Hassocks Parish Council

Agenda

A meeting of the Parish Council is being held on Tuesday 10 December 2024 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk 3 – December 2024

Members of the public are encouraged to come to the meetings and there is an opportunity for them to address the Council relating to the non-confidential items on the published agenda. A period of 15 minutes will be set aside in item 4 Public participation. It may be necessary to consider particular items in confidential session and where this arises, these items will be considered at the end of the agenda.

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 November 2024

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 November 2024.

5.2.     Policy Resources & Communications Committee – to note the minutes for the 26th November 2024.

6. FINANCE

6.1.      To approve the Financial Report and authorise the list of payments in the sum of £28,333.55 issued between 1 October 2024 and 31st October 2024. (Appendix 1). To view Appendix 1 please click here.

7. REPORTS

7.1.      West Sussex County Councillor

7.2.      Mid Sussex District Councillors Report

7.3.      Police Report

7.4.      Rail Matters

7.5.      Youth Initiatives

7.6.      Reports from Councillors on meetings with outside bodies where the Council is

Represented.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

8.1.      Current matters (oral report)

9. CLERK’S REPORT

9.1 BUDGET PROPOSAL 2025/26 – The attached report set out in (Appendix 2) details the draft budget proposal for 2025/26. To view Appendix 2 please click here.
To view Appendix A please click here.
To view Appendix B please click here.

Policy Resources & Communications Committee considered the original report in detail on 26th November 2024 (PRC24/61.1) and made the following recommendations:

PRC24/61.1 Members discussed the above options in detail and considered each option in turn and the impact it might have on the Council and the residents.

After careful consideration Members RESOLVED to RECOMMEND to Council that they consider option 2 to deliver a balanced budget. Therefore the proposed precept should be £339,677 for 2025/26.

Members were also requested to consider the proposal to allocate the following sums to Earmarked reserves (capital) to support the Councils priorities:

  1. Tennis courts – Additional £1,000 added to the residual balance remaining from the tennis project but post the release of retention £2,638, therefore creating an initial sinking fund of £3,638.
  2.  Hearing loop – £3,500 identified as part of the Business plan
  3. Speed Indicator device – £4,000
  4. Cinder path – PROW longer term project £3,000

 

PRC24/61.2 Members RESOLVED to RECOMMEND that the proposed £11,500 be allocated to Earmarked Reserves from General Reserves in this financial year (24/25)

The budget was considered by the Policy Resources & Communications Committee and has been updated to reflect their observations.

Members are therefore requested to consider the contents of the attached report and determine the level of budget/precept to be set for 2025/26. Based on the draft budget proposal recommended by Policy Resources & Communications Committee there preferred option was to deliver a balanced budget.

With the increase in property base over the last year this would equate to a 2.37% increase in precept raised, but a reduction in payment (£3.29 per annum) on Council tax paid on a band D equivalent property, based on an estimated Property Tax base of 4022 properties. This equates to a reduction in payment of 3.74% for the year.

Members are requested to consider the following options.

Option 1: if the Council were to retain the (2024/25) precept level for (2025/26 £331,927) due to the increase in property base of Band D equivalent properties (+ 242) the Band D precept would actually reduce by (£5.24) per annum and would return a deficit budget of (£7,750).

Option 2: If the Council wished to deliver a balanced budget for 2025/26 due to the increase in property base the total precept would equate to £339,577, therefore for a band D equivalent property the charge would be £84.43 which would still equate to a reduction of (£3.31) per annum based on the current charge (2024/25)

Option 3: To consider whether to increase Council tax, to raise additional funding to support the Councils long term projects.

9.2 Committee Membership – At the last Council meeting Members co-opted two new Councillors onto the Council, one being Cllr Maria Angelaki-King who is currently attending various Committees prior to finalising which Committees to join. The second Councillor co-opted was Cllr Don McBeth who has re-joined the Council after a short break. When Cllr McBeth was co-opted back onto the Council, Members approved his membership to re-join the Planning Committee.

(i) Cllr McBeth has subsequently expressed an interest in re-joining the Policy Resources & Communications Committee. Therefore Members are requested to consider Cllr McBeth’s request.

The Policy Resources & Communications Committee would currently benefit from additional Membership.

Member’s views are sought.

(ii) Cllr Maria Angelaki-King has also indicated that she would welcome the opportunity to join the Policy Resources and Communications Committee therefore Members are requested to consider Cllr Angelaki-Kings request.

Member’s views are sought.

9.3 Economic development.

In 2013 the Hassocks Traders Association (HTA) disbanded and the groups’ residual funds (£500) were passed over to the Parish Council in July of that year to act as custodian of these until an Association was reformed.

A number of attempts have been made over the years to re-establish a Traders Association group within the village but without success.

