The pre-election period, previously known as ‘purdah’, describes the period of time immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on communications activity are in place. The term ‘heightened sensitivity’ is also used.
About the guidance
This guidance provides advice on the publicity restrictions that should be observed during the pre-election period. It should be read in conjunction with any guidance produced by your own returning officer or monitoring officer, which provides specific advice depending on your local circumstances.
It is important to note that pre-election rules restrict activity wider than just publicity. Use of council facilities and resources; the member’s code of conduct, developing new policies and holding of events – including some meetings – featuring elected officials should all be carefully considered during a period of heightened sensitivity.
Opportunity to provide feedback on Early Help Strategy
We are pleased to be able to share with you the draft Early Help Strategy and would like to hear your thoughts.
Below is the link to the Engagement Hub page where you can view the draft and where a survey has been created with up to 11 questions to help you share your views.
This opportunity to provide feedback will end on Thursday 30th March after which we will study the responses and determine what people like about the Strategy draft; what people feel is missing; and what format or formats people would like to see the Strategy presented in. If any Cllr wishes to make a response on behalf of the council please send your comments to the Clerk no later than 28th to allow it to be collated and approved by the consultation group.
By-election called for East Grinstead Meridian Electoral Division
A by-election has been called by West Sussex County Council following the resignation of Liz Bennett as County Councillor for the East Grinstead Meridian Electoral Division.
The by-election will be held on Thursday, 4th May 2023 with candidates announced on Wednesday, 5th April 2023.
People are reminded that due to new rules, photo ID is now required when voting at polling stations in local elections. More details can be found here: Voter ID | Electoral Commission
For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.
Mid Sussex Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan
Strategic Investment Plan – Approved
(Transport for the South East newsletter sent to all major stakeholders)
We are pleased to announce that the TfSE Partnership Board have approved our £45 billion Strategic Investment Plan at the March 2023 meeting.
Following agreement from our Partnership Board we have submitted the plan to the Secretary of State for the Department for Transport with a request for it to be considered as future investment decisions are made.
We would like to thank all of our partners from Local Transport Authorities, National Highways, Network Rail, Senior Officer Group, the Department for Transport and other key stakeholders for your insight and support.
This plan is the culmination of five years of technical work, stakeholder engagement and institutional development. It builds on our Transport Strategy and brings together previously published work including area and thematic studies, with aims to boost the economy and make life better for people, for business and for the environment.
The SIP contains 293 multi-modal schemes and policy interventions that are required to be delivered across the south east over the next 27 years, to realise the vision for 2050 set out in our Transport Strategy.
Councillor Keith Glazier, Chair of Transport for the South East said; “This evidence based investment plan is a once in a generation opportunity to set out a vision for a sustainable transport network that recognises the importance of major transport corridors across the south east; corridors that are fundamental to our economy and our communities.
While £45 billion is a significant sum of money, it isn’t dissimilar to the levels of historical investment in the south east over a similar time period. The plan itself identifies the investment needed to transform the economy in the south east.
However, it also recognises the financial constraints faced by the bodies that would traditionally fund these sorts of interventions. With this in mind, we are keen to work closely with government to explore other potential funding options.
We are currently producing a Delivery Action Plan for the SIP that focuses on the next three years. The plan sets out the current position of each of the proposed schemes, details of what the next steps are and confirmation of the roles of TfSE.
It also lays out whom the delivery partners that are undertaking the next steps are and what resources and analytical tools are available and required.
We will be bringing the Delivery Action Plan to the July Partnership Board.
We will keep you updated via our monthly connections newsletter.
Chief executive’s bulletin
10 March 2023
International Women’s Day
This year’s International Women’s Day took place on 8 March with the theme of embrace equity. Over 40 women from the local (parish and town) council sector got involved in NALC’s group video which we created to celebrate the day and to recognise the achievements of women in the first tier of local government. Please make sure you watch it and share it with others. And let us know what you or your local council did to celebrate IWD at policycomms@nalc.gov.uk. Huge thanks to all those who got involved!
Standards Matter
The NALC Standards Matter conference took place at America Square Conference Centre in London on 3 March. Our first in-person event since 2019 was attended by around 120 people including delegates, speakers, exhibitors, NALC staff and our sponsors BHIB Councils Insurance, Blachere Illumination and CCLA. The event – which focussed on improving sector standards across the board – featured a packed programme including a big debate on sanctions, expert views on why reputation matters to councils, sector standards through the Local Council Award Scheme, improving local government and the local government minister, Lee Rowley, MP provided a short ministerial speech by video to end what was a brilliant, positive day. Do check out the NALC Twitter for more highlights from the event. And the feedback so far indicates most attendees rated the event as very good! Click here to find out more about NALC’s other events.
NALC Make A Change and LGA Be A Councillor campaigns
Colleagues from the policy and communications team met with officers from Local Government Association (LGA) on 2 March to discuss our respective campaigns – Make A Change and Be a Councillor – which aim to get more people involved in councils and becoming councillors. Issues covered included NALC’s election report findings and recommendations, LGA’s research in collaboration with the Young Foundation, co-hosting events, sharing resources, and working with underrepresented groups. We also committed to working more closely and meeting regularly on these important campaigns.
Keeping on the subject of our Make A Change campaign, over 6,000 local councils have elections in May this year, around a quarter are in Devon, Norfolk, and Suffolk. We’ve been working with local media outlets in those areas and have placed adverts in the local newspapers (over 130,000 daily readerships) and websites (around 850,000 weekly unique browser visits). This direct marketing will help reach more people in our communities and raise awareness of the elections. And coupled with activity by councils and county associations themselves, will hopefully lead to more people putting themselves forward and more contested elections. In recent weeks, we’ve also arranged media training sessions hosted by NALC partner Breakthrough Communications for county officers in areas with elections.
NALC’s Larger Councils Committee met remotely on 28 February, here are some headlines:
The Committee held a discussion on mandatory training for councillors as part of the Policy Committee’s review of NALC’s policy on this issue. They agreed that training should be mandatory for all councillors on standards of behaviour, good governance, and best practice, and strongly encouraged for all councillors on other issues. The Committee also recommended county associations should be encouraged to roll out training for all newly elected councillors and training checklists should be factored into the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) and the Local Council Award Scheme.
There was a discussion on the National Agreement on Salaries and Conditions of Service of Local Council Clerks in England and Wales where the Committee identified several issues to be addressed in NALC’s current work on employment and the workforce including extending pay scales at the top end, grading should better reflect the level of responsibility of clerks and the ensuring an effective job evaluation scheme.
Linda Larter, chief executive at Sevenoaks Town Council, gave a presentation on the Civility and Respect Project and progress on its workstreams, highlighting over 1000 local councils have now signed the civility pledge; the Committee agreed to encourage larger councils to sign the pledge and engage with the project.
Members of the Committee shared how their governance models work in practice particularly regarding the role of council leaders.
The Committee’s work programme includes delivering a study tour and good practice visit to a larger council and members were encouraged to attend the visit to Newport Pagnell Town Council on 27/28 June and to promote it to larger councils in their areas.
NALC chair meetings and events
It’s been a busy week for NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, who attended meetings in London and an event in Dorset. On 6 March Keith met with the chair of Natural England, Tony Juniper, who you may recall spoke at our Empowering Communities conference in November (you can watch the event again here, Tony is at 2:22:00). They spoke about the work of our two organisations and identified areas of common interest and where we can work together such as on involving local councils in Local Nature Recovery Strategies, the role of local councils in climate emergency and net zero, access to grant funding and linking Natural England’s local teams with our network of county associations.
The same day Keith also met Andrew Selous MP to follow up on his recent debate in Parliament on unadopted roads which we had provided a briefing on. Andrew is also a Second Church Estates Commissioner and provides a link between the government and the established Church of England, which is why Keith also briefed him on the powers of local councils to provide financial assistance to places of worship. It was good to hear his support for our efforts to amend the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to clarify this issue and provide councils with the full flexibility to provide support should they choose to do so.
Lastly, they also discussed standards as Andrew has supported the Early Day Motion and Keith took the opportunity to brief him on our wider work through the Civility and Respect Project. Keith and our head of policy and communications, Justin Griggs, were in Dorchester on 9 March at a councillor networking event organised by the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC). It was good to see the building of strong links and partnership working between the two tiers of local government as the theme of the event. Keith also presented DAPTC’s Star Awards for councillor development to three local councils – congratulations to them!
Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
As you know, NALC’s president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, has tabled several amendments to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. These cover a range of NALCs’ key policy objectives such as remote meetings and standards. Unfortunately, progress on the Bill’s Committee Stage is somewhat slow due to the extensive programme of other legislation making its way through the House of Lords. As a result, two additional Committee dates have now been added in mid-April. We are anticipating some of Baroness Scott’s amendments to be considered next week and I will keep you updated.
Fortnightly meeting with county officers
At this week’s meeting between NALC and county officers, there was a presentation by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). They explained how the process for updating ward and division boundaries works, the rules they need to follow and how local councils can make effective representations on behalf of their area. It particularly covered what are and are not valid considerations when determining boundaries. The other main topic was handling audit complaints from members of the public.
And finally…
We’re looking for a project manager to help us continue to deliver the Civility and Respect Project with our partners the county associations of local councils, One Voice Wales, and the Society of Local Council Clerks. The purpose of the role is to ensure the continuation of the project, which will include working with the current project workstreams and the Project Assurance Board to identify and manage phase 2 of the project, delivering to time and budget, whilst establishing a plan with staff at NALC and SLCC to bring the project into business as usual. More details on the role and to apply can be found here.
Mid Sussex District Council is making £20,000 available to local community groups and voluntary organisations to help Mid Sussex residents celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.
People across the country and the Commonwealth will celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort over a weekend of special events on 6-8 May.
The extended Bank Holiday provides an opportunity for communities to come together to mark the historic event and Mid Sussex District Council has created a special grant fund of £20,000 to support and facilitate community parties and events within the district.
The funding will help non-profit making community and voluntary organisations with the cost of celebrations on The King’s Coronation Weekend. The Council is promoting the fund through the Voluntary Sector Network and organisations can apply online on the Council’s dedicated Coronation page www.midsussex.gov.uk/the-coronation/
The deadline to apply for this one-off grant is 5pm on 31 March 2023.
Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said:
“The coronation of a new monarch is a significant moment in our history and many people in the UK and across the Commonwealth will be keen to celebrate.
“We’re supporting people in Mid Sussex by providing one-off grants to help local people get community events up and running.
“Street parties are always a popular way to celebrate but His Majesty The King is also inviting neighbours and communities to share food and fun together as part of The Coronation Big Lunch on Sunday 7 May.
“The Coronation will be a wonderful time to celebrate with friends, family and neighbours but it also provides an opportunity to give something back to the community. The Big Help Out on Monday 8 May encourages people to try volunteering and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas on Monday 8 May.
“Whatever you choose to do, we are here to support you, especially if your event demonstrates a clear benefit to the local community. If you’d like to apply for support, please do so as soon as possible because applications close at the end of this month.”
For more information about the Coronation Community grant fund please email culture@midsussex.gov.uk
ENDS
Unseen Deadly Danger
West Sussex Trading Standards are reminding residents to be careful when buying electrical products online. The safety warning comes after a person suffered a serious electric shock from the metal casing of a device bought on Amazon.
The device, a PoE (Power over Ethernet) switch, was supplied with a standard three-pin cable, commonly referred to as a ‘kettle lead’. A sample lead was found to have the earth wire connected to the live pin, meaning the metal casing of the PoE device became live when plugged in.
“The danger of this power lead was hidden inside a moulded plug, and it was inevitable the user would receive an electric shock,” said Peter Aston, Trading Standards Team Manager. “It’s only as a result of luck the reported accident didn’t result in a fatality; although the resident is suffering long term nerve pain and remains under medical investigation.”
The power lead was also fitted with an unsafe fuse which could have resulted in injury or fire. Trading Standards Officers took immediate steps to ensure these items were removed from sale and a product recall was undertaken.
Investigations found that the seller was based in China. “Our advice for anyone purchasing electrical products or power leads is to buy them from a reputable business in the UK”, said Peter Aston. “Exercise care when buying something online that appears to be a particular bargain.”
Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “The dangerous nature of this product is thankfully not something our Trading Standards Officers come across often, but the unseen deadly risk it posed is of great concern.”
If you live in West Sussex and have bought an unsafe electrical product, you can let Trading Standards know by calling Citizens’ Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 or by going online to. www.westsussex.gov.uk/tsreport
Notes to Editors
Power over Ethernet (PoE) systems allow electricity to pass along Ethernet cabling. A single cable can therefore provide both a data connection and a small electrical supply, sufficient to power and operate a number of CCTV cameras or similar devices.
New NALC cost-of-living support webpage
Our new cost-of-living support webpage was launched this week to help local (parish and town) councils support their communities through the cost-of-living crisis. The webpage provides valuable resources, practical advice, and examples of local councils demonstrating good practices to support their community.
Localis essay collection on local government finance
Ahead of the forthcoming March Budget, the think tank Localis has asked some of the major players from the local government family, experts, and academics, to set out their thoughts, views and hopes for local government finance in the next political cycle. I’m delighted to be among the contributors to Moving through the gears, an essay collection covering perspectives on what the future could, should and might be for local government finance. In my essay, I talk about how local councils are often overlooked when it comes to local government finance, how they are changing and doing more and are an increasingly important cog in the council finance wheel, and what 2030 could look like through the lens of the fictitious Flowers on the River Community Council. Do check it out.
DCMS Coronation website
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) recently launched a Coronation website which includes information for getting involved, a toolkit including templates and a Coronation playlist, and a form for submitting events. DCMS will upload social media materials to the Coronation website from 6 March 2023. The toolkit page currently has links to the Coronation Emblem guidelines, recipes, and a playlist, but it will have more from the beginning of March, including any official images. You can find all this information on NALC’s dedicated Coronation webpage.
On the blog: BHIB Councils Insurance on Coronation events
Staying on the King’s Coronation theme, this week’s blog is written by Lee Cleaver from NALC’s partner BHIB Councils Insurance. With King Charles III’s Coronation coming up on 6 May 2023, he explains the importance of conducting risk assessments in your local council to ensure Coronation events are planned and conducted safely. Check it out and let us know what you are doing to celebrate the historic occasion of the King’s Coronation at policycomms@nalc.gov.uk.
NALC National Network: Young councillors
Are you a young councillor? Do you want to connect with other young councillors from across the country? Would you find mutual support from other young councillors helpful? Are you keen on sharing learning and good practice? Interested in getting involved in NALC’s work and campaigns? Then NALC’s National Network: Young councillors is for you! You can join the network here and the next meeting is on 8 March, with the agenda including councillor training and an open forum.
And finally…
Today we are holding Standards Matter, our first in-person event since October 2019, on the important standards theme. I know that all the councils, county associations, NALC partners, speakers, and exhibitors joining us in London have been looking forward to returning together after all this time! A quick early thanks to everyone who joined us, plus our event sponsors BHIB Councils Insurance, Blachere Illumination andCCLA, for helping make it happen – I’ll provide a further update in my bulletin next week, so do look out for that!
Council includes significant investments in 2023/24 budget
Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) approved its Corporate Plan and Budget for 2023/24 at a meeting of Full Council on Wednesday 1 March 2023.
The current high levels of inflation present considerable financial challenges for the public sector, just as they do for private businesses and household budgets. Mid Sussex District Council has worked hard to maintain financial stability and attract investment into the District; a prudent financial approach that has helped to protect frontline services, fund ambitious new projects and maintain one of the lowest levels of Council Tax in Sussex.
Each year the Council sets out how it will deliver its services and use its financial resources over the next 12 months. The plan is created in line with the Council’s key priorities; to provide effective and responsive services, create sustainable economic growth, deliver strong and resilient communities, and maintain financial independence.
In 2023/24 Mid Sussex District Council will continue to progress several key investment projects including, improvements in four major parks and play areas, the delivery of more temporary housing and construction of a new Centre for Outdoor Sports to the west of Burgess Hill.
The Council will invest in the expansion of its kerbside garden waste collections subscription service, enabling more people to conveniently recycle their green waste. There is currently a waiting list for the popular service and investment would enable an additional 7,500 residents to benefit from fortnightly garden waste collections. The capacity of the bulky waste service will also be increased, helping to tackle fly-tipping.
The budget includes increases to some fees and charges to help offset the rising cost of providing Council services. Council Tax will increase by 2.75%, which is £4.95 for an average Band D property, but which is a lower increase than permitted by the Government’s cap.
Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:
“The past few years have been extremely tough financially, with first the Covid-19 pandemic and now the inflationary shock having a significant impact on all organisations, not just local Government.
