Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council news - September 2024

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Update on proposed Traffic Regulation Orders

The Parish Council currently have 4 applications for Traffic Regulation Orders/Community Highway Schemes with WSCC. We have been advised that the request to limit Reeds Lane to 7.5 tonnes except for access, and junction protection for Willow Way, Talbot Mead and Chalkers Lane with the Cuckfield Road did not pass the threshold test for taking forward. The Parish Council intends to revisit both with WSCC. The applications for an extension to the current 20mph limit on the High Street, and harmonising speed limits on all the approaches to Hurstpierpoint College are still proceeding. Updates will follow when received.

Keeping hedges clear of footpaths – whose responsibility?

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The Parish Council often receives reports of footpaths and pavements becoming difficult to access due to overhanging greenery, branches etc. It is the responsibility of the landowner to maintain their hedges, trees and shrubs so that they don’t cause an obstruction or a danger to pedestrians. Problems of this nature should be reported to West Sussex County Council as the Highways authority, either online via their website or by ringing 01243 642105. Prior to doing this however, if the landowner is a neighbour, then a polite and friendly request is probably the most appropriate initial action.

To read the full newsletter please pick up your copy of September’s Hurst Life today or click the images to enlarge them.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council news - Feb 24

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We need you!

The Mid Sussex District Plan proposes to more than double the number of existing dwellings in the immediate area through the addition of nearly 4,000 new homes. Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) is currently reviewing the Mid Sussex District Plan that was adopted in March 2018.

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In accordance with legislation and national policy the Plan must be reviewed every five years and updated as necessary. In December 2022 the Parish Council commented on the first draft of the revised District Plan published by MSDC and those comments can be found on our Hurst Life website here.
This Plan if enacted will radically change the nature of our parish. We would urge all residents and interested local groups to take the time to respond before the deadline of 23rd February.

The MSDC website address is www.midsussex.inconsult.uk/districtplanreg19 where there is an online questionnaire, but you can also email: policyconsultation@midsussex.gov.uk or write to Planning Policy, Mid Sussex District Council, Oaklands, Oakland Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1SS. You can also contact the Planning Policy Team by telephone on 01444 477053.

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Comments may carry more weight if any criticism of aspects of the plan is accompanied by suggestions of positive alternatives.

More information on the detail of the Plan and the likely response from the Parish Council (as well as the rest of their newsletter) can be found on the images provided - click to enlarge, or inside February’s issue of Hurst Life from page 28.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council April newsletter - 2023

Sustainability Strategy Update

A reminder that the Parish Council’s Sustainability Strategy is on the Council Policies page of the website. The Parish Council continues to manage Hurst Meadows to enhance biodiversity and nature recovery and will again be supporting No Mow May and the West Sussex Road Verge Trial Scheme, both of which aim to increase numbers and variety of wild flowers and the pollinators and other insects which depend on them. Lighting is being replaced in the public toilets and bus shelters with LED units which use less electricity. More bike racks have been installed and sections of the planned Hassocks to Albourne cycle path are expected to be delivered in Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint this Summer by West Sussex County Council.

To read the council’s full newsletter please click to enlarge the pictures below or turn to page 18 of April’s Hurst Life.

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www.walkinginengland.co.uk/sussex

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Foodbank in Hurstpierpoint expands during cost-of-living crisis

Hurstpierpoint Foodbank have re-opened their collection service, as demand increases due to the cost-of-living crisis. As well as the Friday delivery option, that was initiated during the covid lockdowns, for a trial period users will again be able to collect food in person from Court Bushes Community Hub, Willow Way.

The Foodbank will be open for collections from Court Bushes from 10am – 12pm every Thursday. The Melting Pot Café is also open at this time so free tea, coffee and cake are available as well as cup-a-soup and toast. The Foodbank distributes food through a referral system and provides enough food for a family for three days. Alternatively, people can come down to Court Bushes on a Thursday morning and talk to foodbank staff directly. Staff understand that reaching out for help in this way can be difficult and aim to treat users with discretion and kindness.
Additionally, a new partnership between the owners of Gibson greengrocers and the Foodbank is now giving those using the Foodbank access to fresh fruit and vegetables during the trial period. A voucher will be provided by the Foodbank to be used in the shop on Hurstpierpoint High Street.

