Category: News

TOWN Councillors will be on the streets of East Grinstead for the next three Saturdays in the first stages of developing an evidence-based Neighbourhood Plan. The Plan will provide the vital influence in the planning process to help ensure OUR VOICE and OUR NEEDS help shape the long-term future of OUR TOWN.

As part of the process of delivering the town’s Plan, the Council will start by surveying the views of residents with a questionnaire drawn up on a range of general topics including housing, highways, business development, health and leisure.

Town Councillors will be in and around the town from 10am to 12.30pm at Wickendens in the High Street, outside Sainsbury’s and in Queens Walk, to distribute questionnaires and invite views and comments from everyone who lives and works in the area.

The survey starts on Saturday 8 October and runs over the following two Saturdays, 15 and 22 October.

The questionnaires will also be available to download or complete on-line on the Neighbourhood Plan page. The closing date when questionnaires must be completed is 31 October 2011.

Chairman of the Town Council’s Neighbourhood Plan Working Group Cllr Heidi Brunsdon said:

“Our survey is a great opportunity to get involved in the early stages of the town’s Plan – a Plan which belongs to the community, is prepared by our community and delivered by the community.

”East Grinstead Town Council is looking for a Plan which reflects the views of all sections of our community, identifies which features and local characteristics we value, highlights our local problems and opportunities, and sets out what we want for the future.Once the results of the survey are analysed, the Council hopes to provide a survey feedback event, which will be an opportunity to discuss the results, the issues they raise and to influence the next stage of the Plan. Ultimately the Neighbourhood Plan will form part of the Mid Sussex District Plan for development in the District.

TOWN Mayor John Saull and his wife Silvina were guests of honour at the induction of the Filipino British Association’s new officers for 2011 to 2013.

Cllr Danny Favor, recently honoured as the first Filipino to hold public office in the UK following his election to the Town Council last May, thanked the mayor for his interest and support.

Council leader Norman Webster, and Christine Hardisty of the EGCVS also attended the event.

WITH four of the town’s Youth Council newly-departed for university, the group is keen to recruit more members to help give East Grinstead’s young people a voice in local affairs.

The idea for a Youth Council originally came from talks between Outset Youth Coordinator Caroline Halpin and former Town Clerk Chris Rolley.

Since it was started, youngsters aged from 14 upwards have been involved in a number of projects including charity fundraisers, lobbying town MP Nicholas Soames, consultations on youth-related issues including the skate park, manning town events and setting up their own website.

To find out more about the work done by the YC see their website as www.eastgrinsteadyouthcouncil.com.

Contact Caroline on 07779 223421; or email caroline.halpin@outsetyouth.org.uk

ACTING Sgt Graeme Prentice has given a presentation to the Town Council to keep members informed of some recent crime fighting initiatives being used in East Grinstead.

These include:

• Using lamp post skirts in the town’s car parks to remind drivers not to leave valuables in their cars.
• A new Bluetooth messaging system which can send warnings direct to mobile phone users in the area, warning them of criminal activities such as shoplifting or mobile phone theft.
• The ordering of “No cold calling” stickers which will be available to householders from outlets including the Town Council’s East Court offices.
• The ordering of lead theft awareness signs for lamp posts which have been put up at various locations around the town.
• Advice to targeted householders after a spate of recent burglaries in the Imberhorne area.
• An awareness campaign directed at cyclists who use pavements in the town.

The most recent figures released by West Sussex Police show there were a total of 90 crime-related incidents in East Grinstead during July, compared with 103 in Haywards Heath and 123 in Burgess Hill.

The new Metrobus 400 route linking East Grinstead to Crawley, Gatwick Airport, East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, Godstone and Caterham has proved a big hit with passengers, says tourism officer Simon Kerr.

“We’ve had a rush of people coming to get their hands on a copy of the new bus timetable in unprecedented numbers: we have never experienced such a high demand.”

However Simon did allow that the new hourly route is not the only attraction as in addition to the popular new 400 service there have been cuts and alterations to other bus services in and around the town.

* Copies of the new timetable are available now at the library’s tourism desk.

THE Ashdown Ramblers Club was started 50 years ago by Sybil Martin from her home in Forest Row.

