News and events

We are now in the final week of our Summer 2022 Consultation on changes to our highway improvement proposals and other elements of the Northern Runway Project.

We are keen to remind you that there are now only 2 days left to respond to the consultation: the deadline for submission of responses is 11:59pm on 27th July. 

At this stage, the best source of information on our proposals is our website - gatwickairport.com/futureplans - where you will be able to read all the key documents and complete our consultation questionnaire. 

We do hope that you will take the opportunity to comment on our proposals and look forward to receiving your response.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the team by emailing [email protected]

Northern Runway Project Team

Mid Sussex District Council has begun contacting residents to ask them to confirm their details on the 2022-23 electoral register.

Every year, the Council must complete an annual electoral canvass to update the electoral register and ensure that any resident who is eligible to vote can do so.

Starting on Monday 25 July, households will be contacted via post and asked to confirm or update the electoral registration information for their property. The letter will contain information on how to respond to the canvass and residents should follow the steps provided so they can continue to have a say at future elections.

People will be encouraged to confirm their details online to ensure information is processed instantly and effectively. Responding early prevents costly reminders being sent out and using digital channels is also better for the environment.

For more information about the electoral canvass visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/annual-canvass/registering. To contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team email [email protected] or call 01444 477003.

On 29 June, Mid Sussex District Council unanimously agreed to adopt a modern slavery and human trafficking transparency statement to ensure that all steps are taken to eradicate modern slavery in its work, including its supply chains.

Mid Sussex District Council is part of the Sussex Anti-Slavery Network, which works to eradicate slavery and exploitation, with the aim of becoming a slavery-free community by 2030.  In October 2020 the council undertook a County-wide pledge to do everything in its power to become a slave free community. The transparency statement is part of that pledge and will be renewed annually.

The Council has a responsibility to prevent slavery and human trafficking within its supply chains and in any part of the organisation. The Statement sets out the Council’s actions and commitments to understand all potential modern slavery risks related to council activities and to put in place steps to combat and prevent acts of slavery and human trafficking within its business and supply chains. It applies to everyone working for the Council or on its behalf in any capacity.

By adopting the transparency statement, Mid Sussex District Council has committed to:

• Disclose any identified instances of modern slavery.
• Monitor supply chains and report on any issues identified through non-compliance or insufficient information provided.
• Ensure relevant staff have access to and are completing mandatory training which supports the Modern Slavery Act.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the training annually via feedback from participants.
• Encourage the reporting of suspicions of slavery through the Council’s Modern Slavery Single Point of Contact (SPOC).
• Notify the Secretary of State of suspected victims of slavery or human trafficking under Sections 43, 52 and 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

“We like to think that slavery in the UK is a thing of the past, but unfortunately this is not the case”, said Councillor Norman Webster Cabinet Member for Community. “Our Council take our duties to help stamp it out very seriously and that is why Councillors unanimously agreed steps we will take and have published these for everyone to see.”

Mid Sussex District Council’s Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Transparency Statement can be viewed on the council website, www.midsussex.gov.uk

If you suspect someone may be a victim of modern slavery, you can contact the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700. This is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

You can also report it to Sussex Police on 101 and if you wish to remain anonymous you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

If you’re staying local over the summer holidays and are looking for some inspiration of things to do, West Sussex County Council has lots going on across the county for all the family.

A number of the council’s services have organised free events for both adults and children, alongside regular events that run on a monthly basis throughout the year.

July

• Saturday 9 July – Saturday 10 September: Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge. This exciting challenge runs throughout the summer holidays and is open to children and young people at all 36 West Sussex County Council libraries.
• Thursday 28 July to Saturday 20 August: Transatlantic Ties travelling exhibition. Starting out at Horsham Library, this exhibition from West Sussex Record Office explores the historical links between West Sussex and the US dating back to the 18th century including the ‘Sussex Declaration’.

