Author: Andrew Taylor

Patients and visitors frequently comment how welcoming and green the grounds of the Queen Victoria Hospital are, and they’re now officially prize winning thanks to an accolade at this year’s East Grinstead in Bloom awards.

The hospital was named “best commercial property” in the recent awards which look to improve the local environment for the benefit of all, and is a local version of the Britain in Bloom scheme.

East Grinstead Mayor Julie Mockford, Chair of East Grinstead in Bloom, caught up with John and Kevin the hospital’s gardening duo to present them with their award, along with Queen Victoria Hospital Chief Executive, Steve Jenkin.

John Hobden, the hospital’s Grounds Supervisor, said: “We’re delighted that Queen Victoria Hospital won the best commercial property category at the East Grinstead in Bloom awards. Making the hospital a welcoming and green space where patients and visitors can take time out and just be is important to us and we’re pleased that our work has been recognised.”

Steve Jenkin, Chief Executive of Queen Victoria Hospital, commented: “It’s an honour that we’ve won this well-regarded local award. John and Kevin work tirelessly on our grounds and I’d like to add my thanks to them both for all they do to make our hospital welcoming for our staff, visitors and patients.

Pictured: Steve Jenkin, Kevin Tyrell-Dann, Julie Mockford and John Hobden with the much deserved East Grinstead In Bloom award.

Mid Sussex District Council has announced a new Discretionary Business Rate Fund Scheme that will provide financial support for small and medium sized businesses that have recently experienced an increase in business rates.

Earlier this year, Central Government completed a national revaluation of all commercial premises in England and Wales. From 1 April 2017, all premises were assigned a new “rateable value” by the Valuation Office, a figure that is used to calculate the level of business rates charged to the occupier.

In Mid Sussex, the revaluation means 698 business premises have seen a reduction in their rateable value, 395 no change and 3,267 have experienced an increase. There are a range of reliefs already in place to help offset these increases but to help further, Central Government has provided Mid Sussex District Council with £650,000 over four years towards a local Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme.

“We have designed our Business Rate Fund Scheme so that financial support is allocated to the local businesses that need it most,” said Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Cabinet Member for Resources and Economic Growth.

“We are targeting our support at the independent, small and medium sized local businesses that face an increase in their business rates of £300 or more following the revaluation because those are the ones that have been hit hardest.

“Multinational and national chain companies have been excluded from the scheme because they are better equipped to cope with the increase in business rates and they are likely to occupy premises around the country, some of which will be in areas where Business Rates have fallen.

“On average this support will enable us to cancel out 52% of the business rate increase that small and medium sized local businesses are facing in Mid Sussex. The relief will be automatically deducted from bills for 2017/18 and it will help to ease the burden on local businesses while they adjust to the new business rates.

“To ensure our scheme allocates the available funding in a fair manner, businesses that have experienced the biggest increases in businesses rates will receive more in rate relief. We are also setting aside a fund of £20,000 that we can use in exceptional circumstances to support businesses facing real hardship.”

Mid Sussex District Council will allocate £379,000 through the Discretionary Rate Relief Scheme in 2017/18, with the remaining £271,000 to be allocated over the next three years. It will be provided in addition to transitional and other relief schemes that are already available to businesses.

For more information about Business Rates in Mid Sussex call 01444 477564 or email revenue@midsussex.gov.uk.

Our foodbank serving East Grinstead and surrounding villages continues to get busier, especially families with young children, seeking emergency help. Debt, low income and benefit delays remain – unsurprisingly – the three main reasons why – at both a local and national level – people are referred to foodbanks.

Press comments earlier this autumn, pointed to continuing problems with the roll-out of Universal Credit (UC) with many claimants only receiving their first payments after six weeks and Citizens Advice identified that many on UC are receiving less – often £12 per month – that they did under the old system. Coupled with rates of inflation, higher than any growth in real wages for those in work, many are continuing to struggle to make ends meet.

How can you help? Particularly at Christmas time – these problems are often exacerbated especially for those families with children who cannot afford some ‘treats’ at Christmas that many of us take for granted. So this foodbank – like a number of others – collects Christmas items from donations – such as tinned ham, Christmas pudding, chocolates, mince pies, etc  sorts, packs and distributes them by mid- December to local referral agencies such as schools, to distribute discretely to clients who they have earlier nominated. Christmas donations that we are seeking are displayed on our website and at posters at supermarket donation points.