“Our council has spent millions of pounds since 2020 to keep our key services going, particularly our much-valued leisure centres. However, now is a time we can be positive about the future because, through careful decision making and sound financial management, this is the first budget post covid where we’re not having to draw on reserves to support our day-to-day work.
“We are delivering a budget where Council Tax rises by less than the Government’s cap, that includes additional support for people on low incomes and continues to invest in our local services.
“This year we’re investing in our waste and recycling service by increasing the number our bulky and garden waste collections we provide for our residents. We are also helping people who fall on hard times to get back on their feet through our homelessness prevention work and by building new temporary accommodation at Swan Mead in East Grinstead.
“Work to build our new Centre for Outdoor Sport in Burgess Hill is due to start later this year. It represents the biggest investment in outdoor sports for a generation and will deliver modern community sports facilities for the whole community to enjoy.
“Finally, we will be working to improve our flagship parks across the district. These beautiful open spaces in the heart of our communities mean so much to local people and we are investing in their future to ensure they remain a wonderful place for our residents to visit.
“I’m delighted that the budget was unanimously approved by Councillors on a cross-party basis.”
ENDS
East Grinstead Choral Society
Big Town Clean Up
Details of the Big Town Clean Up organised by East Grinstead Town Action Group are below:
Council awards £160,000 for local community projects
(PR 2492 produced by Mid Sussex District Council)
Mid Sussex District Council has awarded almost £160,000 in Section 106 developer contributions and Council grant funding to support valuable community projects in the area.
The Cabinet Grants Panel met on 20 February 2023 to discuss the Council’s latest round of grant funding allocations and agreed to issue a total of £159,000 to 9 community organisations. The funding awards will be formally confirmed on 2 March following a 10 day ‘call-in’ period.
Clarion Futures, a charitable foundation established by the Clarion Housing Group has been awarded £52,500 to help the Quarry Café and Community Fridge in East Grinstead to create an attractive outdoor seating area for people visiting the café or using the recently upgraded playground alongside.
The Quarry Café supports the local community by collecting surplus food and creating meals for those who need a helping hand. The new outdoor seating area will create additional space, providing an attractive area for residents to meet and enjoy quality food and drink at affordable prices. The pathways will be improved, with two drop down kerbs and a ramp, increasing accessibility to and around the community café.
Haywards Heath Town Football Club received £12,239 towards the development of an indoor café and education room at Hanbury Stadium. The club’s Pilgrim Hut is currently only suitable for storage, but the Board has ambitious plans for renovation that would include the installation of a new kitchen and outdoor patio area. The refurbished hut will provide improved catering facilities playing staff and supporters, a place for players to rest and recover away from the clubhouse and a secure classroom for educational activities.
Worth Parish Council was awarded £65,509 towards the installation of CCTV cameras in the villages of Copthorne and Crawley Down. The cameras will be monitored by Sussex Police as part of a CCTV Partnership, helping to deter anti-social behaviour and petty crime.
The funding awards to Clarion Futures, Haywards Heath Town Football Club and Worth Parish Council are all funded by Section 106 contributions, financial payments made by developers towards the improvement of local infrastructure.
Mid Sussex District Council demonstrated support for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine by granting £17,752 to three local organisations that are working to help them settle in the area. All Saints Lindfield received £8,660 to set up a new drop-in service at The Yews, Haywards Heath. Being Neighbourly in East Grinstead received £3,543 towards the establishment of a support group and updating their website to include a page for Ukrainian refugees. In Burgess Hill and the surrounding areas, HUGS 4 Ukraine received £4,900 towards creating a website, supporting drop-in sessions and delivering celebratory events.
The Council also allocated £5,000 towards the installation of 28 solar panels on the roof of 1st Hurstpierpoint Scout Group headquarters, £5,000 towards upgrading the kitchen and outdoor seating at Balcombe Cricket Club and £1,000 to help local charity Befriended set up a new community choir.
Councillor Norman Webster, Mid Sussex Cabinet Member for Community said:
“We’re really lucky to have so many people in Mid Sussex who are willing to give up their time to support their local community and who work so hard to make our District such a wonderful place to live.
“Charities and voluntary groups are working on some fantastic projects and I’m delighted that we’re able to support so many with grant funding. Each project is going to make a real difference to the lives of local people by encouraging participation in sport, preventing crime, improving sustainability, and helping those in need.”
For more information contact the Mid Sussex District Council Community Services Team on 01444 477495 or email Regina.Choudhury@midsussex.gov.uk.
NABMA Markets Survey Summary 02/03/23
NABMA has recently published its latest National Survey of the Markets Industry revealing that there are major challenges for the UK industry in the future. The Survey may be of interest to your members recognising the huge interest in markets from local councils, as evident in our membership. Please feel free to circulate the Survey.
The Survey and headlines can be read
The number of Markets across the country remains about the same over the last fifteen years at around 1150, with some Markets still performing very successfully but the overall picture is less attractive. Stall occupancy is down from any average of 77% in 2018 to 72% in 2022 and that figure needs to be considered with caution as there is evidence of a substantial reduction in stalls since 2018 meaning there are substantially fewer traders operating on Markets.
Trader numbers have reduced and The Survey has reveals that only 8% of traders are under 40 suggesting that within a short time we could see a disappearance of many older and very experienced traders. Local authorities dominate markets management with around 84% of Markets being operated under the auspices of local authorities that includes a significant number of parish, town and community councils.
It is of great concern that only 40% of Markets are currently showing a surplus on their trading account which again represents a significant decline from the picture revealed in the last Survey in 2018.
Markets are recognised as a major force for High Street regeneration and one of the more welcoming results from the Survey is that 25 Markets are announcing major redevelopment/ refurbishment plans with the assistance of £127m of government and local authority funding. This indicates confidence in Markets but in order to secure the successful implementation of the various funded projects , and the future of the markets industry, NABMA recognises the need to address the challenges issues highlighted in the 2022 Survey.
Planning Applications & Decisions
Higher number of children offered first preference secondary school places in West Sussex
(Press release produced by West Sussex County Council)
More children in West Sussex are today being offered their first preference secondary school than last year, with the total number of applicants slightly higher.
This year 8,161 of the 9,444 total number of applicants will be given their first preference school for September, an increase from last year’s 8,110 first preference offer.
The percentage of young people in West Sussex being offered their first preference school is again high this year at 86.4%, though slightly down on last year as a percentage (87.4%).
West Sussex County Council has worked together with schools to once again this year ensure that every child who applied has been offered a secondary school place.
In West Sussex:
• There were a total of 9,444 secondary school applications, a slight increase from 9,280 last year, with every child offered a secondary place
• 8,161 applicants (86.4%) will be offered their first preference school, a slightly higher number than last year’s 8,110, although as a percentage slightly lower (87.4%)
• 96.1 per cent (9,072) of all applicants this year will be offered one of their three preferences, very slightly down on last year’s percentage (97.4%) and number (9,038)
If you are still waiting for your offer, you shouldn’t be concerned as emails should be received no later than 5pm today.
Nigel Jupp, Cabinet Member for Learning & Skills, said: “Helping children to fulfil their potential is a key priority for the County Council, so I am very happy that once again the vast majority of children have been offered one of their three preference schools. I would like to thank our schools for working with our admissions team to ensure every child has once again been offered a place at secondary school this September. I wish these children an enjoyable final term at their primary school before they make the important move to secondary school later this year.”
As is the case every year, a very small number of pupils have not been offered a place at one of their preference schools. This may be for specific reasons; in the Horsham district, for example, the allocation of secondary school places has been impacted by a significant increase in the number of children seeking a place at a co-educational school this year.
West Sussex County Council admissions officers are on hand to speak to parents, carers and pupils should they want to discuss their offer and the options available to them, by calling 03330 142903.
Some children may be feeling nervous or worried about starting secondary school. Our Your Mind Matters website has lots of resources to support the wellbeing of children and young people along with advice to help parents and carers.
GATCOM News Bulletin
The CAP consultation (Airspace) has been extended to 19th March. If anyone has any comments the Town Clerk will need them by next week at the latest.
This is an ideal opportunity for you to introduce yourself, your business and make new connections in a relaxed and sociable environment. Meet new members that you may not have seen before as well as see some familiar faces.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Address: 58 Holtye Avenue, RH19 3EG
Time: 6-8pm
Admission: Free for members or £10 for non-members (If you join on the day then we will deduct the £10 from your annual membership fee.)
*This is a ticket only event, please book as a member or non-member.
1,000 local councils sign the Civility and Respect Pledge
I am delighted to announce that 1,000 local (parish and town) councils have now signed up for the Civility and Respect Pledge. Launched just six months ago as part of our Civility and Respect Project, the Pledge demonstrates that councils are committed to standing up to poor behaviour and driving through positive changes that support civil and respectful conduct. And the more councils that sign the Pledge, the more impact it will have in lobbying the government to re-visit its response to the Committee on Standards in Public Life report on local government ethical standards. Can I urge all councils yet to sign the Pledge to do so.
New suite of e-learning on civility and respect
The Civility and Respect Project has also launched a new suite of e-learning courses for local councils. We recognise that webinars and training courses only sometimes suit the busy schedules of local councils. Yet e-learning allows councils to respond quickly to learners’ needs, with flexibility and without having to organise physical training with fixed dates and times. The new courses are on standards in public life, respectful and positive social media for councils and councillors, leadership in challenging situations, and personal resilience.
NALC Smaller Councils Committee
NALC’s Smaller Councils Committee met remotely on 21 October. Ahead of the draft minutes being made available, here are some headlines from the meeting:
Following a lengthy discussion, the committee narrowly voted against making councillor training mandatory, instead agreeing it should be strongly recommended and included in the Annual Governance and Accountability Return and Local Council Award Scheme.
There were updates on celebrating national events and the joint NALC/Local Government Association workforce survey, which the committee suggested needed a long lead in time, and that county associations would bring the survey to the attention of councils.
The committee put out another call for county associations to discover and report back on the number of local councils that have adopted a climate emergency declaration.
Councillors restated their keenness for NALC’s work programme to include the production of simplified template documents such as on the subjects identified in the responses to their 2022 survey and to publish financial resilience guidance in the Autumn on what smaller councils should budget for.
It was agreed the next meeting should consider co-opting Cllr Graham Ford onto the Smaller Councils Committee, elect a new committee chair, and include an item to explain how the Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance works and provide an opportunity to inform the next update of the practitioner’s guide.
Levelling Up in Lincolnshire
I was pleased to join NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, and the chief executive of the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils, Katrina Evans, at an event in Parliament this week hosted by Lord Porter of Spalding about levelling up in South and East Lincolnshire. Attended by many stakeholders including Parliamentarians from across three district council areas, I was pleased to hear all the speakers emphasise the importance of place and partnership and stress the role all partners – including councils at all levels – had to play in working together to improve prosperity in the sub-region.
NALC online event on social isolation and loneliness
The latest NALC online event – Social isolation and loneliness from the local council perspective – took place on 22 February, hosted by our policy officer, Jessica Lancod-Frost. Our brilliant panel of speakers, including Robin Hewings, programme director at Campaign to End Loneliness, Monica Boulton, community connections lead at the National Academy for Social Prescribing, and Vanessa Lowe, town clerk for Alcester Town Council, set out the impact social isolation and loneliness can have and how local councils can help improve the wellbeing of those who are socially isolated or lonely, including identifying local need, providing social activities and playing an active part in the social prescribing system. You can still book your places at our upcoming online events on tackling the housing crisis the local way with custom and self-build homes, and what local councils can do about emergency planning.
NALC National Network: Super councils
The NALC National Network: Super Councils met on 23 February for its quarterly online get together. Over twenty councils discussed mandatory training for councillors, data protection, a survey by the National Association of British Market Authorities on markets and the NALC Study Visit to Newport Pagnell Town Council on 27/28 June on the theme of devolved leisure services.
On the blog: Celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month in Flitwick & Ampthill
In celebration of LGBTQ+ history month, this week’s blog is written by Cllr Andy Snape, Mayor of Flitwick Town Council, and member of NALC’s National Network: LGBT+ councillors. He writes about how Ampthill and Flitwick local councils have worked together to form ‘Proud Ampthill and Flitwick,’ a new joint initiative to improve community cohesion and provide events and support for the local LGBTQ+ community. Do check it and let us know what you are doing for LGBTQ+ history month to policycomms@nalc.gov.uk.
Fortnightly meeting with county officers
This week’s meeting between NALC and county officers included a webinar delivered by our HR partners Worknest. This ran through the considerations on post-Covid working arrangements, as well as general advice on how to approach requests from staff to variations in existing working hours and location. There will be further webinars throughout the year on a variety of HR topics to help support county associations in their work.
And finally…
NALC is working with Cloudy IT and the Cloudy Foundation charity to develop a new tool to help us manage the Local Council Award Scheme more effectively. This week Anders Hanson, member services manager, and Lisa Etchell, projects officer, presented to a group of 25 students from around the country on the specification for the new tool, and answer questions on how it would use. The students will be developing the tool whilst also being trained by Cloudy IT on new digital skills.
We have been advised that Mr Arthur Crawfurd (great grandson of Charles Crawfurd, the first Chairman of the UDC) passed away on 4th February. Mr Crawfurd along with his brother David, presented the Council with a new cushion for the Chairman’s Chair when Danny Favor was Mayor. For anyone who wants to attend the funeral it is to be held at the Kent and Sussex Crematorium (Tunbridge Wells) at 3.15pm on 9th March. Donations in lieu of flowers are requested to the RSPCA.
Business/Retail Crime in East Grinstead – Your Chance to Have Your Say
It has been identified that business/retail crime has increased in Mid Sussex and there are very real concerns in East Grinstead. As a result, there is a wish to understand what local businesses are facing on a daily basis and a commitment to help you with reporting such crime in the future.
On Tuesday 7th March 2023 a meeting is being held of senior Sussex Police Officers, Mid Sussex District Council and East Grinstead Town Council representatives. This meeting has been requested by the Sussex Police Crime Commissioner, who will be in attendance, and West Sussex Association of Local Councils.
The community stakeholders in the town need to hear the business community’s views, concerns and experiences relating to business/retail crime in the Town. There will also be a chance for you to understand what is proposed moving forward to help fight business crime and increase reporting.
To this end, this letter is a formal invitation to attend the meeting, which will take place between 2 and 4 pm in the Council Chamber at East Grinstead Town Council, East Court.
If you wish to attend, please call the number above or email townclerk@eastgrinstead.gov.uk . We do hope that you will take time out of your busy schedule to join us for this very important meeting, it is your chance to make your point of view heard by those who are charged with tackling crime in our town.
St Barnabus EGTC Update
The local search was received on Thursday this week, however, the sellers have not (as of yet) completed the paperwork for the transfer concerning the overage clause. Once we have all of this we should be able to complete. The money has also been received from the PWLB so that we can complete as soon as the papers are signed.
Once signed we will be going in to assess any immediate works that are needed before we can get the paying public in. Our Community and Tourism Manager has been working on the list of hirers and the advertising.
More updates will be reported to the A&T Committee next month.
Felbridge Locals Get Chance To Own Their Homes In A First For Mid Sussex
In a first for Mid Sussex, local people have the chance to become homeowners despite having no savings, thanks to an innovative partnership between Mid Sussex District Council and affordable Rent to Buy providers, Rentplus-UK.
The new partnership means eight new affordable Rent to Buy homes were made available, close to Felbridge on a prestigious Abbey Developments site, known as Martins Mead. Under the model, private finance funds new affordable housing at no cost to the local council.
The tenants started their home ownership journey by moving into their brand-new homes without paying any upfront deposit. They will pay an affordable rent based on the Local Housing Allowance for 5 years living in the home that they will one day own whilst they save up to buy it and build a good credit history.
By paying a below market rent they can save more each month. At the outset, they choose whether to buy their home after 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. They move in with no deposit and when they come to purchase, Rentplus will gift them 10% of their home’s value at that time to add to their savings and reduce the mortgage they need. They will buy their home using a high-street mortgage and then buy 100% of it as if they had bought on the open market.
Local MP Mims Davies MP joined with Councillors from Mid Sussex District Council to welcome new residents into the new homes they will be buying.
The new homes consist of 6 x 2-bedroom Houses and 2 x 3-bedroom houses and all have fenced gardens and a secure bicycle storage unit in the garden. All applicants were required to have previously lived in, or have connections to Mid Sussex
The Rentplus homes saw over 100 applicants and all homes have now been allocated. All tenants are key or essential workers, including working in the NHS and emergency services or local schools. Six were previously living in social housing properties in the district which they have freed up for reallocating. The remaining two were on the Council’s Housing Register.
