The Parish Council is the first tier of local government and represents the communities of Hurstpierpoint, Sayers Common, Goddards Green and the surrounding countryside. We have a population of nearly 7,000 who are fortunate to live in an area of great beauty, with the benefits of ready access to Brighton and the coast and the South Downs, and with the centre of London only a 50 minute train ride.
Hurstpierpoint is the largest village and is home to a very wide range of clubs, societies and sports activities. Significant local events such as the St Lawrence Fair in June each year, and the Hurstpierpoint arts festival in September, are extremely popular and draw many visitors into our community. The village enjoys an excellent range of quality shops in the High Street, as well as a cinema, theatre, tennis and bowls clubs, and many organisations for all ages.
The Parish Council office is next to the Library in Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, and we are open to the public each weekday from 9.30am to 1.30pm. Alternatively you can call us on 01273 833264 or email office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk
We try to help on all matters of local interest, and if we cannot give the answer then we try to guide you to the right organisation.
Thank you for your interest in our community.
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DATA PROTECTION
We take the protection of your personal data seriously. If you contact or communicate with us we may hold your contact and other details. We will only use this information for the purposes of carrying out our Council business with you. We will not pass your details to any other person or organisation without your express permission.
We are registered with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office). Full details of our full privacy notices here.
May 2018
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The Parish Council are pleased to announce that from 4th July we will be reopening our play areas. Please read the attached advice. Thank you
Please see the attached notice regarding the upcoming closure of some popular footpaths due to surface improvement works.
The closure comes into effect on Monday 6th July for 21 days.
There has recently been much comment on social media about the state of some of the Hurstpierpoint High Street kerbstones. Any faults can be easily and quickly reported directly to WSCC via their "Love West Sussex" on-line reporting portal. This is also available as an app and can be readily downloaded to smart phones. Residents are positively encouraged to make such reports as they identify problems with the highway and pavements.
Parish Council staff and Councillors regularly use that app/portal to report such issues. These are also followed up in regular meetings with WSCC staff. Despite "lock down" acknowledgement of those reports by WSCC has been timely, and repairs have been taking place throughout the High Street by WSCC contractors; including tipped and dislodged kerbstones.
Please note WSCC has suspended the 15 month Inspection and Maintenance Cycle, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, and is currently only taking action on Public Rights of Way where reported issues require work to ensure public safety on the network. Should any enquiries received not be of this nature it will be logged so it can be prioritised and addressed in the future when normal working practices are resumed. We are currently reviewing when we can re-start inspections in line with government guidance and ask you for your patience in dealing with issues that arise. It is also important to note that our summer clearance programme for surface vegetation has now begun on selected paths and is running between the 1st June and mid-August.
At this time it is important to remind people that public footpaths are for use by the public on foot only and cycling on these routes is a trespass against the landowner. This unlawful use risks conflict on the paths themselves and considerable challenges for people trying to keep the necessary 2m apart whilst enjoying the countryside.
It is also important to note that landowners are responsible for any side vegetation encroaching onto the path and any structures on the PROW network, such as stiles and gates. If appropriate to do so please contact the landowner, if known, directly to make them aware of the issue but if not you can continue to report such issues by following the link below.
https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/land-waste-and-housing/public-paths-and-the-countryside/public-rights-of-way/report-a-problem-with-a-right-of-way/#report-a-problem
A final reminder is the need to ensure good hygiene when using the PROW network including regular hand washing along with social distancing in line with government advice.
Following the Parish Council meeting on Thursday 28th May, the committee are pleased to announce a new Chairman as been elected, Mr Malcolm Llewellyn. Allan Brown will continue his role as Vice-Chairman.
Members & staff of the Parish Council would like to thank the outgoing Chairman Stephen Hand for his five years in the role and also, thank you to Tony Lank for being co Vice-Chairman with Allan Brown during the last council year.
Please do read the Parish Council Annual Report 2020
The Parish Council would like to thank everybody who has contributed to keeping our
community safe and healthy in the current crisis, whether that is through your job, through
volunteering, through your caring responsibilities or through staying inside and observing
social distancing and the conditions of the lockdown. Thank you all!
Dear Children
Thank you for all the great play area designs you have sent
us. They can be seen on our Facebook page. More designs
welcome!
