Category: News

• 270 East Grinstead Mon – Sat
• 271 Crawley – Haywards Heath Mon – Sat
• 281, 291 Crawley – East Grinstead Mon – Fri
• 601, 619 Storrington – Rydon School Schooldays only
• 684 East Grinstead – Crawley Schooldays only

West Sussex County Council are currently considering reducing or removing subsidy to these routes. They therefore need to hear your views if you are a user of the bus. To date the services that have been affected in phase one and two of the three phase review mostly centre around late evening, early morning or weekend services. The County Council is keen to ensure that the most used and necessary services remain funded and in place. The County Council are also keen to point out that even though they may remove subsidy this does not necessarily mean that services will be reduced as this is the decision of the bus operator.

If you have a view as to the services above you should tell West Sussex County County what you think. They are conducting surveys between 23rd November and 17th January. A web survey is available at www.westsussex.gov.uk/buses If you would like paper copies of the survey or alternative formats phone 01243 642105 or email buses@westsussex.gov.uk.

Further information on the routes affected by Phases 1 and 2 can be found at www.westsussex.gov.uk/buses

In preparation for the forth-coming winter the Town Council has purchased and installed 6 new grit bins; this bring the total number of bins around the town to 57. The new bins are located at:

• Kipling Way junction with Sheridan Place
• Oakhurst Gardens
• Browns Wood
• Elizabeth Crescent junction Greenestede Avenue
• The Dell
• Estcots Drive

It must be stressed that this grit is for use on the public highway and footpaths, should residents require to purchase salt or grit for their private use they should contact local builders merchants.

With weather forecasters predicting another cold winter, Mid Sussex District Council is encouraging residents to be prepared for snow and ice again this year.

The Government’s Chief Scientific Officer suggests that severe wintery weather is likely to become more common in the future and is advising residents to ‘Get Ready for Winter’. The Government has launched a new website www.direct.gov.uk/getreadyforwinter to provide practical advice about how to plan for winter and how residents can help themselves and the wider community when severe weather arrives.

The Government provides practical advice about clearing snow and ice from around properties such as:

• If possible, clear snow when it’s fresh as it’s easier to move
• Do not use hot water on snow or ice, as it can re-freeze making conditions more hazardous
• Apply salt sparingly – as little as a tablespoonful can treat as much as a square metre of ice
• Sand, grit or ash can be used but it will not melt snow or ice, it will simply provide more grip.

Residents may also wish to stock up with fuel oil as well as with non-perishable foods in case of emergency and it is wise to secure all loose objects outside the home and regularly check the roofing. When snow arrives, only travel by car when it is absolutely necessary but if the journey is unavoidable, then take warm clothes, food, boots, a torch and spade. Try to wait until the roads have been gritted before travelling and let someone know your route and when you’re expected to arrive.

In icy and snowy conditions, West Sussex County Council is the local authority responsible for gritting the roads and Mid Sussex District Council is working closely with the Town and Parish Councils to ensure the areas’ needs are recognised by the County Council. The District Council treats its key car parks and footpaths in highly used areas to make them as safe as possible for the community.

“When heavy snow falls it is inevitable that there will be some disruption, but as residents we can do our best to keep it to a minimum by being prepared and helping each other,” said Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community. “There is no law to stop us from clearing snow and ice from the pavement outside our property, pathways to our houses or other public spaces.

“As long as residents use common sense and are careful not to make the surface more dangerous than it was before then they are free and encouraged to help out. Clearing the snow at the front of your house may seem like a small step, but if we all do it then together we can quickly get our communities moving again after heavy snow.”

To find out more about being prepared and planning for emergencies, please visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/emergencies to read the Council’s ‘Guidance for Severe Weather’ and the ‘Emergency Plan’.

In the event of severe weather, Mid Sussex District Council will provide up to date messages on the www.midsussex.gov.uk website, or residents can visit the www.direct.gov.uk/getreadyforwinter pages for more information.

THE cost of staying in East Grinstead’s long-stay car parks will be reduced by Mid Sussex District Council on December Saturdays as a goodwill gesture in the run-up to Christmas.

The special tariff of £1 to park all day will be introduced on 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th December. Charges on other days will remain the same.

Special tariffs will also apply on the same days at the long-stay car parks in Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.

MID Sussex District Council is offering grant funding to local voluntary and community organisations which work to improve the lives of residents through sport, physical activities and cultural events.

With the London 2012 Olympic Games on the horizon, the District Council would like to give support to community projects which capture the spirit of the Games. If residents have ideas for exhibitions, performances, sporting or celebratory events, but lack the funding to complete the projects, they may apply for grant funding.

The Council hopes to create an Olympic Legacy by encouraging residents to come forward with inspirational projects which will be part of the community for many years to come.

The maximum grant award will be £500, however, most grants are expected to be in the region of £200-£300. The deadline for the acceptance of applications is Friday 25 November 2011 and all applications will be considered in January 2012. Applicants will need to demonstrate how their project meets Council priorities as well as detailing how their project will create an Olympic Legacy.

