Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Thursday 26 September 2024 at 7.30 pm at Sayers Common Village Hall.

Members Present:

Also Present:  Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council and Cllr Geoff Zeidler (MSDC) and 7 members of the public.

Cllr Joy Dennis (WSCC) and Cllr Alison Bennett (MSDC) sent their apologies.

C24/25.060: To receive and accept apologies for absence:  Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Sarah Baldey, Cllr Claire Majsai, Cllr Duncan Ranger and Cllr Annette Street, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council ACCEPTS the apologies for absence for Cllr Baldey, Cllr Majsai, Cllr Ranger and Cllr Street.

C24/25.061: To receive and record declarations of interest:  Cllr Dyke noted her employer (Befriended) may be interested in using the Methodist Church in the future (Minute Ref: C24/25.069).

C24/25.062: To receive and accept the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council held on 25 July 2024:  Members reviewed the minutes of the previous meeting, and it was: 

RESOLVED:  That the Council AGREES the minutes of the meeting held on 25 July 2024.

C24/25.063: Adjournment for Questions from the Public: There were seven members of the public present.  Questions included whether the new Reeds Lane Drainage Recreation Ground drainage scheme was working, which it was.  Southern Water are still working on their drainage solutions and West Sussex County Council’s work to survey and unblock the road gulleys and associated culverts under Operation Watershed, has been delayed.  The Chairman urged residents to keep reporting problems as the number of reports made individually carry more weight.  An update was requested into investigations into a possible electric light “Christmas tree” for the centre of Sayers Common.  The Chairman gave an indication of the amount of investigatory work carried out to date and agreed it was unlikely that it might happen this year.  A resident stated that they had applied to join the Sayers Common Village Association but had not received a response.  Cllr Forster was not aware of any application but would check.

C24/25.064: Reports from Other Authorities: Members received reports from representatives of:

C24/25.064.1: West Sussex County Council (WSCC):  Cllr Dennis had sent her apologies.  Matters raised in her absence included a request for an update on the Traffic Regulation Order for a weight limit (except for access) on Reeds Lane that had been turned down by WSCC, but the Parish Council was still keen to pursue the request further by making the argument that it is not about enforcement as much as lorry drivers following sat navs pre-programmed to avoid the road altogether.  Cllr Jackson wished to record his thanks for the re-surfacing of the High Street which was a great improvement.  Cllr Dyke asked on behalf of Cllr Majsai where the community energy report findings were sitting, which suggested solar panels on the Village Centre could be viable.  The Chairman believed this action now rested with the Trustees (the Parish Council) to take forward.  Cllr Avery will speak with Cllr Dennis about markings at bus stops, upgrading street lights on College Lane and the fact that abandoned cars can’t be removed off white lines.

C24/25.064.2: Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC):  Cllrs Bennett and Zeidler had provided a written report which had been circulated previously. Cllr Jackson confirmed the MSDC Parking Strategy still intended to introduce charging in village centre car parks but there was no date yet for the consultation.  There was concern that no impact assessments had been undertaken, such as the impact on on-street parking.  Most planning applications are granted with no accounting for the lack of suitable parking because WSCC state there is no issue.  MSDC will be employing more Civil Enforcement Officers to issue parking tickets.  The Mid Sussex District Plan Review will still be using 2014 numbers and the old NPPF Framework to calculate housing numbers.  Cllr Shorrocks queried why MSDC add planning conditions to applications if they are rarely enforced.  Cllr Zeidler had taken up this issue with the Planning Team and has asked the relevant Scrutiny Committee to address the issue too.  The Chairman thanked Cllr Jackson and Zeidler for their reports and Cllr Zeidler left the meeting at 8.05pm.

C24/25.065: Committee Minutes: Members received the minutes of the:

C24/25.065.1: Parish Strategy Working Group (20 August 2024): There were no recommendations for Council.

C24/25.065.2: Planning Committee (5 August & 2 September 2024): There were no recommendations for Council.

C24/25.065.3: Community Engagement Committee (12 September 2024): There was one recommendation for Council:

CE24/25.019 High Street Traders Parking Survey:  The Committee discussed the briefing note on the High Street Traders Parking Survey, and it was: RESOLVED that the Committee NOTED the results of the survey and recommended the report goes to Council on 26^th September to discuss the specific recommendations and a broader communication strategy, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to feed back to the Traders and thank them for their input.  To establish a similar set of questions to ask of the St Lawrence Primary School (staff, and parent perspectives), Cottis and Hurstpierpoint Pre-Schools, Holy Trinity Church, Health Centre (staff and patient perspectives) and local residents both those with and without off-street parking, plus other villages with MSDC car parks (Cuckfield, Lindfield, Hassocks etc) and collate information and wait for MSDC to invite consultation.

