Policy, Resources & Communications

Agenda

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

To:      All Members of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee: (Ian Weir, Paul Shepherd, Lesley Cruickshank-Robb, Kate Bailey, Don McBeth and Maria Angelaki-King) with copies to all other Councillors for information.

A meeting of the POLICY RESOURCES & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE will be held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk 23 April 2025

1. TO ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. TO ACCEPT DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

3.  Minutes. To accept the Minutes of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on 18 February 2025. (Previously Circulated).

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

5. POLICIES – at a meeting of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee on 18 February 2025 Members RESOLVEDto form a working group to develop a programme of policy reviews in consultation with the new Clerk, initially starting with Standing Orders and Financial Regulations. A proposed schedule for an ongoing programme of rolling policy reviews is attached for consideration (Appendix 1). Members should appoint a minimum of three representatives to a task and finish working group to consider this further, if necessary.

6. REMEMBRANCE DAY (Verbal update).

7. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING (Verbal update).

8. IT UPGRADE – for information, the office computers and laptops are currently using the Windows 10 Operating System. From 14 October 2025, Microsoft will withdraw technical assistance and software updates for Windows 10 which increase the risk for viruses and malware. They recommend users upgrade to Windows 11 but older hardware is not compatible.  CSE Ltd, the Council’s IT Support provider, has carried out a review and found that three of the existing computers and one laptop will become obsolete.  To address this issue it is proposed that we purchase two new docking stations, two additional screens and a modern PC to upgrade the office hardware. We also need to upgrade the NAS back-up server to modernise and automate the system to provide better IT resilience and greater capacity.  The total cost of these improvements is approximately £1,500 plus VAT and Labour under the service contract, which can be covered through the IT Support budget.

9. ANNUAL AUDIT (Verbal update).

10. PENSIONS – in addition to administering the payroll, Mulberys can also deal with LGPS Pension calculations and monthly returns to Hampshire County Council, who administer the West Sussex scheme. The estimated cost is approximately £20pcm and they can take on this task from April 2025. Members are asked to approve this additional expenditure.

11. SPEED LIMIT WORKING GROUP – Members are asked to consider allocating resources, subject to Council approval, to support a Community Highways Scheme application to West Sussex County Council (Appendix 2).

12. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – to be agreed

Exclusion of Public and Press In view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted Councillors will be referred to the Confidential agenda. If any members of the public or press are present they will be requested to withdraw from the meeting.

CONFIDENTIAL

14. STAFFING MATTERS – reappointment of part-time Assistant to the Clerk (Appendix 3 – Job Description).

Please Note
All members of the public are welcome to attend meetings of the Parish Council and its Committees.
Item 4 – a period of 15 minutes will be set aside for the public statements and questions relating to the published non-confidential business of the Meeting.  It may be necessary to consider particular items in confidential session and where this arises, these items will be considered at the end of the agenda.

FILMING, RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
During this meeting members of the public may film or record the Committee and officers from the public area only providing it does not disrupt the meeting. The Confidential section of the meeting may not be filmed or recorded. If a member of the public objects to being recorded, the person(s) filming must stop doing so until that member of the public has finished speaking. The use of social media is permitted but members of the public are requested to switch their mobile devices to silent for the duration of the meeting.

Appendix 1

AGENDA ITEM 5

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Committee Meeting: Policy, Resources & Communications

Report of: Parish Clerk

Date: 29 April 2025

Subject: Policy Reviews

Appendix 2

AGENDA ITEM 11

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Committee Meeting: Policy, Resources & Communications

Report of: Parish Clerk

Date: 29 April 2025

Subject: Speed Limit Working Group

Purpose of Report

1). The purpose of this report is to present an update on the speed limit zone project.

Recommendations

2). Members of the Committee are asked to consider

a). making a provisional financial contribution of up to 50% toward the delivery of the scheme.

Background

3). The Deputy Clerk has reported a very good response to the article in Hassocks Life. 45 emails have been received, with the majority in favour and many suggestions for other measures that could be introduced.  The deadline for responses is 2 May 2025 and then all the comments will be collated into a format that can be shared on our website and Facebook page.

4). An application to the West Sussex County Council Community Highways Scheme will be submitted in May and the consultation document will be used to support the bid. Only 10-20 projects are approved and delivered each year and to be successful applicants must demonstrate the support of their local County Councillor and the wider community.

5). All requests are assessed and prioritised against transport objectives, technical viability and value for money. Budgetary constraints are a consideration and applicants are asked to provide information about how the project can be funded.

6). The County Council has advised that the cost of the scheme is likely to be in the region of £20-£30k and may be higher if designs are processed through West Sussex County Council’s consultant, which could add a further £15k to the overall cost.