Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Thursday 27 November 2025 at 7.30 pm at the Hurstpierpoint Village Centre.

Members Present:

Also Present:  Sarah Groom, Clerk to the Council.  Apologies were received from Cllr Dennis (WSCC), Cllr Zeidler (MSDC) and Cllr Bennett (MSDC).

C25/26.086: Apologies for Absence:  Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Helen Bedford and Cllr Claire Majsai, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Council ACCEPTS the apologies for absence for Cllr Bedford and Cllr Majsai.

C25/26.087: Declarations of interest: Cllr Dyke and Cllr Sampson declared a pecuniary interest in Minute Ref:  C25/26.091.3 (Fees and Charges Review for 2026/7) in relation to the allotment fee charges.

C25/26.088: Previous Minutes: Members received the minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 23 October 2025, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Council ADOPTS the minutes of 23 October 2025.

C25/26.089: Adjournment for Questions from the Public: There were no members of the public present.

C25/26.090: Reports from Other Authorities: Members received reports from representatives of other authorities:

C25/26.090.1: West Sussex County Council:  Cllr Dennis was not present.

C25/26.090.2: Mid Sussex District Council: Cllr Jackson reported that the Planning Inspector will look again at MSDC’s “Duty to Co-operate” failings, in order to move forward on the draft Mid Sussex District Plan.  The MSDC Cabinet has agreed the parking charges concessions which the Parish was unaware of. Cllr Jackson will provide these for the Parish Council.  The planning application for LVS Hassocks in Sayers Common has been submitted for a new school and 210 dwellings.  Parish Councillors reported to Cllr Jackson that the new waste collection regimes had been absolute chaos.  MSDC must review the scheduling for collection, as two collection vehicles at once are getting congested in the narrow roads.  Cllr Avery complained about the lack of gulley cleansing by MSDC.  Cllr Jackson will report it again.  Cllr Shorrocks wanted the pavements cleaned as well.  The Chairman thanked Cllr Jackson for his report. Cllr Zeidler was not present but had circulated a written report prior to the meeting.

 C25/26.091: Committee Minutes: Members received and as appropriate, considered the recommendations of the:

C25/26.091.1: Planning Committee (3 November 2025): There was one recommendation for Council:

P25/26.262:  Planning Committee Action Plan 2025/26: To review the Planning Committee Action Plan for 2025/26 to assist with budget setting for 2026/27, and it was: RESOLVED: The Committee AGREED the assistant clerk to update the Terms of Reference on the action plan as per discussion and recommend to council for adoption.  

Members discussed the two statements that were proposed to be removed from the Planning Committee Terms of reference.  Members agreed to remove the first (Agree protocol for delegation of minor applications to Committee Chair and Vice-Chair to determine) but took a vote on the second (Monitor and suggest changes to the Mid Sussex District Plan 2021-2039).  Two were in favour of removal of the second statement and eight abstained, the vote was therefore carried and the second statement will also be removed from the Planning Committee’s Terms of Reference, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That Council AGREES that the Planning Committee Terms of Reference be amended to:

• Review planning applications and make recommendations to the planning authority
• Review street closure applications
• Initial review of wider planning matters
• Develop and deliver agreed outputs from Parish Action Plan
• Manage in year committee budget if applicable within programme and delegation
• Identify and justify committee budget for future year.

C25/26.091.2: Community Engagement Committee (13 November 2025): There was one recommendation for Council:

CE25/26.028.4: Annual Parish Meeting 2026: Councillors discussed the proposals from the Events Working Group for the format of the Annual Parish Meeting 2026, and it was: RESOLVED: That Committee RECOMMENDS the proposals for the Annual Parish Meeting to Council for adoption; and it was:

RESOLVED:  That Council AGREES the proposals from the Events Working Group and the Community Engagement Committee, for the revised format of the Annual Parish Meeting in 2026.

C25/26.091.3: Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (20 November 2025): There was one recommendation for Council:

F25/26.079: Fees and Charges Review for 2026/27: The Committee considered a briefing note setting out the review of the schedule of annual charges recommended for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.  A number of charges were amended, and it was agreed to recommend it to Council for adoption, and it was:  RESOLVED:  That the Committee AGREED to recommend the revised schedule of charges for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 to Council for adoption, as amended. and it was:

RESOLVED:  That Council AGREES the schedule of charges for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

RECOMMENDATION:  That the Council RECEIVES the minutes of the following Committees and AGREES the above recommendations:

1. Planning Committee (3 November 2025)
2. Community Engagement Committee (13 November 2025)
3. Finance, Governance & Estates Committee (20 November 2025)

C25/26.092: West Sussex Pension Fund Valuation:  Members considered the results of the recent Pension Fund valuation outcome and revised employer contributions rate from 1 April 2026 and noted the final opportunity to comment on the draft Funding Statement with a deadline of 5 December 2025, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Council NOTES the results of the recent Pension Fund valuation outcome and revised employer contributions rate from 1 April 2026.

