Category: News

Elections for District, Parish and Town Councils in Mid Sussex have been called and will take place on Thursday 2 May 2019.

All registered British, Irish, European Union and resident Commonwealth electors living in Mid Sussex can take part. Candidate nominations have begun and will remain open until 4pm on Wednesday 3 April 2019.

A helpful brochure giving details on the role of District Councillors has been published online at www.midsussex.gov.uk, to assist anyone considering standing for election. The brochure, called Being a Councillor, gives details on the wide-ranging role of a Councillor and their main areas of responsibility, including ward representation, decision-making and community leadership.

Candidate nomination forms are available from the Mid Sussex District Council elections office or website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections.

Parish and Town Councils will also be holding elections and residents are encouraged to contact their local clerk if they are interested in getting involved at Town or Parish level.

Tom Clark, the Returning Officer for Mid Sussex said:

“Now is the time for residents to check that they are registered. Everyone who has moved house recently and has not completed a voter registration form should apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or contact our Electoral Services Department as soon as possible.”

Residents are reminded that Mid Sussex will be taking part in a government Voter ID pilot on 2 May and everyone who votes at the polling station will be asked to present their poll cards as a means of identification. Anyone who does not have their poll card with them on polling day will be asked to present another form of photo ID including a UK or EU photo-card driving licence (full or provisional) or a valid British, European or Commonwealth passport. A full list of allowable alternative IDs is published on www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Monday 15 April and anyone who wishes to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf must do so by 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2019. Residents who wish to appoint a proxy voter must explain why the proxy is required and if proxy voting is chosen for all future elections then evidence must be provided to support the application.

If you have any questions regarding nominations, your registration or the electoral process please contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Registration Office on 01444 477003 or email elections@midsussex.gov.uk.

Additional guidance about being a candidate and the various election procedures is available online from the Electoral Commission at www.electoralcommission.org.uk.

Elections will take place on Thursday 2^nd May 2019.

Please see the below link to the Mid Sussex (Elections Authority) District Council where all the notices will appear  advising on how to become a candidate (nominations open on Tuesday 19^th March)

https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/upcoming-elections/#topic-2019

The Closing date for nominations is 3^rd April (received by Mid Sussex District Council by 4pm)

The Count will take place on Friday 3^rd May,  and the election results will be posted on the Mid Sussex website once they are made known.  A link to the results will be placed on this site as soon as possible after the elections

Please note that the Town Council is not able to accept your nomination forms, they must go to Mid Sussex District Council.

The Annual Town Meeting is to be held in the Meridian Hall on Wednesday 20th March at 7pm.

The meeting will follow a different format this year whereby following the open forum there will be an opportunity to speak with Councillors and also representatives from several community groups who will be present.

If there is a group in the town you would like to know more about, or maybe get involved with then this is your opportunity to come along and talk to them.

In the past the meeting has been held in the main hall at East Court and also the Old Court House. The Formal part of the meeting is the public forum and then the meeting will close for the opportunity to talk to the local groups.

The Annual Town Meeting is a statutory meeting, it is not a Council meeting although it is chaired by the Chairman of the Council. The purpose is to allow residents (who are on the electoral roll) to raise any issues under the remit of the Parish Council that they wish. The meeting has no formal standing and decisions are not binding, but it is an opportunity to raise thoughts and ideas relating to the town.

POLICE are appealing for help in solving a “mystery” at a cafe.

The Rumbling Tum cafe in East Grinstead has had £18,720 worth of cooking oil stolen in a string of thefts dating back nine years.

Read more…

A network of Safe Places is due to be launched on Friday 15th March 2019 in East Grinstead. 10.00 am at East Court, College Lane East Grinstead.

The scheme is part of the national network of safe places which identifies good neighbours where anyone feeling vulnerable or unsure can seek some assistance.

Vulnerable people can sign up to the scheme which will issue them a card with their name and an emergency contacts, this card is handed over to the safe place venue who will then make the phone call to the contact to ask that they collect the person. The card also shows the logo for the safe place scheme to help them identify safe place venues.

All those venues involved in the scheme will have to undergo safeguarding training so that they keep the person and themselves safe at all times.

The early adopters are:

• East Grinstead Town Council at East Court
• East Grinstead Library
• Police Hub at Chequer Mead
• Chequer Mead Arts and Community Centre
• East Grinstead Fire Station

With more venues coming on stream over the coming weeks and months

Venues are identified by a window sticker or via a free app which will give directions to the nearest safe place.

The Secondary Schools are also looking to enroll the year 7 youngsters from the 2019/20 autumn term so that all youngsters are aware where to get support if they are feeling in a vulnerable situation.

The Scheme has been drawn up by the East Grinstead Town Council Public Services Committee through a working group Chaired by Cllr Liz Bennett who said “our ultimate aim is to have safe places dotted along all the main routes between the schools and town centre through to the residential estates.  We are starting with a small number of venues to ensure that the scheme works well before we expand it, but the hope is to have many safe places in the town.”  The Working group comprised representatives from the Town Council, Sussex Police and Sussex Fire and Rescue Services.

The Council secured funding from the Mid Sussex Partnership (who have a task and finish group for crime and safety) for the registration fee and printing costs.  Once the scheme has been trialed in East Grinstead, through the task and finish group it will be rolled out to the rest of Mid Sussex starting with the other two towns of Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.

The Window Sticker to appear on the safe place venues and the logo on the card issued to members.