HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
To: All Members of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee: Maria Angelaki-King, Lesley Cruikshank-Robb, France Gaudencio, Don McBeth, Paul Shepherd (Chair), Ian Weir (Vice-Chair) with copies to all other Councillors for information.
A meeting of the POLICY RESOURCES & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE on Tuesday 17 March 2026 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks
Parish Clerk 11 March 2026
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.
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 27 January 2026. (Previously Circulated).
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
5. COMMUNICATIONS (Verbal update)
6. KEYMER & HASSOCKS SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB LEASE – The Keymer & Hassocks Sports & Social Club is leased from the Parish Council under a 21-year full repairing lease that is due for renewal by 1 May 2028. The club currently pays £1,083 per annum, the rent is reviewed every five years and increased in line with the Retail Price Index. The club is keen to ensure they have ongoing security of tenure and would like to start negotiations for a new lease. Members are asked to give authority to the Clerk to instruct a solicitor to begin negotiations for a new lease based on the existing agreement, see Heads of Terms (Appendix 1). It is suggested that the new lease is effective from May 2027 as this coincides with the date of the next rent review. The final draft of the lease will need full Council approval before it can be signed.
7. DRAFT HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY – Members are asked to review the draft Health and Safety Policy (Appendix 2) produced by WorkNest on our behalf and RECOMMEND it to Council for approval. To view Appendix 2 please click here
8. EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK – Members are asked to review the draft Health and Safety Handbook (Appendix 3) produced by WorkNest on our behalf and RECOMMEND it to Council for approval. To view Appendix 3 please click here
9. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chair for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.
10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING – 28 April 2026.
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
Draft Heads of Terms – Lease between Hassocks Parish Council and Keymer & Hassocks Sports & Social Club
Subject to Contract & Without Prejudice
1. Parties
Landlord: Hassocks Parish Council, Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Keymer Road, Hassocks BN6 8QH
Tenant: Keymer & Hassocks Mens Club Ltd trading as Keymer & Hassocks Sports & Social Club, Adastra Park, Keymer Road, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8QH
2. Property
A plan identifying the leased area will be attached to the lease.
3. Term
Term length: 21 years
Commencement date: 12 May 2027
4. Rent
Annual rent: tbc (based on terms of current agreement)
Payment frequency: Annually on 12 May each year
Rent review: every 5 years, RPI-linked
5. Use of Premises
Permitted use:
Prohibited uses:
6. Repairs & Maintenance
Full repairing lease internal and external
7. Insurance
Tenant to insure for Buildings, Contents and Public Liability
8. Licences & Compliance
Tenant responsible for obtaining and maintaining all necessary licenses i.e. Premises licence for sale of alcohol, food hygiene and compliance with relevant legislation i.e. Health & safety law, Fire regulations
9. Outgoings
Tenant to pay all utilities (electricity, water, gas, broadband, waste) and business rates (or claim Rate Relief if eligible).
10. Alterations
Minor non-structural alterations: Tenant may undertake with prior written consent.
Structural alterations: Not permitted unless expressly authorised by the Parish Council.
Any permitted works must be carried out at Tenant’s expense and comply with all regulations.
11. Assignment & Subletting
Assignment: Not permitted unless the Parish Council consents.
Subletting:
12. Break Clauses
The Tenant may determine the lease at any time upon giving six months written notice
The Landlord may determine the lease if the Tenant ceases to exist as constituted or does not use the premises for a period of six months.
13. Security of Tenure
Lease will be outside the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 (no automatic renewal rights).
14. Landlord’s Right of Access
Parish Council may access the premises:
15.Legal Costs
Tenant to pay all costs.
HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL
Draft Minutes of the meeting of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on 17 March 2026 at 7.30pm in Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.
Attendees: Parish Councillors Paul Shepherd, Frances Gaudencio, Don McBeth, Maria Angelaki-King, Lesley Cruickshank-Robb.
In Attendance: Elaine Langridge (Clerk & RFO).
MINUTES
PRC25/87 APOLOGIES – Cllr Ian Weir
PRC25/88 DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
Disclosure by Councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, and whether the Councillor regards their interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.
Cllrs McBeth and Shepherd declared an interest in relation to item 6, as both are current members of the Keymer & Hassocks Sports and Social Club.
PRC25/89 MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2026 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting. It was noted that Cllr Cruickshank-Robb’s name was misspelt.
PRC25/90 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public were present.
PRC25/91 COMMUNICATIONS
Members discussed content for the May issue of Hassocks Life, copy deadline 21 April. They agreed on the following topics:
The newly appointed Community Engagement Officer, with responsibility for Council communications, will be invited to the next meeting to meet the Committee.
PRC25/92 KEYMER & HASSOCKS SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB LEASE
The organisation is a registered company under the old name of Keymer & Hassocks Men’s Club but trades as Keymer & Hassocks Sports & Social Club. Their accounts are publicly available and they had Reserves of £67,349 in 2024.
Councillors agreed the rent is comparatively low for the premises but the annual membership fee is only £30 with concessionary rates for senior citizens. It is an inclusive and accessible club which is open to residents in Keymer and Hassocks which currently has a waiting list as it is very popular.
The club has full repairing responsibilities and keeps the building well maintained and in good repair. They have been a reliable tenant and run the building independently at no cost to the Council.
It was suggested that the Council could develop a closer working relationship with the club in future.
Members were content to continue with the current arrangements for leasing the building and instructed the Clerk to proceed with a new lease with effect from May 2027, based on draft the Heads of Terms, for Council approval.
PRC25/93 DRAFT HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
The Clerk informed Councillors that she had met with the Health & Safety consultant in February for a fact finding session and again in March when she carried out General Risk Assessment site visits at Talbot Field, Parklands Copse, Adastra Park, the sports pavilion and Parish Centre. This resulted in the production of a tailored Health and Safety Policy and a number of recommendations regarding risk assessments, training and documentation. A third visit is scheduled at the end of March to carry out Fire Risk Assessments at both Council managed buildings.
Further information, in response to the recommendations in the WorkNest report, will be presented to the Committee who will have ongoing responsibility for monitoring Health and Safety compliance. The Health and Safety Statement will be published on the Council’s website.
Members thought the document was very comprehensive and RESOLVED to RECOMMEND the Health and Safety Policy to Council for approval and adoption.
PRC25/94 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
Members discussed the need for a Lone Working Policy to ensure staff have security when they are on their own in the office or working in the park. There was a general discussion about the potential need for personal alarms, better lighting, allocated staff parking and CCTV. The Clerk will produce a draft to address these issues for consideration at a later date.
Members RESOLVED to RECOMMEND the Employee Handbook to Council for approval and adoption.
PRC25/95 URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN – None
PRC25/96 DATE OF NEXT MEETING Tuesday 28 April 2026.
See full list of 2025/26 meetings, minutes and agendas here >
27/04/2026
Planning Committee
28/04/2026
Policy, Resources & Communications
See full list of 2025/26 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.