At the opening, Emma George, Area Director for the South East at Rentplus, said: “Affordability is an issue across the country. We’re excited to be offering Rentplus homes in Mid Sussex, to offer local homes for local people, enabling hard working people to stay living in the communities they grew up in.”
Councillor Salisbury Mid-Sussex District Council added: “It is wonderful to see new homes being provided to help local people move towards home ownership. In doing so, this will also free up existing social housing for others, which provides another huge benefit to our district.”
Local MP, Mims Davies added: “These homes are life changing for the tenants moving in and are an inspiration for those who are aspiring to buy but may be finding it difficult to save for a deposit. Mid-Sussex District Council and Rentplus are doing something quite forward thinking, in helping local people achieve this. It was good to meet some of the families. Thank you to Sarah and her girls and Marcus for showing me around their homes. They now have the chance to become homeowners and we wish them well in their new homes.”
Mims Davies and Councillor Salisbury joined with the two households to plant a sweet cherry tree, part of the Rentplus commitment to plant trees for the late Queen’s Jubilee Canopy.
Planning Applications and Decisions
Overnight works begin soon to upgrade the road surface on the A264, East Grinstead
Essential resurfacing works to provide a safe and durable travel surface on the A264 between London Road (A22) and Blackwell Farm Road, East Grinstead are due to start on Monday 27 February.
West Sussex County Council have identified that the current road surface is showing signs of significant weakening of the carriageway structure so will be completing overnight works to remove the existing surfacing and lay a replacement resilient surface in its place.
These works will provide a smoother running surface to improve the ride quality and lessen road noise, improve the condition of the road structure and maximise its life through increased durability. The high friction surfacing on the approaches to the pedestrian crossing will also be restored.
The length of the A264 will be closed to all through-traffic while the operations are being carried out, with side roads potentially also being affected. Closures will be clearly signposted, and a signed diversion route will be in place for all vehicles.
A West Sussex Highways officer explained: “To reduce the impact of road closures on the local community, the main resurfacing works will take place overnight between 8pm and 6am each day with all works scheduled to be completed by the 8 March 2023. Please note, this date could change due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the further effects of severe weather.
“Whist we cannot complete these works without generating noise, which we understand may disrupt residents’ sleep, every effort will be made to carry out the noisiest operations in the earliest part of the evening and before 11pm.
“Access to all properties will be maintained where possible, however may be delayed or restricted when works are being carried out in the immediate vicinity. Vehicles will not be able to park on the road during closure hours. A Traffic Regulation Order will be in place and any vehicle parked here during this time may be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice.”
If you have any queries on the day regarding how the works are being carried out near you, then please feel free to ask to speak to the on-site Site Supervisor who is normally best placed to address your concerns.
The council will also use this opportunity to complete carriageway patching works on Holtye Road between Blackwell Farm Road and the East Sussex boundary. These works will follow on directly from the resurfacing works, starting in the evening of 8 March 2023 and are due to take 3 nights to complete. This work will utilise an extension of the A264 road closure, with traffic being diverted via the same diversion as the previous scheme.
Budget 2023/2024 Special Edition Invest and Support
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
Welcome to our Budget Special Edition Residents’ eNewsletter.
A council plan and a £1.86 billion budget which ensures support, investment and essential services continue for all West Sussex residents has been approved by West Sussex County Council.
County councillors voted in favour of both the plan and the budget at a meeting of the Full Council last Friday (17 February).
Budget for the next year includes:
£883m managing schools and education
£458m caring for adults and keeping people healthy
£174m supporting children and young people
£84m adapting to climate change, recycling and waste disposal
£80m maintenance of our roads and providing transport
£56m Fire and Rescue Service and supporting local communities
£44m supporting the local economy and running our organisation.
A council tax increase was also approved of 2.99% plus an additional 2% for adult social care, making a total increase of 4.99%.
That means an average band D property will see an increase of around £77.67 per year or £1.50 per week.
Leader of the Council Councillor Paul Marshall said:
“As well as the huge task we have of funding day-to-day services for vulnerable adults, children and families, we have successfully managed our finances so we can continue to fund improvements in our highways and infrastructure for the benefit of our residents, communities and businesses.”
The budget supports the four priorities of the county council’s corporate plan, called Our Council Plan, all of which are underpinned by the theme of tackling climate change.
The priorities are:
Keeping people safe from vulnerable situations
A sustainable and prosperous economy
Helping people and communities to fulfil their potential
County Council approves council plan and budget to deliver investment and support
17 February 2023 – WSCC Press Release
County Council approves council plan and budget to deliver investment and support
A council plan and budget which ensures support, investment and essential services continue for all West Sussex residents has been approved by West Sussex County Council.
Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of the Council, said: “I am delighted that we are going to be able deliver a budget that continues to deliver for those in need whilst also ensuring continued investment in the priority areas set out in Our Council Plan.
“As well as the huge task we have of funding day-to-day services for vulnerable adults, children, and families, we have successfully managed our finances so we can continue to fund improvements in our highways and infrastructure for the benefit of our residents, communities, and businesses.
“I’m pleased to confirm that this year we will invest an additional £4.5m into our highways and roads that have been impacted so severely by the recent adverse weather.”
The council’s budget is integrated into the council’s ambitions, captured each year in a detailed Council Plan, which sets out what we propose to do and the specific targets we use to judge our performance during the year. The business planning of the Council continues to be underpinned by a relentless focus on four priority outcomes, underpinned by a cross cutting theme of tackling climate change. The four priorities are:
keeping people safe from vulnerable situations
a sustainable and prosperous economy
helping people and communities to fulfil their potential
making the best use of resources
A net budget of £708.8m was approved, following debate at a meeting of the full council today (17 February 2023) and forms part of the council’s total spend of £1.86 billion in 2023/24 to deliver day-to-day services to a growing population of 882,676 residents and 37,400 businesses across the county.
This spend includes:
£883m to support 118,276 children in 286 schools, 6,510 children with education health and care plans, and 2,400 families and young carers
£458m to support 8,500 adults through social care, and to help keep people healthy through Public Health support
£174m to support 880 children we care for, 760 children on Child Protection Plans, 1,585 children on Child in Need Plans and 2,130 families through early help
£84m on waste services, climate change, and our environment
£80m on maintaining 4046km of roads & 3,956km of footways
The budget includes an increase to the County Council element of council tax of 2.99% – plus an additional 2% for adult social care – making a total increase of 4.99%. This is an increase for an average Band D property of £77.67 per year or around £1.50 per week.
Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, Cllr Jeremy Hunt, said: “We know the exceptionally high levels of inflation and increasing costs we are all experiencing have been difficult for our residents. We are also feeling these pressures, alongside an increase in costs due to the complexity of the care required by an increasing number of the adults and children we support. I am therefore pleased that we have been able to deliver a balanced budget during these challenging circumstances.
“It is vitally important we spend our funds wisely on the areas which will help people the most, whilst also maintaining continued investment in our services and our infrastructure. For 2023/24 we have been able to achieve this by investing an additional net £60.5m – equal to a 9.5% budget increase – in order to ensure that our key services are not only maintained, but we are also able to continue to improve them, in order to achieve the best outcomes for our residents. A key part of our striving for the best outcomes for our residents is ensuring value for money for every penny we spend.”
Cllr Marshall added: “Despite the difficulties we are facing with funding our day-to-day services, we are also acutely aware of the need to continue to invest in our county, our local economy, and our communities.
“Over the next five years we will invest £747.2 million in the county’s highways, environment, schools, buildings, and IT & digital infrastructure through our Capital Programme.”
The Capital Programme spend will include:
£110m on highway’s maintenance and local transport improvements
£86m on improvements to major roads
£109m to provide additional school places including a further £53.5m to build a new ultra-low-carbon secondary school in Burgess Hill
£32m to deliver more places for children with special educational needs
£18.5m to make our buildings more environmentally friendly by reducing carbon emissions
£49m on solar power and battery storage renewable energy schemes
£25m to make it easier for people to visit town centres in Crawley, Burgess Hill, Worthing, Arun, and Adur
£13m for the roll out of high speed ‘gigabit’ broadband for businesses and residents
Anyone struggling to pay their council tax is advised to contact their local district or borough council to see if they are eligible for a discount or exemption.
Further advice about local and national support available for people struggling with the rising cost of living can be found at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/CostOfLiving
County Council requests new powers to improve road safety and tackle congestion
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
West Sussex County Council is planning to use new powers to improve safety and tackle congestion by enforcing moving traffic offences in the county.
The County Council has applied to the Department for Transport (DfT) for additional powers to enable it to enforce offences which could previously only be enforced by the police. A public consultation is currently live and we are seeking feedback on the locations where these additional powers are initially proposed to be used.
The council has now applied to be allowed to enforce key highway restrictions or prohibitions with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) enforcement cameras. If successful, these powers will be used across the county with the aim of:
improving road safety and Active Travel initiatives
tackling congestion issues
increasing the number of drivers complying with the rules of the road
In addition to meeting these aims, this initial approach will complement work currently being undertaken as part of the West Sussex Bus Service Improvement Plan. This plan sets out the council’s ambitions to sustain the bus network and help it flourish through increased passenger numbers, targeted reductions in fares, less pollution, more high-frequency services, improved rural transport and multi-modal ticketing.
Should the powers be approved, it is intended that in due course, the council will roll out the use of ANPR to enforce other types of moving traffic contraventions.
This consultation will run for a further four weeks, closing on 29 March 2023.
If you have any questions about this consultation, or would like to request the information in a different format, please email parking@westsussex.gov.uk or call 0330 222 9303.
Green light for £17.4million boost for West Sussex bus travel
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
The green light has been given for a £17.4million boost for bus service improvements in West Sussex. West Sussex County Council successfully bid for the Government cash injection, aimed at increasing bus passenger numbers, which in turn will help support the local economy and reduce traffic congestion – all crucial parts of Our Council Plan .
Joy Dennis, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “The £17.4million Department for Transport funding is excellent news for the whole of the county – and bus passengers in particular.
“We are working in partnership with the bus companies to do all we can to try to make bus travel as attractive as possible, help increase passenger numbers and thereby make it easier for people to get to essential services, shops and businesses, education and leisure facilities and to leave cars at home in favour of this more sustainable way to travel.”
A range of schemes will now be developed, including:
A discounted concessionary bus travel scheme to encourage young people, aged 16 to 21, to use the buses
The introduction of ‘Tap On – Tap Off’ fare technology across busses operating within the county
Installation of 300 new Real Time Passenger Information displays at countywide locations, providing electronic display screens, which are popular with both passengers and bus operators
Improved bus stops at countywide sites, with new poles, flags, hardstanding, disabled access, shelters, seating, lighting and nearby crossing points
Improvements to the bus lanes in Station Way, Crawley and the bus lane priority set up in Manor Royal, Crawley
Creation of a new transport hub in Crawley, providing a single place to swap between different modes of public transport
The Department for Transport funding news follows the ongoing £2 fare scheme, which has been confirmed to be extended until June, and the recent County Council’s “Bus It” campaign – which encouraged senior residents to consider returning to the buses to take full advantage of their eligible free pass.
Police visibility is a priority
(Sent by Katy Bourne OBE to all major stakeholders)
Hello
Last week I went on a walkabout with Jeremy Quin MP where we discussed current issues in the Horsham area.
We were joined by representatives from Horsham District Council and local licensees to discuss their current concerns alongside Sussex Police’s District Commander for the area.
I heard how anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town centre is making residents feel unsafe despite the fact that Horsham is one of the safest areas in Sussex. I was pleased to hear that Dispersal Orders are being implemented when ASB or criminal activity is reported and that Sussex Police is tackling issues robustly as they arise.
It was also good to hear more about the work of the dedicated policing team who are proactively patrolling near Kilnwood Vale where residents of the estate have been seeing illegal activity such as car meets and dangerous driving along the adjoining A264.
Under Operation Cruze, the team have been rapidly tackling the criminality which has been happening across many Force areas. For example, giving warnings to anti-social drivers whereby if they or their vehicle are stopped for a second time due to causing alarm, distress or annoyance to the public, their vehicle can be seized.
I was glad to hear that this proactive policing is having a beneficial effect within the area and I hope to hear further positive results from Horsham town centre soon.
External scrutiny welcomed
Last Wednesday evening, I joined two of my Independent Custody Visitors (ICVs) as they made an unannounced late night visit to Brighton Custody Centre. ICVs are volunteers with special training who can visit custody at any time of day or night to check on the rights, entitlements and wellbeing of detainees.
Obviously, at the point when people get arrested and detained, they are innocent until proven guilty so it is important that their human rights are upheld.
Not only do ICVs support this but they also scrutinise protocols. This oversight and scrutiny has already led to positive changes being made within custody, such as ensuring female detainees are provided with sanitary packs and painting walls with calming colours to help those with mental health problems.
Our platinum accredited ICV scheme is one of my statutory responsibilities to maintain as PCC and it is superbly run by our ICV Manager Claire.
I know that most people being held in custody are grateful for having someone to check on them. Our ICV volunteers do a brilliant job and their external scrutiny is always welcomed.
Do you or someone you know work in the retail industry? We know that the harmful impact of crime on shop workers is increasing.
It is important that those who have experienced this are able to talk about it to provide an accurate picture of the scale and impact of retail crime. This then helps to form future action plans for the Government and police.
If you work in the retail sector, please take a few minutes to complete the ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) Crime Survey.
All responses are completely confidential and the deadline for responses is 31st March.
Join us on Thursday 9 March 5-7pm at Chequer Mead, meet officers from the Council’s Economy and Sustainability team and learn more about projects and initiatives available in the district to support businesses.
Find out more about Digital Futures West Sussex, an exciting and ambitious programme to increase aspiration for digital careers across the county, hear from DWP / Job Centre Plus about how they can help with staff recruitment, learn about the free business support available through the Business and IP Centre Sussex and speak to other business support providers including, The Business Hothouse, RISE, Green Growth Platform and Mid Sussex Wellbeing.
Mid Sussex District Council is committed to helping to secure a healthy, sustainable and vibrant economy. Mid Sussex’s location, excellent connectivity, diverse and resilient business sectors, high numbers of start-ups, skilled workforce and excellent quality of life all combine to make Mid Sussex an ideal place to do business. The Council actively supports local businesses through a variety of business engagement and support initiatives, working closely with local Business Associations, Town and Parish Councils and other key stakeholders.
Keen to continue building vital relationships with local businesses MSDC warmly invite you to come along to meet the team, with ample opportunity for networking and making new contacts.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Address: Chequer Mead, De La Warr Road, East Grinstead RH19 3BS
Time: 5-7pm
*This is a ticket only event. Free for EGBA members and first time guests.
Youth Cabinet raise cost of living concerns for young people in West Sussex
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
Members of the County Council’s Youth Cabinet have spoken about the cost of living pressures young people across West Sussex are facing.
During a debate at County Hall, senior County Councillors and staff heard the Youth Cabinet outline areas of concern, including access to text books and school uniform, children’s mental health support and the cost of transport to school and college.
Held in the Council Chamber on 24 January, it was the latest forum for the cabinet to raise the issues that young people in West Sussex face and to influence and help improve the work the council does to support children and families.
Youth Cabinet chair Iffat Rahman led the debate. Iffat said: “It was very exciting to be able to hold our annual discussion in the County Council Chambers for the first time since lockdown, and it was a great opportunity for our youth cabinet to meet and get involved with local councillors. I found the discussion to be insightful and interesting, overall it was a successful evening.”
Keeping people safe from vulnerable situations is one of four key priorities within Our Council Plan. The meeting heard about the work West Sussex County Council is doing to support those in financial hardship, including:
Providing supermarket food vouchers during school holidays for all West Sussex children who receive free school meals
The library service handing out 2,000 essential toiletry packs for those in most need
Offering free study spaces for young people to use in libraries
The continued support provided by the County Council’s Community Hub
Additional work to explore support for period poverty, the re-distribution of food through food hubs and exploring ways for school uniforms to be recycled.
Jacquie Russell, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, said: “It was really important to hear from our Youth Cabinet about the impact the cost of living pressures are having on our young people. We discussed ways we can continue to work together to offer support to those who need it and raise awareness about the help that’s available.”
The Council’s website includes dedicated information on the cost of living providing advice and practical support.
Cabinet Member reflects on support for Ukrainians in West Sussex
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire & Rescue, on the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine:
“Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine began last year, West Sussex County Council has actively engaged with the government led schemes, alongside partner organisations, district and borough councils and voluntary groups, to support those fleeing conflict in Ukraine and seeking safety in West Sussex.
“We have delivered on the local authority requirements on the Homes For Ukraine Scheme, enabling residents to become sponsors and welcome guests into their homes. We have also worked in conjunction with Gatwick airport to deliver a welcome point for Ukrainians arriving into the UK.