Thank you to all who can help us with donations and to our volunteers. Do get involved with this Christmas appeal if you can. If you would like to know more about what we do, please get in touch. Contact details, location, opening times and news can all be found via our website at www.eastgrinstead.foodbank.org.uk.

With thanks, Tony Cox, East Grinstead Foodbank Manager

Free Halloween posters are being provided by Mid Sussex District Council and Sussex Police to show ‘Trick or Treaters’ if they are welcome to call.

Mid Sussex District Council and Sussex Police are asking revellers to be respectful of people who do not wish to take part in trick or treating. The Council is making ‘No trick or treat’ and ‘trick or treaters welcome’ posters available from the District Council offices, Town Council Help Points and online.

Halloween has become an increasingly popular celebration over the past few years for children, families and young people especially, but it is important not to have fun at the expense of others. If you are celebrating Halloween, please consider the elderly and more vulnerable in the community who may find having strangers call at their door a frightening and intimidating experience.

If you see someone displaying a no trick or treat poster, please do not call at those homes as people do not wish to be disturbed.

“Dressing up and visiting neighbours can be great fun at Halloween, but there are members of the community who are nervous about people calling at their home after dark,” said Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member Community. “We want everyone to enjoy the evening of 31st October so we’re encouraging people to display one of these posters in their front window to either welcome trick or treaters to call, or to ask them not to stop this time.”

To download the free Halloween posters visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/halloween

For more information on Community Safety call 01444 477489 or email antisocialbehaviour@midsussex.gov.uk.

Mid Sussex District Council has announced that Rex Whittaker has been elected to Mid Sussex District Council and Frazer Visser has been elected to East Grinstead Town Council. By-elections were held on Thursday 26 October following the death in August of Councillor Bob Mainstone.

Rex Whittaker will represent the residents of Imberhorne Ward, East Grinstead on Mid Sussex District Council and Frazer Visser will represent the people of Imberhorne Ward on East Grinstead Town Council.

The election results for the Mid Sussex District Council Imberhorne Ward are as follows:

• Tim MARTIN (LIB DEM) – 206 votes
• Ian Ralph SANDERS (INDP) – 67 votes
• Rex WHITTAKER (CON) – 540 votes – ELECTED
• David Lloyd WILBRAHAM (LAB) – 110 votes

The total number of votes cast in the Imberhorne MSDC by-election was 925. There were 2 rejected ballot papers and the turnout was 24.6%.

The election results for the East Grinstead Town Council Imberhorne Ward are as follows:

• David GRAY(UKIP) – 26 votes
• Joel LEIGHTON (INDP) – 88 votes
• Tim MARTIN (LIB DEM) – 196 votes
• Frazer VISSER (CON) – 513 votes – ELECTED
• David Lloyd WILBRAHAM (LAB) – 114 votes

The total number of votes cast in the Imberhorne Ward by-election was 939. There were 2 rejected ballot papers and the turnout was 25%.

For information regarding registration or the electoral process, contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team on 01444 477003 or email elections@midsussex.gov.uk .

Citizens Advice East Grinstead opened to the public on Thursday 19th October from its new location within the town’s busy library buildings. Advisers will be on hand on Tuesday and Thursdays between 9.30am and 4pm and on Fridays from 10am to 12pm.

A help line is also manned from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and email and web chat can be found at www.cassca.org.uk

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):

Edgar Horatio COLLINS

Guardsman 27190 2nd Battalion, The Grenadier Guards. The Guards Division.

Killed in action 14. 10.17.

Born in Northleigh, Oxfordshire and enlisted in East Grinstead.

Commemorated on The Arras Memorial Mr.20

William George FOLLINGTON

Private 5229 5th Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment. Pioneer Battalion, of the 50th Division.

Killed in action near Le Cateau 22. 10.18. Aged 42.

Son of George and Sarah Anne Follington of Eastbourne. Husband of Mrs. Edith Kate Follington of 6, Stockwell Road, East Grinstead, Enlisted in London. Formerly with the Royal Sussex Reg.