C24/25.065.4: Finance, Governance & Estates Committee 15 August 2024: There was one recommendation for Council:

F24/25.066: Weald to Waves:  The Committee considered joining the Weald to Waves Gardening and Green Spaces Network by adding Parish Council owned land to the Weald to Waves map and it was:  RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED to recommend to Council that in the first instance, 30% of Hurst Meadows is pledged to nature recovery and is recorded on the Weald to Waves gardens and greenspaces map and to encourage other local groups and residents to do the same, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to meet the Parish Council requirements through registering Hurst Meadows only at this stage because 95% is already pledged to nature recovery and that area represents more than 30% of the Parish Council’s land holding.

Members noted that the Finance, Governance & Estates Committee of 19 September 2024 was not quorate and was cancelled, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Council RECEIVES the minutes of the following Committees:

1. Parish Strategy Working Group (20 August 2024)
2. Planning Committee (5 August & 2 September 2024)
3. Community Engagement Committee (12 September 2024)
4. Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (15 August 2024)

C24/25.066: 1841 Map of Hurstpierpoint:  Members considered a briefing note concerning the 1841 map of Hurstpierpoint donated to the Parish Council, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to retain ownership of the map and fund the cleaning and restoration costs; to deposit the map with the WSCC County Records Office (on a long term loan); and receive a scanned copy to be displayed in the Village Centre with the de-code book.

C24/25.067: Reports from representatives on outside bodies as follows:

C24/25.067.1: Hurstpierpoint Society:  Cllr Dyke had provided a written update report.  Updates on most items had kindly been provided by the Estates & Facilities Manager.  Actions for the Parish Council are for it to consider a joint complaint with the Hurstpierpoint Society about the Hurst College temporary marquee.  Cllr Shorrocks agreed to speak to the Planning Committee about the marquee and also about traffic surveys, and follow up with the Hurstpierpoint Society.  The Chairman will respond to the questions regarding the Museum Group.

C24/25.067.2: Sayers Common Village Association:  Members noted the update report from Cllr Forster.   The Sayers Common Village Hall Committee were planning improvements to hopefully be funded by Section 106.  Plans to improve the pond and London Road/Reeds Lane roundabout were supported by the SCVA. It was noted the WILD banners had been erected again for the Planning Inspector to see on her tour.  The Association meets again on 14 October 2024.

C24/25.067.3: Sayers Common Village Society:  Cllr Thompson was concerned there were too many different conversations regarding the pond. Matters concerning a Christmas tree, TRO and drainage works had already been covered.  The Chairman will ask Cllr Dennis again about the request that the Oakhurst Copse is managed by the Society.

C24/25.067.4: WSALC/MSALC:  Cllr Jackson was awaiting a date for the next MSALC meeting and plans for a conference are underway.  The WSALC AGM and conference is on 4 November 2024. 

C24/25.068: Information Items:  Members noted the following information items:

C24/25.068.1: Parish Strategy: Members noted the update report.

Members RESOLVED that in view of the confidential nature of the following items, the press and public be excluded under section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

Confidential Matters:

C24/25.069: Methodist Church:  Members considered a confidential briefing note on a potential purchase of the asset of community value.  A full debate on the advantages and disadvantages was had, with full agreement that the matter should be explored further in more detail, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to receiving a red book valuation, if possible a costed building condition survey, creating a detailed business case, exploring a Public Works Loan Board loan and submitting an expression of interest to the Community Ownership Fund for consideration at the October Council meeting.

C24/25.070: Mid Sussex District Plan 2021-2039 Examination Update:  Members noted the update provided by MSDC and received a verbal update on thepreparations for Mid Sussex District Plan examination public hearings in October 2024.  Members had been provided with a draft document to be submitted for the Public Examination Hearings and noted the Parish Council would be in attendance on 23 October 2024.  Any comments on the draft document were to be sent to the Clerk by 9.45am on Monday 30 September 2024, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to the approach being taken to submit representations to the Planning Inspector and to feed any comments to the Clerk by 9.45am on Monday 30 September 2024 for final submission by 5pm.

C24/25.071: Publication of Register of Interests:  Members reviewed the arrangements for publishing Members’ Register of Interests on-line and agreed the procedure to adopt going forward, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council AGREES to use typed signatures instead of written signatures on their Register of Interests, and noted the requirement to contact the MSDC Monitoring Officer for permission to redact any personal information.

There being no other business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.04pm.

Chairman