“Residents across the county have demonstrated their support and welcome, and the County Council continues to be appreciative of these efforts. Our Ukrainian Support Team and Community Hub also remain available to support Ukrainian families and their hosts.
“As we approach the one-year anniversary tomorrow and join in the one-minute silence at 11am, we will have the opportunity to reflect on the impact the war has had on those who remain in Ukraine and those who have been displaced, whilst also taking the time to remember those who have lost their lives since the war began.”
If you or someone you know needs help from the Ukraine Support Team, you can email UkraineSupport@westsussex.gov.uk or call the Community Hub on 033 022 27980. Lines are open 9am – 5pm seven days a week, including Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.
Council supports renewal of Manor Royal BID
(Sent to all major stakeholders by WSCC)
West Sussex County Council endorses the renewal of Manor Royal’s Business Improvement District (BID) for another five years.
The Manor Royal Business District is the most strategically significant business park in the county, making a significant contribution to the economy of West Sussex through being home to approximately 500 businesses which support 30,000 jobs.
The Manor Royal Business District is a significant component of the Crawley Growth Programme, which is the delivery arm of the Crawley Growth Deal. Working in partnership with Crawley Borough Council, the Manor Royal BID and West Sussex County Council, the Crawley Growth Programme has allowed for the aggregation and alignment of public and private funds to deliver key infrastructure needs in Crawley.
This partnership has delivered concrete benefits for the businesses in Manor Royal and the residents of Crawley. These include:
Manor Royal Highways Improvements including the Gatwick Road Roundabout
Churchill Court, a renovated office space and business campus
Upgrading of Manor Royal’s busiest access point
Installation of digital signs in Manor Royal
After each five-year term, businesses must vote again to renew the BID or it will close and stop delivering services. This voting round will ensure the BID continues until 2028.
In line with Our Council Plan to support and grow a sustainable and prosperous economy, West Sussex County Council fully endorses the renewal of the BID for another term and hopes that the majority will vote in favour, allowing the Crawley Growth Programme to continue to deliver for the residents of Crawley and the businesses of Manor Royal.
Cllr Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council said: “We are delighted to confirm our support and endorsement for the renewal of the Manor Royal BID. The partnership between West Sussex County Council, the Manor Royal BID and Crawley Borough Council has delivered tremendous benefits to the residents and businesses of Crawley and West Sussex as a whole and we look forward to working with the BID in the long term, further strengthening our partnership and continue delivering growth and opportunities in Crawley.”
Steve Sawyer, Executive Director for the Manor Royal BID said: “We have developed an excellent relationship with the County Council that has delivered tangible improvements for Manor Royal many times over. The list is impressive and includes faster broadband, refurbished pavements, improved public realm, digital screens, transport infrastructure upgrades and support for decarbonising Manor Royal through the creation of a locally owned renewable energy community. I am very grateful to the Leader of the County Council for pledging his support to our new Business Plan and the future of the Manor Royal BID.”
This is an ideal opportunity for you to introduce yourself, your business and make new connections in a relaxed and friendly environment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Address: 58 Holtye Avenue, RH19 3EG
Time: 6-8pm
Admission: Free for members or £10 for non-members (If you join on the day then we will deduct the £10 from your annual membership fee.)
*This is a ticket only event, please book as a member or non-member.
Chief Executive’s Bulletin
17 February 2023
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
We’ve urged the House of Lords to make essential changes to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to ensure local (parish and town) councils can play their part. Our president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, put forward a package of amendments for peers to consider. They include provision for councils to hold remote meetings, suspension of councillors who breach the code of conduct and direct access to government funding and grants. We also sent supporting information in our briefing to one hundred critical contacts in the House of Lords, urging them to support the amendments.
Management Board
Our Management Board, made up of 11 councillors from across England, met on 13 February 2023 and received updates on the sale of our HQ building (109 Great Russell Street), the following steps to support the Civility and Respect Project and our general financial position. The board also noted last quarter’s activity report stating our work and plans. The board emphasised the importance of promoting the new photo ID requirements for this May’s local elections. The Electoral Commission has plenty of information on the new requirements, which I’d encourage you to bring to your residents’ attention.
Civility and Respect Project
NALC, county associations, the Society of Local Clerks, and One Voice Wales, who oversee the Our Civility and Respect Project, met on 14 February 2023. They received an update on the various project streams and discussed how to continue to support the work over the next year. Notably, 25 MPs have signed the Early Day Motion, and nearly 1,000 local councils have signed the pledge. If you haven’t done so already, please consider doing so!
National Network: Climate Emergency
NALC’s National Network: Climate Emergency held its first meeting of the year on 14 February 2023. The network was honoured to host Dr Paul Behrens of the University of Leiden as a guest speaker. He stressed that the rapid changes we see as a consequence of climate change will only accelerate and that we do not overestimate our resilience to them. He highlighted the savings that could be made by pushing towards net zero earlier and shared with members effective ways to engage with people on the issue of climate change. After a brief Q&A with Dr Behrens, members discussed NALC’s Policy Committee’s inquiries into mandatory training, the importance of the Community Energy Scheme, the need to devolve funding to the parish level, and the challenge parishes face when developing relationships with local activists and community power groups. Andrew Maliphant also updated his work with the net zero forum on which he represented NALC and hosted an additional informal session after the network meeting with members who wished to discuss matters not included in the formal agenda. The next meeting for the network will take place in May.
Standards Matter
There are only a few weeks until our Standards Matter conference in London on 3 March 2023. Join us to be a part of a conversation that will shape the future of local councils and help improve communities. Register now and take your first step towards ensuring that Standards Matter. We’ve got an excellent lineup of speakers, including the Association of Democratic Services Officers, Birmingham City Council, Breakthrough Communications, Hoey Ainscough Associates Limited, Lawyers in Local Government, Localis, the Local Government Association, the Local Government Chronicle, Morecambe Town Council, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and Ware Town Council.
On the blog: Eden Project Communities
In this week’s blog, Eden Project Communities shares information on The Big Lunch initiative, which will take place between 6 and 8 May 2023. The event will be part of the celebrations for the Coronation, and tens of thousands of events are expected to occur across the UK. Read the blog to find out how your local council and communities can get involved.
Smaller Councils Committee
The next Smaller Councils Committee meeting takes place on 21 February 2023. The committee will discuss councillor training, climate change, financial resilience for smaller councils, the Local Government Association workforce survey, celebrating national events such as the Coronation, and a committee chair update.
NALC has submitted the names of people from the local council sector nominated by county associations to attend this year’s Royal Garden Parties on 3 May 2023 and 9 May 2023. This year, the themes the palace wishes to promote are youth (young adults), community, diversity and sustainability. We would love to know about your experience of the day, and you can do so by emailing NALC at nalc@nalc.gov.uk.
And finally…
A massive well done to Lowestoft Town Council! Their Love Parks Week campaign was honoured at the Keep Britain Tidy Network Conference and Awards 2023 in Liverpool. The Love Parks award recognised the efforts made by councils and organisations around the UK to celebrate their green spaces during Love Parks Week. Lowestoft Town Council’s online awareness campaign was shortlisted in the final three from hundreds of nominations.
10 February 2023 Parish and town councils ‘central’ to King’s Coronation celebrations says communities minister
Baroness Scott of Bybrook, minister for faith and communities in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), has written to NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, about the King’s Coronation where she reiterates the important role of local (parish and town) councils in the celebrations. The minister’s letter says, “the Government wants to see people across the UK and the Commonwealth come together to celebrate this momentous occasion” and goes on to say, “efforts made by local councils and their communities will be central to making this a momentous weekend of UK-wide celebration”. The letter also includes more information for local councils about street parties, The Coronation Big Lunch, The Big Help Out and National Lottery funding through the Awards for All programme (which councils are encouraged to apply to quickly!). You can read the letter in our news story here.
NALC meeting with communities minister
I was pleased to join NALC’s president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, in Parliament this week at her first meeting with the faith and communities minister, Baroness Scott of Bybrook. In her speech at the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’s second reading in the House of Lords, our president spoke about the role of local councils in the levelling up agenda and highlighted several areas where she would be seeking to amend the bill. The meeting provided an opportunity for us to brief the minister on the amendments which cover extending the general power of competence to all local councils, introducing a new sanction to suspend councillors, local council involvement in the scrutiny of combined authorities, the Infrastructure Levy, power to pay carer’s allowances, ability for ministers to pay a grant to local councils, the review of neighbourhood governance, virtual meetings, and financial assistance to the church. The full list of amendments is regularly updated here. We are briefing Peers ahead of the Committee stage which starts on 20 February, and I will provide further updates and the Bill progresses. Final local government finance settlement
Confirmation that local councils will not be subject to council tax referendum principles in 2023/24 was made by DLUHC’s secretary of state, Michael Gove MP, in his statement to Parliament on the final local government finance settlement. This has been a key campaign for NALC to ensure local councils retain the flexibility to increase precepts without being required to hold a referendum. Section 137 limit for 2023/24
DLUHC has written to us to confirm the appropriate sum for section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 for 2023/24 is £9.93. The amount is a result of increasing the 2022/23 figure of £8.82 by the percentage increase in the retail index between September 2021 and September 2022 under Schedule 12B to the 1972 Act. We have updated paragraph 14 of Legal Topic Note 31 with the new figure for 2022/23, you can find this in the member’s area of the NALC website. On the blog: Stonewall
As part of LGBT+ History Month, we share content through our website and social media accounts. Over a third of LGBTQ+ people still feel they have to hide who they are at work. In week’s blog, Stonewall lists ways you can be an LGBTQ+ ally at work. Fortnightly meeting with county officers
This week’s meeting between NALC and county officers included a presentation from Tim Light of the Internal Auditors Forum on the work that they do and the services they have available for county associations, local councils, and internal auditors themselves. Tim was keen to emphasise the earliest a local council organises their internal auditor the better. There was also a presentation on the key priorities for NALC in making representations on the proposed National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The meeting also received some brief updates on VAT and legal changes, and on ‘Martyn’s Law’. February legal bulletin to county officers
This week we circulated our bi-monthly legal briefing for county officers. It included sections on annual council meeting dates for councils with uncontested elections, eligibility to exercise the general power of competence where clerks are on maternity leave, politically restricted posts and local councils, use of councillor email addresses and the exclusion of the press and public from meetings. Out and abouts
Members of the policy and communications team started the first of a series of out and about visits to county associations and local councils this week. Our policy manager, Chris Borg, was at the Dover offices of the Kent Association of Local Councils where he took part in a meeting of their Climate Change Panel and discussions on the creation of new local councils in the Canterbury area as well as on our Make a Change campaign as around 290 local councils have elections on 4 May! And Jessica Lancod-Frost, policy officer, visited Ware Town Council in Hertfordshire, whose clerk Terry Philpott won Clerk of the Year at NALC’s Star Councils Awards 2022. Jessica attended the council’s monthly staff meeting to learn about key projects such as the refurbishment of Ware Lido, Priory Park, and the kitchen and conservatory of Ware Priory. She also heard how the council consults the community and works effectively with other local stakeholders and about the extensive events programme the council will be running this year. I’m grateful to KALC and the town council for hosting these visits. Voter ID in the May local elections
I wanted to share again information about the new requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station in some elections. From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show a photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. This will apply to local elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, UK parliamentary by-elections and recall petitions. From October 2023, it will also apply to UK general elections. The Electoral Commission’s public awareness campaign on photographic voter identificationfor the May 2023 elections is now up and running. Alongside a mass advertising campaign across mixed media, the Electoral Commission has produced voter ID resource packs for partners, including councils, to use to help amplify messages to underrepresented groups. Councils can access the Electoral Commission’s broader Your Vote Week campaignresources for educators and sign up for the Your Vote Week campaign to receive general resources. Next week’s NALC National Network: Climate emergency
The NALC Climate Emergency Network will hold its next online meeting on 14 February. The packed agenda includes councillor training, climate change questions in the government’s NPPF consultation, a draft programme towards the delivery of Net Zero and an update on Skidmore Review into Net Zero. There will also be a presentation from Dr Paul Behrens from the University of Leiden. If you want to join next week’s meeting but haven’t yet signed up to the network, you can do so here. Levelling Up Locally report by Onward
It was good to read the latest research by the centre right think tank Onward this week where they continue to make the case for empowering local councils and forming more in unparished areas. Levelling Up Locally draws on conversations in five parts of the country to identify five common challenges of tackling antisocial behaviour, particularly among young people, bringing life back to high streets and town centres, supporting local sport, culture, heritage, and green space, boosting local growth in the private sector, and providing community-based support to the most disadvantaged. The report includes a playbook of interventions local leaders such as councils can use to tackle these issues. Better Planning Coalition
NALC has recently joined the Better Planning Coalition and we were pleased to attend our first meeting this week. Issues covered included an application from another organisation to join, the development of a coalition response to the NPPF consultation and engagement with the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill by the coalition and individual members. And finally….
NALC is working with our IT partners Cloudy IT to offer an opportunity for students to join a project to build an app supporting the Local Council Award Scheme. The project will see the students aged between 14 and 24 learn how to use different applications in the Microsoft suite to build an app which will help us improve the process. The 7-week programme starts on 21 February with virtual sessions every Tuesday and Thursday for 45 minutes from 17.00. Spaces are limited but to find out more contact david@cloudyit.co.uk or register at the Enterprise Academy. Participants can be based anywhere in the country, so do spread the word to anyone who may be interested.
The Millennium Clock restoration is underway. As a result the clock face and mechanism has been taken away to be repaired. It will return once the clock-smith has finished the necessary work. East Grinstead Town Council would like to thank Café Nero for their cooperation and continued support in regards to the clock. We thank you all for your patience, we understand the historical importance of this asset to the Town.
Mid Sussex Air Quality is Good and Improving
(Excerpt taken from MSDC PR2491)
Mid Sussex councillors have welcomed the news that air quality in the district has generally improved over the past five years.
Councillors examined the annual status report on air quality at a meeting of Scrutiny Committee for Community, Customer Services and Service Delivery on Wednesday 1 February 2023.
Mid Sussex District Council monitors air quality at 33 sites across the district and data is presented to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) each year. Monitoring covers the two main types of pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is the result of motor vehicle emissions and particulate matter (PM), a general term for tiny soot, grit and dust particles.
The overall air quality in Mid Sussex is good and general trends show that it is getting better year on year.
One area of the district that requires close monitoring is Stonepound Crossroads in Hassocks, which historically has exceeded the recommended levels of NO2 due to high volumes of traffic and the close proximity of residential properties to the road. The Council has an Air Quality Action Plan for the area to help reduce pollution, encouraging motorists to turn off their engines when stationary at the traffic lights and promoting alternative modes of transport.
Improvements have already been made to local cycle routes and further work is due to take place later this year, linking Dale Road in Hassocks with Manor Road in Hurstpierpoint. The air quality improvement measures and the newer, cleaner vehicles on the roads are working to reduce pollutant concentrations at the Stonepound Crossroads, with data showing a steady decline in NO2 levels since the Air Quality Management Area was declared in 2011.
Moving to low carbon forms of transport such as electric vehicles will further help to improve air quality by reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions. The Council is working in partnership with West Sussex County Council to dramatically increase the number of Electric Vehicle Charging Points available on street and in public car parks. Over the next 10 years thousands of new chargers will be installed across the county to support electric vehicle drivers.
Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said:
“Clean air has so many benefits, both physical and mental, and we must do all we can to reduce pollution and protect the air that we breathe.
“Good air quality is something that’s easy to take for granted but it’s vitally important to our health and wellbeing. Many of our residents suffer from asthma and or respiratory complaints and pollution in the air really can make life uncomfortable.
“The air quality figures we have been presented with today are really encouraging and show positive trend towards improved air quality in our area. Currently around 80% of the nitrogen dioxide in our air comes from petrol and diesel vehicles so I’m hopeful that, as low carbon transport options like electric cars become more popular, we can build on this momentum in the future.”
MSVA Newsletter
Please follow the adjacent link to access the latest MSVA newsletter – MSVA Feb Newsletter
Meridian Line
(Sent to all major stakeholders)
After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, always our busiest month, we’ve enjoyed a quiet January. There is a saying “January brings the snow, makes our feet and fingers glow”, but fortunately the cold snap didn’t last that long.
Our first meeting of the New Year was a light-hearted games evening. Or rather, a ‘Rummikub’ evening. In groups of four, members and partners competed to be the first to play all their tiles, thereby achieving the goal – a score of 0. We moved around for each game, playing in different groups, Overall winner was Bob Shaw, who, amazingly, scored 0 in all his games. Some of us had scores of over 300 at the end! If you’ve never played Rummikub, do have a go, apparently it’s good for the brain.