C25/26.093: WSCC Consultation on Sustainable Transport to Victoria Business Park: Members considered the West Sussex County Council consultation on walking and cycling improvements aroundVictoria Business Park in Burgess Hill as it is a local key employment hub, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Council NOTES the invitation to comment on the consultation on walking and cycling improvements around Victoria Business Park in Burgess Hill, and AGREES to submit the Parish Council’s support but making it clear that active travel links to our villages must be included, as previously planned for in the People and Places programme.

C25/26.094: Reports from Representatives on Outside Bodies: Members received reports from representative on outside bodies as follows:

C25/26.094.1:  Twinning Association:  Cllr Shorrocks reported the Association are planning their stall at Santa Sunday and their Christmas party.

C25/26.094.2:  Sayers Common Village Society:  Cllr Thompson reported that the SCVS AGM had been very successful and well run, with approx. 30 people attending.  There was good engagement and lots of discussion about the Coombe Farm planning application.  SCVS are planning mulled wine and Christmas carols around the tree (funded by the Parish Council) on 5^th December.

C25/26.094.3:  Hurstpierpoint Society:  Cllr Dyke reported that the Society was concerned about the activity in the fields south of Hurst College.  The Chairman had replied to an email from the Society’s Chairman recently on the matter.  The Society would like to know more about the scrapes in Hurst Meadows, and have asked for assistance in finding a home for the museum collection.  The Chairman reiterated that the Parish Council was very supportive of the Museum Group and it’s archive, and there followed a discussion on how the Parish Council could help, perhaps by attempting to get support through the Section 106 agreements.

C25/26.094.4:  West Sussex Association of Local Councils:  Cllr Jackson and the Clerk had attended the WSALC AGM on 4 November 2025.  As well as the East and West Sussex AGMs there were presentations from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council.  There had still been no Mid Sussex ALC meeting.

C25/26.094.5:  Henry Smith Charity:  Cllr Ranger reported on the activities of the charity which provides grants to low income households in December each year.

C25/26.095: Members noted the following information items:

C25/26.095.1: Christmas Office Closing: Members noted the office will be closed from 1.30pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will re-open at 9.30am on Friday 2 January 2026.

C25/26.095.2: Santa Sunday: Members noted the Santa Sunday event on the Village Garden on 7 December 2025 from 11am-5pm and the road closure from 10-6pm.

C25/26.095.3: Hurst Meadows Cycle Way Closure: Members noted the closure of the “permissive public right of way” cycle path in Hurst Meadows on Christmas Day, to avoid it being classified as a public right of way.

C25/26.096.4: Local Government Re-organisation in Sussex: Members noted the launch of the Government consultation on the future of Local Government in West Sussex and considered forming a response by the deadline of 11 January 2026.  Seven of the councillors present favoured one West Sussex unitary, two favoured the Mid Sussex/Horsham/Crawley unitary and one was uncertain.  The Clerk will respond accordingly.

C25/26.095.5: MSDC Draft District Plan: Members received a verbal update on the draft Mid Sussex District Plan.  MSDC had produced two Position Statements (on Sustainable Development and Infrastructure) intending to outline MSDC’s approach to delivering development and provide guidance to developers in preparing planning applications, whilst MSDC cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.  Also, how infrastructure provision (including financial contributions) will be sought through planning obligations.   The Chairman, Clerk and Planning Consultant had attended a third Sayers Common Liaison Group meeting regarding master-planning for Sayers Common with Berkley/Latimer and their consultants JCP.   Further Liaison Group meetings are planned, including a public consultation event in late January 2026 in Sayers Common Village Hall.  Meetings had also been held between the three parishes of Albourne, Twineham and Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common together with the Sayers Common Village Society and WILD (Watchdog Against Intrusive Local Development), resulting in a shared vision document for a “Connected Rural Future”.  A further meeting is planned for 8 December 2025.

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:

C25/26.096: Hurstpierpoint Tennis Club Lease: Members reviewed the new Lease for the Hurstpierpoint Tennis Club for 1 April 2026, and agreed for Councillors Llewellyn and Shorrocks to sign the lease, witnessed by the Clerk, as required by Standing Orders, and it was:

RESOLVED:  That the Council AGREES and ADOPTS the new Lease for the Hurstpierpoint Tennis Club for 1 April 2026, and agreed for Councillors Llewellyn and Shorrocks to sign the lease, witnessed by the Clerk.

There being no other business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.30pm.

Chairman