Dear Councillor,
Members are summoned to attend the Meeting of the Council to be held on Thursday 25 September 2025 at 7.30pm in the Sayers Common Village Hall. Members of the public have a right to and are invited to attend the meeting.
Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council Friday 19 September 2025
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AGENDA
- Apologies for absence: To receive and accept apologies for absence.
2. Declarations of interest: To receive and record declarations of interest.
3. Minutes of the Previous Meeting of the Council: To receive and adopt the minutes of the 24 July 2025 Council Meeting.
4. Adjournment for Questions from the Public: To consider adjourning the meeting to receive questions from members of the public in accordance with Standing Orders.
5. Reports from Other Authorities: To receive reports from representatives of other authorities:
5.1 West Sussex County Council
5.2 Mid Sussex District Council
6. Committee Minutes: To receive and where appropriate, consider the recommendations of the:
6.1 Planning Committee (28 July 2025): There were no recommendations for Council.
6.2 Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (14 August 2025) There was one recommendation for Council:
F25/26.031: Review of 2024/25 External Audit Report: The Committee noted the External Auditor’s (Moore West Sussex) Certificate for the 31 March 2025 accounts and congratulated the Team on the result. A comment had been made in the covering letter to the Clerk, that the External Auditor felt the general reserves appeared to be held at a low level. The Committee noted that the Parish Council’s Reserves Policy states that a minimum of three months of net revenue expenditure would be held in the general reserve, and that this figure was in fact exceeded. The Practitioner’ Guide states that in practice any authority with income and expenditure in excess of £200,000 should plan towards the three months equivalent general reserve. The Internal Auditor had also commented in their report of 29 April 2025, that the Parish Council’s reserves are in the recommended range. The Committee agreed to recommend the External Audit report to Council for adoption, and it was:
RESOLVED: That the Committee NOTED External Auditor’s (Moore West Sussex) Certificate for the 31 March 2025 accounts and AGREED to recommend it to Council for adoption.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council AGREES and ADOPTS the External Auditor’s (Moore West Sussex) Certificate for the 31 March 2025 accounts.
6.3 Planning Committee (1 September 2025): There were no recommendations for Council.
6.4 Community Engagement Committee (11 September 2025) There was one recommendation for Council:
CE25/26.018: Review of the Media and Communications Policy: The Committee discussed the proposed Media and Communications Policy in detail, agreeing minor amendments to Appendix A. It was: RESOLVED: for the Assistant Clerk to incorporate the agreed amendments to Appendix A, and that Committee then recommends the revised policy for adoption by Council at a future meeting.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council AGREES and ADOPTS the revised Media and Communications Policy.
6.5 Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (18 September 2025) There were no recommendations for Council.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Council RECEIVES the minutes of the following Committees and AGREES the above recommendations:
- Planning Committee (28 July 2025)
- Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (14 August 2025)
- Planning Committee (1 September 2025)
- Community Engagement Committee (11 September 2025)
- Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (18 September 2025)
7. Casual Vacancy: Following the sad death of parish councillor David Evans on 3 September 2025, a ‘Notice of Vacancy’ dated 11 September is required to be displayed to allow ten or more residents to call for a by-election. If no election is called within 14 working days, then the Parish Council can fill the vacancy by co-option. The closing date for the by-election notice is 30 September 2025. Following the resignation of Helena Browne, there is also a second vacancy which will follow the same process. There is also currently a separate vacancy being advertised to be filled by co-option at the 23 October 2025 Council meeting. Subject to a by-election not being called, Members can consider filling the three posts by co-option on 23 October 2025.
8. To consider a Draft IT Policy: To consider a draft IT Policy for adoption, as required from April 2026 to comply with Assertion 10 (Digital and Data Compliance) of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR).
9. Internal Controls: To consider and adopt the findings from the September 2025 internal controls exercise.
10. New Street Trading Policy: To consider the draft Mid Sussex District Council Street Trading Policy and submit any comments by 29 September 2025.
11. Sayers Common Village Sign: To consider a briefing note setting out the consultation undertaken to reach a decision on whether to gild the village sign.
12. Reports from Representatives on Outside Bodies: To receive reports from representative on outside bodies.
13. To note any information items, correspondence received or requests.
13.1 MSDC Draft District Plan: To receive a verbal update on the Mid Sussex District Council draft District Plan.
13.2 MSDC Parking Strategy: To note the MSDC report submitted to Cabinet on 15 September 2025 and receive a verbal update on the parking charges to be introduced by Mid Sussex District Council.
13.3 WSCC Business Case for Devolution “Shaping West Sussex”: To note the business case prepared by West Sussex County Council for submission to Government by 26 September 2025.
13.4 Trustee Training: To note the Village Centre Trustee training course on Thursday 6 November 2025 from 6.30-8pm.
Protocol for filming and recording at public meetings: The Council has a protocol for public filming, recording and photography at its meetings, which is available on the Council’s website or on request at the Parish Office.