Hassocks Parish Council

Agenda

A meeting of the Parish Council is being held on Tuesday 9 January 2024 at 7.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk 2nd January 2024

AGENDA

1. APOLOGIES

To accept Apologies for absence

2. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

2.1 To deal with any disclosure by Members of any disclosable pecuniary interests and interests other than pecuniary interests, as defined under Hassocks Parish Council’s Code of Conduct and the Localism Act 2011, in relation to matters on the agenda.

3. MINUTES

3.1. To accept the minutes of the Parish Council meeting 12th December 2023

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Up to fifteen minutes will be available to allow for the public to make representations, answer questions or give evidence in respect of any items of business included in the agenda, in accordance with Standing Orders.

5. TO ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING MINUTES

5.1       Planning Committee – to note the minutes for the 18th December 2023

6. FINANCE

6.1       To approve the Financial Report and authorise the list of payments in the sum of £32,460.73 issued between 1 November 2023 and 30th November 2023. (Appendix 1). To view Appendix 1 please click here.

7. CO-OPTING ONTO THE COUNCIL. The Council currently has one vacancy and is now able to consider co-opting a suitable person onto the Council. The vacancy was advertised and attracted one resident who completed the application process to join the Council. The resident meets the requirements to become a Councillor therefore Members are invited to consider the interested party’s representation and invite them to join the Council at this time. The Council should RESOLVE to co-opt that person onto the Council.    

8. REPORTS

8.1.      West Sussex County Councillor

8.2.      Mid Sussex District Councillors Report

8.3       Police Report

8.4.      Rail Matters

8.5.      Youth Initiatives

8.6.      Reports from Councillors on meetings outside bodies where the Council

Is represented.

9. HAIRMAN’S REPORT

9.1       Current matters (oral report).

10. CLERK’S REPORT

10.1 Draft terms of Reference of Grounds & Environment Committee working Group on 20 mph speed limits. (Appendix 2).

Members are requested to consider and approve the proposed terms of reference for the working group set up by Grounds & Environment Committee to consider 20mph speed zones within the parish.

10.2 Hassocks Post Office

Cllr Gaudencio raised this matter for discussion at a future meeting under urgent matters at the Council meeting on 12th December 2023.

11. URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the date of the next Council meeting is Tuesday 13th February 2024.

EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

In view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted Councillors will be referred to the Confidential Agenda. If any members of the public or press are in attendance they will be requested to withdraw from the meeting in the public interest.

13. Confidential Minutes

To accept the confidential minutes of the Parish Council meeting 12th December 2023

FILMING, RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

During this meeting members of the public may film or record the Committee and officers from the public area only providing it does not disrupt the meeting. The Confidential section of the meeting may not be filmed or recorded. If a member of the public objects to being recorded, the person(s) filming must stop doing so until that member of the public has finished speaking. The use of social media is permitted but members of the public are requested to switch their mobile devices to silent for the duration of the meeting.

Appendix 2

Draft Terms of Reference for Grounds and Environment Working Group on 20mph Speed Limits

Purpose of Group
To draft a report for approval by the G&E Committee for the submission to WSCC for the implementation of 20mph Speed Limits in identified roads in Hassocks.  This includes setting out details of where 20mph speed limits should start and end, as well as evidence of community support for any proposal.

Membership of Group
Council members and co-opted members from Hassocks Community Organisation.

Tasks
Including, but not limited to:

  • To establish the criteria required for a road to be considered suitable for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit and the required application process and how long this is likely to take.
  • Identify potential roads that meet this criteria.
  • Establish and collate relevant evidence that can be submitted to support this criteria.
  • Prioritise roads that members believe have the strongest potential of successful implementation of a 20mph speed limit and set out the case accordingly.
  • To seek the support of the West Sussex County Councillor.
  • To consider and review how to effectively seek the views of the community and the level of community engagement required.
  • To formulate and manage a community consultation on the implementation of 20mph Speed Limits in Hassocks.
  • To review and collate evidence in order to prepare a submission to WSCC.

Reporting and Timescales
The group will report its findings back to the Grounds and Environment Committee for information/approval periodically to G&E meeting unless otherwise agreed by that Committee.

Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 9th January 2024 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks

Attendees: Parish Councillors Frances Gaudencio (Chair), Sue Hatton, Bill Hatton, Carolyn Barton,  Angus Neil, Don McBeth, Robert Brewer, Paul Shepherd, Peter Richardson, Kristian Berggreen,
Kate Bailey.

Co- opted onto Council item 7 – Cllr Lesley Cruickshank-Robb

Visiting members: MSDC – Chris Hobbs

Parish Clerk: Ian Cumberworth

MINUTES

PC23/108     APOLOGIES   Cllr Ian Weir, Cllr David Bunting and Cllr Alex Simmons

WSCC Councillor Kirsty Lord

PC23/109     DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

Disclosure by Councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, and whether the Councillor regards their interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct. – None

PC23/110     MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on the 12th December 2023 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

PC23/111     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

No members of the public were present.

PC23/112     MINUTES

112.1     Members noted the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting on the 18th December 2023.

PC23/113        FINANCE

113.1 Members considered the finance reports and the supporting bank statements and reviewed the following payment list for the period 1st November – 30th November 2023 and APPROVED in the sum of £32,460.73.