18th January was a Business meeting. The overall total of our charity Christmas appeal and collections was confirmed. We raised over £7,500, down on 2021 because several evening collections were cancelled due to snow and icy conditions, but a very good result. Our donations to community groups and individuals in need were detailed in December’s Meridian Line, and have now been publicised on our website and social media and, courtesy of Nationwide Building Society, their shop window in London Road.
Following an inspirational talk from Chailey Heritage special school we made a donation and have received a letter of thanks, saying … “the children and young people rely on highly specialist equipment and services in order to pursue their potential and access every possible opportunity for independence. Funding for these services and facilities is only made possible thanks to voluntary donations like yours.”
Update on Rotary help for the people of Ukraine Rotary’s Great Britain & Ireland Ukraine Crisis Taskforce is continuing to work with Ukraine Rotary’s own Crisis Team to identify the highest priority essentials and support that they need. These include shelters, bedding and winter clothing, generators, medical equipment and mine detectors. Lorries are available to transport these. In our Rotary ‘District’ (W. Sussex, Surrey, parts of Hants and S. London) clubs collected and sent over 1,000 sacks of bedding and warm clothing, and two drone-mounted magnetometers for clearing landmines, and have funded construction of seven temporary homes for displaced Ukrainian citizens near Kyiv. Meridian made a donation to this project. Public appeals
The Young Chef District Final takes place on 4th February at Merton College. The two winners in Meridian’s local heat, both from Imberhorne School, are competing. Entrants plan and cook a three-course meal (within a given budget), develop their food presentation skills and gain experience in high pressure situations.
The District semi-final of Youth Speaks – a Debate is on 9th February at the Duke of
Kent school in Ewhurst. In this speaking competition for schools, teams of three debate their chosen topic. The winners in our local heat – the Senior Debating Team from Sackville school and the Intermediate Debating Team from Lingfield college – will be taking part. Six great, confident, enthusiastic and well informed youngsters and we wish them the very best of luck.
Meetings
February
15th ‘A Bonfire Society in EG?’ – talk by Graham Jones
March
1st ‘Update on Local Issues’ – Julie Holden, EG Town Clerk
15th (i) Talk by Philippa Jacobs, about locally based charity ‘Charity Chanzige’, which supports schools in rural Tanzania (founded after her son and fellow school
pupils visited the schools – trip was sponsored by Meridian)
(ii) Business meeting (members only)
29th Partners evening ‘The East Grinstead Society’ – talk by James Baldwin
Rotary on the Radio, our show on 107 Meridian FM, will be broadcast on Fridays 10th and 24th February, 2 – 4 p.m. On 10th local astronomer Steve Pond will be telling us what to look out for this month, in the skies above East Grinstead. For stunning photos, see his open Facebook page ‘Above East Grinstead’.
Further details about us, our meetings programme and activities are on our website www.meridianrotary.co.uk If you’d like to come along to a meeting, we’ll be delighted to welcome you – please e-mail us at info@meridianrotary,co.uk
In-Touch Newsletter
January 2023
Welcome to your first edition of In-Touch for 2023, bringing you some of the latest news and updates on what happened across Govia Thameslink Railway in January.
This issue contains updates on:
Railway engineers repair the landslip at Lingfield and get services back on track
Solar energy powering ahead at our stations
Next phase of car park payment changes gets underway
Points mean prizes as you travel on our trains
Reminder of upcoming engineering works
Railway engineers repair the landslip at Lingfield and get services back on track
The embankments and cuttings on the line to East Grinstead, like across much of the Southern network, were constructed by the Victorians using a mixture of local clays and soils.
However, clay is very effective at absorbing water and drains poorly, making it an unsuitable material to build railways on. Unfortunately, this was not well understood when the line was constructed in 1884.
So, after becoming saturated following days of heavy rain and a very wet winter, a 10-metre stretch of the seven-metre-high embankment just north of Lingfield Station gave way on 17 January, with cracks in the earth spreading six metres either side.
To ensure the safety of everyone involved, this forced the line between East Grinstead and Hurst Green to close whilst Network Rail carried out emergency repairs, with alternative ticket acceptance and replacement bus services in place to support affected passengers.
Engineers installed a steel wall, made of 44, 10-metre-long steel piles, which has stabilised the embankment to prevent further slippage, and have put down 28 tonnes of fresh ballast, the stone that supports the track.
They then ran a high-tech tamper train over the line which used vibrating tines to compact the ballast and made sure the newly laid track was properly aligned.
Finally, engineers then relayed the high voltage power and signalling cables which had become displaced when their protective concrete troughs fell away as the embankment slipped.
The repairs went well and the line was able to reopen to passengers on 24 January, a day earlier than expected.
We are grateful for the patience of our passengers over this period and are sorry for the disruption they experienced whilst the line was made safe.
Solar energy powering ahead at our stations
As part of our commitment to a sustainable future, there are networks of solar panels across some of our stations and buildings, and the results are just in on how much power they generated last year.
In 2021, over 500 solar panels were installed on Streatham Hill Depot’s roof as part of a co-operative energy project with a community climate action group and, in the first ‘carbon positive’ upgrade on the rail network, a new type of photovoltaic film was fitted to the new roof of Denmark Hill Station.
These solar panels help to reduce our carbon footprint and put excess energy back into the country’s electricity grid.
In 2022 alone, the solar arrays at Denmark Hill station and the Streatham Hill depot generated 236,387 kWh of energy. This is the equivalent of boiling the kettle to make a 7.5 million cups of tea! The energy generated also saved 46 tonnes of CO2.
It is also estimated that Blackfriars Station alone produced 900,000 kWh energy last year thanks to the 6,000m2 of solar panels on the station’s roof. These panels help to cut CO2 emissions by 513 tonnes per year, equivalent to 89,000 car journeys.
Traveling by rail is a sustainable option and we want to ensure that our commitment to decarbonisation and sustainability is clear to see.
We are pleased with the results of our solar power projects to date and hope this will be the start of much more.
Next phase of car park payment changes gets underway
The next stage to the programme of changes to how people pay to park their car at our stations is under way.
We let you know about Phase One of the programme in our October edition of In Touch which removed Pay & Display machines at non-automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) stations.
Following a successful first phase, the next stage is now underway which will remove Pay & Display machines from our remaining station car parks where ANPR is in place, and this is expected to be complete by mid-February.
Car Park users will be able to pay using one of the alternative methods provided by APCOA – online, by app, and by calling 01895 262122. There is no change for Blue Badge holders.
As with the first stage, we want this change to go as smoothly as possible for passengers and we will focus on helping people to make the switch.
Points mean prizes as you travel on our trains
We have just launched a trial of our Next Level Rewards loyalty scheme on the Southern network. This rewards scheme is an exciting way to entice customers back onto the railways and helps people earn points, and therefore prizes, as they travel.
Customers will receive three points for every £1 spent on Anytime, Season tickets, including Flexi season ticket, and Advance Anytime tickets bought directly via the Southern Railways website, using an eTicket or a Key Smartcard.
To encourage more people to travel on Mondays and Fridays, we are also trialling Advance tickets on peak time Southern trains on select services to and from the south coast – from stations between Eastbourne and Chichester up as far as Three Bridges into London Victoria.
This will help people save up to 15% compared to the price of a standard peak fare Anytime Day Return ticket, and help them build up more points at the same time!
Once people have collected their points, they can be used towards a range of rewards from free coffees to days out, cinema tickets or a case of wine.
Customers can also enter competitions to win holiday breaks as well, such as a weekend stay in London with first class train travel, spending money and dinner included.
The scheme launched on 9 January and will run until 5 March, with the ambition to extend the scheme more widely across the Govia Thameslink network if successful.
We would also like to take this opportunity to remind you of some significant upcoming engineering work.
On Sunday 5 February, because of Network Rail engineering work, all lines between Gatwick and East Croydon will be closed, so we are advising passengers seeking to travel between London, Gatwick Airport and Sussex on this date to check online journey planners in advance, and to allow extra time.
We will be operating a special diverted train service between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport which will run via Horsham and Three Bridges, with an end-to-end journey time of around 80 minutes. This is the service that we are encouraging anyone travelling between London and the Airport to use to avoid the need to change onto replacement buses for part of their journey.
Trains that usually run between stations on the East and West Coastways and London will start/terminate at Three Bridges, and there will be a reduced train service between Brighton and Gatwick Airport.
Replacement buses will run between Three Bridges and East Grinstead for onward train connections to East Croydon and London Victoria. There will also be a bus service running between Gatwick Airport and East Croydon calling at all stations via Redhill. Buses will also run between Purley and Tattenham Corner.
The week after, on Sunday 12 February, the lines between Three Bridges and Brighton and Three Bridges and Lewes will be closed. There will be diversionary trains from Three Bridges to Brighton travelling via the Arun Valley line, and replacement buses for stations between Three Bridges and Brighton or Lewes.
Journeys will take considerably longer than normal and people planning to travel should check their journeys in advance and allow plenty of additional time.
Did you know that over 6,000 local councils have elections this year in 34 of our county association areas? That’s why with 4 May fast approaching, we’re trying to work with as many organisations as we can to support our Make A Change campaign and encourage more people to stand as local councillors. This week our campaigns intern, Fflur Jones, met up with colleagues from Mumsnet to discuss how they might be able to help, especially as their Women and mums in politics campaign shares many of our own aims. Mumsnet is the UK’s biggest network for parents, with around 7 million unique visitors per month clocking up around 100 million page views. I’m delighted they have agreed to promote the campaign and share information on their website to highlight some of the inspiring work that women and mum councillors are doing for their communities. We’re also planning a guest blog post and live webchat.
Updated guidance on the pre-election period
The Local Government Association has updated its guidance on publicity during the pre-election period for the local elections on 4 May. Our updated briefing L01-23 contains a link to the guidance and can be found in the member’s area of the NALC website in the briefings section under council business, law and procedure (login required).
Special meeting of NALC Policy Committee about planning changes
A special meeting of NALC’s Policy Committee took place on 3 February to develop NALC’s response to the government’s consultation on updating the National Planning Policy Framework. We were pleased to be joined by officials from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities who gave an overview of the proposals and took questions, and by Owen Edwards from the Better Planning Coalition – which NALC has recently joined – to discuss the Coalition’s views and emerging response. The committee agreed to push for the strengthening of neighbourhood planning, to argue for the immediate removal of neighbourhood management development policies and for the strengthening of local beauty through design codes.
Defra roundtable on rural access
It was good that NALC was invited to take part in a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) ministerial roundtable on rural access this week. The chair of NALC’s Policy Committee, Cllr David Francis from the Northumberland Association of Local Councils, joined an online meeting hosted by Trudy Harrison MP, the minister responsible for rights of way and access to nature, to discuss promoting interconnectivity and access to nature amongst rural communities. Attendees shared views on what more can be done to create and promote active travel links between rural communities and improve their access to their surrounding countryside. David took the opportunity to stress that many local councils are already promoting and developing active travel, often as part of the climate change agenda and through neighbourhood planning, that they are a resource that should not be overlooked, but that wider support including new powers was needed. We have followed up the meeting to seek further direct engagement with Defra on this issue. And do let us know at policycomms@nalc.gov.uk if you have examples of your work, challenges and barriers you face, and ideas for how to overcome them, that we can use in our engagement with Defra.
NALC’s chair in Parliament
In his recent open letter, NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, stressed how “it remains vital that we all act as advocates for parish power and the good we can do, especially to Members of Parliament, principal authorities, and other agencies”. Keith was doing just this in Parliament this week where he met with Baroness Hayman of Ullcock, shadow spokesperson for Levelling Up, Housing, Communities and Local Government about the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, and then separately with Clive Betts MP, chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee. Common issues covered included ensuring the role of local councils was better understood and not overlooked, remote meetings, stronger sanctions in the standards regime, and the creation of new local councils.
On the blog: Internal Audit Forum
This week we were pleased to announce our new partnership with the Internal Audit Forum and on the NALC blog Eleanor Greene discusses the new partnership and explains how this will help provide resources and support for internal auditors.
NALC National Network: Women councillors
Mandatory training for councillors was among the key issues considered by NALC’s National Network: Women councillors on 31 January. The discussion was part of the Policy Committee’s work to review our policy by gathering views from across some of our committees and networks. There was a strong view that training should be undertaken by all councillors and concerns were raised about cost especially for smaller councils. Civility and respect was another topic discussed where the lack of stronger sanctions for those who engage in poor behaviour was highlighted along with support currently available to councillors. The network agreed to develop some proposed solutions to address these issues for consideration at a future meeting. The next meeting is on 10 May.
International Women’s Day on 8 March
International Women’s Day is coming up on 8 March 2023 and both NALC and the women councillor’s network are keen to celebrate the amazing achievements of women in the local council sector. NALC is creating a group video and can I urge as many women colleagues as possible to get involved! The deadline for video submissions is 28 February and further information including instructions and how to submit your video can be found here.
Changes to VAT on sports fees
Due to a recent legal case, there are potential changes to how sports fees are treated in relation to VAT. A briefing note from The Parkinson Partnership LLP is now available in the members area of the NALC website in the briefings section under finance and audit (login required). HMRC have not yet issued any further guidance, but we will provide an update when official guidance becomes available. If local councils require further advice on this issue, they should contact their county association.
2023/24 Trades Union pay claim
We have been advised by the Local Government Association that the Trades Unions representing local government services have submitted their 2023/24 pay claim this week. The main element of the claim is RPI plus 2%, a likely total of 12.7%. The employer’s side of the National Joint Council (on which NALC is not currently represented) representing principal councils will be meeting and holding briefings in February. Clearly, this is a significant claim which will be the subject of intense negotiations and I would stress has not been agreed. We will keep you informed as the negotiations progress.
Report on the role of leadership in standards in public life
Public sector leaders need to keep talking about standards writes Lord Jonathan Evans, chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life in his excellent blog about the new Leading in Practice: A review by the Committee on Standards in Public Life report which looks at how a variety of organisations have sought to integrate ethical values into their policies and ways of working. The report covers values and the public sector, communicating expected behaviours and leading by example, encouraging a ‘speak up’ culture, training, discussion and decision making, governance, and recruitment and performance management.
Information exchange on devolution deals
Several county officer colleagues came together this week at an online meeting which we hosted to help them share information, experiences and learning on devolution deals in their areas. Issues highlighted included the government’s approach to devolution as set out in the white paper, the level of engagement with the county association, and the impact on current and future relations with principal councils. It was agreed to hold a further get together in a few months’ time.
Special meeting of National Assembly
Our National Assembly comprising representatives from the 43 county associations of local councils met this week and received an update from me on the future use of our office at 109 Great Russell Street in London. They agreed a resolution confirming the delegation of any future sale to Management Board. I will keep you informed of any future developments.
In/out and abouts
As part of its member benefits to local councils, the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Association of Local Councils offers free members training on a wide variety of topics throughout January. I was grateful for the opportunity to join one of their sessions this week to discuss the top ten challenges facing the sector. We also had a wide-ranging debate including on how to engage effectively with principal councils, MPs and other local stakeholders including encouraging them to attend events and meetings and sharing reports with them.
And finally…
It’s been another good week for local councils winning awards, this time at the ‘oscars’ for markets and toilets. Sevenoaks Town Council in Kent were awarded with Platinum Loo of the Year Awards and moved up from ninth place to fifth in the nationwide local authority league table. And among the winners and highly commended at The Great British Market Awards 2023, run by the National Association of British Market Authorities, were Oswestry Town Council and Shrewsbury Town Council in Shropshire, and South Molton Town Council in Devon. Congratulations and well done!
Using Technology to Catch Thieves
(Sent by Katy Bourne OBE to all major stakeholders)
Hello
This week I visited Mitie’s Security Operation Centre. Mitie is the UK’s largest intelligence-led security company, providing a wealth of services across almost all sectors, including CCTV for retail stores, security personnel and lone worker protection.
I was shown how key retailers, including Marks & Spencer and the Co-op, are utilising Mitie’s security tools to identify, assess, manage and tackle retail crime.
We know that technology is vital in catching criminals on our high streets and supporting stores with loss prevention. It also plays a big role in keeping staff safe and ensuring their work environment is secure.
It was good to see how Mitie capture data and build in-depth analysis of risks within retail and convenience stores.
Their Security Operations Centres provide an essential link between retailers and the police, allowing for partnership work in getting prolific offenders out of communities and making high streets safe and enjoyable places to be.
I was also delighted to present a number of awards to Crime and Intelligence teams who work in partnership between Mitie and retailers such as Sainsbury’s, IKEA and B&Q.
These teams play a crucial role in supporting police forces across the nation.
Awards were given to those who had:
Delivered great results by conducting in-depth investigations into organised crime groups resulting in a total of 55 years imprisonment for offenders.