August

• Monday 1 August: Medals and certificates will be ready to collect from your local library for anyone who has taken part and completed the Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge.
• Wednesday 3 August: Green Watch from Bognor Fire Station will be visiting Bognor Library between 3 and 4pm to show off some of the cool gadgets from their fire appliances as part of the Summer Reading Challenge.
• Saturday 20 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Crawley Library between 11am and 3pm, this is a chance for residents to come and discover everything their local library has to offer.
• Saturday 20 August: Alongside the Crawley Library Discovery Day, Blue Watch from Crawley Fire Station will be visiting between 1.30pm and 3pm to show off some of the cool gadgets from their fire appliances as part of the Summer Reading Challenge.
• Monday 22 August to Friday 9 September: Transatlantic Ties travelling exhibition arrives at Crawley Library for three weeks.
• Wednesday 24 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Haywards Heath Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the second of five Discovery Days across the county.
• Saturday 27 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Worthing Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the third of five Discovery Days across the county.
• Tuesday 30 August: West Sussex Record Office’s Tuesday Talk. Starting at 7pm, this free online talk is called ‘Dialect and heritage: the West Sussex story’. Tickets can be booked via Eventbrite.
• Wednesday 31 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Bognor Regis Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the fourth of five Discovery Days across the county.
• Saturday 3 September: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Horsham Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the final Discovery Day.

Other events and handy links

West Sussex Libraries also hold a number of regular monthly events for both adults and children. Adult sessions include Knit and Natter, friendly reading groups, Computer Buddy sessions and Relax with Colouring, whilst children’s sessions include rhyme time, toddler time, Saturday singalong and multi-sensory story magic. Further information can be found by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/libraries and clicking on the ‘What’s on in libraries’ tab.

Families with children who are eligible for Free School Meals can also sign up for free summer holiday clubs to help keep their children entertained over the school break. Eligible families can now book places on the Family Information Service website.

If none of the events above take your fancy, but you like to get outside when the sun is shining, there is plenty to discover by visiting www.experiencewestsussex.com.

As West Sussex is one of the UK’s most diverse counties, encompassing hills, harbours, beach, farmland and market towns, the website allows you to search for places to walk, beaches to visit free to attend events and much more.  

If you live in and around Crawley, Buchan Country Park is set in 170 acres of beautiful countryside and is an excellent place for walking, watching wildlife or enjoying a picnic. They also have a number of sculptures dotted around the park which families can have fun hunting for.

Want to leave the car at home and cycle somewhere different? The Cycle Journey Planner lets you plan your own cycling route, with turn-by-turn directions and maps. You can choose where you want to go, find out journey times, distances and how many calories you'll burn. You can also see an elevation profile showing how flat (or hilly) routes are.

Although the summer months can offer a lot of joy and happiness for many, they’re also a good time to stop, reflect and check in with how you and your family are feeling emotionally. For further advice and information on mental health and wellbeing, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/YourMindMatters.

Wishing all residents a fun, safe and happy summer.

An innovative project to provide freely accessible outdoor public Wi-Fi at popular visitor areas in West Sussex has taken a major step forward with the contract awarded to make the scheme a reality.

Six potential sites have been identified by the County Council’s district and borough council partners to benefit from the Connected Spaces Wi-Fi Project. They are at: High Street, Arundel; areas within Tilgate Park, Crawley (central area, including the Walled Garden and surrounding businesses, plus the lake and main car park); Cuckfield Recreation Ground; Selsey’s East Beach; Steyne Gardens, Worthing, and Steyning High Street.

The benefits and potential uses of the scheme include:

• Providing the Wi-Fi needed for electronic payments, both at permanent businesses and for traders attending scheduled events or markets
• Visitor use, and consumer-led social media promotion
• The live streaming of educational, business, and social events

Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “We are determined to continue to help businesses in these challenging times and this innovative project has a lot of potential."

“It is another example of how we are working with our partners to provide digital infrastructure to help boost the visitor economy, as set out in our Economy Plan."

“We hope it will help both established and emerging businesses to attract more customers.”