Food parcels can also be requested through the following partner agencies:
• St Lawrence C of E Primary School 01273 833229
• Hurstpierpoint Pre-School, Trinity Road, 01273 834144
• Holy Trinity Church
• Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council Trinity Road, 01273 833264, Open Monday – Friday 9:30am -1:30pm
• Mid Sussex Health Centre 01273 834388, Open Monday – Friday 8:30am - 6:00pm
• Housing Benefit Team (MSDC) • Community Mental Health Team
• Social Services

Families can contact Hurstpierpoint Foodbank (hurstfb@gmail.com) or Burgess Hill Foodbank (foodbankburgesshill@gmail.com) if they need food.

Hurst & Sayers Common Parish Council Newsletter - November 2022

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District Plan Review
Thanks are due to our band of Hurst Meadows volunteers who spent a day raking and collecting hay in the Orchard in September. The task was made much easier this year as our contractor was able to use Volunteers Raking the Orchard a cut and collect machine which removed most of the arisings. Removing the arisings helps to ensure that the wildflowers in the Orchard continue to flourish in the years ahead. The apple and damson trees are thriving in the Orchard, despite the summer drought, due to regular watering. The young trees continue to be protected by temporary fencing, but residents were able to enjoy a visit on two open afternoons last month where our volunteer Orchard manager was on hand to answer questions. Hurstpierpoint once had at least two large orchards (hence Orchard Way) and the Heritage Apple Orchard is planted with a number of old Sussex varieties of apples. Information on these varieties can be found in the booklet on the Hurst Meadows page of the Parish Council website. Although hard work, raking and collecting in the Orchard is good fun! If you would like to volunteer for future Hurst Meadows conservation tasks, please email or ring the Parish Office.

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To read the full newsletter please pick up a copy of November’s Hurst Life today or click to enlarge the pictures provided.

Hurst Parish Council newsletter - October 2022

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Happy to Chat Bench at the Health Centre
Are you a friendly, positive person who is happy to chat to people you don’t know? If so, please look out for our “Happy to Chat” benches with the green and yellow signs and spare a moment. You could really make a difference to somebody’s day just by being kind and approachable.

Hurst Meadows
Being amongst nature and walking in green spaces surrounded by trees can be helpful to lift our spirits. The lovely Hurst Meadows is a tranquil and safe place to walk. If you haven’t discovered Hurst Meadows yet, then an easily accessible footpath leads down the slope opposite the Health Centre into Fifteen Acre Field

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To read Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council’s October 2022 newsletter please grab your copy of October’s Hurst Life or click to enlarge the pictures provided.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council newsletter - Jan 2022

A New Year’s resolution…?

Many of us start the New Year determined to work on improving our fitness. This year why not think about combining getting fit with contributing to improving air quality in our villages? Research shows that regular walking (and especially brisk walking) will help build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier. It also has many benefits for our mental health especially if we walk in green spaces. Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, so choosing to walk rather than drive will benefit your own health and that of children and other members of our community, as well as saving money and reducing carbon emissions. A win all round!

New Room for Hire – Village Centre

From early January 2022, we have a new room available for people to hire in the Village Centre. It is the old Children and Family Centre room next to the Library and it has a small kitchenette and access to toilet facilities. The room will be freshly decorated and will be ideal as a small meeting room or therapy room for private consultations. For further information, please contact the Parish Council Office.

To read the full newsletter please click the photos or pick up a copy of January’s Hurst Life magazine.

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Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council newsletter page 1

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Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council newsletter page 2

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council September Newsletter

Hurst Life’s September issue has an update from Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council with news from around the parish. Below, we have gathered a sample for you to savour or go grab an issue today to read the whole piece.

Reeds Lane Recreation Ground

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Work has started on improving drainage at the Reeds Lane Recreation Ground to try to enable this very wet area to be used throughout the year. Following this, new play equipment will finally be able to be installed. Apologies to residents on the delay to this project. Section 106 funding can only be released on first occupation of the new houses on Kingsland Laine. Unfortunately, due to Covid, construction here has been much slower than usual. However, MSDC have now confirmed that they have now received the section 106 funding from the developer and therefore we can now proceed with an application for funds to refit the play area.