The Council has received a letter from Ron Batchelor (former President) one of the original members of the group (HTA) requesting that in light of a new group not forming, the Council should consider releasing these funds and pass them over to HCO in support of the Light up Hassocks Event or Age Concern.

It’s understood that the Council remain committed to trying to re-instate the Association, however up to this point this has not been realised.

Members should note that currently the Parish Council provides some funding by way of grant (£1500) to support the Light Up Hassocks event directly and funds the installation and running of the Christmas lights within the village.

The letter attached (Appendix 3) sets out the request and Members are asked to consider the contents and determine whether they wish to release the funds at this time or continue to retain the funds with a view to support the aspiration of re-establishing a traders group within the village at some future point. To view Appendix 3 please click here.

9.4.     Funding Contributions – This is to advise Members that letters/emails of thanks have been received from The Monday Group and The Woodland ,Flora and Fauna Group thanking the Council for its ongoing support towards the work of the group(s) being undertaken within the parish.

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

11. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the date of the next Council meeting is Tuesday 14th January 2025

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.

CONFIDENTIAL

12. Confidential Minutes

12.1    To accept the confidential minutes of the Parish Council meeting 12th November 2024

12.2    Recruitment  (Appendix 4)

12.3    Deputy Clerk

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.

Minutes

Draft Minutes of the Meeting of the Parish Council held on 10 December 2024

Attendees: Parish Councillors Frances Gaudencio (Chair), David Bunting, Peter Richardson, Paul Shepherd, Sue Hatton, Kristian Berggreen, Angus Neil and Don McBeth.

Clerk: Ian Cumberworth

MINUTES

PC24/100 APOLOGIES. Cllrs Bill Hatton, Ian Weir, Lesley Cruikshank-Robb, Maria Angelaki-King and Alex Simmons.

Absent without apologies

Cllr Kate Bailey and Robert Brewer

Visiting Members: WSCC Kirsty Lord

PC24/101 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. There were no disclosures of interest.

PC24/102 MINUTES. The minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 12th November 2024 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

PC24/103 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. No members of the public were present.

PC24/104 MINUTES.

PC24/104.1 Planning Committee – Members NOTED the minutes for the 18th November 2024.

PC24/104.2 Policy Resources & Communications Committee – Members NOTED the minutes for the meeting held on 26th November 2024.

PC24/105 FINANCE Members considered the finance reports and the supporting bank statements and reviewed the payment list for payments totalling £28,333.55 for the period ending 31st October 2024 as set out in Appendix 1.

PC24/105.1 Members APPROVED the payments list totalling £28,333.55 for the period 1st to 31st October 2024.

PC24/106 Reports

PC24/106.1 West Sussex County Councillor – no report submitted.

PC24/106.2 Mid Sussex District Councillor report. Cllr Hobbs submitted a written report which was read out by the Clerk:

‘Cllr Hobbs report stated ‘this week was the annual review of the AQMA (Air Quality Management Area) for Stonepound crossroads. Defra has confirmed that the AQMA can now be rescinded. This is great news.

Back in 2012 measurement of nitrogen dioxide was taken at one building, at Stonepound indicated high levels and a management plan was put in place by Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council. Measurement is taken from a number of points on the crossroads and a monthly tracker is created.

Since 2019, the measurements have fallen substantially below the level required to create an AQMA and, as there have been no exceedances for over 5 years the AQMA’s work is done.

Some key things have happened during the past twelve years, against a backdrop of increasing vehicle numbers:

a. Signposting about switching off your car

b. Investment in the crossroads and the technology managing traffic flow

c. Improvement in car technology, including stop-start vehicles and electronic vehicles

d. Increased bus usage (the 273 service now running 10 times a day) and new bus technologies

e. And coming soon – new compass east-west busses, and investment in hydrogen “zebra” busses.

The nitrogen dioxide will continue to be measured at the junction for any worsening of the situation.’

PC24/106.3 Police Report. – None

PC24/106.4 Rail matters. – None

PC24/106.5 Youth Initiatives – None

PC24/107 Report from Councillors on meetings of outside bodies where the Council is represented. Nothing to report.

PC24/108 CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT – nothing to report at this point on the agenda.

PC24/109 CLERK’S REPORT

PC24/109.1 Budget Proposal 2025/26

The Clerk introduced the paper set out in Appendix 2 of the agenda detailing a draft budget proposal for 2025/26 and the projected outturn for 2024/25 for Member’s consideration.  By way of introduction page 2 of the paper it sets out the considerations taken into account in determining the proposed budget.

Members were then taken through the paper in stages. On pages 4 and 5 of the report it set out a summary of the income and expenditure for 2024/25 (projected outturn) and the proposed budget for 2025/26.

