Agenda and minutes

The Chairman noted the apologies of the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Boutrup and so appointed Councillor Dabell to be the Vice-Chairman with the agreement of the Committee for the duration of the meeting.

The Chairman welcomed Councillor Stockwell as the new Member to the Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Smith substituted for Councillor Ellis, Councillor Eggleston substituted for Councillor Sparasci, Councillor Hicks substituted for Councillor Dempsey and Councillor Peacock substituted for Councillor Boutrup.

Apologies were received from Councillors Boutrup, Dempsey, Edwards, Ellis and Sparasci.

Councillor Eggleston declared a personal interest in Item 7: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council (BHTC) and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council as he is the Leader of Burgess Hill Town Council.

Councillor Dabell declared a personal interest in Item 8: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for East Grinstead Town Council (EGTC) as he is a Member of East Grinstead Town Council.

Councillor Gibson declared a personal interest in Item 10: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Worth Parish Council (WPC) as he is a Member of Worth Parish Council.

Councillor Chapman declared a personal interest in Item 7: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council (BHTC) and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council as he is a Member of Burgess Hill Town Council.

Councillor Hicks declared a personal interest in Item 7: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council (BHTC) and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council as he is a Member of Burgess Hill Town Council.

Councillor Hussain declared a personal interest in Item 7: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council (BHTC) and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council as he is a Member of Burgess Hill Town Council.

Councillor Peacock declared a personal interest in Item 8: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for East Grinstead Town Council (EGTC) as he is the Leader of East Grinstead Town Council.

Councillor Sweatman declared a personal interest in Item 8: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for East Grinstead Town Council (EGTC) as he is a Member of East Grinstead Town Council.

Councillor Cartwright declared a personal interest in Item 7: Community Governance Review – Final Recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council (BHTC) and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council as he is a Member of Burgess Hill Town Council.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2022 were agreed as a correct record and electronically signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman had no urgent business.

Jon Bryant, Senior Licensing Officer, introduced the Statement of Gambling Policy, reminding the Committee that as part of section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005, there is a requirement of the Licensing Authority (Mid Sussex District Council) to prepare and publish a statement of its Licensing Policy every three years or as appropriate. The Statement of Gambling Policy was before the Committee as it was due for re-publication. The report seeks the views of the Committee on the content of the Draft ‘Gambling Act 2005 (Statement of Licensing Policy) 2023’ before it goes to public consultation in September 2022. It is proposed that following the consultation, and subject to any significant amendments, it will be reviewed by the Committee before it is formally adopted at Council.

The Senior Licensing Officer highlighted that as the Scrutiny meeting was delayed, the public consultation would begin on Thursday 29^th September 2022 for a six week period, not Monday 19^th September as originally noted in the report. He drew Members attention to page 10, paragraph 8 of the report, noting a white paper is due to be published, as a result of the Government reviewing the current Gambling Act. It was anticipated the publication would be delayed until October, and any legislative changes announced by the Government will be incorporated into the Mid Sussex District Council revised policy.

A Member asked in particular, regarding the sales of lottery tickets at multiple outlets across the District, how this is reconciled with protecting children as a key objective of this policy. The Senior Licensing Officer confirmed this was controlled and regulated by the Gambling Commission not Mid Sussex District Council.

A Member reiterated that Mid Sussex District Council was meeting its statutory obligations as a Local Authority and would like to move as recommended.

As there were no further questions, the Chairman took Members to the vote on the recommendation, this was proposed by Councillor Sweatman and seconded by Councillor Eggleston and was agreed unanimously with 14 in favour.

RESOLVED  

The Scrutiny Committee endorsed the Draft Statement of Licensing Policy for Gambling at Appendix 1 before it is issued for public consultation.

Terry Stanley, Business Unit Leader for Democratic Services, introduced the report. He presented the findings of the second public consultation specifically related to the earlier draft recommendations, and the resulting final recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council. He gave apologies for the typographical error at paragraph 35, which refers to two wards called Northern Arc East, the second of which should read Northern Arc West. He presented the final recommendations for Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council, explaining the Other Options and Risk Management Considerations. He concluded that Burgess Hill Town Council should incorporate two new Parish wards of the Northern Arc East and West to be named respectively as Bedelands and St. Pauls as requested by public responses and elected representatives. The recommendations are before the Committee for examination, ahead of being recommended to Council on 12 October.

A Member congratulated officers for their efficiency and diligence given the significant workload and carrying out such thorough Community Governance Reviews and was fully supportive of the recommendations given the growth and diversity of the Town. He emphasised Bedelands and St Pauls were key landmarks of the Town, hence the request to name the two new parish wards as such. He asked for clarity on approaching the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) to request a review of the County boundaries across the District, in particular Burgess Hill. Officers confirmed, a review of the boundaries would be for the County as a whole, not specifically Mid Sussex and that only when the boundaries become uneven would LGBCE be likely to undertake an Electoral Review of West Sussex County Council.

Members discussed the proposed names of the two new Parish wards, Bedelands and St Pauls in detail. Some Members felt it was more suitable to name the Parishes in line with the Homes England name changes to the housing developments. Councillor Pulfer proposed an amendment to the Town Council Ward names as follows:

‘The Ward names at paragraph 35 and paragraph 37 of the report be changed from Bedelands to Brookleigh East Ward and St Pauls to Brookleigh West Ward.’