“The London 2012 Olympics is a wonderful opportunity for us to experience the Games on home soil and I am sure that there will not be many people who fail to be gripped by Olympic fever next summer,” said Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member Health and Community.

“The 2012 Olympics Games promises to be a truly memorable spectacle with inspirational images of cultural harmony and sporting achievement which will capture the imagination of the nation. It is so important that we harness that enthusiasm for sport and culture locally by giving our residents opportunities to participate themselves, not just during the Olympic Games, but for many years to come. I hope that by offering this funding many organisations will come forward with proposals for exciting new sporting and cultural projects which will benefit our residents and leave a lasting legacy of the Olympic Games.”

For further guidance on the application process, or to download an application form, please visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/grants. Alternatively, please call Lin Parkinson, Mid Sussex District Council Community Development Officer, on 01444 477495.

EAST Grinstead Town Council is making grants available up to the sum of £500 towards the cost of new initiatives to encourage participation in sport.

The Town Council hopes to encourage new opportunities for East Grinstead residents to try sporting activities which will improve the health of those who take part.

Application forms are available from the Town Council’s East Court offices, and should be returned there by 30 November.

• Applications are invited from bona fide registered club/organisations operating within East Grinstead, whose primary objective is sport and recreation.
• One application can be submitted to the maximum of £500
• Applicants will be expected to demonstrate that they can match the grant from their own resources or from other fundraising efforts.
• Applicants will need to show how the grant will be used to encourage participation in sport and how the success of their venture will be measured.

The Town Council is particularly keen to support sports initiatives which focus on junior participants and which are fully accessible to the disabled wherever possible.

Applications will be considered by the Finance and General Purposes committee in January.

MID Sussex District Council is making some changes to its collection of garden waste, to include an additional Saturday collection, in order to clear its waiting list, and accommodate the collection of up to 13,500 bins.

The changes will affect about 500 customers in the East Grinstead area and will be effective from Monday 28 November.

All affected customers will be informed, by letter, why the changes are being made, what their current collection day is, what their new collection day will be, and when their first collection on the new day will be.

A calendar with the new collection dates will also be included. All the relevant information will also be available on the MSDC website from 18 November. Customers currently on the waiting list (approximately 450) should have their garden bins delivered, weather permitting, by Christmas.

For further information please contact Joy Dyson on 01444 474706.

MID Sussex District Council is encouraging residents to visit organised fireworks displays this year because they are the safest way to celebrate the 5 November.

At organised displays, fireworks are handled by trained professionals and are kept at a safe distance from the crowd. They also help to minimise disruption for local residents because everybody is gathered in the same place, often away from built-up areas, instead of annoying their neighbours next door.

For some young children, older people and vulnerable members of the community, Bonfire Night can be an anxious time. The loud noises and explosions associated with back garden fireworks are closer to neighbouring properties and this can be unsettling, especially for those with pets, so Mid Sussex District Council is encouraging residents to attend an organised display instead and be considerate to others.

With 5 November coming up, bonfire and firework displays will soon be taking place all over the District. Organised firework displays are planned for Cuckfield and Lindfield on Saturday 5 November, as well as many other locations in and around Mid Sussex over the next few weeks.

In these tough economic times, organised displays also offer the best facilities and value for money. Organised displays are often free to attend or require just a small entrance fee, so they can work out far cheaper than buying fireworks for a personal display. Organised displays also produce a spectacular and often carefully choreographed show that would be impossible to create at home without significant financial outlay.

Mid Sussex District Council understands many residents will still want to set off their own fireworks and strongly recommends the advice on the safe handling of fireworks which has been given by the West Sussex Fire and Rescue service.

When using fireworks at home, residents are reminded to use the Fireworks Safety Code:

• Keep fireworks in a closed box and only take them out one at a time
• Follow the instructions on each firework and read them by torchlight – NEVER a naked flame
• Light at arm’s length, using a taper and stand well back
• Always supervise children around fireworks and never give sparklers to children under five
• Keep a bucket of water handy
• Never go near a firework that has been lit. Even if it hasn’t gone off it can still explode
• Used fireworks should be collected after the display with care. Douse with water, bury or place in a metal container
• Keep pets indoors

Sussex Police are also reminding local shops that it is an offence to sell fireworks to anyone under the age of 18 and that it is illegal for any person to throw, cast or fire any firework into any highway, street, thoroughfare or public place.

“The safest way to enjoy Bonfire Night is always to attend one of the big organised events,” said Councillor Christopher Snowling, Cabinet Member for Health and Community. “The shows can be spectacular and all the fireworks are handled by trained professionals.

“For those who choose to let off their own fireworks at home, it is important to remember that all fireworks are potentially very dangerous, if not handled properly. I hope that, by following the simple safety tips provided by West Sussex Fire and Rescue service, everybody will have a safe and enjoyable time this 5 November.”