The Clerk advised Members that as part of the budget setting process he had attempted to provide some narrative on some of the key variances in the budget (2024/25) on page 6 of the paper together with some options/initiatives for consideration for 2025/26.

The paper set out details of both revenue expenditure (day to day expenditure) and reserves used to support the Council’s priorities. (Capital).

The Clerk provided Members with an illustration of the budget position if the Council chose not to change the current level of precept £331,827 it would return a deficit budget of (£7,750) for 2025/26.

When Members of the Policy Resources & Communication Committee considered the budget/precept report in November the calculations were based on an estimated property base of 4,022 which was subsequently adjusted upwards to 4,028.6 properties.

Members were advised that as a result of this the overall increase in the property base for the year (248.6 properties) therefore if the precept were to remain unchanged due to the increase in the property base this would result in a decrease in payment for a band D equivalent property from £87.74 per annum to £82.37 per annum.

However if the Council chose to deliver a balanced budget as recommended by the Policy Resources & Communications Committee after factoring into consideration the increase in properties the precept for a band D property would be £84.29. This would still equate to a reduction of (£3.45) per annum payment for the year, but a 2.34% increase in overall precept raised.

Members were informed that If the Council wished to raise additional funds via precept to support future priorities, for every extra £1,000 raised via precept it would cost a band D property an additional 25 pence for the year.

To provide an illustration of the impact on precept across the bands the Clerk circulated updated papers reflecting the increased property base which replaced Appendix A and B which were initially published in the report. (see below).

Please click here to view Appendix A

Please click here to view Appendix B

Within the report a number of projects which had previously been supported by either Grounds & Environment Committee or Policy Resources & Communications Committee were set out on page 9 (5) seeking Members views. Members were advised that these could be financed from General Reserves in the current financial year, therefore not impacting on future precept requirements. Policy Resources & Communications have recommended that the Council supports this approach.

The Clerk advised Members that for the 2025/26 Salaries budget as the new post holders are not yet appointed, the salary scale point they are likely to be appointed on has been estimated for budgeting purposes.

The Clerk then invited questions from Members.

Members then discussed in detail the various proposals to setting the precept and sought clarification on a number of detailed elements of the report from the Clerk. Members were content with the explanations provided.

Members were then invited to consider three options:

1. Council retain current precept level £331,927 and return a deficit budget.

2. Ratify Policy Resources & Communications recommendation to deliver a balanced budget.

3. To consider increasing precept to deliver a surplus budget.

PC24/109.2 After careful considerations members RESOLVED to AGREE the Policy Resources & Communications recommendation to deliver a balanced budget. Therefore Members APPROVED a Precept for 2025/26 in the sum of £339,577.

Members then also requested to consider the proposal to allocate £11,500 from General Reserves in the current financial year to Earmarked Reserves to support future priorities of the Council.

Description Value transfer from General Reserves
Establishment of sinking fund for the tennis courts £1,000
Hearing enhancement system – Parish Centre £3,500
Speed Indicator Device £4,000
PROW 15C – Cinder path – long term project £3,000

 

PC24/109.3 Members RESOLVED to APPROVE the release of £11,500 from General Reserves in this financial year (24/25) and to allocate this sum to identified projects in Earmarked Reserves to support the priorities of the Council.

PC24/109.4 Committee Membership – Members considered requests from both Cllr McBeth and Cllr Angelaki-King to join the Policy Resources & Communications Committee.

Members RESOLVED to AGREE to appoint Cllr McBeth and Cllr Angelaki-King to the Policy Resources & Communications Committee.

PC24/109.5. Economic Development.  The Clerk advised Members that the Council had received a letter from a former president of the Hassocks Traders Association requesting that the Council consider releasing the residual funds held (£500) on behalf of the Association to another organisation, in light of the fact that it has not been possible to re-establish a new group over many years.

Members expressed the view that it was unclear if the ex-official of the group retained authority to make this request.

Members discussed the request and indicated that they remained committed to trying to re-establish a Traders association within the village.

Within the current Business Plan it states as one of the Parishes objectives is ‘to organise a business and traders Forum (25/26)’.

Members felt that at this time they would wish to continue to hold this money to continue to support their aspiration of re-establishing a traders group within the village.

Members therefore RESOLVED to decline the request to re-distribute these funds at this time and to utilise the fund to support the ongoing aspiration of re-establishing a traders group within the village.

PC24/109.6 Funding Contributions Members were requested to note that correspondence had been received from the Monday Group and the Woodland, Flora & Fauna group thanking the Council for its funding support this year.

NOTED.

PC24/110 URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR.  None.

PC24/111 DATE OF NEXT MEETING. Tuesday 14 January 2025.