Author: Fletchers-Cr0ft-2*16

Cllr Gill Ness-Collins, Chairman Playing Fields committee and Richard Moore, Tennis Club attending the planting of one of the three new trees on Memorial Playing Field to replace the felled sycamore tree.

Steyning Housing Needs Survey 2011

Steyning Parish Council was delighted to receive the Housing Needs Survey report from Action in Rural Sussex and to learn that one third of the households in Steyning had replied to the survey which is a record.
The survey is in two parts focusing on general needs and secondly on older persons’ needs.
We have taken on board that there is an unmet need from local people, most of whom wish to stay in Steyning, for either family accommodation or older persons accommodation, in
circumstances where they are not able financially to enter the housing market and will therefore need support.
In consultation with the report’s author the Parish Council hopes to use this very valuable tool to endeavour to persuade Saxon Weald Housing Association to retain the ‘Brittons
Croft’ site in public ownership, and to provide accommodation in one form or another for local people, and we will be entering into discussions with them at
the earliest opportunity.
The Council will be making the report generally available to anyone interested and will be discussing it with their partner authorities. We are really delighted at the level of response from Steyning residents.

David Barling
Chairman Steyning Parish Council

Housing Needs Survey Report – Steyning – Older Persons – Final Draft

Housing Needs Survey Report – Steyning – Final draft

 

 

TREE HOUSE REMOVED At long last the very substantial structure referred to as a tree house which was hidden in the trees between the Bypass has been dismantled and the wood removed. This had been the subject of many complaints from local residents of possibly anti-social behaviour. After much pressure from local councillors, West Sussex county council workmen dismantled it recently. Over the last few months the police and wardens have been called on many occasions to double check the situation.

STEYNING FIRE FIGHTERS SEEK ADDITIONAL STAFF Steyning Fire Fighters are three Retained Fire Fighters short. This is an exciting yet serious part time job based at Steyning Fire Station in the High Street. Applicants have to be over 18 and fit! Please contact Daniel Flynn on 07801869202 if you are interested.

 

MILLENIUM AWARDS 2011

 Steyning Parish Council was pleased to present two very special Millenium awards this year.  The first went to Jackie Campbell for her very long and devoted service to Steyning.  Jackie has been a District Councillor, Chairman of the Parish Council, and an active member of many, many organisations within the town.  This award recognises her long and devoted service to the Town.
We also felt it appropriate to mark the sterling service which Lewis Whittaker, the Chairman of Steyning and District Royal British Legion, has given by his leadership in providing the new memorial garden and war memorial, in Memorial Playing Field.  Triggered by some original proposals from the Parish Council, Lewis and his committee took forward this substantial project which was opened earlier this year and has proved a tremendous credit to the Royal British Legion and to Steyning.

Our photograph shows Jackie, Lewis, and Chairman of the Parish Council David Barling with local member of parliament Nick Herbert in attendance at the Council’s annual reception for people and groups working within the community, held on 2nd December.

 

 

The Parish Council has decided to create a new award that recognises the young unsung carers in the community. Sue Rogers Chair of the Finance & Community Committee says “this award is for young people who work to support either their parents or brothers and sisters who do not, perhaps, get the recognition they deserve.” All nominated young carers will receive a certificate at the annual parish meeting next year.

Anyone who knows of a young carer who they would like to nominate for the award should contact Sue Booth, the parish clerk on 01903812042 or email: spcclerk@btconnect.com.

 

The local Royal British Legion have had their most successful Steyning Poppy Day appeal collection. This year they have raised a record £10,500 and this money will now go into the central funds of the Royal British Legion towards their work in supporting military personnel both past and, present. The annual lunch was also well attended when members and their guests enjoyed an antertaining afternoon.

 

“Parish Council Chairman David Barling attended the Rememberance Day Church Service and Parade on Sunday 13^th November and is seen here with members of the Colour Guard from the Steyning Royal British Legion and Steyning Royal Airforce Association.

  The Service was particularly well attended by representatives of many organisations including St John’s Ambulance, Steyning Scouts and Cadets from the local army and airforce squadrons based in Shootingfield.

