Grounds and Environment Committee

Minutes

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the GROUNDS AND ENVIRONMENT Committee held virtually on

28 April 2021 at 7.30pm.

Attendees: Cllrs Jane Baker, Kristian Berggreen, David Bunting, Leslie Campbell, Frances Gaudencio, Bill Hatton, Frank Rylance, Claire Tester and Ian Weir.

In attendance: Tracy Forte – Deputy Clerk, Ian Cumberworth – Parish Clerk, Cllr Bob Brewer.

GE20/79 APOLOGIES. Apologies were received from Cllr Alex Simmons and co-opted member Tony Copeland. Absent without apology – Cllr Kate Bailey.

GE20/80 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST. There were no declarations of interest.

GE20/81 MINUTES. It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Grounds & Environment meeting held on Thursday 11 March 2021, be signed by the Chair as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

GE20/82 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.  There were no members of the Public present.

GE20/83 OFFICER REPORT. Members noted the Officer’s report.  The Deputy Clerk updated Members on further anti-social behaviour in the park involving young people taking drugs before school.  Downlands School and the Police had been made aware of the matter and are working closely to address this.

Cllr Baker reported that she had visited the allotments recently to meet Tony Copeland from Hassocks Allotment Holders Association to discuss opening the allotments as part of the National Garden’s Open Gardens Scheme.  Cllr Baker noted that the allotment site and allotments were looking very well maintained and that the new plot markers had been installed and were excellent.

GE20/84 REWILDING A SECTION OF ADASTRA PARK.  This item required further clarification due to an inaccuracy in the report, the proposal was not to re-wild a section of the park, but to leave an area un-mown during May.  The Clerk reported that the matter had been initially raised at the recent Full Council meeting and was deferred to the G&E Committee to enable a full discussion to take place.  The proposals from HKD Transition were:

(i) For HPC to consider allocating a section of Adastra Park to be left unmown during May as part of ‘No Mow May’ which is a national campaign being organised by the charity ‘Plantlife.  At the end of May, HKD volunteers will complete a flower count and generate a nectar score.

(ii) For HPC to support the WSCC ‘community road verge’ project in Hassocks, with the verge north of Beaconhurst, Keymer Road, being a proposed pilot site for 2021.

Full details of both projects are included in a report received from Juliet Merrifield attached as Appendix 1

No Mow May.  Members fully supported this initiative. The grassed area north of the tennis courts in the North Field was considered as a possible site.  This area is managed by the Groundsman and is not gang mown.  It is an independent grassed area, bordered by the path and the tennis courts.  Therefore, operationally the area lends itself to be left unmown in preference to a designated section of the main field. Additionally there would be no impact on the football pitches which cover a large section of the North Field.

It was noted that there were two benches in the suggested area, and it was confirmed by the Clerk that a path would be mown to allow access to the benches and that the grass immediately around the benches would be cut.

GE20/84.1 It was RESOLVED that the area north of the tennis courts in the North Field would be left unmown during May in partnership with HKD volunteers, who will carry out a pollen count and generate a nectar score at the end of the month.

GE20/84.2 It was RESOLVED that the Hassocks Parish Council offered its full support to HKD in its involvement with the WSCC community road verges project and supports  the site proposal  for the 2021 pilot of the verge on Keymer Road, north of Beaconhurst.

GE20/85 VILLAGE SIGN.  Appendix 3 of the meeting agenda had set out a full report of the progression of the Village Sign project to date.  Members were invited to approve that Cllrs Barton and Bunting continue to progress the project by working with a local artist and blacksmith to present a final design and proposal for the Hassocks Sign within the previously agreed budget of £3000.  Including the most suitable option for the sign post and base.

It was confirmed that the location of the new sign would remain unchanged at the entrance to Adastra Park.  Members were appreciative of the effort to progress the project along and the aim to have the sign installed by the Summer. With this in mind, Members were requested to agree that the final design is presented to Full Council for approval, rather than requiring pre-approval by the G&E Committee in advance, to enable the installation of an approved sign by the Summer.

Cllr Frank Rylance raised a concern that the renovation of the gate at the entrance to the Garden of Remembrance appeared to have been overlooked again, despite his concerns being raised at a previous meeting.  It was confirmed by the Chair that this had been previously designated as an operational matter and the Clerk informed Cllr Rylance that the gate had been repainted.  Cllr Rylance noted that the gate latch remained broken and the Clerk confirmed that he would explore the possibility of a replacement or repair.

GE20/85.1 It was RESOLVED to APPROVE that Cllrs Barton and Bunting continue to progress the project, in consultation with the Clerk, by working with the local artist and blacksmith to present a final design and proposal for the Hassocks Sign within the previously agreed budget of £3000.  Including the most suitable option for the sign post and base.

GE20/85.2 It was AGREED that the final sign design is presented to Full Council for approval, rather than requiring pre-approval by the G&E Committee in advance, to enable the installation of an approved sign by the Summer.

Cllr Bob Brewer left the meeting.

