Balcombe
Parish Council
Chairman: Graham Gosney, Twittens, Oldlands Avenue,
Balcombe, West Sussex RH17 6LW. Telephone 01444 811420
Clerk: Richard Greig, 11 Foxwells, Balcombe, West
Sussex RH17 6LZ
Ansaphone & Fax 01444 811833
Post Office
We are glad to see that Indi seems to have recovered from the previous
unsavoury incidents. The Parish council
is liaising with her to see whether additional security measures can be
introduced as well as offering any other assistance. Please continue to support the viability of our village Post
office by using it whenever you can.
Don’t forget that most of your utility bills can be paid in there, the
majority without any handling charge.
The Parish Council bills will in future be paid using this facility.
Mindless damage was caused to one of the rides in the lower playground
recently, resulting in both inconvenience to those wishing to enjoy the
facilities and expense to the District Council, who had to rectify the damage,
ultimately at our expense. This was a
deliberate act as the equipment was set on fire.
District Council remind us that there is a manned Leisure Ranger
Service, who can be contacted day or night should anything untoward be
noticed. They act together with the
police where necessary. By all means
contact the Clerk, as before, with any reports of damage, but it may be more
appropriate to contact the Ranger at the time.
Contact numbers are 01444 477305 (daytime) and 01444 458795 after
hours. Apparently at weekends the
service is operative until quite late in the evening.
Concerning the proposed re-development we are hoping to be able to
arrange a consultation meeting at which our final proposals, following the
recent grant allocation, will be made.
We have now agreed that SEEBOARD will renew
specified lamps on the Haywards Heath Road, London Road, Mill Lane, Oldlands
Avenue, Stockcroft Road and Bramble Hill.
Their proposal is that 70 watt white sodium lights are used to improve
light value and reduce energy consumption.
Flat glass lenses, instead of shallow bowl, will be used, as these focus
direction of light where needed to minimise inconvenience to householders with
houses and windows near the road.
Traffic Calming
We are advised that West Sussex County
Council will shortly put out Phase 1 of the scheme to local consultation – this
includes the police, fire and ambulance services. From our end the relevant Councillors from our Environment
Planning Group have been finding a most positive response from villagers, whose
properties are located within the area concerned.
One of the villagers has commented on what he considers to be a recent increase in rail noise. This appears to revolve around increased – and possibly louder - use of the whistle by the various locomotives. Understandably this is found to be somewhat troublesome.
It
would be useful to hear from others on the subject, so that if the consensus
indicates that there is an increasing problem we can seek advice from the rail
operators using the line.
Please contact the Clerk if you have any relevant comments.
Policing
We hope that many of you were able to attend
the short. address by Chief Inspector Coates, prior to commencement of
September’s main meeting and found it useful.
Parking on Grass Verges
Reports have reached the Parish Council of
parking on the grass verges of both Jobes and Newlands. In wet weather this churns up the surface
and inconveniences the gardeners, who ultimately have to cut and tidy the
grass. Please park thoughtfully at all
times.
Electric Blanket Testing
Although the date for this in Haywards Heath
was September 30th, there may be other possibilities locally, so
please contact the Clerk if you need any assistance.
Fly Tipping
We are most grateful to the two
public-spirited villagers, who caught someone in the act disposing of a load of
broken concrete slabs in a small lay by to the left of Church Hill. The matter was reported to both District Council,
as well as the Environment Agency, who is responsible for commencing
proceedings against the persons responsible.
In this case we understand that it is likely that they will be traced,
as we have not only two witnesses, as well as the vehicle registration
number. If you see anything suspicious
please call the Fly Tipping “Hot Line” - 01444 477226 - and ask in the first
instance for Roger Mills.
Transco
The relaying of gas pipe work along Oldlands
Avenue has reached halfway according to the Company, who advise that the next
work will be some open cut excavation on the stretch leading onto the Haywards
Heath Road. Surprisingly they claim
that they are already ahead of schedule and should improve on the original date
of mid November for completion!
Taxi Vouchers
As you may be aware taxi
vouchers are available from the District Council, via the Clerk, at a cost of
£5.00 for a book of 50 x 50p vouchers. Taxi
vouchers are offered as an alternative to a bus pass (i e a resident cannot
hold both concessions), but they can be bought in
addition to a Senior or Disabled Rail Voucher.
Please note that proof of age or disability, together with a passport
size photograph and evidence of residence are required.
Rural Transport in Mid
Sussex
Mid Sussex District Council
is working in partnership with West Sussex County Council to bid for funding
for additional buses to serve rural mid Sussex. Posters are being displayed locally and we would ask you to
complete and put into the box provided a short questionnaire, available from
the village shops that the Clerk will then collect and return collectively to
the Council. Please spare time to do
this if possible as the benefit to Balcombe could be immense, if the Council’s
bid is successful.
Public Participation
Our next meeting will be on 21st
October and the agenda displayed prior to the meeting on the notice board. Public participation at meetings is always
welcome.
Richard Greig
Clerk to the Parish Council
September 2003