  The Parish Council laid a wreath in respect for the fallen as did the many other associations present.

 

Last Tuesday the 8th November the Finance & Community committee met to discuss a wide range of issues. This committee is one of the busiest and this meeting was no exception. The neighbourhood wardens presented their monthly report which included tackling graffiti in the MPF; monitoring anti-social behaviour; running football sessions for local children; monitored the 30mph speed limit on Clays Hill and are updating the list of the elderly and vulnerable in the town so that they can continue to do welfare checks and visits during the winter months.

The F&C committee have joined with Bramber and Upper Beeding to apply for funding for another neighbourhood warden, through the governments Community Action Against Crime Innovation Fund. This is a good example of cross-parish cooperation and hopefully will prove successful.

The F&C is overseeing a CCTV initiative in the town and is in discussions with the Cricket, Bowling and Tennis clubs on a joint initiative to put CCTV in the MPF. By working together a much better system can be installed.

The Steyning 2012 Showcase is already nearly fully booked with only 3 stalls remaining – if you want one you had better book now! Last Showcase saw nearly 1,500 people passing through the Steyning Centre and this year will be better than ever with a great cross-section of community societies, clubs and groups on show. Invitations to the event will go out in Your Steyning in February.

It has been agreed by F&C that ‘Draft’ minutes of all committees and council meetings will be posted on the Parish Council’s website a week before the next meeting. These ‘Drafts’ could be subject to alteration and amendment and will need to be ratified by the relevant committee and Council. The minutes are not meant to be a verbatim report of a meeting or of comments made by members of the public and although the Council is only legally required to record proposals, actions and decisions it was felt that the way the minutes are currently done add clarification.

It was unanimously approved to issue a Young Carers Award to all those unsung young people who care for their parents or, siblings. Nominations will come through the newsletter in Your Steyning and on the website. More information to come, so, if you know of a young carer who deserves some praise, then keep looking at this website for when nominations are needed.

Because WSCC is cutting Youth Service budgets the Council is very concerned about losing any youth facilities in Steyning and it has been decided to form a Youth Services Review Group to look at what services are provided, what is closing and what the impact will be and how the voluntary sector can fill in the gaps.

Communication with the residents is a major issue and the committee wants to avoid the often said ‘…but I didn’t know anything about it!’ Various different ways are being looked at to develop the communication channels so that most of the town are kept informed of issues that may concern them. If you have any views on how we can best communicate with you then let us know via the website!

With the closure of Britons Croft and Adur View there is some understandable concern in the town about the future of special care for the elderly. The Council is going to host a seminar to better understand the provision for older people in the district and will include local prish councils, WSCC, HDC, Saxon Weald, County and District Councillors, Age Concern and other interested parties. It is hoped that as a result there will be a better understanding of health care provision for the elderly and what has to be done in the future.

If you want to see more detail on this meeting then see the draft minutes when they are issued. If you have any comments or queries then please contact us through the website.

 

Steyning Parish Council hold regular cross-parish meetings with Bramber, Upper Beeding and Ashurst to discuss common issues. These meetings have strengthened the ties between the parishes which will be vital in the ‘Big Society’ proposed by the Government and will lead to these parishes providing a united front to Horsham District Council on key issues that may effect our rural community. At the meeting on the 3rd November the joint committee agreed to the proposal to apply to the Government’s Community Action Against Crime Fund for an additional part-time warden to deal with young people.  Bramber, Upper Beeding and Steyning already fund 2 neighbourhood wardens who have been hugely effective in engaging with the youth and reducing incidences of anti-social behaviour.

Provision for the elderly was discussed and a coffee and bingo morning, in conjunction with Age Concern,  has been arranged for the 18th November in the Bramber and Upper Beeding village hall, to which all elderly residents are invited (scroll down for poster) to give their views on the elderly in our community. The concern over the closure of Britons Croft and Adur View care homes has highlighted the need for concerted pressure on Saxon Weald to re-develop the sites for care facilities and it is intended to hold a seminar with HDC, WSCC, Age Concern and Saxon Weald, at the earliest opportunity.