Consultations

Consultation Details

This consultation is open: from midday on the 3/7/17 to midday 14/8/17. Representations should be made by 14/08/17. Representations received after midday on that date will not be considered as part of the consultation process.

About this consultation

Notice is given that Mid Sussex District Council (the Council) in exercising their power under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 Sections 59-79 propose to make PSPOs.

Currently the Council operate dog control matters under their Dog Control Orders (DCO). The Council are now seeking to change these DCOs to PSPOs.

New sites the Council now own will also be designated under the PSPOs.  Extra sites have been designated for maximum number of dogs following the previous trial at Bedelands Nature Reserve.  These sites include some of our nature reserves and several larger recreation grounds.  All site designations can be seen in Schedule 1 – Dog Fouling, Schedule 2 – Dog Exclusion, Schedule 3 – Dogs on lead by direction, Schedule 4 – Maximum number of dogs. 

As part of the introduction of the PSPOs we are seeking your views and the Council wishes to hear from people from within the District on the proposed draft PSPOs.

The PSPOs will cover:

Fouling of Land by Dogs

• Requires people having charge and control of dogs to remove dog faeces and this applies to any land which is open to the air and to which the public have access. MSDC sites which are covered can be seen in Schedule 1.

Dogs Exclusion

• Excludes dogs from:

Enclosed children’s play areas, any other fenced recreational areas, such as tennis courts, bowling greens, skate parks and multi activity areas owned by MSDC. Areas of MSDC sites which are covered can be seen in Schedule 2.

Dogs on Leads by Direction

• Requires people having charge and control of dogs to put their dogs on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer. This applies to MSDC owned land on which formal sports or community events regularly take place, and all designated nature reserves where a dog is considered to be out of control or causing alarm and distress.  MSDC sites which are covered can be seen in Schedule 3.

Dogs (Specified maximum)

• Specifies a maximum number of dogs (6) that can be taken onto land by one person. This applies to some of MSDC’s nature reserves, adjoining land and several larger recreation grounds which can be found in schedule 4. 

If any of the conditions of the Orders are breached a Fixed Penalty Notice of £75 can be issued and failure to pay may lead to prosecution and being liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding Level 3 (currently £1000) on the standard scale. The Orders will have effect for three years (less I days) from the date they are made.

The Council seeks to promote responsible dog ownership and believes these proposed Orders will address the anti-social behaviour of some dog owners which has a detrimental effect on the quality of life for the residents of Mid Sussex.

The Council receives a number of complaints each year related to dog issues and these PSPOs seek to ensure that everyone using public open spaces can enjoy the facilities on offer safely, including dog owners.

Hard copies of the documents may be inspected throughout the consultation period at the following address

Mid Sussex District Council,
Oaklands Campus,
Oaklands Road,
Haywards Heath,
RH16 1SS

Consultation Details

Together with Lewes District Council, Mid Sussex District Council are planning to upgrade the play facilities at Worlds End Recreation Ground in Burgess Hill.

We would like to make this an inclusive facility available to all children whatever their ability.

We would like to find out what people would like us to do at the park to make it better.

Consultation Details

How To Respond

Responses must be received between Monday 2nd October and midnight on Monday 13th November. A Guidance Note was prepared to aid you when making a response.

• Email: LDFconsultation@midsussex.gov.uk

Consultation Information

The Mid Sussex District Plan was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in August 2016. A Planning Inspector has held a number of Examination Hearings, the most recent being in July 2017. At these hearings the Inspector recommended that the Plan could proceed to adoption subject to a number of modifications. Details regarding the Hearings and documents submitted during the hearings can be found on the District Plan Examination page.

The Council is now undertaking a public consultation on the Main Modifications that are proposed. The Main Modifications are changes, additions or deletions required to make the plan ‘sound’ and have been prepared in liaison with the Planning Inspector during the course of the Examination. These are set out in the Schedule of Main Modifications.

The consultation will run from Monday 2nd October - Monday 13th November.

At this stage representations are only being sought on whether the Main Modifications to the Plan are sound and/or legally compliant. Comments may also be made on the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment.

If you made representations on the previous District Plan consultations, there is no need to resubmit them during this representation period as the Inspector has already considered these representations during the course of the Examination.

Other relevant documents for this consultation are can be found on the Examination Library page.

Consultation Details

The Council is currently consulting on the Draft Hurstpierpoint, Langton Lane and Hurst Wickham Conservation Areas Appraisal.

Mid Sussex District Council and the Hurstpierpoint Society have carried out an appraisal of the three conservation areas in Hurstpierpoint:

• Hurstpierpoint Conservation Area - designated in July 1972 and extended in 1989 and 1999
• Hurst Wickham Conservation Area - designated in January 1989
• Langton Lane Conservation Area - designated in February 1999

The Conservation Areas Appraisal:

1. describes the features of the conservation areas that should be protected;
2. suggests a number of proposed changes to the boundaries; and
3. sets out guidance for managing change within the conservation areas. 

