Hassocks Parish Council

Agenda

A meeting of the Parish Council is being held on Tuesday 10 September 2024 at 7.30 pm in the Council Chamber, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk – 3rd September 2024

Members of the public are encouraged to come to the meetings and there is an opportunity for them to address the Council relating to the non-confidential items on the published agenda. A period of 15 minutes will be set aside in item 4 Public participation. 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.

AGENDA

1. APOLOGIES

To accept Apologies for absence.

2. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

To deal with any disclosure by Members of any disclosable pecuniary interests and interests other than pecuniary interests, as defined under Hassocks Parish Council’s Code of Conduct and the Localism Act 2011, in relation to matters on the agenda.

3. MINUTES

To accept the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on the 9 July 2024.

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Up to fifteen minutes will be available to allow for the public to make representations, answer questions or give evidence in respect of any items of business included in the agenda, in accordance with Standing Orders.

5. TO ACCEPT THE FOLLOWING MINUTES

5.1       Planning Committee – to agree the minutes for the 15th July 2024 and 5th August 2024 and to note the minutes for the 27th August 2024.

5.2       Policy Resources & Communications Committee – to note the minutes for 16th July 2024.

5.3       Grounds & Environment Committee – to note the minutes for the 25th July 2024.

6. FINANCE

To approve the Financial Report (Appendix 1) and authorise the list of payments in the sum of £48,606.60 issued between 1 June 2024 and 30 June 2024 and payments in the sum of £21,942.31 issued between 1 July and 31 July 2024. (Appendix 2).

To view Appendix 1 please click here.

To view Appendix 2 please click here.

7. REPORTS

7.1       West Sussex County Councillor

7.2       Mid Sussex District Councillors Report

7.3       Police Report

7.4       Rail Matters

7.5       Youth Initiatives

7.6       Reports from Councillors on meetings outside bodies where the Council is represented.

8. CHAIR’S REPORT

8.1       Current matters (oral report).

9. CLERK’S REPORT

9.1       Councillor Co-option – (verbal update)

9.2       Grants

The purpose of this report is to inform the Council of the Grant applications received this year (phase 1). The Council agreed a total budget of £5,250 for grants and donations to local groups and organisations for 2024/25. The current grant application process is set out for Members information in (Appendix 3) which involves the consideration of applications twice each year in September and February.

To view Appendix 3 please click here.

The Council made the following donations to organisations in 2023/24

No. Organisation Grant awarded
1 Mid Sussex Radio 500
2 St Johns Ambulance 250
3 St Catherine’s Hospice 300
4 Victim Support 250
5 Air Ambulance 300
6 4 Sight & Vision 500
7 Oldland Mill Trust 600
8 St Peters & James Hospice 600
Total phase one (23/24) – September 3,300
9 Cycling Without Age 600
10 Greener Hassocks & Ditchling (formerly HKD) 800
Total phase two (23/24) – February 1,400
Total grant funding 2023-24 4,700

 

Members are requested to consider the grant applications for the current financial year 2024/25 – Phase 1 – The overall budget allocation for the year stands at £ 5,250.  

No. Applicant Purpose Funding sought
1
*		 Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey & Sussex Contribution towards maintaining service £500
2
*		 4 Sight Vision Support Specialist vision support £650

 

The supporting papers for the above applications are set out in Appendix 4.

To view Appendix 4 please click here.

Members are requested to consider each application in turn and determine the level of any award.

9.3 The officers report taken to the last Grounds & Environment Committee (see extract below)

3.2 SAFETY TREE WORKS.  It has been identified that two, possibly more, trees in Parklands Copse may be suffering from Ash Die Back and pose a potential safety risk.  Therefore a further assessment has been requested and it is anticipated that essential safety work will be required for identified trees within the woods.   All funds within the Parklands Copse tree budget have been utilised, however any work identified as being urgent, will be approved by the Clerk under the approved delegated powers under item 3.6 of the Financial Regulations.

This is to advise Members that the works have been undertaken in the sum of £850 however there was insufficient funds within the Parklands Copse budget due to other tree works carried out earlier in the year, therefore these costs are proposed to be met from general reserves as these works were required to be undertaken due to safety reasons. Members are requested to note the action taken and ratify the use of general reserves to meet these costs.

9.4 Parish Centre – It’s important that the Council over the years continues to invest in its property asset. One of the Councils identified priorities in the emerging Business Plan is to improve the insulation efficiency/condition of the Parish Centre. The building currently has timber framed double glazed window panels, a timber framed double glazed porch area, and timber fascia’s/bargeboards which were installed in excess of 20 years ago and do not meet with the current day energy standards.

One of the options for Members to consider is whether they would support the replacement of the current windows and barge boards with a more energy efficient product that would also be relatively maintenance free. If the existing are retained ongoing maintenance will be required and the Council would not realise its aspiration to improve the energy efficiency of the building which in turn would hopefully reduce ongoing heating costs.

At this point some indicative costs have been obtained which depending on the level of replacement/materials to be used is coming in circa £18,000 – £29,000 (pre survey costs).

The Council currently holds £18,785 in the repairs sinking fund (Earmarked Reserves) that was established for this type of eventuality, however this may not cover all the potential works required, therefore Members are requested to consider whether they would support the release of additional funding from reserves to cover any additional shortfall.

Members views are sought as to whether the Clerk be requested to obtain detailed quotations together with further technical details on any windows profile/energy efficiency etc.

10. URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

11. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the date of the next Council meeting will be 8th October 2024.

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 in attendance they will be requested to withdraw from the meeting in the public interest.

Confidential

12. Staffing Matters

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.