town.

The exhibition runs until Sunday, 16th January and entry is free.

THE sellout success of Chequer Meads Dick Whittington and his Amazing Cat was particularly appropriate given the connections between East Grinstead and the eponymous panto hero who turned again and became Lord Mayor of London.

The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington was founded in 1424 under the will of Richard Whittington who was four times Mayor of London and three times Master of the Mercers Company, and it was to the Mercers Company that Whittington entrusted the care of his several almshouses.

One Whittington College, which was originally in Highgate, was rebuilt in Felbridge in 1966, to provide a home for 56 elderly ladies and several married couples.
In addition to providing its residents with homes, the charity also gives them grants and allowances which are paid out annually from its funds.

The other connection between East Grinstead and Londons former mayor are the three Bow Bells milestones which fall within East Grinsteads parish boundary.
These are part of a series of Bow Bells milestones on the A22 between Hailsham and East Grinstead, and form one of the longest sequences of milestones in the country.

Others can be found on the A26 between Uckfield and Lewes, and between East Grinstead and Forest Row.

This particular type of milestone is known as a ‘rebus’ or puzzle milestone because of the visual reference to Bow Bells Church in the City of London from where most roads heading south were once measured.

The milestones feature a string of five bells of diminishing size below a buckle referring to the coat of arms of the Pelham family who once owned a great deal of land in Sussex.

The milestones were erected by the Turnpike Trusts which were formed in the 18th century to improve roads.

John de Pelham, along with Sir Roger La Warr, was instrumental in the capture of John II, King of France at the Battle of Poitiers (19 September 1356) which was fought against Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III.

In honour of their deeds, John de Pelham was knighted and given the buckle of a belt as a badge.

* Left to right above: Richard Whittington’s coat of arms, an engraved portrait of Whittington himself, and one of the Bow Bells mileposts, with one of the bells missing.

JULIE Holden is leaving her current post as Head of Revenues and Benefits with Tandridge District Council to become East Grinsteads new Town Clerk.

Julie will succeed Chris Rolley who retires at the end of April after 25 years service to the town.

Her appointment was announced at a Special Council on 9 December when Town Council leader James Baldwin told the meeting: Mrs Holden has shown she fully understands the Councils values and will apply these with pride, authority and dignity.

She will be a worthy and effective ambassador for the Council within the community.

In reply, the new appointee told councillors she felt deeply grateful for the trust and confidence they were placing in her.

This role will be a formidable opportunity and a challenge, but one that I will relish and to which I will commit much hard work, she said.

Julie will have a months handover with Chris Rolley to ensure a smooth succession, said James.

The comprehensive handover process will allow Julie to get to know the town, and – just as important – the town to get to know Julie.

TOWN tourism officer Simon Kerr has welcomed the recent arrival of several new businesses in town as a sign that the realities of the current economic situation are encouraging both landlords and tenants to agree more practical and reasonable rental agreements on the towns commercial properties, rather than see them stand empty.

The two bargain stores now occupying the site of the former Woolworths in London Road have already proved immensely popular with shoppers, said Simon, as has the new cut-price book shop opposite.

And he had little doubt that the next national chain to find a home in East Grinstead – Kentucky Fried Chicken – will find an equally warm welcome.

EAST Court Mansion will be opening its doors to a new venture in art education in East Grinstead from 10 January.

Based in a well-equipped studio overlooking the surrounding parkland and Ashdown Forest, the South East School of Art will be offering a wide range of two and three dimensional classes for interested students of all ages and abilities.

Professional artists and experienced art teachers will help small groups of 8 to ten pupils develop their skills and experience in drawing, painting, printmaking, lettering, calligraphy or sculpture.

There will also be 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

HEAVY snowfalls didnt deter shoppers determined to make the most of the High Streets Dickensian Christmas promotion on the last Sunday before 25 December.

The event, which featured the High Street traders dressed in period costume offering seasonal treats including mince pies, hot chestnuts and mulled wine to customers, was the second organised by the traders to encourage townsfolk to keep it local.

And it proved just as popular as last year despite heavy snowfall in the preceding 24 hours.

There was a wonderful turnout, said Carole Weighill of haberdashers Threadneedles. We are very grateful to everyone who supported us and we cant thank the Council outdoor staff enough for the effort they put into keeping the town clear.

We simply couldnt have managed without them.