Led on gathering evidence relating to an organised crime group responsible for more than £1 million of fraud against multiple retailers. The group members are currently remanded in custody awaiting sentencing.
Valentine’s Day is on the horizon. In recent years, I have called upon greeting card companies to remove thoughtless, insensitive Valentine’s cards that trivialised the devastating impact of stalking on victims.
Whilst some companies responded quickly and removed the items, it’s disappointing to see that abusive greeting cards are still available to purchase this year on some sites. I will once again be flagging this directly to the stores in the hope that they realise this simply isn’t acceptable.
I have heard some people say that “you don’t have to buy the cards” but I feel strongly that allowing this to go unchallenged, helps to embed misogynistic behaviour into everyday life whilst camouflaging it as humour. You might think it’s ‘just a card’ but it normalises dangerous behaviours that de-personalise women.
Often, it’s the everyday normalised behaviours that we need to call out. That’s why I created my Do The Right Thing campaign, to encourage men to challenge their family, friends and colleagues and to speak up when they recognise harmful behaviours.
Council support community with 1% council tax rise
The East Grinstead Town Council unanimously approved its budget and Council Tax precept for 2023/24 at the Council meeting on Monday 30th January.
Recommending the precept, the Vice Chairman of Finance and General purposes Cllr Helen Farren commented that the precept would continue to support community groups take forward our projects and celebrate the coronation while recognising the current cost of living challenges. The budget is prudent and mindful of the struggle that many are having.
The annual parish element of the Council Tax for 2023/24 will rise for a Band D property from £92.34 to £93.26. Which is a 1% rise on the 2022/23 rate. The overall rise being 92pence.
Additional information:
The Town Council is responsible for 2 public toilet blocks, 2 Cemeteries, 4 community buildings, 2 War memorials, the east court terraces, drive and playpark, a recreation ground,2 allotments (run by management companies), civic pride such as hanging baskets, public flowerbeds and Christmas lights, streetfurniture, graffiti and fly post removal on council land, replacing street name plates, the tourist information desk in the library and arranging community events such as East Court Live. In addition there is a grant scheme to support local sports, community groups and the Chequer Mead Arts Centre.
The total parish precept for a Band D property equates to £1.78 per week.
UK inflation was measured at 10.5% in December.
Council Tax Bills for 2023/24 are made up of precepts from the County Council, District Council, Police and Crime Commissioner and Parish Council
Council Proposes the Extension of Measures to Curb Car Cruising
(MSDC Press Release 2490)
Mid Sussex District Council will consider the extension of measures to curb car cruising next month.
The Council’s Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking met on Wednesday 1 February to discuss the use of Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to deter anti-social driving. The committee recommended to Full Council that the PSPO in Burgess Hill is extended by a further three years and two additional areas are introduced along the A2300 and at Birches Industrial Estate, Imberhorne Lane, East Grinstead.
A Public Spaces Protection Order has been in operation in Burgess Hill since 2020 to prohibit anti-social driving activities such as speeding or racing, excessive noise and performing stunts. The measures have proven to be an effective deterrent, with complaints from residents about car cruising falling from 140 in the two years before the PSPO was introduced to just 38 complaints since.
The existing Public Spaces Protection Order in Burgess Hill is due to expire in April 2023. Mid Sussex District Council conducted a public consultation in November and December 2022 on the extension of the PSPO in Burgess Hill and the introduction of additional measures along the A2300 and at Birches Industrial Estate, East Grinstead. Most people were supportive of proposals to extend the PSPO in Burgess Hill and include the A2300 and Birches Industrial Estate, with only two people opposed to the plans.
Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said:
“Before we introduced the Public Spaces Protection Order in Burgess Hill we would often be contacted by residents and businesses who were being disturbed by car meet ups that caused excessive noise and performed dangerous stunts.
“We’ve worked closely with Sussex Police on these issues and they, along with local Town, Parish Councils and members of the public who responded to our consultation are fully supportive of our plans to extend and expand these Public Spaces Protection Orders.
“This anti-social behaviour has a hugely detrimental impact on the quality of life of residents living nearby, so I’m really pleased that Scrutiny Committee is recommending these enhanced measures to Full Council. I look forward to them being adopted so we can continue to put the brakes on car cruising.”
East Grinstead Town Council are organising a fancy dress ‘Monarchy through the Ages’ community walking parade, and we would love our town’s community groups, schools and residents to be a part of this. The parade will start at East Court and will process through town to King George’s field.
At King George’s field there will be a large screen so everyone can watch the Coronation ceremony together, enjoy family fun, relax on the grass, bring a picnic, or buy food there. There will be a ‘right royal dog show’ and prizes for the best fancy dress outfits – categories to be announced.
Staff, Councillors, residents please get involved and join us for the day. If you would be able to give 2 hours (or more) to volunteer on the day please get in touch with Alice Fletcher on communityandtourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk.
East Grinstead Voluntary Fair is on Saturday, 4th February in the Crown!
Mid Sussex Voluntary Action are delighted to be running a Volunteer Fair in East Grinstead at the Crown Pub on Saturday 4th February from 10am to 12pm. You will find 15 local volunteer groups ready to share their exciting volunteering opportunities with you.
There will be a chance to chat and discuss potential roles with the groups and a very warm welcome from the team and a warm drink.
Please share the details with your colleagues, contacts, family, friends and neighbours and encourage potential volunteers to pop along between 10am and 12pm.
EGTC will be attendance to speak to people about volunteering for the Mid Sussex marathon and the Coronation event.
Free English classes at East Grinstead Library
Citizens Advice West Sussex will be delivering free English Classes for East Grinstead residents at the library starting from Fri 3rd Feb. This is a great opportunity for people to increase their confidence in their English speaking skills, whilst making new friendships along the way. Drop in, no need to book.
Mid Sussex Marathon
Three races making up one classic marathon distance. Saturday 29th April in East Grinstead, Sunday 30th April in Haywards Heath, and Monday 1st May in Burgess Hill. Sign up to run or volunteer or turn up and cheer them on. https://midsussexmarathon.co.uk/
Preserving Neighbourhood Policing
(Sent by Katy Bourne OBE to all major stakeholder)
Hello
This week I’m delighted to support the National Police Chiefs Council’s Neighbourhood Policing Week of Action.
The week shines a light on the vital work that neighbourhood police officers, PCSOs and volunteers do to keep our communities safe.
When I first started my year-round engagement programme in 2018, it was clear that residents wanted more contact with the police in their local areas. That’s why it is a priority of mine to improve engagement by the Force and support them in creating Neighbourhood Policing Patrol Plans.
In my focus groups this year, participants told me they value their PCSOs and that they provide the visible link that Sussex residents desperately want.
I’ve already made it clear that I want Sussex Police to retain PCSO numbers and, with next month marking the 20-year anniversary of the introduction of the role in Sussex, this feels more relevant than ever.
On Monday I met with PCSO Eva to talk about why she took on the role, what a day looks like for her and how she helps keep the public safe. You can watch the video on my website.
Pushing forward on ban for dangerous drug
During the week I attended the Association of Police & Crime Commissioners’ general meeting in London, alongside my PCC colleagues.
The meeting, which was also attended by Policing Minister Chris Philp MP, provided us with the opportunity to discuss various important issues including: supporting victims of crime; effective working between police and the criminal justice system; and the mental health demand on the police. You can hear more about mental health and policing in my January Performance & Accountability Meeting.
It was interesting to hear first-hand from the Minister about the proposals to introduce a long-expected ban on the sale or possession of nitrous oxide as part of a wider crackdown on anti-social behaviour.
The drug, which is usually inhaled from balloons, has become the second most popular drug amongst 16–24-year-olds.
It is dangerous and can cause serious neurological problems and nerve damage. We know that harmful drugs like this can be a gateway into serious issues including drug-driving. You can hear more about recent drug-driving figures in my January Performance & Accountability Meeting.
Today I presented the proposed precept increase to the Police & Crime Panel. The proposal was supported and you can read more on my website.
Katy Bourne OBE
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner
Hollands Way Play Area – Work Starting
Work will start on the improvements at Hollands Way Play Area next week. The play area will be closed whilst the work takes place.
The play area should be ready by the end of March.
The Employers received from the NJC Trade Unions the attached 2023 pay claim for local government services (‘Green Book’) employees. Councils will be briefed on the unions’ claim and other relevant background information, at regional pay briefings scheduled to take place between 6 and 15 February.
The claim seeks:
RPI + 2 per cent on all pay points
Consideration of a flat rate increase to hourly rates of pay in order to bring the minimum rate up to £15 per hour within two years
A review and improvement of NJC terms for family leave and pay
A review of job evaluation outcomes for school staff whose day-to-day work includes working on Special Educational Needs (SEN)
An additional day of annual leave for personal or well-being purposes
A homeworking allowance for staff for whom it is a requirement to work from home
A reduction in the working week by two hours
A review of the pay spine, including looking at the top end, and discussions about the link between how remuneration can be used to improve retention
Please see the PDF for more information:
Chief executive’s bulletin
27 January 2023
The King’s Coronation
Information on Coronation weekend plans, including the ceremony, coronation concert, Big Lunch, and Big Help Out, were announced on 21 January. The Coronation Big Lunch is being coordinated by The Eden Project, which has launched a range of resources to help organise celebrations and street parties over the Coronation weekend. To help councils keep up to date with information related to the Coronation, we have set up a dedicated coronation webpage which we will update as more information becomes available. This will include more details on the Big Help Out. Today, NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, is attending a briefing lunch hosted by the Together Coalition and the chief scout, Bear Grylls, to discuss emerging plans for what aims to be a day of unprecedented community mobilisation, which Keith is very keen for the sector to be part of.
Policy Committee
The NALC Policy Committee met virtually on 24 January, here are a few highlights:
The committee adopted a policy motion from the County Durham Association of Local Councils on extraordinary parish council meetings, which calls for a change in the number of councillors who can call such meetings to be proportionate to the council size.
It was agreed to engage with the Local Government Association regarding energy efficiency in listed buildings following consideration of a policy motion from the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils.
A request from the Smaller Councils Committee to review NALC’s policy on mandatory training for councillors was considered, and it was agreed that further engagement takes place to assess views from across the sector, including with stakeholders and interest groups, including NALC governance and networks, and that this is considered at the annual general meeting.
The committee discussed Gordon Brown’s Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future. While noting the lack of detail on many recommendations, they supported measures covering local control, autonomy and longer-term financial certainty for local government and double devolution.
It was agreed that an informal policy on land management companies and open spaces should be considered at the next meeting.
NALC National Network: Women councillors
As mentioned above, whether training should be mandatory for councillors will be considered by various committees and networks over the coming months. Starting with NALC’s National Network: Women councillors which next meets on 31 January. Other agenda items include bullying and support for councillors, and an open forum. If you’d like to link up with other councillors from across the country, you can join the network here.
Updated legal guidance
We have updated Legal Topic Note (LTN) 39 on copyright. The substantive changes, in addition to a general refresh and modernising of the text, are a new paragraph 8 and changes to paragraph 9 to advise on copyright infringement and using copyrighted materials. You can find the LTN in the member’s area of the NALC website (login required).
NALC online event on community engagement
The latest NALC online event – Local Councils and Community Engagement – took place this week on 25 January. This popular and sold-out event was heard from Thomas Chigbo, community engagement and participation manager at TPX Impact, Polly Lord, head of local public services research at New Local and Sarah Greatorex, clerk at Halstead Town Council. The event confirmed the huge role that local councils play in engaging with their communities and the vital difference this can make to residents’ quality of life and improving service delivery.
A new online event added on tackling the housing crisis
I’m pleased to let you know about a new online event we have added to our programme on tackling the housing crisis the way with custom and self-build. We’ve teamed up with the Right to Build Task Force to offer this unique opportunity to learn about the local economic benefits, improved sustainability, reduced churn in communities and fewer objections to the development, along with tools for success and the next steps for local councils to understand how self and custom build could make a positive difference to communities. You can find out more and book your places here.
Standards Matter conference
And staying on events, a reminder about our Standards Matter conference on 3 March in London, where you will be able to hear from the Association of Democratic Services Officers, Breakthrough Communications, Hoey Ainscough Associates, Lawyers in Local Government, Local Government Association, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, NALC and many others including journalists, pollsters, local councils, and county associations! This will be our first in-person event since 2019 and focuses on standards and topics such as good governance, civility and respect, reputation, sector standards, and improvement. The event will also include a sector-specific exhibition, plenty of opportunities to network with colleagues and our ‘Big Debate’ on sanctions for poor behaviour by councillors! I look forward to seeing you there, please book quickly to avoid missing out!
New partnership with the Internal Audit Forum
I’m delighted to announce that we have started anew partnership with the Internal Audit Forum (IAF). IAF have actively engaged with Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance (JPAG), Smaller Authorities Audit Appointments, Society of Local Council Clerks, as well as NALC and county associations in recent times, and their involvement has contributed towards the rewrite of Sections 4 and 5 of the Practitioners’ Guide 2022. I am confident that this new partnership will help raise awareness and quality of internal audits for local councils.
Fortnightly meeting with county officers
At this week’s meeting of county officers and NALC, we covered another wide range of topics. This included a discussion on the rare occasions when a local council has severe financial difficulties, training for councillors, follow-up from our recent event on preparations for the King’s coronation, and parish remuneration panels. There was also an update from the meeting of JPAG and our online learning offer. The next meeting will take place in two weeks.
On the blog: Action with Communities in Rural England
This week is Village Halls Week, celebrating how volunteer-run rural community buildings support residents, groups, and businesses, particularly during challenging times. Our latest blog by our Rural Coalition colleagues Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), explains the importance of village halls for socialising, keeping warm during the cost-of-living crisis and accessing essential services.
Net Zero
Promoting the role of local councils in reaching Net Zero has been a feature of our advocacy this week. Andrew Maliphant from NALC’s National Network: Climate emergency is our representative on the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Local Net Zero Forum, which held its latest meeting on 25 January. We provided feedback on the recommendations contained in Chris Skidmore’s independent report on Net Zero, arguing that local councils mustn’t be overlooked and should be empowered and supported to do more, such as through funding, sharing good practices and new powers and that the proposed Trailblazer Net Zero Community should be led by a local council. This message was also very powerfully and articulately conveyed in Parliament on 26 November, in a speech by NALC’s president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, during a House of Lords debate on the report. Baroness Scott said that “as the first tier of local government, they should not be overlooked in the delivery of net zero. Many are already providing place-based, locally-led action. Many have put climate change on their agenda and are actively looking for ways in which they and their communities can play their part in delivering net zero”. You can read the debate on Hansard or watch it again on Parliamentlive.tv.
Clerk’s survey report
I spoke at an interesting online event this week organised by our SLCC colleagues to discuss the report of a survey of clerks conducted with De Montfort University looking at the future of local councils. The report looks at how local councils have changed since their creation in 1894 and previous surveys conducted in the 1960s and 1990s. The sector continues to grow in importance and maintains its relevance to communities across the decades. In my speech, I flagged up several challenges also mentioned in the report, including raising awareness of the sector, increasing diversity, better engagement with all sectors of the community, better governance, and the highest standards of conduct in public life. In her contribution, Jane Biscombe, town clerk at Weymouth Town Council and member of NALC’s Larger Councils Committee, drew attention to the increasing professionalisation of clerks and their changing role, noting that the number of women in the profession had increased to around 75% and there has been a shift to full-time employment. And Lord Jonathan Evans, chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, re-iterated their disappointment that the government had not responded more positively to their 2019 report, which recommended some important changes to the standards regime which would help the sector develop further. He confirmed the committee was still pressing the government to take another look at their recommendations, which NALC is also continuing to press, such as through an Early Day Motion in Parliament. The report will be considered further by NALC and the Improvement and Development Board.
And finally…
Good things are happening in Hertfordshire and Ware in particular! Following hot on the heels of their town clerk, Terry Philpott, being crowned Clerk of the Year in NALC’s Star Councils Awards 2022, the town council has now secured Quality Gold in the Local Council Award Scheme. Check out their impressive CCTV improvements, free events, community consultations on town centre recovery, community banking and residents’ survey on the future direction on their website.
NALC’s Newsletter
NALC promotes sector role in Net Zero
NALC has been advocating for the important role local (parish and town) councils have in reaching Net Zero.
NALC created a new dedicated webpage for the King’s Coronation. The webpage will be kept up-to-date with the latest information
NALC to review training policy
NALC’s Policy Committee met on 24 January 2023 to discuss several topics, including councillor training, local government finance and NALC campaigns.
Blog: ACRE
In our latest blog, ACRE explains the importance of village halls for socialising, keeping warm during the cost-of-living crisis and accessing essential services.