Are you visiting Hurst Meadows or walking in the countryside
or spending lots of time in your garden? Could you keep a
nature diary to help our ecologist with her surveys of the
plants and animals who live in our villages? Or go on a hunt
to see how many butterflies or blackbirds or oak trees or any
other plant or creature you can find? Keep a record of where
you see them and take photos. Ask your Mum or Dad or Carer
to take a photo of your diary or your nature observations and
email them to us at the address below with any photos you
take. office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk Thank you!
This leaflet contains details of local organisations and companies that are offering help and
support. We have used telephone numbers for the benefit of those who do not have internet
access. So, if you do have internet access please, wherever possible, email or use social media
to make contact leaving phone lines free for those who do not have another option.
The Hurst Covid-19 Neighbours' Support Group has been set up to ensure that anyone who
is elderly, vulnerable or socially isolated because of the current pandemic has access to a
contact for help. This includes shopping, dog walking, posting letters, collecting prescriptions
or just for a friendly chat. Please call Ebony or Lucy if you want to check the legitimacy of any
offers of help from this group or to be linked with the volunteer for your street. Ebony 07733
396221 (if you are West of Cuckfield Road) or Lucy 01273 835536 (for the East side).
Hurstpierpoint Food Bank is now operating a delivery service from Hurstpierpoint twice a
week. If you require a foodbank parcel, please email hurstfb@gmail.com with your voucher
or to request information. Orders need to be in by 5pm Tuesday and 5pm Thursday. Your local
neighbours support group volunteer (see above) can help you to access this service if you do
not have the internet.
Sayers Common Community Shop is co-ordinating support for vulnerable people and those
self-isolating in Sayers Common/Albourne. Call on 01273 834224 to request help from a
volunteer or to order food and other supplies.
West Sussex Community Hub is available seven days a week for those without support and
in need of help. Staff will be on hand to respond to enquiries between 8.00am-8.00pm online
or on 033 022 27980.
Please Keep This Leaflet Somewhere Safe
Local Response to COVID-19 at 5 May 2020
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council, Village Centre,
Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9UY, 01273 833264
office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk www.hurstpierpoint-pc.org.uk
HURSTPIERPOINT&SAYERS COMMON
PARISH COUNCIL
Age Concern Hassocks may be able to help older residents. Call Monday to Friday 9-11am on
07801 017378 or 07752 356776.
Carers Support West Sussex is an independent charity supporting family and friend carers. If
you need to talk or find out information about what support is available call 0300 028 888.
Mid Sussex Befriended Service can be contacted on 0300 772 7703 for a friendly chat and
support advice.
Hurstpierpoint Health Centre call 01273 834388 to make an appointment or for advice. For
Covid-19 advice visit the NHS 111 website or phone 111 or call the surgery.
Sussex Mental Healthline 0300 5000 101. A 24 hours a day, seven day a week service offering
support and information to anyone experiencing mental health problems including stress,
anxiety and depression. The Samaritans can be reached by phoning 116 123. Calls are free.
National Domestic Abuse Helpline is a free-phone 24-hour number 0808 2000 247. Or call for
support in West Sussex on 0330 222 8181. If you are in immediate danger call 999.
Call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 if you are worried about a child or for help, advice and support
or email help@nspcc.org.uk The Childline number is 0800 1111.
Family Lives have lots of great advice on their website as well as offering support to
parents/carers through their helpline. Call 0808 800 2222 or email: askus@familylives.org.uk
For emergency help and advice for your pets call Heath Vets on 01273 832968. Pierpoint Pet
Supplies on the High St are open and also doing deliveries. Call 01273 832368
Jeremy's the Greengrocer in Henfield will take phone orders and can deliver, please call 01273
495799.
Truffles Bakery, 119 High Street, Hurstpierpoint are offering telephone or on-line orders for
bakery items and lots more from their depot. Call them on 01273 492687 or email
info@trufflesbakery.co.uk
All essential shops remain open in Hurstpierpoint High Street with queuing systems in place for
safety.
Business Assistance Local businesses can apply for a business support grant of £10,000 or
£25,000 if they meet the Government's qualifying criteria. Further information from Mid-Sussex
District Council on 01444 458166 or via the following link
https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/revsandbens/business-rates/new-grants-for-business-rates/
Mid Sussex District Council's Green bin collections resume on 11 May. To prevent fly-tipping
please ensure any private waste collectors are licensed.