PC23/114     Co- opting onto the Council

114.1  Members were informed that the Council currently had a vacancy that had been advertised where the Council received one expression of interest from Lesley Cruickshank-Robb who was present and Members were requested to consider co-opting Lesley onto the Council.

Members then invited Lesley to briefly indicate why she wished to become a Councillor and any particular interests that she had and members were invited to ask any questions.

114.2  Members were then invited to Co-opt Lesley onto the Council. Members RESOLVED to APPROVE the Co-option of Lesley Cruickshank–Robb onto the Council.

Cllr Cruickshank-Robb then signed the Declaration of acceptance in the presence of the Responsible Officer.

Members were advised that Cllr Cruickshank-Robb proposes to attend a number of different Committee meetings before determining those that she would like to sit on.

Members were advised that an induction pack will also be sent out once a parish email account has been set up.

Members welcomed Lesley to the Council.

PC23/115   Reports

115.1    County Councillors reports: – Cllr Lord had submitted her apologies but had provided a report to the Clerk to read out.

Highways – There are currently problems at the foot of Clayton Hill caused by the heavy rain last Thursday night (collapsed drain).It’s understood the road should be fixed within five days though this is a live issue. The permanent repair will be later, given the complexities of the drainage underneath the road.

Flooding – It’s understood from residents that despite the heavy rain, the drains on the corner of Parklands Copse and Keymer Road coped fairly well as they had been cleared a few days earlier. It’s been agreed that if residents call in any blockages at these locations they will be treated as a priority.

Cllr Lord confirmed she will also be taking up the issue regarding flooding in Grand Avenue which had been raised by Cllr McBeth.

PROW The issue of the temporary closure of the footpath next to Ockley Park by Taylor Wimpey shortly before Christmas was raised with the WSCC Rights of Way officer. They have spoken to Taylor Wimpey as they did not apply for permission to do this and so it was unlawful and county reminded them they need to apply for permission before any closures however long.

Drainage Cllr Lord met with a residents on Mackie Avenue about drainage issues in December alongside WSCC officers and there is likely an Operation Watershed application to come which we would appreciate parish support for.

Gritting route – Given the cold weather, Cllr Lord wished to remind members that WSCC gritting route only covers main routes – within Hassocks this is Hurst Rd, London Rd, Brighton Rd, Keymer Rd, Dale Avenue, Grand Avenue, Lodge Lane and Ockley Lane.

115.2      District Councillor Report Cllr Chris Hobbs informed Members that the new Green Spaces contract commenced 2nd January 2024. The contract has consolidated a wide range of different services (approx. 17) into one contract and will be output focused.

The contract will be for a 10 year term with a 5 year break clause. Additional support has been brought in by MSDC to oversee the initial roll out of the contract (client side) due to the short lead in time for the contract to become fully operational. The successful contractor Glendale will take over some of the previous contractor’s staff who will transfer across under TUPE.

The successful contractor already operates a number of large contracts in the area including ESCC and Gatwick airport.

Clare Hall (Haywards Heath) a number of expressions of interest to run Clare Hall have been received from various community groups and will be subject to detailed evaluation to assess the best delivery model.

Reports will then be considered by a Cabinet Steering Committee prior to going forward to Cabinet in due course.

District Plan Regulation 19 consultation will commence later this month for 6 weeks.  Although the consultation will be run by MSDC this is done so on behalf of the Planning Inspector.

115.3     Police Report – nothing to report

115.4     Rail Matters – nothing to report

115.5     Youth Initiatives – Clerk undertook to contact HCO in the near future to recover the unused funds granted to support youth initiatives.

115.6     Report from Councillors on meetings of outside bodies where the Council is represented – None.

PC23/116    CHAIRMANS REPORT – Cllr Gaudencio advised Members that Chairs’ meetings of the respective Committees are now being held regularly to improve communication and co-ordination. Members were encouraged to raise issues with the respective Chairs if they wished to have anything considered at this forum or future items to be considered on agendas.

The respective Chairs are Cllr Weir (Chair of Council) Cllr Gaudencio (Vice Chair of Council) Cllr Bunting (Grounds & Environment Committee) Cllr Barton (Policy Resources & Communications & Neighbourhood Plan) and Cllr Berggreen (Planning).

PC23/117     CLERK’S REPORT

117.1     Terms of Reference of Speed Limit Working group – members were invited to approve the proposed terms of reference for the group. Members RESOLVED to AGREE the proposed terms of reference set out in Appendix 2.

Members expressed the view that once it became clearer what the process was to enable speed limits to be reviewed it would be helpful for the group to establish some timelines so that any progress can be monitored.

117.2   Post Office – Members discussed the current provision of service within Morrisons compared to the previous arrangements in McColls. Varying views were expressed by Members as to whether any representations should be made to Morrisons at this stage. The consensus was not to do so at present but this may be re-visited later in the year.

PC23/118     URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN

The Clerk requested Members to note that a letter of thanks had been received from
St John’s Ambulance for the grant recently received from the Parish Council.

PC23/119     DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the date of the next Parish Council meeting is Tuesday 13th February 2024 at 7.30pm.

CONFIDENTIAL

PC23/120     Minutes

The confidential minutes of the meeting held on the 12th December 2023 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting