Agenda and minutes

Venue: TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH, EAST GRINSTEAD, RH19 2HA

Contact: Email: committees@midsussex.gov.uk 

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Opening Prayer.

Minutes:

The opening prayer was read by the Vice-Chairman.

2.

To receive questions from members of the public pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 9.

Minutes:

None.

3.

To confirm Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 2 March 2022. pdf icon PDF 408 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting of Council held on 2 March 2022 were agreed as a correct record of the meeting.

4.

To receive Declarations of Interest from Members in respect of any matter on the Agenda.

Minutes:

With regards to item 8, Standards Committee Annual Report, Councillor Bradbury declared an interest as Chairman of the Standards Committee at West Sussex County Council and Councillor Gibson declared an interest as a Member of the West Sussex County Council Standards Committee. Councillor Gibson also declared a personal interest that becomes prejudicial regarding this item and will retire both from the room for the duration of discussion and voting on it.

 

Councillor Hillier declared that he is a West Sussex County Councillor in relation to items covered in his Cabinet Member report. 

5.

To consider any items that the Chairman of the Council agrees to take as urgent business.

Minutes:

None.

6.

Chairman's Announcements.

Minutes:

The Chairman noted the attendance of the Vice Chairman at a recent tree planting as part of the Council’s involvement in the Platinum Jubilee Queens Green Canopy initiative. She also noted that future Chairman’s engagements are available to view on the Council’s website.

7.

Recommendations from Cabinet held on 21 March 2022. pdf icon PDF 267 KB

Minutes:

The Leader moved the item, highlighting a £1.138m increase in the Capital Programme as a result of the inclusion of four projects. This included a new Changes Places toilet at the Orchards Shopping Centre, including the addition of new male and female toilets replacing the facilities that are currently in place. He also highlighted the proposed Hickman’s Lane Pavilion improvements, which were subject to attaining planning permission. The item was seconded by the Deputy Leader who noted that this would result in tangible improvements to impact a high percentage of the local community, with projects spread across the towns.

 

The Leader agreed to provide a written answer to Councillor Eves who asked if the Council expressed an interest in the Government funding for Changing Places Toilets Programme in July 2021, and if not, why not. He noted that the current project was Council funded, delivering a project for its towns.

 

In response to a question over the Hill Place SANG funding, the Leader confirmed that the Council is forward funding the project but it would be recovered from developers as the use of the SANG is required to mitigate the impact of planning permissions on the Ashdown Forest.

 

The Chairman took Members to a vote on the recommendations as contained in the report which was unanimously approved.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Council approved:

             

(i)  the variations to the Capital Programme 2022/23 contained in paragraph 3 above in accordance with the Council’s Financial Procedure rule B3.

 

Councillor Gibson left the meeting at 7.11pm

8.

Standards Committee Annual Report 2021. pdf icon PDF 15 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Clarke moved the item noting that the most significant item of work during the year was the consideration and recommendation to adopt the LGA Code of Conduct so that Town, Parish and District Council’s in the area follow the same code. He thanked the Committee and Independent Members for their work throughout the year and thanked the Solicitor to the Council for his guidance. The item was seconded by Councillor Smith. The Solicitor to the Council clarified that West Sussex County Council are planning to adopt the same Code.

 

The Chairman took Members to the recommendation as contained in the report which was agreed.

 

RESOLVED

 

Council noted the report.

 

Councillor Gibson returned to the meeting at 7.15pm

9.

Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy 2022/23 to 2024/25. pdf icon PDF 907 KB

Minutes:

Councillor Pulfer moved the item noting that the recommendations had been debated at the recent Audit Committee. This was reiterated by Councillor Stockwell who seconded the item.

 

The Chairman took Members to the recommendations as contained in the report which were agreed unanimously.

 

RESOLVED

 

Council agreed:

 

(i)         The proposed Treasury Management Strategy Statement (TMSS) for 2022/23 and the following two years,

(ii)        the Annual Investment Strategy (AIS) and the Minimum Revenue Provision Statement (MRP) as contained in Sections 4 and 2.3 respectively of the report;

(iii)       the proposed amendments to the specified and non-specified investment appendices;

(iv)       the Prudential Indicators contained within this report.

10.

Programme of Meetings 2022/23. pdf icon PDF 114 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Webster moved the item which reflects the current arrangements for in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings. He noted that to safeguard Council employees (Members included) the Council carries out a regular risk assessment in relation to holding public meetings to reflect health and safety regulations, Government guidance and regulations regarding living with Covid. As the year progresses, the programme timings and locations will be considered in the same as way as it has over the past year. The item was seconded by the Leader.

 

The Chairman took Members to the recommendations as contained in the report which were agreed unanimously.

 

RESOLVED

 

Council agreed:

 

That the Programme (attached to the report as Appendix 1) be approved.

11.

To receive the Leader's Report.

Minutes:

The Leader has shared with Members the letter he wrote to the Secretary of State with regards to the District Plan Review. The Leader welcomed the lobbying work undertaken by local Members of Parliament and noted that once a response has been received from the Secretary of State, the Council will be able to carefully consider the next steps of the work. In the meantime, Officers from the Planning Policy Team continue to work on the District Plan Review as they do on a routine basis for all reviews.

