HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: All Members of the Grounds & Environment Committee (Kate Bailey, Jane Baker, David Bunting, Kristian Berggreen, Leslie Campbell, Frances Gaudencio, Bill Hatton, Sue Hatton, Angus Neil and Alex Simmons) with copies to all other Councillors for information.
cc. Richard Higgs
A meeting of the GROUNDS AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE will be held on Wednesday 22 March 2023 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.
Parish Clerk – 15 March 2023
1. TO ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2. TO ACCEPT DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
3. MINUTES. To accept the Minutes of the Grounds and Environment Meeting held on 1 February 2022. (Previously Circulated)
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
5. OFFICER’S REPORT. (Appendix 1).
6. LIGHT UP HASSOCKS. Members are invited to consider a request from Hassocks Community Organisation for financial support towards the cost of the Light Up Hassocks event. (Appendices 2&3).
7. ADASTRA SKATEPARK. Members are invited to consider a request for a Skateboarding competition to be held on the Adastra Skatepark. (Appendix 4).
8. BURIAL GROUND FEES Members are invited to review and approve a further fee for Hassocks Burial Ground from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. (Appendix 5).
9. KEYMER AND HASSOCKS CRICKET CLUB STORAGE. Members are invited to consider a request from KHCC to install additional storage behind the garage currently used by the club. (Appendix 6).
10. ADASTRA PARK MASTERPLAN. Verbal Update. Parish Clerk.
11. CORONATION OF KING CHARLES lll. Members are invited to consider any proposals to mark the Coronation of King Charles lll in May 2023.
12. FLOOD ACTION GROUP. Verbal Update. Cllr Frances Gaudencio.
13. PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY (PROW). Verbal update. Cllrs Ian Weir and Leslie Campbell.
14. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.
15. DATE OF NEXT MEETING. Thursday 18 May 2023 at 7.30pm. Please note change of date.
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
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: Grounds & Environment Committee
Date: 22 March 2023
Contacts for this report: Deputy Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 5 – Officer Report
1. The purpose of this report is to update the Committee on (G&E) Matters.
2. Hanging baskets. 26 traders have requested a hanging basket this year.
3. Street trees. To date 23 trees have already been requested which is the maximum number of trees funded within the Council budget. It is hoped that there may be further funding available through donations from individual residents and Hassocks Community Organisation who have historically been very supportive of the scheme. However it is to be noted that the final number funded may also be impacted by any increase applied to the cost per tree by WSCC in April.
4. May Day Event 2023. Members are invited to note that for personal reasons Michelle Binks has regrettably had to cancel all plans for the proposed May Day event this year.
5. Benches. Two metal benches have been removed from the west of Ockley Lane, one at the top opposite Church Mead and one on the corner of the Quadrant. Both benches were in a very poor condition. The Committee will be asked to consider replacing these benches in due course.
6. Swingo. The damaged piece of play equipment in the children’s play park has now been replaced under warranty.
Appendix 2
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: Grounds & Environment Committee
Date: 22 March 2023
Contacts for this report: Deputy Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 6 – Christmas Lights
Christmas Lights Background Information
1. Street Lighting in Hassocks is maintained by WSCC under a PFI scheme whereby the Parish pays maintenance and energy costs to WSCC who manage the scheme under their designated contractor. This contractor has changed over the years and the restrictions and requirements for attachments to the street lights have become more rigorous. The current contractor is Enervo.
2. Every year an application must be submitted by HPC to the lighting contractor for permission to attach festive lighting to the lamp columns. Amongst other requirements, this application must include information about the size, design and weight of each attachment.
3. Important information provided by contractor about the types of display that are not permitted:
4. Hassocks PC has regularly reviewed the provision of Christmas Lights and potential options to expand this. The ongoing issue has been the lack of a power source for additional lighting, the relatively low building heights which do not allow banners to be strung across the street and cost.
5. At its most recent meeting, given the current financial situation the Committee agreed to remain with the current contractor who has offered to maintain the same level of lighting with no extra increase in cost for the next three years. The Council has two major projects running this year which require substantial expenditure and running costs have also increased substantially, therefore it was agreed that it would not be prudent to increase expenditure on a Christmas Lighting contract at this time.
6. The cost of the Festive Lights contract is currently £2890.00 plus VAT which includes supply, install, take down and maintenance of the 14 column light frames, storage, install and take down of the two owned frames and attendance on site during the Light Up Hassocks event.
History
1. In March 2016, at the request of the Light Up Hassocks Committee, Hassocks Parish Council agreed to take over the responsibility for the funding and organisation of the festive Lights in Hassocks. Previously this had been the responsibility of the Light Up Hassocks committee.