Christmas Lights

We are hoping to build on the success of the Christmas tree and lights in Hurstpierpoint by installing lights on lampposts in Sayers Common. Residents have voted on their preferred design; funding is in place in partnership with the Sayers Common Community Shop and we are now going through the extensive testing process that is needed to do this safely. The schedule for this is tight but we very much hope that these lights can be in place for Christmas 2021.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council

The Annual Parish Meeting is an ancient custom designed for those on the parish electoral roll to discuss parish affairs. It must be held between 1st March and 1st June and not be before 6pm. Previously, the forum has taken place in the Village Centre, with approximately 50+ residents in attendance. Last year, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and the associated lock-down measures, the meeting was sadly cancelled and replaced by an Annual Report which was published on the Parish Council’s website. This year, anticipating a lack of certainty over being able to a hold the meeting in person, the Parish Council agreed to publish its Annual Report on the Parish Council’s website, but also to embrace technology and to hold the meeting via a webinar on 18th May 2021. We widened the scope under the theme “Working together for a sustainable future”. There were some great presentations covering the range from recycling in the community, managing the Hurst Meadows for wildlife and the community, Hurst Rethink, The Lost Woods Project, to Sustainable Development. They were topped by very focussed videos from both St Lawrence School and Downlands School Students.

We had about 68 logged on to the webinar with a wider demographic to those who have previously attended this meeting in person at the Village Centre. The presentations were both thought-provoking and full of related updates. There was even a quiz to establish exactly which local authority is responsible for which service. We will be drawing upon some of the detail from the presentations and follow up questions to help us to develop further our Environmental Policy into one which will both support the operations and output of the Parish Council, and in some way meet the aspirations of our residents as well. If you missed the webinar the presentations are now accessible via our website at www.hurstpierpointpc.gov.uk/speakerspresentations-from-the-annual-parish-meeting/

Parish Council News published monthly

Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9UY

Call: 01273 833264
Email: hurstpierpoint.pc@btinternet.com

www.hurstpierpoint-pc.org.uk

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Parish Council news - December 2019

By Stephen Hand, Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council Chairman and Tony Lank, Highways Committee Chairman

We have devoted this month’s Parish Council update to our recent application to the County Council to try and address some of the issues, large and small, raised by residents regarding traffic and parking in Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common. The scheme has now passed the first stage in the process and the full detail will be put out for public consultation and comment in the new year. This is an opportunity to give a summary of the proposed changes:

• South Avenue and Manor Road

- Designated parking bays to be marked within the existing parking zones and a small addition to the parking zone in South Avenue.

• Cuckfield Road

- 30mph signs at north end to be moved 70 metres north

- Alternate east /west side parking restrictions to be marked between the High Street roundabout and the Western Road junction (to ease peak time gridlock, and reduce off peak speeding)

- Investigate the feasibility of a mini roundabout at junction with Iden Hurst (major cost and unlikely to happen in near future)

• Brighton Road

– install “pull in” bay on east side near Washbrooks.

• College Lane/Malthouse Lane

- Extend 30mph restriction south of the College.

- Centre white line on the curve by Malthouse Farm.

• High Street

- At the junction with West Furlong Lane, remove the white line but not the “Keep Clear” wording.

- In line with the traders’ request, make the loading bay outside the New Inn loading only for 24 hours per day.

• Reeds Lane, Sayers Common

- Extend parking restrictions from roundabout and create a “pull in” bay on south side.

- “Access only 7.5t” signs to be placed at east end.

• London Road

– “Build outs” or “Refuge” to be installed near the Village Hall.

We have worked with County and District Councils to design this scheme, which hopefully will ease delays and parking to some extent. The underlying problem faced by all villages in Sussex of too much traffic on their narrow roads will remain. As soon as we have further news, especially on the consultation timetable, we’ll let you know.

As this is the last issue before Christmas, may we take the opportunity to wish our residents a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and we look forward to seeing everyone at the Christmas event on 7th December on Hurstpierpoint High Street.