GE20/86 MOBILE FOOD BUSINESS.  The Deputy Clerk informed Members that a request had been received from a local Ice Cream Van vendor who was just setting up a new business to trade in Adastra Park. At this stage, Members views were sought as to whether the Council would be minded to consider such a request in principle.  Members were informed that the operational matters for consideration included ensuring the necessary legal documentation and contractual obligations were set up and managed, ensuring a safe and accessible location for the van to trade from, the potential risk of further litter within the park, the level of charge to be applied and considering a policy to accommodate further applications if this initial request is approved. Members had mixed views regarding the matter, however it was noted that one outcome of the Adastra Park Masterplan consultation had been a request for a refreshments kiosk or outlet in the park.

A detailed discussion took place and it was agreed that the opportunity to trial a refreshments outlet in the park was welcomed, however it was felt that more consideration needed to be given as to the nature of the outlet and type of refreshments offered. Due to safety concerns around trading from the main car park and the potential of limited parking, it was agreed that the car park by the Pavilion might be a better option if members were minded to approve the request.

It was noted that a contract would need to be drawn up, and that the obligation to ensure that all litter is removed could be included as part of a contract.  Members recognised a level of complexity around permitting food vendors to trade from the Adastra Park.  Whilst there was some support for the idea in principle, it was agreed that further information was required around the legal obligations and necessary documentation and that further consideration needed to be given as to the most appropriate type of food outlet in the park.

GE20/86.1 Therefore it was AGREED that the Clerk and Deputy Clerk would be asked to explore the operational requirements in more detail and present a report to the Committee at the next meeting for a continued discussion.

GE20/87 ADASTRA PARK MASTERPLAN.  The Clerk updated the Committee on the following matter.

Garden of Remembrance.  The planned reseeding and topdressing of the grassed areas in the Garden has taken place and is being watered daily using a sprinkler.  The area is fenced for protection and once the grass has established the area should be much improved. The Clerk informed Members that the funding for this work had been met from a maintenance budget and not from the Adastra Park Masterplan Budget.

Cllr Frances Gaudencio noted that the Rain Garden has become quite untidy and appears in a poor condition.  Cllr Baker reported that she had inspected the Rain Garden with the Clerk earlier in the week and that a combination of a lack of rain and limited maintenance had resulted in this appearance.  However it was confirmed that once the Garden Volunteers are able to resume, maintenance would be undertaken and that some rainfall would also make a considerable difference to the condition of the plants.

GE20/88 FLOOD WORKING GROUP. Members were invited to approve the drafting of an article to publicise the work of the Flood Working Group and flood mitigation projects in Hassocks.

GE20/88.1. It was RESOLVED to approve the drafting of an article by Cllr Gaudencio and Cllr Tester to publicise the work of the Flood Working Group and flood mitigation projects in Hassocks in accordance with the Communications Policy.

GE 20/89 TALBOT FIELD.  The Clerk referred to a previous item which was reported at the G&E Meeting held on 22.10.20 regarding Poplar Trees in Talbot field.  The trees had been planted near the border of the field and the owners of a property adjacent to the border had raised concerns over the potential damage to their property by the roots from these trees.  Poplar Trees send out runners and following earlier concerns, a root barrier system was installed several years ago to mitigate this problem.  However it appears that this has not worked and roots have now been seen in the garden of the property mentioned.  The Clerk informed Members that as part of the recent tree safety survey, the Arboriculturalist assessed these trees and recommended their removal due to the potential issues that could be caused by allowing them to continue to grow and spread.   The Clerk had sought an indicative cost for the removal of the Poplars and informed Members that this would be in the region of £400 for removal and poisoning of the remaining trunk using an ecoplug system.

Members were therefore invited to consider whether to approve this course of action.

Members were reluctant to approve the removal of any trees, however it was noted that this was a very specific situation.  After a full discussion it was agreed that as the root barrier system had not achieved the desired results, further action was required to overcome this issue.  It was hoped that additional trees could be planted to offset the removal of the Poplars but it was agreed that careful consideration should be given to location and species, and that any further planting should be undertaken in consultation with the Woodland Flora and Fauna Group who manage Talbot Field on behalf of HPC.

GE 20/89.1 It was RESOLVED to approve the removal of the identified Poplar Trees at a cost in the region of £400 to be taken from the Talbot Field Tree Maintenance budget.

GE 20/90 PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY. (PROW) Cllr Ian Weir informed Members that following the proposed improvement plan presented by himself and Cllr Campbell, and agreed by the Committee, at the previous G&E meeting, a meeting was scheduled for 5 May 2021 with representatives from WSCC to discuss the proposals.

Cllr Hatton expressed his thanks to Cllrs Weir and Campbell for all of the work they were doing to improve Public Rights of Way in Hassocks and asked for this to be put on record.  This was echoed by the Committee.

Cllr Campbell also informed Members that he had been advised that improvements had taken place on the section of Footpath 27C which runs down from Pheasant Field, past Woodbine Cottage to the gate.  It was thought that the improvements had been carried out by the landowners and were much welcomed.