2. There were lights on 3 trees (London Planes) along Keymer Road; and in 2017 the council purchased a further set, at a cost of £700 net, which were installed on a tree outside of the URC Church. The lights on the London Plane were damaged in 2018 and the council were considering repairs, however all tree lights had to be dis-connected in 2019 due to the contractor changing the enforcement of regulation of attachments to lighting columns. All four sets were removed in 2020 at a cost of £750.
3. In 2020 the Council agreed to the complete refurbishment of the Merry Christmas Hassocks motif at a cost of £1,200 net.
Appendix 3
Light Up Hassocks (LUH) – Request for Support and Financial Assistance
Presented by: Erika Woodhurst-Trueman, Shaun Lee and Alison Cumberland
Background:
Light Up Hassocks is a festive community event run by volunteers on the first Friday of December annually for the benefit of residents and local traders. It is run as a not for profit event and any profits are ring-fenced to help cover costs the following year. A financial overview of income and expenditure for 2022 is provided at Annex A. The event takes place on Keymer Road between Knights Budgens and the mini-roundabout outside Profiles/Marchants.
In 2022 and 2021 we had substantial donations from large-scale developers building housing estates in the locale. We cannot rely on such donations and are continually seeking new sources of funding to bridge the gap likely to be left when those developers leave the area.
For 2023 we wish to make some significant changes to the event, tackle long-standing challenges and address feedback we have received from traders, stall holders and the public. It is for help to achieve these ambitions that we are approaching the Parish and District Councils. If we are successful we believe we will improve the event for residents and traders alike, as well as the experience for those visiting or residing in Hassocks during the festive season generally.
The key areas in question are lighting and waste management.
Lighting
Matters regarding lighting for the event fall into three categories:
Christmas Lights:
Feedback from residents and traders is that the lights are looking tired and are underwhelming. When compared to nearby villages we cannot help but agree. In prior years we had trees strung with lights, which when added to the Christmas Lights, made a better impression. Some years have passed since those were available and nothing has replaced them. We are asking the council to review what can be done to make a more attractive and festive impression. We understand the challenges that the council faces and are prepared to seek permissions from business owners/residents and public support to aid any amelioration.
Additional Lights:
There are pockets of darkness on the high street which even with additional lighting (hired in at extra cost for 2022) we were unable to significantly improve. These pockets of darkness (approximately located outside and opposite the Infant School and on the Orion Parade strip of Keymer Road) make it hard to trade in these areas. Indeed some traders specifically request not to be placed in these locations because it is harder to work there and because customers do not like to linger in these areas. The outcome year after year is that these areas shut down early, which results in the event splitting into two separate zones (above and below the Infant School), undermines the atmosphere and speeds the overall closing down of the night. On this we are asking the council to assist us by providing funds to enable us to select and fund the hire of suitable flood lighting solutions. Sample quotes for two different options are provided in Annex Bi for reference.
‘Happy Christmas Hassocks’ Light:
We would like the council to consider funding a further Christmas light in addition to the one that is located at Hassocks Hardware. This to be located on the huge, blue, wall space between 40 and 40a Keymer Road if the relevant permissions can be obtained. Again, the LUH team is very happy to assist here, and as regards the design of the light. This site can be seen right from the top of the high street and would have a great, welcoming impact for those visiting and shopping in Hassocks.
Funding to cover the cost of running this light during December would also be welcome.
Waste Management
This year we are determined to make Light Up Hassocks a more environmentally responsible event.
We will be asking all traders to avoid plastics and to supply recyclable/compostable/biodegradable products, packaging and containers.
In turn, as the event organisers, we need to make it easy for attendees to dispose of waste responsibly by providing not only general waste wheelie bins, but also recycling wheelie bins.
In previous years the council provided a morning street sweep and some extra bins. This has not been available for some time and the LUH team has had to source bins and ask locals to help litter-pick. Costs for general waste bins last year were prohibitive and we do not believe we will be able to cover them based on our estimate of the number needed to achieve our environmental aim.
In this regard we are asking the council to support us by helping us to cover the costs of these bins and the disposal of the waste, or to provide the service within the terms of existing council contracts.
We estimate that 6 waste bins and 6 recycling bins would be sufficient if used properly. Sample quotes are provided in Annex Bii for reference.