The Draft Hurstpierpoint, Langton Lane and Hurst Wickham Conservation Areas Appraisal has been published for public consultation between Monday 16^th April 2018 and Tuesday 29^th May 2018.

Hurstpierpoint, Langton Lane and Hurst Wickham Conservation Areas Appraisal

Make a comment on the consultation

All comments must be received by midnight on Tuesday 29^th May 2018.

Comments can be submitted on the Consultation Response Form and sent:

Consultation Response Form

Consultation Response Form - Microsoft Word version

By email: ldfconsultation@midsussex.gov.uk

By post:

Planning Policy
Mid Sussex District Council
Oaklands
Oaklands Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 1SS

Exhibition

An exhibition will be sited within the foyer of the

Hurstpierpoint Village Centre
Trinity Road
Hurstpierpoint
BN6 9UY

Exhibition display boards

Public meeting

A public meeting will be held on Monday 23rd April 2018 from 6.00pm to 8.30pm at:

The Conference Room
Hurstpierpoint Village Centre
Trinity Road
Hurstpierpoint
BN6 9UY

The meeting will contain a brief exhibition of the main points. Council officers will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Consultation Details

Mid Sussex District Council is currently considering updating the Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Convictions policy. 

Recent recommendations from the Local Government Association regarding such policies and a national consultation regarding Convictions Policies have highlighted the need for the current policy to be updated. This will require an amendment to the Taxi Licensing policy.

The main changes to the policy are:

• The new policy provides better guidelines for officers and committee members when making decision
• It includes a wider range of specified offences and how they will be treated
• The relevant time that applicants are expected to remain conviction free for is extended
• It clarifies that the policy will apply to existing drivers in addition to new applicants although it will not be applied retrospectively
• It confirms that the Licensing Authority will only depart from the policy in exceptional circumstances
• There is clarification that Cautions and other sanctions will be dealt with in a similar way to convictions
• There is confirmation that the Licensing Authority makes its decisions on the balance of probability; consequently information concerning offences that did not lead to prosecution may still render the applicant not ‘fit and proper’
• Although the policy sets out the minimum requirements before an application will be considered. This does not mean that an applicant will automatically be suitable once the applicable period has elapsed. It merely confirms that their application will be considered and still refused if the Licensing Authority is not satisfied that they are fit and proper to hold a licences.  

More Information

• Full Draft Convictions Policy
• Consultation Document Explanation
• Community Involvement Plan

Consultation Details

Draft Gambling Policy - Statement of Principles 2019
Community Involvement Plan

Under section 349 of the Gambling Act 2005 (the Act) the council is required to publish a statement of Licensing Policy which it proposes to apply when exercising its functions under the Act. The form of the policy is set out in The Gambling Act 2005 (Licensing Authority Policy Statement) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. The Gambling Commission’s Guidance to licensing authorities contains further detail on the form of the council’s policy.

The Council’s policy is intended to promote the three licensing objectives set out in the Act. These objectives are:

• Preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime;
• Ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way;
• Protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The Act requires that the following people and bodies be consulted in the revision of the statement:

• The Chief Officer of Police.
• People and bodies representing the interests of persons in gambling businesses in the area.

It should be noted that this policy statement will not override the right of any person to make an application, or to make representations about an application, or to apply for a review of a licence, as each will be considered on its own merits and in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Act.

Consultation Details

A new community venue is being built at the Keymer Tile Works development site, Nye Road, Burgess Hill which will include a large main hall, two meeting rooms, a café area and children’s nursery.

Construction of the new hall is due to start in the autumn and it should be open to the public by Spring 2020. The new venue is being built by Croudace Homes as part of the new housing development on the site.

MSDC are holding 2 drop in sessions for local residents.

• Manor Field School- Wednesday 26th September 2:00pm – 8:00pm
• St Andrews Church- Saturday 29th September 9:30am – 1:00pm

Aim:

• To consult with of local residents on how they would like to use the Keymer Brick & Tile Community Building.

Objectives:

• To help develop an activity programme which meets the needs of local residents
• Gain contacts for groups and individuals who would be interested in hiring the facilities and running activity sessions

Consultation Details

The District Council is keen to understand more about how you use and value your local public open spaces, play and outdoor recreation facilities; and what might improve their attractiveness to local people. This will help us to assess if there are any gaps in provision and to ensure that existing facilities and open spaces are managed effectively to meet the needs of local people. The survey findings will contribute to an assessment of Play, Outdoor Recreation and Amenity Green Spaces being undertaken by the Council with Ethos Environmental Planning, as part of the Local Plan process.