The Wi-Fi service provided under this project, once live, will be in place for a two-year term.

The contract was awarded to networking specialist North (North PB Ltd).

The project is anticipated to cost a total of about £500,000.

 Picture caption: the montage smaller pictures show the six, potential sites. Top to bottom left: within the Walled Garden at Tilgate Park, Crawley, a Farmer’s Market in the car park off High Street, Steyning, and Arundel High Street. Top to bottom, right, Selsey’s East Beach; the kiosk on Cuckfield Recreation Ground, and Steyne Gardens, Worthing. Central picture: trading in action at the kiosk on Cuckfield Recreation Ground.

Mid Sussex Play Days on Tour summer 2022 programme has been announced with visits to 10 locations across the district for Play Days and also 3 Skate Fest sites.

Mid Sussex District Council has worked with Town and Parish Councils to help bring a range of fun activities aimed a families and children under 10 years. Each day will differ, with a mix of arts and crafts, games, circus skills and music to help get the summer going.

The details of each day will be posted on www.midsussex.gov.uk/playdays beforehand.

Play Days on Tour will take place from 1-3pm at the following locations.

Tue 26^th July          Adastra Park, Hassocks BN6 8QH

Thu 28^th July         Court Bushes, Hurstpierpoint BN6 9TH

Tue 2^nd August      Worlds End Rec, Burgess Hill RH15 0QJ

Thu 4^th August      Whiteman’s Green, Cuckfield RH16 4JR

Tue 9^th August      Balcombe Rec, Balcombe RH17 6HP

Thu 11^th August     Barns Cottage, Haywards Heath RH16 3QN

Tue 16^th August     Haven Rec, Crawley Down RH10 4LJ

Thu 18^th August     Mounty Noddy, East Grinstead RH19 3LG

Tue 23^rd August    Humphrys Field, Copthorne RH10 3JZ

Thu 25^th August     John Pears Field, Ashurst Wood RH19 3TQ.

Also returning are the popular Skatefest events which welcome all ages. This is also a free event with DJ-ing and mixing, t-shirt design workshops and bike maintenance against a background of BMX and skateboard skills.

Thu 21^st July, 3-5.30pm                 Victoria Park, Haywards Heath RH16 4LR

Mon 22^nd August, 2-4.30pm           Tim Farmer Rec, Bolnore Village RH16 4GJ

Wed 31^st August, 2-4.30pm            King George’s Field, East Grinstead RH19 3LN

“It is lovely to be back in the summer months, being outdoors and enoying the holidays,” said Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community.

“As the school holidays arrive so brings the task of finding things to do with younger children. These free Play Day events visit many of the communities of our district, with a huge variety of activities to try. We are also looking forward to the return of the summer Skatefests and can’t wait to see everyone enjoying themselves.” 

Parents and carers are urged to visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/playdays to sign up for emails about events and activities throughout the year.

Running from July 18 to 22, ASB Awareness Week (ASB) aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB and highlight the actions that can be taken by those experiencing it. This year will focus on the impact of anti-social behaviour on young people.

The Council will be working in partnership with the Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Policing Team and the three Town Councils in the District during the week speaking to young people and other local residents about keeping safe in the district, how they can report in concerns and what we can do to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The team will be available on the following days:

Wednesday 20 July, St John’s Park in Burgess Hill. 3pm- 6pm

Thursday 21 July, Victoria Park, Haywards Heath. 3pm – 5.30pm

Friday 22 July, King George’s Playing Field, East Grinstead. 2-4 pm.

There will be activities, entertainment and refreshments provided for young people at these events.

Recent YouGov research commissioned by safety specialists Resolve found that more than half of people (56%) believe that ‘more needs to be done’ to tackle ASB in their community. However, after they witnessed or experienced ASB, a similar proportion of the public (57%) said that they did not report it to anyone.

The Council is urging members of the public not to suffer in silence if they experience ASB. Incidents can be reported to the anti-social behaviour team at the Mid Sussex District Council, or to Sussex Police if people feel that they are at immediate risk or in danger.

Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet member for Community said “It is important that residents know where to report ASB as nobody should have to live in fear of ASB. We will not tolerate a small number of people’s behaviour affecting the lives of whole communities. We and our partners are here to help perpetrators to mend their ways so that we can ensure that Mid Sussex remains a great place to live and raise families.”

Neighbourhood Inspector Darren Taylor at Sussex Police said “Anti-social behaviour comes in many different forms. There are so many things which can make people’s lives a misery through having to put up with anti-social behaviour. What is key about ASB awareness week is that Sussex Police and Mid Sussex District Council can highlight what anti-social issues there are, but more importantly how the public can address and challenge such behaviour within their communities.”

Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve added: “ASB is not low-level crime. It can have a long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can be a precursor to more serious crime. It is important that the challenge of ASB continues to be given the priority it needs so that people everywhere feel safe in their homes and communities.  

“We are delighted that Mid Sussex District Council is supporting this hugely important campaign. It is vital to develop partnership approaches across communities to deal with the growing challenges around ASB.”

Details on how to report ASB and our ASB policy are available on our website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/environment/anti-social-behaviour-and-crime

For more information about ASB Awareness Week – visit www.resolveuk.org.uk/asbawarenessweek   

View the full warning at the Met Office Heat Health Watch site. Hot weather can affect your health. The people most likely to be affected are the elderly, the very young, and people with pre-existing medical conditions. If you know or look after someone that may be susceptible to the effects of this hot weather period please help make sure that they stay cool and well, and if possible check in advance that they are prepared for this hot spell. Please follow this advice to keep cool and comfortable and reduce health risks: Shut windows and pull down the shades when it is hotter outside. If it's safe, open them for ventilation when it is cooler. Avoid the heat: stay out of the sun and don't go out between 11am and 3pm (the hottest part of the day). Keep rooms cool by using shades or reflective material outside the windows. If this isn't possible, use light-coloured curtains and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter). Have cool baths or showers, and splash yourself with cool water. Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol. Plan ahead to make sure you have enough supplies, such as food, water and any medications you need. Identify the coolest room in the house so you know where to go to keep cool. Wear loose, cool clothing and a hat if you go outdoors. Also, please don’t forget about the animals in your care and view the top tips for keeping pets cool in hot weather by using the RSPCA link below. For more information go to: UK Health Security Agency Heatwave Plan For England and Guidance Documents Met Office Heat-health watch NHS Choices Heatwave: be prepared WSCC Dealing with extreme weather WSCC https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/campaigns/heat-alert/ WSCC Preparing for emergencies Follow us on Twitter for regular updates @WSCCNews @WSCCResilience @wspublichealth RSPCA Top tips for keeping pets cool in hot weather

The Met Office has issued a Level 4 Heat Health Alert for Monday 18 July and Tuesday 19 July in some parts of England. Temperatures are expected to remain high across West Sussex.

 Advice and full warning information can be found on the website.

Heatwave - West Sussex County Council

Heat Health - Met Office

West Sussex enterprises are leading the way with carbon-cutting initiatives – and have now told their inspirational stories on camera to help other businesses.

The County Council, in collaboration with all seven district and borough councils in West Sussex, has produced the Low Carbon Business video series so business leaders can hear from other Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) about their carbon-reduction journeys.

Deborah Urquhart, chair of the West Sussex (Councils’) Joint Climate Change Board, said: “With raised awareness on climate change, there’s an increased need for businesses to act if they are to remain competitive.

“Climate change is everyone’s ‘business’ ­and smaller businesses have a vital role to play in reducing collective carbon emissions. 99.6 per cent of West Sussex business are MSMEs, however recent research has found that more than 75 per cent of UK MSMEs do not have carbon reduction plans in place.  

“Collaboration and shared learning are key and we have been working with a group of exemplar businesses who are leading the way with cutting their carbon emissions. They have worked with us to identify the best ways to support MSMEs to make changes and realise the business benefits of doing so, which include winning new contracts, satisfying their supply chains’ needs, attracting new talent, accelerating innovation and cutting ongoing running costs.”