Temporary Road Closure Layout, East Grinstead Annual May Fair Monday 1st May 2023
The Mayor in ribbon cutting action last night (Thursday 27th Jan 2023) to open the new Xcelerate Gym in Queens Walk (thanks to Rex Whittaker for providing the photos).
Mid Sussex District Council Monitoring Officer
Following the decision of MSDC’s full Council in December 2022, we would like to take this opportunity to alert you to the change in the MSDC’s designated Monitoring Officer (MO). As of Monday 16th January, Kevin will formally assume this role from Geoff. Geoff will remain with the Council until the end of January, but the statutory and constitutional functions of the MO will pass to Kevin. Please contact Kevin with regard to any Town or Parish conduct matters.
The funeral for Barry will be held on Friday 24th February at 13.15 hrs. at the Surrey & Sussex Crematorium. The venue for afterwards is yet to be booked. Sue has asked that anyone wishing to attend, could they please let her know for catering purposes.
Sue Starmer can be contacted by the following means –
We currently have our own governor at the QVH and receive regular updates, so any feedback to the governors should be through our Town Clerk.
Tackling anti-social behaviour
(Excerpt taken from letter sent by Katy Bourne OBE to all major stakeholders)
Hello
This week, I joined key leaders & organisations at 10 Downing Street to discuss how to further tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the country.
The meeting was the first of a series of roundtable discussions which follow the Prime Minister’s speech at the beginning of the year, where he stated that cracking down on anti-social behaviour is a key priority for Government.
Discussion points included: how anti-social behaviour impacts the public; what forms of ASB create the greatest barriers to communities’ feelings of safety; the effectiveness of existing solutions currently in place and the role that youth groups play in cutting anti-social behaviour and supporting young people.
It was an insightful meeting and will feed into the Government’s current review as PCCs (along with police, partners, agencies and specialist organisations) continue to seek the best possible outcomes for victims of ASB.
Just last week, I was delighted to attend Bramber Bakehouse’s Open Day. Bramber Bakehouse are an award-winning charity providing vital support to survivors of trafficking and modern slavery.
Last year, I had the chance to award money through my Safer in Sussex Community Fund so it was good to hear directly from graduates of their programme and learn more about the positive, life-changing impact the charity has had. You can read more about the visit on my website.
I also accompanied Tim Loughton, the Member of Parliament for East Worthing & Shoreham for a walkabout around Lancing. It is always important to me that I see, first-hand, the issues some residents are facing and hear directly from them about their experiences. You can read more about the walkabout on my website.
Trust in police was shaken again this week when we heard that a serving police officer is a serial rapist who had exploited his warrant card and status to coerce, abuse and rape women over a 20-year period.
Carrick was an armed police officer who was still entrusted with protecting diplomats and politicians despite repeated complaints and investigations.
You cannot gain the public’s trust if a predatory police officer can carry out their abuse in plain sight, unchallenged by their peers and superiors. Not only that, but it casts a shadow across the exemplary work of thousands of police officers and staff who are trying hard to keep us all safe from harm 365 days a year.
Following the recent HMICFRS report, which outlined 29 recommendations for forces to improve vetting, I have used two webcast Performance and Accountability meetings to scrutinise Sussex Police’s vetting protocols and procedures to see how they are implementing these. I intend to revisit this again next month.
There is a great deal of work going into improving vetting at a national level as well as in Sussex. The force’s anonymous ‘Break The Silence’ internal reporting route has been used by officers and staff to confidentially report colleagues’ unacceptable behaviours and led to swift disciplinary action and, in a few cases, officers being dismissed.
You can listen to my interview with Nick Ferrari on LBC where I talk about this in greater detail. If British policing wants to regain and retain its global reputation for professionalism, competence, fairness and integrity, we will have to do what it takes – we can’t afford not to.
The Civility and Respect Project releases a new HR podcast on local councils’ responsibilities as employers regarding sickness and absence.
Blog: LGSCO
In our latest blog, Michael King writes about how the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman have the power to investigate complaints.
Chief executive’s bulletin
(Sent to all Local Councils by NALC)
National Assembly discusses the upcoming King’s Coronation
NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, hosted an informal meeting of our National Assembly on 17 January to discuss the upcoming Coronation of His Majesty The King. This meeting was open to county associations and local (parish and town) councils and was well-attended, with around 100 people joining the discussion. The recording of the meeting can be viewed on NALC’s committee webpage. We were pleased to be joined by Pageant Master Bruno Peek to introduce the session, where he said local councils “are the heart of the community” and have been instrumental in making national celebrations, like the coronation, work on the ground. The two outcomes from the meeting were, firstly, for NALC to request information from Buckingham Palace to support local councils’ planning for activity over the coronation weekend. And secondly, to summarise the advice and experiences that might help local councils in planning for activities, which is now available on the NALC website.
Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
NALC’s president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, and vice president, Lord Lytton, spoke this week in the Second Reading debate on the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. The debate lasted seven hours and featured 72 speakers, including several contributions linked to our parliamentary briefing paper, our recent online briefing, or the conversations we’ve been having with Peers. Specific subjects raised included onward devolution to local councils, remote meetings, neighbourhood planning, powers of local councils, including funding church buildings, funding and sector support, dependent carer’s allowance, remote council meetings and the creation of new councils. Baroness Scott will put forward a series of amendments at the committee stage, which we expect to start in the middle of February. You can read the debate on Hansard or watch it again on Parliamentlive.tv (15h22m44s).
NALC National Network: LGBT+ councillors
NALC’s National Network: LGBT+ Councillors held its first online meeting of the year on 17 January 2023. In his opening remarks, Cllr Mathew Hulbert, the network’s champion who helped set it up, advised that he was standing down as a parish councillor in May, wishing everyone well for the future. I want to add my thanks to those expressed by the network to Mathew for helping bring LGBT+ councillors together through the network and in leading our involvement in events such as LGBT+ History Month and Pride Month, both of which were discussed at the meeting. Other issues covered included raising awareness of Voter ID requirements at May’s local elections, census data, and councillor allowances and training. The next network meeting is on 24 April, and you can find out more information about all our networks for councils and councillors here.
Voter ID in the May local elections
I think it’s very timely that the network introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station at some elections, as the government have asked us to help share information about the public awareness campaign. From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show a photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. This will apply to local elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, UK parliamentary by-elections and recall petitions. From October 2023, it will also apply to UK general elections. The Electoral Commission’s public awareness campaign on photographic voter identification for the May 2023 elections is now up and running. Alongside a mass advertising campaign across mixed media, the Electoral Commission has produced voter ID resource packs for partners, including councils, to use to help amplify messages to underrepresented groups. Councils can access the Electoral Commission’s broader Your Vote Week campaign resources for educators and sign up for the Your Vote Week campaign to receive general resources.
On the blog: Stone Parish Council
The Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) celebrates the successes of the best local (parish and town) councils. It provides a framework to support councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential. In our latest blog, Jennie Thomas, chief officer at Stone Parish Council, outlines how her council received the LCAS Quality Award and gives her top tips for councils considering applying to the scheme. Do check it out!
Rural Coalition
Lord Benyon, rural affairs minister at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, met NALC at the meeting of the Rural Coalition on 18 January 2023, where he stressed the importance of levelling out to rural areas as well as levelling up. He also briefed us on the department’s annual rural proofing report and progress with Project Gigabit and funding for better broadband, including in rural areas. The coalition also discussed how it could work together to raise the profile of rural issues in the run-up to the production of manifestos by the main political parties for the next general election. The meeting also heard from the Rural Services Network, of which NALC is a member, about their new Rural Households Survey on the Cost of Living. The purpose of the survey is to understand more about rural household budgets at a very difficult time for many. Results from the survey – which closes on 31 March 2023 – will help us to engage more effectively with government departments, MPs, Peers, and other policymakers. Please forward the survey link to all your contacts, networks, family, and friends living in rural areas – the greater the response, the better!
Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance
The Joint Panel on Accountability and Governance (JPAG) met on 19 January 2023 to discuss and agree on changes to the Practitioners Guide 2023. The guide contains the proper practices for the governance and accounts of smaller authorities, best practice guidance for internal auditors and supporting information for officers. With this having been agreed we can confirm that the Practitioners Guide 2023 will be updated and available in March.
Policy Committee papers
The agenda and supporting papers for next week’s online meeting of NALC’s Policy Committee on 17 January 2023 are now available on the NALC website. Issues to be covered include motions from county associations on extraordinary council meetings and energy efficiency in listed buildings, local government finance, promoting NALC’s policy objectives in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, mandatory training for councillors, and Gordon Brown’s Report of the Commission on the UK’s Future.
NALC responds to Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2023/24
NALC has urged the government to give local councils a multi-year exemption from referendum principles on excessive council tax increases in our response to the consultation on the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2023/24. We stated that whilst the single-year exemption for local councils is welcome, a multi-year exemption would create much-needed certainty and allow local councils to plan for the future and continue to support their communities through these challenging times. Our submission also calls for a share of sector support funding and for local councils not to be overlooked by the government’s review of council tax. You can read more in our news story here.
And finally…
Elect Her is offering £500 grants to women from under-represented backgrounds aiming to stand in the May 2023 local elections to support the personal costs of running their campaigns. They are also providing additional access funds for deaf and disabled women standing. If you are a woman actively seeking to address the needs of your community and are in the process of standing for the upcoming local elections, please consider applying. Under-represented groups, backgrounds and experiences include but are not limited to disabled women, women living on low or no income, women of colour, carers, and care leavers. But be quick, as applications close at midnight on 22 January 2023! More information and how to apply is available on the Elect Her website.
Thanks to kind donations from East Grinstead Memorial Estate and The Friends of Ashdown Forest a public access defibrillator has been installed at the Forest Centre car park. The defibrillator is registered with The Circuit, which maps defibrillators across the UK so in the event they are required they can be accessed quickly.
Lloyd Richards, Chair of East Grinstead Memorial Estate, said “We are delighted to help fund this vital piece of equipment”.
Pat Arnold, Chair of The Friends of Ashdown Forest, added that it was a “great reassurance to have a defibrillator available to visitors of the Forest.”
Winter Works:
This winter contractors have been commissioned to remove scrub and gorse in various locations across the Forest. The main areas include at Bunkers Hill, at the Crow and Gate area of King’s Standing, Hindleap, along the A275 near Reservoir car park, Vachery Drive and Greenwood Gate. This work is funded by the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
The contractors are very experienced and ecologically sensitive, making sure that during the works all measures will be taken to avoid any unnecessary wildlife disturbance.
For everyone’s health and safety, please follow any warning signs/instructions and keep dogs under close control whilst these works are being undertaken. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
Why are we removing scrub?
Scrub is very important habitat for birds and invertebrates, but unfortunately without appropriate management, it will invade the heathland having a detrimental effect leading to the complete loss of this open habitat.
What about the wildlife that use the scrub?
We are undertaking this works during the winter, so not to impact on any nesting birds. Despite a large amount of scrub being removed from this area, there is an abundance of suitable habitat for wildlife to take refuge nearby and in the surrounding heathland.
Grazing Enclosures:
The three Exmoor pony enclosures are next to the Old Airstrip just off Long Car Park, at Crown of Thorns near Reservoir car park and at Jumpers near Chuck Hatch Lane. They will be there until spring. Please keep dogs under close control in.
For more information about grazing and to see a map of all the current Forest grazing locations, visit https://ashdownforest.org/grazing/
Ashdown Forest Commoners Annual Meeting – 3rd March 2023, 7:30pm
The Ashdown Forest Commoners Annual Meeting will be held at Nutley Memorial Hall. This meeting is for Commoners of Ashdown Forest only. Please visit our website https://ashdownforest.org/forest-governance/ for information about the election of the Commoner Conservators.
Wednesday 15th February (morning) Outdoor Explorer (5 years and above)
Wednesday 15th February (afternoon) Charcoal Pencils and trees (7 years and above)
Sunday 19th February – Ashdown Forest Youth Volunteer Group
Monday 20th February – Ashdown Forest Mini-Explorers Toddler Group
Check our events page for details of more February Half-term activities.
Lead Warden – Kari Dunbar
Kari Dunbar has joined the Ashdown Forest Team as Lead Warden to deliver the SAMMS project. This is a new role funded by Wealden District Council through developer contributions, supporting the protection and enhancement of Ashdown Forest Special Protection Area (SPA), focusing particularly on protected ground nesting birds such as the Dartford Warblers and Nightjars. Kari’s role will involve working closely with visitors, raising awareness of these fascinating birds and promoting wildlife-friendly use of the forest whilst ensuring that the forest can be enjoyed by everyone, including the wildlife that calls it home, now and in the future. Kari is based in the Forest Centre but will be spending as much time as possible out and about getting to know the Forest and all the different groups who use it – please give her a wave and introduce yourself if you see her.
Car Park Refreshment Tenders – Closing Date 3rd February
We are once again looking to invite applications from individual ice cream concessions and mobile refreshment concessions (i.e. tea and coffee vans) for a period of one year, commencing 01 March 2023 and terminating 29 February 2024.
We particularly welcome applications from clean air/solar power and other zero-emissions vehicles with sustainable mobility credentials.
Closing date for applications – Friday 03 February 2023.
The Forest Office has relocated to the Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre will now be open daily from 10am until 4pm (on occasions it might be closed if there is a shortage of staff and no volunteer cover). If you have an appointment to see a member of staff, please report to the Visitor Centre on arrival.
Chief executive’s bulletin – NALC
Happy New Year!
As this is my first weekly bulletin of 2023, I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year. I also want to congratulate all those in local government recognised in the New Year Honours List. Among those who received an honour were Councillor Roger Atterwill from Swanton and Morley Parish Council in Norfolk, Cllr Brian Woodward from Maulden Parish Council in Bedfordshire, and Zulqarnain Aslam from Wellingborough Town Council in Northamptonshire – well done!
NALC chair’s open letter to all councillors
In case you missed it before Christmas, NALC’s chair, Cllr Keith Stevens, has penned an open letter to all councillors. He reflected on the year gone — the challenges we’ve faced as a sector and thanked local (parish and town) councils for continuing to step up. From our part in the COVID-19 response, showing our solidarity for Ukraine and our crucial role in supporting Operation London Bridge and subsequent local events after the news of the late Queen’s death, to helping our communities deal with the cost-of-living crisis and tackling the climate emergency. Keith also sets out his priorities for the year ahead and highlights the importance of working together and not in isolation to help build stronger communities.
Standards Matter conference — 3 March 2023
I’m delighted to kick the year off by announcing that our Standards Matter conference will take place on 3 March 2023 in London. This is an in-person event at the America Square Conference Centre in London, which you may recall was the original venue for the Empowering Communities event, which was held online due to train strikes. Our first in-person event since 2019 will focus on the never-more important issue of standards, including issues such as good governance, civility and respect, training and development, and continuous improvement. There will be opportunities to put your questions to our expert panellists and speakers, visit the sector-specific exhibition, network and share good practices, and participate in The Big Debate. Places are limited, so I would encourage you to book quickly to avoid missing out!
Upcoming online events
NALC’s regular monthly online events programme continues to be popular with dynamic, hard-hitting topics right up the street of local councils. We recently added three new online events: community engagement on 25 January, social isolation and loneliness on 22 February, and emergency planning on 29 March. Come to the January event to hear how to engage residents, which methods to use, and how to involve people in local council decisions. The February online event will show you how local councils can connect socially isolated people with practical and emotional community support. And the March online event will provide top tips on community resilience planning and what your local council can do to help. Find out more about these events and register your place.
Management Board away day
NALC’s Management Board met face-to-face with senior staff this week at the London office of our partner CCLA. This was the first informal meeting of 2023. We used the session to reflect on progress with delivering our vision and strategic aims, key issues and priorities over the next few years and several internal management issues, including the future of our London office.
Meeting dates for 2023
Staying on the subject of NALC meetings, our National Assembly agreed upon the calendar of meetings and events for 2023 in December which is now available to download on our website. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Farhana Miah at nalccommittees@nalc.gov.uk.
Fortnightly meeting with county officers
This week’s meeting between county officers and NALC covered many topics. These included relationships with principal councils, engagement with the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill and forthcoming legislation known as Martyn’s Law to ensure more robust protections against terrorism in public places. We also highlighted an invitation from the Local Government Association for applications to participate in the Innovation Zone at their annual conference in July.
Informal National Assembly meeting on the King’s Coronation
On 17 January, we are holding an informal online meeting of the National Assembly on the King’s Coronation. This meeting is open to anyone, and through the group discussion, we’re looking forward to hearing about experiences from councils of planning for this momentous occasion. We’ll also hear from Pageantmaster Bruno Peek CVO OBE OPR, one of Britain’s leading event organisers who masterminded some of this country’s most memorable celebrations, including spectacular events for The Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees. The meeting will take place from 18.00 – 19.00, and you can book a place here.
