Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.
Council Tax Precept
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