The films feature businesses from across a wide range of sectors including tourism, agriculture, transport and logistics, retail, wholesale, construction and manufacturing. Here’s just a taste of the films’ content:

• Laker Builders Merchant, Crawley: Construction is arguably one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise. Laker have completed a series Scope 1 emission upgrade to their business and are working hard to make low-carbon products a default choice for their customers. This is a story about a business that has decided to take sensible, incremental steps to make a big difference and influence the construction supply chain and trade for the better.

• The Adelphi Group of Companies is an award-winning manufacturer of packaging machinery and equipment. Its eco-friendly production facility, in Haywards Heath, includes solar panels, an evaporative cooling system, air source heat pump and rainwater harvesting facilities. The film explains how the Group’s inclusive and sustainability-focussed culture has recently led to another new eco initiative – an innovative idea from the production floor to replace plastic foam packaging with a plant-based, biodegradable alternative.

• HISBE (‘How It Should Be’) Supermarket, Worthing, is proud to be a ‘rebel‘ food retailer that provides green alternatives and stands for “better food and farming”. The supermarket is lowering carbon emissions through reducing waste, sourcing local food and offering hundreds of products without packaging.

To view the films, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlistlist=PLHySOrgNym2znyXr3Edxp4o_GbeDhrttD  

Deborah added: “There is work to do to support businesses, but there are promising signs of an increase in business spend on sustainability-related activities. The ingenuity and agility of smaller businesses will help the transformation to a greener West Sussex. Decarbonisation is a fast-moving picture but there is already a wealth of support for MSMEs, including grant funding which we are helping to signpost people to through our Business West Sussex website pages.”

Businesses can find out about local and national support available to move towards net zero by visiting: www.westsussex.gov.uk/greenbusiness

Picture: at The Adelphi Group of Companies and showing work in the Haywards Heath production facility

Selected areas of Mid Sussex are due to begin a new recycling and refuse collection trial that includes the separate collection of food waste.

From mid-September, Mid Sussex residents in parts of Ashurst Wood, Burgess Hill and Lindfield will be provided weekly kerbside collections of food waste as part of a trial being delivered in partnership by Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council.

The aim of the trial is to work with residents to boost recycling and reduce the amount of waste produced. Residents within the trial area will be provided with an enhanced recycling and waste collection service that features a ‘1-2-3’ collection system:

1.       Weekly food waste collections

2.       Fortnightly recycling collections

3.       Three weekly general refuse collections 

Residents in the trial areas will also be able to opt-in to a free weekly collection of Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP) if they need to dispose of nappies, incontinence waste or sanitary products. The ‘1-2-3’ collection system will be trialed by around 3,000 households that include a mix of housing types and locations to ensure the trial is representative of the whole of Mid Sussex. The trial will enable each council to assess the feasibility of rolling out a similar service across the whole of Mid Sussex. All residents who have been selected to participate in the trial will be given a free lockable food waste recycling bin and a handy kitchen caddy. Residents who live in flats will also have food waste bins located in their existing bin stores to enable the collection of food waste and AHPs. The Council will shortly be providing all households within the trial area with an introductory leaflet containing information on what residents will need to do. Councillor John Belsey, Deputy Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:

“It’s really exciting to be able to offer weekly food waste collections to our residents as part of this 1-2-3 trial. “Food waste currently makes up over 38% of the waste in the average Mid Sussex rubbish bin by weight and we want to recycle as much of that waste as possible.

“Kerbside food waste collections make it simple and convenient for residents to recycle food waste into something useful. By collecting food waste separately, it’s possible to use an anaerobic digester to harness the gas that is produced when the food breaks down as energy and turn the left-over material into a soil fertiliser. “This trial will help us to gather important data and customer feedback, which can be used to fine tune a new collection system. Establishing the most appropriate frequency of collections, the size of bins and how to effectively meet the needs of our residents will be all important when it comes to planning future changes to our waste and recycling services.