Local Council Award Scheme
Congratulations to the latest local councils for being accredited under the Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS). LCAS celebrates the best of local councils, helps them develop their potential, and recognises that they are well-run and meet the required standards. The latest councils accredited at the Quality Gold level are Haydon Wick Parish Council, Wiltshire, Hawthorn Parish Council, County Durham and Malton Town Council, North Yorkshire. The Quality level has been awarded to Tolleshunt D’Arcy Parish Council, Essex and Great Notley Parish Council, Essex. And at the Foundation level are Eynsham Parish Council, Oxfordshire, Meopham Parish Council, Kent, Selling Parish Council, Kent, Market Rasen Town Council, Lincolnshire and Little Waltham Parish Council, Essex. Well done to everyone involved! You can find out more about the scheme and how to apply on the NALC website.
New publication on digital mapping systems
Working with our colleagues at Parish Online, we have released a new publication on digital mapping systems for local councils. The management of local councils can often involve various geographic tasks, and this publication provides a checklist of the many things every local council should be able to do using the vast array of digital mapping data that is freely available. You can read more in our news story here.
Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill continues its passage through Parliament next week with its Second Reading in the House of Lords. Ahead of this debate, NALC’s president, Baroness Scott of Needham Market, hosted a well-attended Peers briefing this week where we could highlight NALC’s key issues, implications for local councils, and areas of concern. You can read more in our parliamentary briefing.
NALC National Network: LGBT+ councillors
Our online network series aims to connect local councils and councillors from across the country around shared interests and groups, engage groups around NALC’s work and campaigns, provide mutual support, and share learning and good practice. The NALC National Network: LGBT+ councillors get the year underway on 17 January – if you haven’t joined the network and would like to attend, you can sign up here.
And finally…
Throughout the year, you can stay up-to-date on all our work on your behalf via our websiteand social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube) and by subscribing to our mailing list to receive our newsletters and weekly bulletins. Please share this widely and encourage others, such as councillors, to follow us and subscribe too!
Reforms to National Planning Policy
GATCOM Weekly News Bulletin
Landslip at Lingfield
Network Rail and Southern Railway
Landslip at Lingfield
Dear stakeholder,
As you are likely to be aware, a landslip affecting an embankment near Lingfield has closed the railway line between East Grinstead and Hurst Green.
Engineers are working to repair the damaged section. This will require sheet piling and the installation of steel supports to stabilise the embankment.
A programme to repair and reopen the railway is currently in development, but at the time of writing we are expecting the line to remain closed until at least the start of next week. We are very sorry for the disruption this will cause.
For customers on the route, alternative arrangements are as follows:
Ticket acceptance on any alternative Southern route and on Thameslink services between Haywards Heath and London.
Metrobus services between East Grinstead and Three Bridges.
Southdown PSV Buses between East Grinstead and Oxted, and Oxted and Redhill.
East Grinstead car park tickets are accepted at Haywards Heath and Three Bridges station.
We are also seeking to run rail replacement buses between Oxted and East Grinstead. While we have booked as many as we can, the short notice nature means that availability is very limited, especially during peak hours when buses in the local area are used for school travel. We are therefore recommending that customers use alternative routes wherever possible.
Customers should check before they travel at National Rail Enquiries or with Southern. We are also posting the latest updates on this disruption on our Twitter feed, @NetworkRailSE. The latest thread which you may wish to share more widely is available here.
On behalf of all of us at Network Rail and Southern Railway, we are very sorry for the disruption this landslip will cause, and we’re doing everything we can to repair the railway and restore a normal train service.
The embankment at Lingfield is made of mixture of Weald Clay and other local soils, saturated after consecutive days of heavy rainfall and a very wet winter. The slip happened when the soil gave way along a 10 metre section of 7m high embankment. We will be in touch with you as soon as we can with details of the repair plan for the embankment and will also be writing to local residents near the work site to advise on any potential noise and disruption during the repairs.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
Agenda papers for the Policy Committee meeting on 24 January 2023 are now available — view the agenda.
International Women’s Day
Send us your videos for International Women’s Day
NALC will celebrate International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023, a global day celebrating women’s social, economic, cultural, and political achievements.
NALC would like to make a video to showcase women’s achievements in the local council sector to celebrate International Women’s Day and encourage more women to stand as councillors. We want as many women as possible from the sector to participate and send a video following the instructions below.
The video should be around 10 to 15 seconds long
Look at the camera and say:
Your name and your organisation (e.g. I’m Cllr Jane Doe of Example Town Council)
Share an achievement while being a councillor — this can be an achievement for women’s rights or something more general (e.g. as a councillor, I have helped set up food banks in my local council)
The video should be filmed in landscape (holding your phone sideways)
Record as many takes as you need
By showcasing women’s achievements in the local council sector, we hope to inspire more women to stand as councillors.
(Sent to the Town Council by Swim-1st Junior Triathlon Club)
In December 2021 we were awarded a Youth Sports Grant. I just wanted to give you an update and to say THANK YOU! – You pointed us in the direction of this grant and it has really delivered in taking sport to the children of the area.
In 2022, using our investment and the Youth Sports Grant we purchased 4 children’s road bikes, 4 turbo trainers and all the associated safety equipment. We developed sessions with our Junior Triathlon Club members which included safety procedures, risk assessments and of course different games and training exercises we can do with the equipment.
We then took the sessions into local schools. We have delivered to Forest Row Primary and Halsford Park Primary in 2022 which has seen over 250 pupils try out triathlon with many virtual miles cycled on the bikes!
We are determined to continue through this year with another taster session already booked in February and I am looking for other schools in the area.
Thank you so much for your support. It is appreciated by us, but most of all by all the amazing, smiling children who get the chance to try out the equipment.
Evolve Estates – Public Toilets Queens Walk
(Sent by Evolve Estates regarding the issues surrounding the public toilets)
There are severe drainage issues with the toilets that are leading to blockages and flooding which is also impacting on our service yard (Queens Road) that serves the commercial units along Queens Walk.
We are meeting on site on Friday to assess the situation again. I would in the short term agree with you to signpost to the library and I will come back to you with our findings once we’ve been to site and had time to discuss the solutions.
Southern Railway Commute More, Collect More Rewards
(Sent by Southern Railway to all major stakeholders)
I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year. As we enter 2023, we are putting into place some of our plans for encouraging rail travel. As a result, Southern is launching a new initiative rewarding passengers when they buy an Anytime or Season ticket.
Passengers have been steadily returning to the railway following the effects of the pandemic, with leisure travel in particular seeing strong passenger numbers.
Hybrid working is now a key feature changing how people travel to the office so at traditional peak commuting times, passenger numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. We’ve been looking at ways to support more regular peak time trips and to reward those who take them. That’s why we are trialling this new loyalty scheme at Southern where customers can, for the first time, earn points for each pound spent.
Commute more, collect more, with Southern Rewards allows customers to earn points when they spend on Anytime, Flexi Season and Season tickets bought directly at www.southernrailway.com and fulfilled using an eTicket or Key Smartcard.
Points can be used to claim rewards such as days out, meals out, cinema tickets and free coffees, and on signing up to the rewards programme customers will be entered into a prize draw with the potential to win even more.
The promotion runs from now up to 5 March 2023, and rewards can be claimed up until 2 April.
We’ll be promoting this trial online, at stations and through social media, supported by a PR campaign sharing some of the benefits of travelling to the office.
To share this information with your members or constituents this link provides the full details: www.southernrailway.com/rewards. We can also supply you with images to support. Please just ask if you would like any more details.
At a time when there are very clear challenges for the industry to work through – from the need for cost efficiencies to industrial action – we must still focus on welcoming people back to the railway and we’re pleased to be launching this loyalty scheme as part of that, for those who choose to travel with us.
East Grinstead-FP40aEG-Temporary Closure Notice
TRO Consultation – East Grinstead, Tanyard Ave Waiting Restrictions
West Sussex County Council proposes to make a permanent Traffic Regulation Order that will prohibit waiting at any time (introduce double yellow lines) on both sides of Tanyard Avenue in East Grinstead from its junction with Herontye Drive, northwards to a point immediately north of its junction with Oak Croft. The new lines will also extend a short distance along both sides of Oak Croft and along the western side of Herontye Drive either side of its junction with Tanyard Avenue.
In addition, it is proposed to install double yellow lines around the turning head at the western end of Tanyard Avenue. The Order also formalises existing double yellow lines at the junction of Herontye Drive with Glendyne Way.
Below is a link to the TRO Team’s consultation web page, containing plans showing the new restriction, the public notice, statement of reasons for proposing the Order, and the draft Order itself. I should be grateful if you could accept this message as the formal consultation on the proposed new Order. If you wish to make any comments or objections to the scheme, please make them to me by e-mail before 2 February 2023.
We would like to invite you to the EGBA’s Annual General Meeting at Chartham Park Golf & Country Club.
We shall be discussing all the achievements of the EGBA and the town in the past year and where we would like to go in the future. What opportunities there will be within the Town and what we can do as local businesses to encourage and support.
If there is anything that you wish to particularly discuss, please let us know in advance and we shall be very happy to add to the Agenda, as below:-
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. CEO’s Address
3. Treasurer’s Report
4. CEO Report
5. Greenaway Foundation Update
6. Re-election of Committee Members and
Election of New Members
The Councillors and Staff are invited to the grand opening on 26th January of Xcelerate Gym in Queens Walk.
Starting time: 5.30pm
Ribbon cutting: 6.30pm
Closing time: 10pm
Please so that Xcelerate can work out numbers, if you wish to go will you please let Kirstie Hamper know so that she can pass this on. The opening is on the 26th so if you can let Kirstie know by Monday 23rd at the latest, that would be helpful!
NALC Open Letter
(Sent by NALC to all Major Councils)
Local leadership through challenging times
Throughout what has undoubtedly been a challenging year, I have been struck by how the first tier of local government – England’s 10,000 local (parish and town) councils – has provided stability and support to our communities.
Over this period and indeed before then, you have helped keep our communities and the country running. This is why I want to use my open letter to thank you all for everything you have done and will continue to do.
Ensuring what you do is better understood and recognised is at the heart of my role as your chair. As I set in my first open letter in January 2022, my priorities have been to ensure local councils are recognised and respected as the first tier of local government, champion good governance in local councils and highlight their role and potential to the media, public and other national bodies. You can read more on how we’ve been doing that in NALC’s latest Annual Report.
A week is a long time in politics, as the saying goes. So much has happened in the last twelve months since being elected as NALC’s chair.
No one could have predicted the events that have unfolded, creating so much uncertainty and instability for us all. Learning to live with COVID-19. The war in Ukraine. Turmoil in our national politics. The sad death of Queen Elizabeth II. Rising costs of living. And the ever-present climate emergency.
Your leadership – whether in our neighbourhoods, villages, and towns in rural or urban areas – is helping us deal with these events.
Since stepping up as part of the COVID-19 response, I know many local councils have continued working with local partners to help those who need it. I have been pleased to see your essential role rightly recognised and praised by the government and others.
Your outpouring of support and solidarity for Ukraine reminded me how we must cherish and champion, and never take for granted, our freedom and democracy. At our special meeting about Ukraine earlier this year, some of you shared what you are doing to help, such as organising donations and supplies.
It was deeply saddening to hear the news of the late Queen’s death, and we conveyed our sincere condolences to the Royal Family. I am grateful to you all for your important role in Operation London Bridge and subsequent local events, once more stepping up and a reminder of the part you play in our national story. The King’s coronation will provide a much happier occasion on which we can bring people together.
Providing warm spaces, supporting the lonely or vulnerable, sharing information on available assistance and targeting your grant funding are just some ways local councils are helping our communities deal with the cost-of-living crisis.
Lastly, tackling the climate crisis is another big challenge that local councils are increasingly addressing. A growing number of councils have declared a climate emergency and are taking forward an action plan of projects and activities.
As I look ahead to what I sincerely hope will be a more stable, prosperous year, I will need your help to champion and drive change in our crucial part of local government.
I’m confident that more local councils will step up and be inspired by the examples of others to work together, not in isolation, and to use the resources available from NALC and county associations.
Doing so will ensure our sector remains current and relevant, especially to our residents. Of course, it remains vital that we all act as advocates for parish power and the good we can do, especially to Members of Parliament, principal authorities, and other agencies.
I am also clear that changing the culture and getting more people involved has never been more critical to improving civility and respect in our sector. I want to urge every council in the country – every councillor, every council officer – to be part of that change. To get involved in the Civility and Respect Project, sign the pledge, adopt the policies, attend training courses, and encourage your peers to follow.
Such support will send out a strong message and help evidence to the government that the standards regime must be strengthened, including sanctions for poor behaviour. Of course, you can also demonstrate your commitment to good governance through the Local Council Award Scheme.
If you have elections in May 2023, my plea to you is to redouble your efforts to get people to stand and promote the change local councils can make. Please ensure local elections are on the agenda for your council meetings, that you are budgeting for election costs, and that you plan to encourage people to stand. To help you, NALC has a wealth of resources on the Make A Change webpage, and county associations are also there to help.
Remember, you can stay up-to-date on many topics I have covered and more on our website and social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) and by subscribing to our mailing list to receive our newsletters and weekly bulletins. You can also connect with other councils and councillors through our national networks.
One final word of thanks. It never ceases to amaze me what our councils and sector can achieve when we work together. All of us – councils, councillors, clerks and council staff, NALC, county associations, the Society of Local Council Clerks. And our partners BHIB Councils Insurance, Blachere Illumination, Breakthrough Communications, CCLA, Utility Aid, WorkNest and many others.
Over the year ahead, let’s keep doing just that and coming together to help build stronger communities.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Ways to have a Healthy New You in 2023
(Excerpt taken from E-Mail sent to all subscribers of WSCC News)
Welcome to a brand new year in West Sussex!
In this special edition eNewsletter, we’ve gathered practical ways to help you get a healthy kick start to 2023.
With all the ongoing pressures around us, it’s never been more important to look after our physical and mental health.
Check out our five steps to new year physical and mental wellness – there are lots of free resources and local support available to help you, so please share with friends and family to help us look after each other.
Look after yourself
If you’d like to make positive changes to your physical health this year, check out West Sussex Wellbeing for help and information on a range of topics and to find out what support is available near you including:
Book a health MOT: If you’re aged 40 – 74 you could be eligible for a free NHS Health Check.
Want to cut down on your drinking? There are lots of tips and support on West Sussex Wellbeing. It’s also not too late to sign up to Dry January to give yourself an extra incentive.
Keeping physically active is important for our physical and mental wellbeing. It decreases the risk of getting heart disease, some types of cancer, depression, anxiety, dementia, and helps people to sleep and manage stress better and maintain a healthy weight.
Many of us lead busy lives, but just setting aside a small amount of time each week can make a difference.
And regardless of your age or ability, there is a type of physical activity to suit. For suggestions and local physical activity options, visit the West Sussex Wellbeing Getting More Active page.
Volunteering offers vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and the community, but the benefits can be even greater for you, the volunteer.
It can reduce stress, combat depression, keep you mentally stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. You can find more about volunteering opportunities on our website.
Why not take up a new hobby or class of something you enjoy or try something new such as joining a book club, sports team, walking group or choir. Find out more on our Find Your Nearest club or society webpage.
Take time out for you
Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing.
This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body, and the world around you. Some people call this awareness ‘mindfulness’.
Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges. Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
Other things you can do for yourself include:
Set aside time for yourself each day to do something you enjoy
Make a list of all the things that make you happy in everyday life to improve your mood and wellbeing
Try journaling to write down any worries or anxious thoughts and feelings
Consider taking a break from social media.
Reach out
If you are struggling with your mental health, there are a range of support services and organisations that can help.
The West Sussex Health & Wellbeing Board is working to improve the health and wellbeing of residents.
You are welcome to attend their meetings or watch them later online. The next meeting takes place on Thursday 26 January at 10.30am.
The agenda includes a public forum where residents of West Sussex can submit their questions to the Board prior to the meeting and be there to hear the response from members.
Those who are unable to attend, or who don’t wish to, can still submit questions to the Board and receive a response at a later date.
Questions for the Board can be submitted in advance by calling Democratic Services Officer Erica Keegan on 0330 222 6050 or by emailing erica.keegan@westsussex.gov.uk
Interchange news is about catalysing the integrated and intelligent transport infrastructure to deliver demonstrable social, economic and environmental benefits. It convenes and connects a progressive new community of infrastructure operators, designers, builders, place makers and technologists to improve places and deliver net zero.