Consultation Details

Mid Sussex District Council is producing a Community Buildings Strategy. This will guide decisions on the delivery of new and/or improved community buildings within the District. We would appreciate your views and any information you may have.

For the purposes of this Strategy, the term community buildings covers the following typologies, which are owned or managed by voluntary and community sector organisations and/or public bodies:

• Community centres and cafes
• Village and parish halls
• Arts centres and libraries
• Church and school halls
• Activity centres and clubhouses

Consultation Details

Electric vehicles are becoming a viable proposition for a lot of people as a low-carbon and economic way of getting from A to B. They may also help tackle some poor air quality issues.

The Government has signalled support for electric vehicles (EVs) by announcing targets for the phasing out of petrol and diesel vehicles and financial support to encourage the uptake of EVs.

We upgraded charging points in three Council car parks last year and are exploring ways on increasing charging point provision that encourages the uptake of EVs locally.

We've put together a quick online survey to get an idea of the appetite for electric vehicles.

It shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes to complete. We’d love to hear your views.

Consultation Details

The High Weald AONB Partnership, has drafted a Design Guide for new housing development in the High Weald. Once adopted, the Design Guide will be a material consideration in the determining of planning applications within the High Weald AONB. The Design Guide was the subject of an eight-week period of formal public consultation from 19^th June to 14^th August 2019.

Further details can be found on the High Weald website.

Consultation Details

Publication of the Hassocks Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP)

July

Mid Sussex District Council has published the submitted Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan for consultation in accordance with Part 5 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012.

The consultation will run from 9:00am Monday 22nd July 2019 until Midnight Monday 16th September 2019

Representations made on the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan will be considered by an independent Examiner who will assess whether the Neighbourhood Plan meets certain legal requirements, known as the 'basic conditions'. This making a representation guidance note provides further information on the Basic Conditions and the next steps for the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan.

The following documents were submitted for consultation:

• Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan – Submission version
• Consultation Statement
• Basic Conditions Statement
• Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment)
• Sustainability Appraisal (incorporating Strategic Environmental Assessment) Non-Technical Summary
• Review of Policy 1: Local Gaps & Regulation 14 Pre-Submission Representations
• Review of Policy 2: Local Green Spaces & Regulation 14 Pre-Submission Representations
• Pre-Submission Representations in Respect of Housing Matters

You can find details of the background and evidence base to the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan here:

• https://www.hassocks-pc.gov.uk/

How to comment on the Neighbourhood Plan

Make a comment on the Neighbourhood Plan

• Email: neighbourhoodplans@midsussex.gov.uk
• Post: Planning Policy and Economic Development, Mid Sussex District Council, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1SS
• Alternatively, a Microsoft Word version of the form can be completed and returned by email or by post to the addresses above.

All comments must be received by midnight on Monday 16^th September 2019. All comments received will be public information (personal contact details will not be published).

Mid Sussex District Council has undertaken the following checks on the Hassocks Neighbourhood Plan submission documents:

• Submission checklist
• Equalities Impact Assessment
• HRA Screening

Consultation Details

This policy was first introduced during 2010 and was last reviewed in 2016. There have been no legislative changes to affect the policy since then. The only amendment to the policy is the review time from three to five years.

Thank you in advance for reading the Sex Establishment Licensing Policy. Any comments on the Policy should be received by the Licensing Team no later than 1 September 2019.

Policy Documents

• Sex Establishment Licensing Policy 2019

• Community Involvement Plan

Consultation Details

The draft policy is the fifth since the Licensing Act 2003 became law on 24th November 2005.

A number of revisions have been made by the Government in the light of experience of the Act and suggestions from its practitioners.

Thank you in advance for reading the Statement of Licensing Policy. Any comments on the Policy should be received by the Licensing Team no later than 1 September 2019.

Policy documents

- Draft Statement of Licensing Policy 2020

Consultation Details

Mid Sussex District Council is consulting on the introduction of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) under Section 59-75 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, designating the area of Burgess Hill, West Sussex as a PSPO area to anti-social use of vehicle activity, also known as car cruising.

The consultation and draft Order, including the area proposed under the Order can be found here.

Map of area for Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for car cruising/anti-social use of vehicles in Burgess Hill

Consultation Details

Consultation Details

Comment on this consultation

Comment on this consultation - print version

The scheme helps low income households of working age to pay their council tax. Any changes would happen from April 2020.

The consultation, which began on Friday 6 September 2019, lasts for 8 weeks and closes on Friday 1 November 2019. It is for everyone to take part in – those who claim Council Tax Support as well as other residents of the District and any interested stakeholders.