This was seconded by Councillor Clarke. There was a discussion of the proposed amendment and some Members raised concerns the new names were not relevant to the areas they would represent and did not take into account the views of residents as part of the consultation.

The Chairman took Members to the vote on the amendment proposed by Councillor Pulfer, which was agreed with 7 in favour and 6 against and one abstention.

As there were no further questions from the Committee, the Chairman took Members to the vote on the recommendations as amended with 13 in favour and 1 abstention.

RESOLVED

The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking:

(i)            Noted the findings of the second public consultation.

(ii)           Provided advice upon, and further to that advice, accepted the principal electoral authority’s final recommendations for Burgess Hill Town Council subject to the amendment and Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council.

(iii)          Noted that in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Terry Stanley, Business Unit Leader for Democratic Services, introduced the report. He presented the findings of the second public consultation specifically related to the earlier draft recommendations, and the resulting final recommendations for East Grinstead Town Council. He gave apologies for the typographical error at paragraph 32, which does not portray the complete ward name of Herontye & Ashplats South as agreed at the last Scrutiny meeting, this has been amended online. In summary, the Town Wards of Ashplats North be retained as it is divided from Ashplats South by a county division boundary. The new Parish ward of Sackville be incorporated into Baldwins ward, and the Town North and Town South wards be retained.

A Member noted his disappointment at the lack of feedback from residents to the consultation. Another Member expressed the support of residents from local surgeries.

As there were no further questions, the Chairman took Members to the vote as set out in the recommendations, these were proposed by Councillor Sweatman and seconded by Councillor Dabell and agreed unanimously with 14 in favour.

RESOLVED

The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking:

(i)         Noted the findings of the second public consultation.

(ii)           Provided advice upon, and further to that advice, accepted the principal electoral authority’s final recommendations for East Grinstead Town Council.

(iii)          Noted that in the light of the consultation responses received through each stage of the Community Governance Review, the final recommendations shall proceed to Council for final decision on 12 October 2022.

Terry Stanley, Business Unit Leader for Democratic Services introduced the report. He presented the findings of the second consultation specifically related to the earlier draft recommendations, and the resulting final recommendations for Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common Parish Council. He drew Member’s attention to the update sheet which considers the Sayers Common Village Society (SCVS) submission to the second consultation.  In conclusion, officers recommend that the current governance arrangements should continue, and this authority will consider conducting a further CGR in 2029 to allow for the build out of permitted developments affecting Sayers Common and surrounding areas or earlier if developments are delivered earlier than would usually be expected. 

A Member expressed concerns that this particular consultation had suffered as a result of the pandemic as subsequent delays. He thanked officers for the comprehensive breakdown of responses. He noted accuracy of the budgetary estimates and the impact on the Hurstpierpoint residual budget with no staff transfers required.

As there were no further questions, the Chairman took Members to the vote as set out in the recommendations, these were agreed unanimously with 14 in favour.

RESOLVED

The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking:

(i)          Noted the findings of the second public consultation.

(ii)         Provided advice upon, and further to that advice, accepted the principal electoral authority’s final recommendations for Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council.

(iii)        Noted that in the light of the consultation responses received through each stage of the Community Governance Review, the final recommendations shall proceed to Council for final decision on 12 October 2022.

Terry Stanley, Business Unit Leader for Democratic Services, introduced the report. He presented the findings of the second consultation specifically related to the earlier draft recommendations, and the resulting final recommendations for Worth Parish Council. He concluded the current governance arrangements should continue comprising of two wards, Crawley Down and Copthorne and this authority consider conducting a fresh CGR in 2025 or 2029 dependent upon the build out of permitted developments affecting Copthorne West and surrounding areas.

Members discussed in detail the response rate from residents who petitioned for Crawley Down to leave Worth Parish Council and form a separate Crawley Down Village Council with a much higher response rate compared to other CGR’s in the area. In response to a Members concerns that residents would be disappointed with the outcome of the Committee, the Business Unit Leader for Democratic Services advised residents consider the final recommendations report and public / stakeholder responses in full. He reminded the Committee that one of the main concerns as a result of the public consultation was the issue of cost to form a separate Village Council, however, there is scope for resident to consider setting up a Community Forum following the decision on the final recommendations. It was further noted that even with these additional costs some residents in Crawley Down did want to proceed with a Crawley Down Parish Council but the view from Copthorne was that existing arrangements should continue.

Members thanked officers for their hard work in producing such a comprehensive report.

As there were no further questions the Chairman took Members to the vote as set out in the recommendations. These were agreed with 9 in favour, 3 against and 2 abstentions.

RESOLVED

The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking:

(i)            Noted the findings of the second public consultation.

(ii)           Provided advice upon, and further to that advice, accepted the principal electoral authority’s final recommendations for Worth Parish Council.

(iii)          Noted that in the light of the consultation responses received through each stage of the Community Governance Review, the final recommendations shall proceed to Council for final decision on 12 October 2022.

Tom Clark, Head of Regulatory Services, introduced the report which set out the schedule of business for the coming year. He noted the additional meeting on 16^th November 2022 and associated items and highlighted to Members the Equality and Diversity Scheme Progress Report originally listed for the March 2023 meeting had moved Portfolios and would be presented at the Scrutiny Committee for Leader, Deputy Leader and Housing and Customer Service instead.

The Chairman noted that no Member wished to speak so moved the vote to note the report which agreed unanimously.

  RESOLVED

The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Leisure and Parking noted the Committee’s Work Programme for 2022/23.

None.