Annex A
Financial Summary Light Up Hassocks 2022
| £ | |
| Balance b/f (transferred from Sussex Vale Rotary) | 2229.66 |
| Income 2022
Expenditure 2022 |
4455.52
3207.38 |
| Profit exc b/f | 1248.14 |
| Profit inc B/F | 3477.80 |
| Income Breakdown | £ |
| Brought Forward
Stall fee Donations |
2229.66
1165.00 3290.52 |
| Total Income | 6685.18 |
| Expenditure Breakdown | £ |
| Security
Purchases Other Insurance |
1022.40
725.68 1030.00 429.30 |
| Total Expenditure | 3207.38 |
Annex Bi
Additional Lights
Quote: Merlin
Installation of 50w LED high-mounted flood lights to the two lamp columns either side of Hassocks Infant School –
£165.00 per column +VAT = £330
Total: £396
This includes a splitter so that the Christmas motif and the flood lamp can remain illuminated at the same time
Quote 2 – Brandon Hire
£257 + VAT including fuel and delivery/collection.
Total: £308.40
Deposit of £500 required.
Total upfront payment of £808.40.
They only accept card payment.
Logistical challenges:
Annex Bii
Waste Quotes inclusive of delivery, removal and waste disposal.
Quote 1: GS Clearance Ltd
12 x 240 Litre wheelie bins (6 general waste and 6 recycling)
= £360+vat
Total: £432
Quote 2: Divert Waste Ltd
Delivery of the bins = £230 +VAT
Removal of the bins = £230 +VAT
Cleaning of each bin = £3.50 +VAT
6 x 240 Litre (General Waste) (10KGs) Collected = £ 9.15 + vat per empty.
6 x 240 Litre (Mixed Recycling (Paper Card Plastic Cans)) (10KGs) Collected = £ 6.85 + vat per empty.
= £598 +VAT
Total: £717.60
Surplus charges may apply if there is any of the following:
Appendix 4
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: Grounds & Environment Committee
Date: 22 March 2023
Contact for this report: Deputy Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 7 – Skateboarding Competition
1. The purpose of this report is to invite the Committee to consider a request from the company trialling lessons on the skatepark to also hold a half day competition.
2. The information provided to date about the proposed event is:
3. Further details have been requested in line with the council’s requirements for the use of Adastra Park by Groups and Commercial Enterprises; which can be seen on the HPC website Conditions-of-use-of-Recreation-Grounds-July-2015.pdf (hassockspc.wpenginepowered.com).
4. Members are invited to consider if they are minded to agree in principal to the proposal for a skateboarding competition to be organised and held at Adastra Skatepark subject to all requirements being met.
Appendix 5
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: Grounds & Environment Committee
Date: 22 March 2023
Contact for this report: Deputy Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 8 – Burial Fees
1. The purpose of this report is to invite the Committee to approve an increase in the fee to purchase a plaque on the Memorial Wall. This fee was not reflected on the Burial Fees for 2023-24 as agreed at the meeting of the Grounds & Environment meeting on 1 February 2023.
2. The increase is calculated using the same 10% increase in CPI between September 2021 and September 2022 as applied to all other Burial Fees.
3. OFFICER RECOMMENDATION. Members are recommended to approve the proposed Burial Ground Fee as shown below to be applicable from 1 April 2023.
| Hassocks Burial Ground | Current Fees April 2022 |
Proposed changes
Increase by CPI Increase Sept 21 to Sept 22 – 10% |
| CREMATED REMAINS AREA | ||
| NORTH SECTION Memorial Wall area | ||
| To purchase a plaque on the Memorial Wall | £33.00 | £36.00 |
Appendix 6
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: Grounds & Environment Committee
Date: 22 March 2023
Contact for this report: Deputy Clerk
Subject: Agenda Item 9 – Cricket Club Storage
1. The purpose of this report is to invite the Committee to consider a request from Keymer and Hassocks Cricket Club to install additional storage to the rear of the garage that is used by the club in Adastra Park – south of the Groundsman’s garage.
2. The Club is happy to assist with clearing the vegetation and debris which is currently behind the garage and is looking to lay a 2m x 3m concrete base. The storage would primarily be to store the club’s Bar-b-que alongside some less regularly used kit. The club would cover all associated costs and carry out the work themselves.
3. Storage space within the pavilion is becoming increasingly limited and any moves to reduce the pressure on this would be welcomed.
4. OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION.
4.1. Members are invited to approve in principle a request from Keymer & Hassocks Cricket Club to install additional storage to the rear of their garage on a base to a maximum size of 3.5 x 2.5m.
4.2. If Members are minded to approve the installation in principle, Members are invited to approve the Clerk managing the design of any such storage as an operational matter.
See full list of 2022/23 meetings, minutes and agendas here >
22/03/2023
Grounds & Environment Committee
27/03/2023
Planning Committee
See full list of 2022/23 meetings, minutes and agendas here >
The Council Office is located at:
Parish Centre, Adastra Park,
Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8QH.
Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m.
Wednesday CLOSED
Friday
10.00 a.m. to 12 noon.
Parish Clerk:
Ian Cumberworth
Telephone: 01273 842714
Email: info@hassocks-pc.gov.uk
