Category: News

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.

About ID in polling stations

Voters in ten local authorities will be required to show ID before they can vote in the local government elections in May 2019.

The voter ID pilots will take place in North West Leicestershire, Watford, Mid Sussex, Derby, Braintree, North Kesteven, Broxtowe, Craven, Woking and Pendle

 These local authorities have volunteered to pilot voter ID and they, along with the Cabinet Office, Electoral Commission, the Association of Electoral Administrators, and a wider number of local authorities as part of a reference group, have been instrumental in designing and shaping how voter ID will work in each area.

As part of this process, the Cabinet Office and the Electoral Commission have commissioned independent research agencies (Ipsos MORI and BMG research) to carry out this fieldwork at random with the eligible electorate.

This will help give insight into the design of voter ID in each of these local areas, which will help inform the evaluation of the 2019 pilots.

 Q&A

1. Why have I been contacted by Ipsos MORI/BMG and asked about voter ID?

Your number/address was selected at random by Ipsos MORI/BMG, who are carrying out research on Voter ID on the behalf of the Cabinet Office/the Electoral Commission. Your contact details will not be shared with the Cabinet Office, the Electoral Commission, or anyone else outside Ipsos MORI/BMG.

2. Will anyone have access to my personal responses?

All your answers will be confidential and merged with the answers from other interviews.

3. Where can I find out which ID I will be required to show before voting?

Your local authority will be publishing this information on their website/your local authority has published this information on their website.

4. I don’t have ID, what shall I do?

Your local authority has put in place provisions for ensuring you can obtain a form of locally produced ID to enable you to be able to vote if you do not hold any of the listed items. Some areas will accept a poll card as a form of ID, so please bring your poll card to the polling station in those areas.

5. How can you justify this pilot when there is no evidence of widespread fraud?

Lord Eric Pickles identified tackling electoral fraud as a part of wider improvements to the integrity of elections and democracy.

6. What about people in care homes?

Local authorities are working closely with stakeholders to ensure that voter ID does not risk preventing any eligible voter from voting.

7. How much will it cost? Who’s paying for the extra cost involved?

The pilots are being conducted to identify the exact impact of voter ID, including its cost, before it is introduced nationally. The additional costs for the pilots will be fully funded by Cabinet Office.

8. Will the Government provide money for more staff at polling stations?

Yes, the Government will fund this if they are needed to ensure the successful running of polls where voter ID is required.

9. Will ID be required at the next scheduled General Election?

Cabinet Office and Electoral Commission will undertake detailed evaluation of the pilots after which the Government will announce the next step to implement voter ID nationally.

10. Will these pilots still go ahead if a snap General Election is called?

Cabinet Office is focused on successfully delivering the pilots over the local elections in May 2019. There is currently no provision in law to pilot at a General Election.

11. When will this be rolled out nationally?

Cabinet Office and Electoral Commission will undertake detailed evaluations of the pilots which will provide evidence to inform the way in which ID may be implemented.

12. Not everyone has ID – will this just disenfranchise people?

It is in nobody’s interest that any elector is disenfranchised. We are working to ensure that every eligible elector is able to identify themselves before voting.

We are delighted to announce our new Proud to Care website is now live!

Designed as the go to place to search for local care jobs and find out information about working in care plus lots more, we already have over 120 West Sussex care jobs featured on the website.

If you or anyone you know may be considering working in care we would encourage you to visit the website. If you require further information please email proudtocare@westsussex.gov.uk and one of our dedicated care recruitment team will be in touch.

Slipper Swap events help prevent falls

Many of us are aware how devastating a fall can be for older people and the subsequent impact on health, independence and confidence.

We’re tackling falls prevention in March at Slipper Swap events in selected libraries across the county. If you or a loved one are at risk of falling bring along your old worn-out slippers and swap them for a free new pair. They have thick non-slip soles and Velcro fastening helping to keep you steady.

For locations and dates of Slipper Swap events visit our website.

Doing simple gentle exercises can reduce the risk of falls by improving balance and building muscle strength. Do The Super Six exercises three times a week and see the difference. Watch the video and download a Super Six booklet here.

Since January, the West Sussex Waste Partnership has been asking residents to join them in ‘Tackling Textiles’.

They have focused on how to repair or reuse textiles and now their focus is on recycling.

So what can you do with textiles that are beyond repair or reuse?

• Use them as rags,
• Take old towels and blankets to an animal rescue centre,
• Take them to a textiles bank at your local Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS),
• Take them to your nearest bring bank site.

You can find out more on what can go in the textiles/bring banks on our website.

West Sussex County Council has agreed to sublet Glen Vue in East Grinstead to a local charity in a move that will allow them to expand the level of support they offer in the town.

County council cabinet member for Finance and Resources, Jeremy Hunt, has today made the decision to agree to grant a sub-lease to Age UK East Grinstead, subject to a call-in period.

Subject to contract, Age UK East Grinstead is expected to take on the sub-lease from early May for a term of 20 years to provide support to the elderly population of the town.

West Sussex County Council is working closely with all parties to ensure a smooth handover of the premises.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, Amanda Jupp, said: “I am delighted that Age UK have ambitious plans for Glen Vue, which I am confident will be to the benefit of all residents who access these services in East Grinstead.”

Michael Shaw, Chair Age UK East Grinstead and District, said: “Age UK are delighted to be moving into Glen Vue, the increased space and facilities available will not only enable us to continue to provide the excellent services we offer to our members, but also gives us the opportunity to expand and support other charities and organisations who use the centre, creating an important and vibrant community hub for the town and surrounding areas.

“Age UK has a long history of providing very essential services and support for older people to enjoy, including hot lunches, trips and holidays, activities and a Help at Home service, all run by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers. Today, these services are even more vital, to help combat loneliness and isolation and support older people to be happy and fulfilled and make the very most out of later life.”