“With the help of our residents, we hope that introducing kerbside food waste collections together with other future recycling initiatives and schemes will help us substantially increase recycling levels in Mid Sussex.”

Councillor Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change said: “This 1-2-3 trial will provide us with valuable feedback from residents that will help us to provide a greener service, with improved recycling rates and lower reliance on traditional waste disposal methods, which are costly and pollute the environment. The introduction of weekly food waste collections is a crucial step to help Mid Sussex increase recycling rates and West Sussex to meet, and hopefully continue to exceed, the Government’s target to increase recycling rates up to 55% by 2025 and 65% by 2035”.

ShopAppy.com goes live in Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint on 15th  July, helping to support and promote local businesses and encourage residents to shop local.

With High Street shops fully reopened after months of uncertainty and lockdown, Burgess Hill and the key villages of Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint are now supported by ShopAppy, ensuring that residents can shop locally online, as well as in person.

Independent shops and businesses across the area can join the local shopping and business website, Shopappy.com. The Shopappy.com portal is a locally-based website that makes it easier for everyone to support the High Street from the comfort of their homes – at no extra cost.  You can browse, book, buy and collect from numerous independent shops and businesses in your area with one simple checkout. Most importantly, the digital shop window influences people to visit town, so people can pre-browse to plan their trip.

The founder of ShopAppy.com, Dr Jackie Mulligan, says: “We are very excited to be working across Burgess Hill, Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint on the launch of ShopAppy.com here. It could not be a more critical time for businesses to work together and make it easier for locals to spend closer to home. When we spend local, our spend stays local – so whether you use ShopAppy to browse and go in person or to book something or shop online, you can easily help your area – because where you spend matters for local jobs and local businesses.”

Councillor Stephen Hillier, MSDC Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero commented “The ShopAppy website is accessible with no download or sign in required - it will really showcase what our businesses in the area can provide. We have seen incredible adaptation by local shops in light of the pandemic, but we need to make it easier for people to support our local businesses because that will really help them to thrive.”

Leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, Councillor Robert Eggleston commented, “In an increasingly digital world, ShopAppy.com can provide a local online marketplace to help retailers, service providers, the hospitality sector, traders, and indeed the full range of economic life, to promote their business with bookings, marketing and even click and collect. Increasingly businesses are operating with, what is called, a ‘multi-channel offering’ and by having a presence on ShopAppy.com they have a way to keep their name in the local public eye which will help to showcase the many very good businesses we have in Burgess Hill.”

Mid Sussex District Council is subsidising independent businesses across Mid Sussex to sign up to ShopAppy.com for free until March 2023. Once registered, businesses can quickly populate their own mini site with goods and services at no cost. Help is provided throughout by the ShopAppy team to help those new to technology.

Burgess Hill and its surrounding area is the first to launch, with further launches planned in and around East Grinstead and Haywards Heath later this summer, once a good selection of businesses have signed up. 

The school holidays are nearly here, which can only mean one thing... the Summer Reading Challenge is back at all 36 West Sussex Libraries.

This year’s theme is Gadgeteers and aims to inspire children to see the science and innovation behind everyday objects, showing that reading and science is for everyone.

From Saturday 9 July, children from across the county will be able to follow the story of the Gadgeteers, six budding inventors with their own super talents who work as a team to plan a party for their town’s summer fair.

To take part in the challenge, all children and their families need to do is:

• sign up online from Saturday 9 July by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/src and look out for the secret code word,
• go to their local library, mention the code word to staff and pick up their pack, which includes a fold-out map and scratch & sniff stickers,
• borrow some books to read at home or download eBooks and eAudiobooks from the eLibrary.

Children can decide how many books they would like to read during the challenge and the best part is, it’s completely free.

Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “As we move closer to the school holidays, families will be wondering what they can do to keep their children busy without spending a fortune. This is where the Summer Reading Challenge comes in as it is an absolutely free way to keep the children entertained. All you need to do is be a library member, which is also free, and sign up your child online or at your nearest library.