Currently in Mid Sussex, around 3,200 people of working age are eligible for a reduction in the amount of council tax they pay through the scheme administered by the Council. Following cuts in central government funding, Mid Sussex’s Council Tax Support Scheme was last changed in 2014. Everyone of working age has to make some contribution towards their council tax, unless they meet the criteria for being in a protected group which is for those who are unable to work. This is the same for many other local authorities.

"Since June 2018 Mid Sussex has been covered by the roll out of Universal Credit. This means changes to the way we calculate support levels for those people who are helped by the scheme," said Councillor Ruth De Mierre, Cabinet member responsible for Customer Services, which includes Benefits.

"I'm proposing to introduce an income banded scheme for all working age applicants; this will ensure that weekly variations in income don't lead to frequent changes in the amount of help claimants receive through the Council Tax Support Scheme.

"We're hoping this proposal will make the scheme easier to understand and to administer alongside Universal Credit. It should also reduce the effect that changes in income can have on the Council Tax that people have to pay."

"None of the proposals will affect pensioners."

The consultation on the Council Tax Support Scheme runs until 5pm on Friday 1 November 2019. We would like to hear the views of people who benefit from the scheme as well as those who help support it through their council tax payments.  We would also like to hear from stakeholders, such as the voluntary sector, who provide advice to residents in our district.

The Council Tax Support Scheme Consultation 2020/21 can be completed online through the Mid Sussex website, until Friday 1 November 2019. Computers are available for use at the Council’s offices in Oaklands, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath.

Paper copies are available to those without access to the internet. Telephone 01444 477264 or call in to the Council’s Haywards Heath offices for a copy. You can also email the Council about this Council Tax Support Consultation at cts-consultation@midsussex.gov.uk.

Useful documents

Appendix A - Council Tax Support Scheme for 2020-21

Appendix B - Individual Sample Calculations

Comment on this consultation - print version

Individual consultation calculator

Use our consultation calculator

If you would like to see how you will be effected as an individual please use our consultation calculator which will show you the level of support you are entitled to under the current scheme and how this will be affected under the proposed screen.

Consultation Details

Draft Animal Welfare Policy

Community Involvement Plan

Who is to be involved?

The public consultation is open to all who are interested. A number of groups will be directly

informed and asked for their view. These are:

• Licence Holders for Animal Welfare Licences within the MSDC area
• RSPCA
• British Veterinary Association
• Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Defra
• Elected Members
• Parish and Town Councils
• Sussex Police
• Farriers Registration Council

Elected District Councillors will be involved throughout the process through

• The Scrutiny Committee for Community, Customer services and Service Delivery – (any District Councillor not sitting on the committee can attend)
• Cabinet (consist of the Leader of the Council and Councillors with specific responsibility for Council services)
• Full Council (consists of all District Councillors)
• Councillors can respond during the public consultation period.

More information and details of all the above groups are available on the Council’s website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/sci (subject to Data Protection Legislation). 

Why people are being involved?

The ‘Statement of Policy’ sets out how the Council will administer it’s responsibilities for applications and determinations for an Animal Welfare Licence .  A final version will be written taking into account the results of the consultation exercise.

This is a new policy to take account of The Animal Welfare Regulations (Licensing of Activities involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 which became law on 1st October 2018.

It is being presented for consultation and comment.

When people will be involved?

The consultation will be open to all and we will seek to inform and receive comment from the widest possible range of the community.  We will:

• Provide details and documentation on the Council’s website.
• Provide hard copies of the document in the following places[1]:
  • Help points;
  • District Council Office

Letters or emails will be sent to all organisations listed in section 1 above.

[1] Details of libraries and help-points available at www.midsussex.gov.uk/sci

What happens to the results?

All comments will be treated equally, although it will be up to the elected Councillors to consider how to balance any conflicting opinions when drafting the final document.

Consultation report/s summarising the issues raised by responses received will be produced and published on the Council website.  A notification that this report is available will be sent to all respondents who provide an email address and to all organisations listed in section 1 above.  Hard copies of the summary will be placed in libraries, help points and Town Councils.

Consultation Details

Mid Sussex District Council is consulting on its new Equality and Diversity Scheme 2020 – 2024.  The Scheme sets out how the Council meets its duties under the Equality Act and includes:

• The Council’s Equality Objectives and examples of some of the actions that we intend to take to support their achievement.
• An assessment of the issues faced by each of the protected groups in Mid Sussex and examples of the measures that the Council is taking to meet their needs.  Similar information is provided in respect of residential location; income or skill level; and the Armed Forces community.
• A section focusing on the Council’s Equality and Diversity responsibilities as an employer.

To provide your comments on the proposed scheme please email  neal.barton@midsussex.gov.uk by 18^th March.

The final version scheme is due to be considered at Council on 1^st April 2020.

Policy document

Proposed Mid Sussex District Equality and Diversity Scheme 2020- 24