Buried Highland Cemetery, Le Cateau F. 190

Percy Frank LINFIELD

Private G/16044 13th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. 39th Division.

Killed in action nr Ypres 15.10.17. Aged 31.

Son of Mr. and Mrs. John Linfield of Storrington. Husband of Mrs. Esther Barbara Linfield of Whitehorse Yard, Storrington Enlisted in East Grinstead.

Included on Storrington and Copthorne War Memorials. Buried Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery, Belgium B.1.

William Robert PANKHURST

Private L.10765 1st Battalion, The Royal West Kent Regiment. 5th Division.

Killed in action at Ypres 4.10.17. Aged 19.

Son of William and Caroline Pankurst of 11, College Lane, East Grinstead. Born in East Grinstead and enlisted in Dover.

Commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium MR. 30

Mid Sussex District Council is now consulting on its proposed ‘Main Modifications’ to the emerging District Plan.

Main Modifications are changes to the plan that the Inspector considers are necessary to make the plan legally compliant. At the last Hearing held by the Government’s independent Planning Inspector into the District Plan in July, Inspector Bore indicated that he was content that all issues raised had been fully debated. While he was satisfied that MSDC could demonstrate that it had a five-year Housing Land supply, he asked the Council to look at a number of options to make the supply stronger.

MSDC has now explored a range of options and has proposed a further strategic allocation at Hassocks for an additional 500 homes, including affordable housing. This includes a primary school and associated infrastructure improvements.

Garry Wall, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said, “An agreed District Plan, with a five-year rolling housing supply, means that we are significantly less vulnerable to developers pursuing speculative developments. Finding larger sites means we stand a better chance of delivering affordable housing and securing investments in roads, schools and leisure facilities that we know communities need. We will do all we can to ensure that these strategic sites also contribute to improving infrastructure and facilities for local people”.

Councillor Wall went on to say, “We have been building a strong local plan with our town and parish colleagues for a number of years now. These modifications are the final piece of the jigsaw and this consultation is extremely important for local people to help continue to shape our future.”

The consultation period runs between Monday 2 October and Monday 13 November 2017. During this period comments are invited on the Main Modifications only. Further information can be found at www.midsussex.gov.uk/districtplan.

All comments will be sent to the Planning Inspector for his consideration. It is anticipated that his report into whether MSDC can adopt the Plan will be received in December. The Council hopes to adopt the Plan by January 2018, when its policies will have full weight in the determination of planning applications.

Mid Sussex District Council and Sir Nicholas Soames MP invited older people from around the District to join them for Afternoon Tea and Musical Entertainment on Sunday 8 October 2017.

Hosted at Meridian Hall in East Grinstead, the event was part of the annual Silver Sunday celebrations, a day of fun and free activities for older people across the UK.

Sir Nicholas and his guests were supported by young volunteers from local Guide and Scout troops, alongside representatives from Mid Sussex District Council, Haywards Heath Town Council, East Grinstead Town Council and Sussex Police.

Entertainment was provided by Charlotte Weller, a 19-year-old graduate of the world famous Brit School, who delighted the crowd by performing pop hits and show tunes from famous musicals.

Charlotte was followed by Marco Seymour, a talented magician who performed close-up tricks for the guests at their tables and captivated the audience with his unique blend of magic and comedy.

The event was closed by the Sackville Instrumentalists, a wonderful group of students who study music at the nearby Sackville School. The Instrumentalists performed some classic pop songs that included a unique rendition of Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’ on the ukulele.

“Silver Sunday is a wonderful initiative that helps older people all over the UK to enjoy a free afternoon out and meet other people from their local area,” said Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community. “I would like to personally thank all the volunteers who have given up their time and the sponsors who have provided financial support because we really couldn’t have hosted this special day without them.”

“The first Silver Sunday event was launched by The Sir Simon Milton Foundation and Councillor Christabel Flight in 2012 and in the last five years it has grown into a significant national event,” said Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Cabinet Member for Resources and Economic Growth. “This year we have played our part in helping Silver Sunday grow by offering a grant of £250 to local voluntary groups that wanted to stage an event for Silver Sunday. The take up has been tremendous and we now have 11 new Silver Sunday events taking place throughout Mid Sussex this October.”