“All of our libraries are eager to welcome families to come and participate and help them to pick out something that they enjoy reading, whether that’s picture books and comics or audiobooks and newspapers. There’s also a ‘Mini Challenge’ for preschool children, so they can take part too.”

Look out for the popular Hunt the Character activity in all libraries from Saturday 23 July, as well as lots of special Gadgeteers events and activities taking place at your local library throughout the summer.

A medal and certificate will be available for children to collect once they have completed the challenge. Simply pop into any West Sussex Library from Monday 1 August where children can also share the details of which was their favourite book with the staff.

This year’s Summer Reading Challenge sees The Reading Agency partner with Science Museum Group and is designed to encourage children aged 4 to 11 to enjoy the benefits of reading for pleasure.

The challenge also helps to stop the ‘reading dip’ which tends to happen when children aren’t in school for long periods of time, like the summer holidays.

The Summer Reading Challenge runs until Saturday 10 September and children can sign up for free at any time before then.

Children will need a West Sussex library card to take part, but it’s free to join online or by visiting your local library.

BOP, Mid Sussex District Council’s (MSDC), specialist cultural and creative advisors interim report, summarising the key learnings thus far and proposing the next phase of work is now publicly available.

Two major pieces of work have now been completed on the Clair Hall project: the property report and the report by the lead advisor’s, BOP. These reports offer considerable detail into the current picture of the Clair Hall site as well as insight into future opportunities.

Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said:

“A lot of work has gone into the Clair Hall project over the last few months as we work to ensure our community has modern cultural and community provision.

“The evidence is clear that the current buildings are hugely challenged due to their age. Just to bring them to modern operational standards would cost £2.9 million over the next five years, without any additional improvements being made.

“BOP’s interim report reveals, amongst other things, that the cultural provision in Haywards Heath is typical for a town of its size and that the Council should stay open-minded and might need to look for something unique for the Clair Hall site to meet the needs of the local audience”.

“At the Cabinet meeting on 18th July, we will be discussing the draft objectives, non-negotiables and success criteria for the next stage of the work. This includes a commitment that the Council is not looking to sell the site. Three potential models have been identified by BOP – one based on refurbishment, one based on new culture/community provision, and one based on new culture and community provision alongside other uses. These models will then be tested with the market by BOP to inform the next steps”.

Mid Sussex District Council has begun contacting residents by e-mail or text to ask them to confirm their details on the 2022-23 electoral register.

Every year, the Council must complete an electoral canvass to update the electoral register. This ensures that any resident who is eligible to vote can do so.

All households in Mid Sussex will be contacted as part of this work, with responses used to update the register, accurately and completely.

To determine who, how and when households will be contacted; data held on the Electoral Register for each household is matched against the information on the Department of Work and Pensions database.

Starting on Monday 11 July, households may receive either an e-mail or text providing information on how to respond to the canvass. Follow the steps provided so you can have your say at future elections.

If you do not receive an e-mail or text, you will be contacted by post later.

By using digital channels to respond, all information is processed instantly and effectively.  Responding early, prevents costly reminders being sent, which is also better for the environment. 

For more information about the electoral canvass visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/annual-canvass/registering. 

Free anytime E-Learning:

- Eating Disorder Awareness

- Self-Harm

- Substance misuse

- Understanding Behaviour of Children and Young People

- Suicide Prevention

The above courses are run by Me Learning. Please go to Eventbrite page to access the course.

West Sussex Mind Events | Eventbrite 

West Sussex Mind also have free e-learning Autism courses. These courses are run by The National Autistic Society. They only have a few places available, so please book now to avoid disappointment. Please go to the Eventbrite page for more information and to access the courses.

Please note that as all these courses are funded, they are only available to those living in West Sussex.

Mid Sussex District Council has allocated over £12,000 in grants to help local micro businesses fund projects that will support their growth.