GE20/91 ANTI-LITTER CAMPAIGN.  Members were invited to note that in partnership with Hassocks Parish Council and Hassocks Community Organisation (HCO), Downlands School have organised an Anti-Litter Poster competition to discourage littering in the village.  The Deputy Clerk informed Members that one winning design was to be chosen from each year group and made into a large professionally produced poster for display in Adastra Park and at various points in the village.  Members were asked to consider three items.

1. i) Two Councillors were invited to be involved in judging the posters. Cllr Kristian Berggreen and Cllr David Bunting volunteered for these roles.
2. ii) Members were invited to consider a request to make a donation of up to £100 towards the production costs of the winning posters from the Greener Hassocks budget. The Committee were informed that HCO had agreed to contribute to part funding the project.

GE20/91.1 It was RESOLVED to approve a donation of up to £100 towards the costs of the production of the anti-litter posters, with the expenditure to be taken from the Greener Hassocks budget.

iii) Members were informed that outside of Adastra Park, other possible locations which had been identified for displaying posters were in the Bus Shelter at Spitalford Bridge, near Budgens and along Keymer Road close to the stretch of road between Keymer and Ditchling.  Members were invited to offer suggestions for any other locations.  The Cinder Track, Clayton Village Green and the Railway station were offered as possible locations.  It was noted that landowners would need to be approached for permission to display the posters.

It was also suggested that local traders could be asked if they would support the project by displaying laminated copies of the posters in their windows.

GE20/92 URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.  There were no urgent matters.

GE20/93 DATE OF NEXT MEETING.  To be confirmed.

There being no other business the meeting closed at 8.45pm

APPENDIX 1

Wildflowers for Pollinators in Hassocks

1. Background

Half of our 25 native bumblebee species are in decline as are 71% of our native butterfly species.  Worldwide insect populations have fallen by 50% since 1970.  Much of this decline is due to habitat loss: in the UK we have lost 7.5 m acres of nectar-rich hay meadows since 1930s.  Only 1% of our countryside now provides flowers for pollinators.

But our 15 million gardens and many miles of road verges could be a great resource for insects, providing food, shelter and nesting sites.  The two projects being developed in partnership by Hurst Rethink and HKD Transition aim to encourage local people to take pollinator action in Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint.

2. No Mow May campaign

Our lawns have the potential to be a major wildflower nectar source.  Nectar from common flowers like daisies, dandelions, buttercups and clover are important food sources for bees and other pollinators.  Insects in turn are food for creatures further up the food chain, so by encouraging those at the bottom, we benefit many more.

HKD Transition is taking part in the charity Plantlife’s national campaign No Mow May, which encourages people to leave their lawns unmowed (or some part of their lawn) for the month of May and to do a flower count at the end of the month to get a nectar score.  Our colleagues at Hurst Rethink have arranged with Plantlife to generate a nectar score for BN6 – the first time they have worked with communities like this.

Proposal to Hassocks Parish Council: to take part in No Mow May by leaving a small area of Adastra Park unmowed for the month of May, following which HKD volunteers can complete a flower count and generate a nectar score.  We can provide signs to tell people what is happening and publicity via local media.

3. Community road verges

There are nearly 313,500 miles of rural road in the UK with verges running most of their length, equivalent in area to our remaining lowland species-rich grassland and a nationally significant resource of increasing importance to UK wildlife. When managed well, road verges can be part of nature recovery networks that enhance and join up natural habitats.  But the majority of road verges are either cut too frequently, at the wrong time, cuttings are left in situ, thus inhibiting wildflower growth and increasing soil nutrient levels or they are abandoned to scrub (see Plantlife – Managing grassland road verges).

We could do much more to manage road verges to provide food, shelter and nesting sites for insects, while maintaining key safety features such as clear lines of visibility.  Many counties are now allowing wildflowers to bloom along roadsides, and West Sussex County Council is taking steps in that direction through their new ‘community road verges’ project. This is part of their Pollinator Action Plan managed by the Sustainability Team.

In this project WSCC works with a community group or parish council to agree specific road verges within the 30 mph speed limit.  WSCC contractors will not mow these road verges on the usual schedule this spring and we will survey between April and July to establish what is already present in the verges.  WSCC then mows in August and our volunteers rake up the cuttings, reducing soil fertility and enabling wildflowers to set seed and flourish.  The research this year will enable us to understand what pollinator-friendly species are present already, and how we can best support and extend these in the future.

HKD Transition’s proposal for the 2021 pilot is the wide verge on the north side of Keymer Rd opposite Beaconhurst.  We identified this site for several reasons: wide verges are best for pollinators, there are no front gardens or driveways so residents are not mowing verges themselves, and it’s a visible area where lots of people will see the results.  There will be publicity about what’s going on with this verge, so residents know it’s not neglected, including a letter to neighbours in the area. By starting small with just one road verge we can understand better what nectar-rich plants we have, identify any problems to be overcome, publicise widely so that residents are aware, and gather input to enable us to expand the project next year.

Proposal to Hassocks Parish Council to engage with the community road verge project and the review of the pilot site for 2021, with a view to developing the project in coming years.  Councillor Kirsty Lord supports the project and can facilitate with the WSCC team as needed.

Juliet Merrifield

On behalf of HKD Transition

Working with Hurst Rethink