 

Regarding the war in Ukraine, he confirmed that the Government has now launched the local sponsorship scheme as a second route alongside the family sponsor scheme to assist refugees. There is a coordinated response across West Sussex in delivering this initiative to support the families who have volunteered to help. In response to a question on any obstacles preventing families taking in refugees, particularly available school places, he noted that the Government has put in place a financial support package to fund the additional needs from local services.

 

 

12.

Report of Cabinet Members, including questions pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 10.1.

Minutes:

Deputy Leader

           

The Deputy Leader noted recent Cabinet consideration of a feasibility study on the Centre for Outdoor Sports, and the next steps involved. He has contacted a number of Burgess Hill sports clubs, ten of which have so far shown an interest and as an action plan for community engagement is developed, he looks forward to getting back to them to consider their needs. He also noted that the Centre will not be appropriate for all sport and therefore more work is taking place as part of the Playing Pitch Strategy to understand clubs’ needs over the next 10 years. Members expressed a wish for a variety of sports to be considered, including a hard surface running track, an artificial pitch in Crawley Down, improvements to pitches in Hurstpierpoint and athletics provision. The Deputy Leader noted that consultation will include a wide variety of groups and the Council will work to assist wherever possible.

 

The Deputy Leader also noted that submissions had been made to maintain the Green Flags in three parks in the District, with East Court being ‘mystery shopped’ this year.

 

He also provided an update on the food waste pilot which is on track with the actions and comms plan being finalised. The trial will commence late summer and communications will be issued to those residents involved 6-8 weeks before the trial begins. He confirmed that West Sussex County Council (WSCC) is the disposing authority and it is anticipated that the waste will go to Basingstoke whilst WSCC develop their own facility in West Sussex.

 

Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero

 

The Cabinet Member noted that the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging points has begun in some car parks and first connections should go live during May this year, details of which will be shared in the Member Information Bulletin. He noted that by partnering with WSCC the Council is part of one of the largest local Government roll-outs in the UK and senior officers involved are involved with advisory work at a national level.  It is also hopeful that schemes may be well-placed to attract support from the £500m fund that the Secretary of State wrote to all councils about on the 25th March. The Cabinet Member noted that WSCC are leading on work to support SMEs with guidance around the carbon agenda and in particular with how to measure their carbon footprint baselines. A local company, Adelphi, are a leader in manufacturing in the most environmentally friendly way and are supporting this work. This activity will be of great help in beginning to achieve some of the targets in the Sustainable Economic Strategy.

 

In relation to the Council’s work on Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) the Cabinet Member attended the first meeting of the Haywards Heath LCWIP and a forthcoming consultants’ report will establish a list of projects that will be prioritised in terms of impact to offer the most potential and benefit to residents.  A workshop will be arranged  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Questions from Members pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 10.2.

Minutes:

1) Question from Councillor Samantha Smith:

 

There has been much speculation in Burgess Hill as to New River’s intentions for the town centre and concern that only the residential aspects of the planning permission would be built, which would be unacceptable to me and the residents of Burgess Hill.

Could the Leader of the Council please explain whether it would be the case that New River could build a residential-only development and outline any safeguards the council has in place.

 

Response from Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards

 

Thank you for the question.

 

I can reassure you and Burgess Hill residents that the Council has safeguards in place to protect the delivery of the commercial aspects of the scheme therefore eliminating any opportunity for the developer to build only the residential elements.

 

The Planning Permission includes a condition which requires an implementation programme for the whole development to be submitted and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to any work commencing on the site. The condition then requires that the development must be carried out in accordance with this approved programme.

 

In addition the Council has safeguards in place in its position as the Freeholder as the current lease would not allow a residential only scheme to be built.

 

The Council continues to encourage New River to explore all opportunities to deliver on their planning permission and deliver on the promises they have made to the people of Burgess Hill.

 

Councillor Smith asked a supplementary question noting that the town centre has been a mass of decaying concrete, unsightly fencing, and hording. She asked if the area could be improved even just temporarily with an urban pocket park noting that this would not only bring in colour with grass instead of concrete, planting and also benches. It would improve this part of the town centre and inject a feeling of social improvement and wellbeing

 

The Leader noted that whilst everyone wants to see New River deliver the redevelopment of the area, there is a need to improve the appeal and usability of the old library area in the short term. He noted that pocket parks are small urban parks providing access to green space and improved public realm in the heart of towns and are sensible way forward and provided an undertaking that the Council will explore that further.

 

 

2) Question from Councillor Paul Brown:

 

Given that Scrutiny Committee for Housing Planning?& Economic Growth meeting on 19th January 2022, agreed to set up a working group to examine the Draft District Plan 2021-2038 and the plan has been paused, would the Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee agree that Terms of Reference should be prepared and that this working group should be formed without further delay with the express objective of?firstly?scrutinizing? the amended policy sections of the Draft District Plan??

 

Would not progressing the scrutiny of policy amendments in the Draft District Plan be a sensible approach, avoiding further delay, whist this Council wait for?housing?numbers?to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.