The Council’s Cabinet Grants Panel met last month to consider grant funding applications from micro businesses located right across Mid Sussex. The panel awarded seven grants that totalled £12,527.

Supported projects included funding for staff training and development, new business premises, targeted marketing campaigns and backing for the development of online services.

The Micro Business Grant Scheme boosts the local economy by encouraging sustainable business growth, supporting start-up and micro businesses in the District.

The scheme is open to any Mid Sussex business with fewer than 10 employees and that has an idea for a project that will support their business growth. In addition to funding for growth projects, a further £1,500 is also available for any micro business looking to hire an apprentice.

Councillor Stephen Hillier, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Net Zero said: “We have a strong and resilient local economy in Mid Sussex and the business community is working tremendously hard to bounce back after the difficulties caused by Coronavirus over the past two years.

“A key part of our economic growth is provided by micro businesses and it’s vitally important that we support them as they grow and become established.

“As in previous years we have provided local micro businesses with grant funding to back their plans for expansion, development and innovation. These latest grants will help another seven local companies in Mid Sussex to make the most of the opportunities they have to grow and thrive.”

Due to the discovery of unforeseen/unchartered utility services below the southern roundabout on London Road the original programme and completion for the S278 Works has been delayed.

 FDL’s professional team and highways contractor are actively working with the relevant statutory undertakers and West Sussex County Council to redesign the works to avoid any service diversion works and the further delays the execution of such works could cause.

 At this time the outcome of the above and the effects on the original completion date for the works are unknown but potentially the works may not be completed until the end of August 2022 at the earliest.

 An FDL spokesperson said: “We are committed to completing our remaining programme of works as soon as possible for everybody’s sake. We will be incurring a considerable financial penalty for each and every day beyond the original completion date. This is a fact to show we have every incentive to minimise the length of the delay, not a plea for sympathy.

 “We apologise to residents, local businesses and motorists for these unforeseen delays. As soon as our discussions have concluded and a new completion date has been ascertained we will upload a statement onto the project website.”

Fairbridge Development Ltd (fairbridgewayroundabout.co.uk)

Residents are invited to submit their views on proposed Town and Parish Council ward boundary changes in Burgess Hill and East Grinstead as part of a six-week public consultation.

Mid Sussex District Council is currently conducting community governance reviews for and East Grinsted and Burgess Hill Town Councils. Initial public consultations were held earlier this year to gather representations from residents before the council recommended any proposed changes to the ward boundaries. 

In East Grinstead, it is proposed to move Ashplats South into the Herontye ward as they both lie in the same Division of West Sussex County Council. The recommendation is also for the new Parish ward of Sackville to be incorporated within Baldwins ward. The changes would mean a reduction in the total number of East Grinstead Town Wards from eight to seven and a reduction in the number of Councillors on the council from 19 to 16. 

In Burgess Hill, the Council is proposing to extend the northern boundary of Burgess Hill Town Council to include the site of the Northern Arc housing development. Two new wards will be created, ‘Northern Arc East’ and ‘Northern Arc West’, taking the total number of wards in Burgess Hill to ten. It is proposed that Burgess Hill has 17 Councillors representing the town in the next election cycle, potentially rising to 19 in 2027. 

The proposed changes to the Burgess Hill Town Council ward boundary mean the Northern Arc development will no longer be within the Parish of Ansty and Staplefield. The recommendations are that Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council should be comprised of five wards represented by 12 Councillors.

A full public consultation on the proposed Town and Parish Council ward boundary changes starts on Friday 1 July. Full details of the proposed changes can be found online at www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/community-governance-reviews/. 

Residents who live in Burgess Hill, East Grinstead or the Parish of Ansty and Staplefield are able to make written representations on the proposed changes to their area at www.midsussex.gov.uk/cgr-form. Alternatively, residents can email [email protected] .

Finally, residents without access to the internet can make submissions by post using the following address: Community Governance Review, Electoral Services, Mid Sussex District Council, Oaklands, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 1SS.