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council: Our recreation grounds remain open to the
public for exercise but our play areas, halls and public toilets are sadly closed. The Parish Council
staff are working from home and can be contacted via office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk.
Here are some further useful websites:
Advice from Sussex Police regarding groups/gatherings:
https://www.sussex.police.uk/police-forces/sussex-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/coronavirus-our-response/
Volunteers - how to help safely:
Covid-19
We hope that all our residents have stayed safe and healthy during the current crisis. Thank you to everyone in our community who has volunteered formally or informally to help others at this challenging time. These fantastic people include:
Everyone involved in the "Hurst Covid-19 Neighbours' Support Group"
Those organising and delivering on behalf of the Food Bank
The (mostly young) volunteers who delivered the Parish Council "Local Response" leaflet when our normal distributor closed down
Residents taking bags and litter-pickers on their daily exercise walk to help protect our local environment
Those keeping the Sayers Common Community Shop open and taking deliveries and other help to those in need
Thanks also to those businesses who have gone the extra mile working extremely hard to provide residents with goods and services. Lloyds Pharmacy, JanTons, Truffles, The Co-op and many others - you have been fantastic - thank you!
The Parish Council would also like to thank everyone in our community who works for the NHS or in social care or in a key sector e.g. making deliveries or in other ways keeping vital services running. We have some true heroes living among us!
Parish Council
Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, we have had to regrettably close all our play areas and public buildings to ensure that they are not a source of infection. Thank you to all residents for not using these areas and following the government guidelines. We have also had to delay many of our initiatives including the Safe Place Dementia Training, but we will be ready to go with these as soon as restrictions are lifted. Staff and councillors are concentrating on basic maintenance of facilities and of Hurst Meadows at the moment. Hopefully plans such as re-planting the Village Garden will be able to go ahead in 2021.
Staff are working from home. We are still able to consider, and indeed welcome, grant requests - information on how to apply is on our website or email
The Parish Council's response to the current crisis has been led by our Strategy Panel which has been meeting weekly via video-conferencing. Our response has very much focused on getting important information out to residents, particularly those who are isolated or do not have internet access. We have used the same platform to hold monthly council meetings (minutes can be found on our website). If you have issues or suggestions for the parish council to consider please email us.
APPLE WALK 10 MAY CANCELLED By the time you read this, our newly-planted Sussex apple varieties should be in flower. Although we have had to cancel the walk, please do visit our Heritage Community Orchard in Hurst Meadows (in the fields behind Highfield Drive). On your daily exercise of course!
"Look out for the damson trees now (March) in flower in the Heritage Orchard. Damson trees are traditionally planted in orchards as they flower before apple trees and encourage pollinating insects to visit the area."
The Parish Council wish to play an important part in helping the local community during this difficult time. Please read the attached document for further information.
UPDATE: 27th March - The Parish Council are printing another 3000 information leaflets for distribution around the village. A copy of the leaflet is attached here.
Please find a link here to a local website
Best wishes to all our Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common residents.
Please see the attached document for some useful links regarding the current coronavirus outbreak
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council
28th February 2020
Please click here to see the schedule of regular activities in the Main Hall at the Village Centre
Please click here to see the schedule of regular activiites in the Club Suite & Conference room at the Village Centre
The Parish Council are pleased to share this latest schedule of all the regular activities now taking place at Court Bushes Community Hub,Willow Way Hurstpierpoint.
South Avenue Cemetery Memorial Audit
A recent memorial safety audit has identified 9 memorials as unstable and hence posing a risk to anybody who could be walking or working nearby.
The 9 memorials have been identified with hazard tape. Anyone having a family memorial in South Avenue Cemetery is asked to check whether it has been identified as unstable and if so, take appropriate remedial action.
There will be a review in June 2020 and any memorials that are still unstable will be laid flat.
If you have any queries please contact Helen Valler at the Parish Council office - 01273 833264
Changes to the use of household waste recycling sites:
From 1 December 2019 anyone using a recycling site will need to provide proof of residency in West Sussex.
Access to sites will be denied if you do not have proof of address or live outside of West Sussex.
For further information visit: www.westsussex.gov.uk
Please visit our new website for village halls, https://www.hurstpierpointvillagehalls.org .
The website is for bookings at both the Village Centre and Court Bushes Community Hub, which is now open for bookings.
Please contact the Parish Office or use the form on the website if you have an enquiry.