Arthur Hunt, who was one of the five founder members, still lives in Ashurstwood, and between them Sybil and Arthur led many walks in and around East Grinstead, venturing much further afield as the group became more and more popular.

In 1991, the Ashdown Ramblers held their 30th Anniversary at the Meridian Hall in East Court.

The following year, they decided to walk from East Grinstead to Eastbourne, which took 2 days. They starting at 9.30am on Saturday at Wych Cross and finished their hike at 5.30pm on Sunday at Beachy Head, a feat they repeat every ten years.

The Ashdown Rambling Club now has almost 200 members, and in the past 50 years has published two books Twenty Five Circular Walks around East Grinstead and East Grinstead Millenium Walks, both of which sold out very quickly.

Members meet every Wednesday and every Sunday, with all-day walks and afternoon walks to suit all tastes and abilities.

Their founder, Sybil Martin, is described by club secretary Francoise Inman as “a great lady, with compassion for humanity and all charitable groups” and to date the club she started has collected well over £12,000, which has been distributed over the years to two charities chosen at the club’s AGM.

Club members celebrated Sybil and their fifty years of walking at a slide show and barn dance held at the Meridian Hall in September.

For further details of their activities see the website at: www.ashdownramblers.org.uk, or ring Francoise on 01342 313296

Subscription is only £5 a year and a “well-deserved cup of tea and cakes” are supplied after each walk, promises Francoise.

New members are always welcome.

Founder Sybil Martin striding out across the Ashdown Forest, and (centre) with a group of Club members in 1982.

EAST Court estate has won a Gold award in the South and South East in Bloom competition.The prestigious accolade comes just three years after the Town Council first entered East Court in the Small Parks section of the competition as a way of raising standards.

"We entered originally to drive up standards and give ourselves a goal, and the first year we won a Silver award, which came with recommendations as to how we could improve up our overall presentation," said Council Amenities Manager Keith Astley.

The Outside Services Team took the advice on board and having tackled the major recommendations in the Bloom report gained a Silver Gilt award in their second year of competition.

Judging this year took place at the beginning of July, but Keith and his team had to wait until the annual awards ceremony held at Fontwell Racecourse on 7 September for the good news that they had not only struck gold, but had been placed second overall with a score of 89 points out of a possible 100.

Commenting afterwards Keith said: "It’s so pleasing to get this Gold Award because it reflects the hard work of the Town Council’s Outside Services Team in preparing the East Court grounds and ensuring they are a facility the whole town can enjoy."

* In addition to the award for East Court, East Grinstead earned a Silver Gilt for the town centre, and a Silver award for the town overall.

TOWN Mayor John Saull tries out training equipment at East Grinstead’s new Energie Fitness Club at 115 London Road. For more details ring 01342 314113.

A TEAM of willing volunteers including Town Mayor John Saull, fellow councillors, Town Clerk Julie Holden and "friends" of Chequer Mead, formed a work party last month to clear overgrown shrubs along the front of the theatre and around its parking area.

Theatre manager Hannah Kester, who also put in a morning’s work on the project, said she was very grateful to everyone who had given up their time – especially as it coincided with England’s debut match in the Rugby World Cup.

"Low maintenance shrubs were planted along the front of the theatre when it was built, and they have grown so slowly over the past 15 years that we just didn’t notice how far they had spread.

"But they had got to the stage where they were seriously encroaching over the footpath and the parking spaces, and we realised it was time to cut out all the dead wood and give them a really good prune."

The Council’s outdoor staff hauled away all the trimmings, and the newly-tidied beds will be reviewed next Spring to decide what further action needs to be taken.

 
 

IN light of the town centre’s recent Silver Gilt award by South & South East In Bloom the Town Council is now inviting applications for the sponsorship of its civic plantings. All sponsorship raised through this scheme will be used to help maintain and enhance planting, and ensure the town continues to look at its best. In return for the sponsor of planting areas, the Town Council will ensure the location bears a plaque noting the sponsor’s assistance. The current locations available for sponsorship are:

• Lewes Road Roundabout
• Sainsbury’s Roundabout
• West Hill Roundabout
• Blackwell Hollow/Mount Noddy Roundabout
• High Street Flowerbeds
• Planters on the High Street paved area

If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Keith Astley, the Town Council’s Amenities Manager, on 01342 323636.