You can download the Village Action Plan – August 2013 version by clicking the link below.
Author: admin
Community Bus Service – The End?
We have just received this note from Peter Gibbons, Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association.
“I very much regret to have to tell you that we have had to cease all operations of our bus forthwith due to us being unable to obtain vehicle insurance on our bus. Our insurer has declined to offer to renewal terms and other specialist insurers have also declined to offer us insurance.
As a consequence of this we have had to cease all our operations.
Unfortunately the decision of our insurance company was outside our control but at this stage we can do nothing about it. If in the future a community bus service can be restored to the village, I will endeavour to let you know.
Please accept my sincere apologies for this on behalf of the Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association.
Regards
Peter Gibbons
Hurst & Hassocks Community Bus Association”
West Sussex Gazette report here.
Village Action Plan Group meeting
The Village Action Plan Group will have its annual meeting on Thursday 15th August.
As the Plan is a living document, various actions are achieved throughout the year or are superseded by other developments and this meeting will review any progress and agree any new actions.
Please feel free to attend even if you haven’t been before.
The current plan can be found here on the village website in the section ‘About our Village’ or click here.
Kate Watson
Chair
Fulking Parish Council
Your Voice – Your National Park
We are in the exciting final stages of creating a Partnership Management Plan for the South Downs, setting out the priorities for everyone who lives in, works in, and visits the National Park. This is an important strategic document containing policies to ensure that iconic landscapes and wildlife are enjoyed, valued and cared for, and that communities and the local economy thrive.
Many of you may already have been involved with helping us shape the Partnership Management Plan, either through surveys, workshops, sending us a ‘Postcard for the Future’, contributing to the on-line forum or talking to us at shows and events.
For others it may be the first time you are reading this material, and this will be a chance to see if you agree with the work that has gone before.
The final draft of the South Downs National Park Partnership Management Plan is now available for consultation and we are seeking your views on this document.
The public consultation, ‘Your Voice, Your National Park’ will run until 16 September 2013.
This is your chance to let us know if you think the Partnership Management Plan will take the National Park in the right direction, and also to tell us how you might be part of this journey.
To take a look at the plan, and give us your views please go to www.southdowns.gov.uk/managementplan
We are encouraging people to respond electronically if at all possible to save paper, but if you prefer to receive a copy of the Management Plan and survey by post, email your name and postal address to managementplan@southdowns.gov.uk or write to us at :-
Management Plan Consultation,
SDNPA,
Hatton House,
Bepton Road,
Midhurst,
West Sussex,
GU29 9LU
Operation Crackdown
You will now find it easier to report incidents of anti-social driving in Sussex. Sussex Police has re-launched Operation Crackdown – a system that enables anyone to report anti-social driving and abandoned vehicles, either online or by phone
Anti-social driving can be driving that is careless, deliberately aggressive or dangerous. If you see this type of behaviour it is important that you report it, so it can be dealt with in the most appropriate way.
Operation Crackdown is a joint initiative supported by Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP), Sussex Police and all local authorities in the county. It was first launched in 2002 as a way of reporting abandoned vehicles in Sussex, and was expanded in 2007 to cover anti-social driving reports.
The system for reporting anti-social driving has now been made simpler, to encourage members of the public to easily and quickly report this type of incident and users can now keep track of the progress of their case with a specific reference number provided.
Incidents can be reported, either via www.operationcrackdown.org, or by calling 01243 64 22 22, for those who don’t have access to the internet.
Members of the public who are reporting incidents must remember, where possible, the registration number of the vehicle, the make, model and the colour, so the police can identify the vehicle concerned and make contact with the offender.
Every report received through Operation Crackdown is viewed and a decision is made against a set criteria on how best to deal with it. In the majority of cases a letter of advice is sent to the driver or rider, but a report to Operation Crackdown can also lead to arrest and possible conviction, depending on the seriousness of the offence.
Jim Stobart
Road Safety/ASD Co-ordinator
Operation Crackdown
Road Policing Unit | Operations Department
Tel 01273 404571 Ext. 44053
Community Bus Service
Fulking Parish Council along with Poynings, Newtimber, Hurstpierpoint, Keymer, Clayton and Pyecombe Parish Councils were the original supporters of starting up a community led bus service linking those parishes with Hassocks some twenty years ago.
The bus services commenced on the 17th January 1993. Each parish paid a nominal £1 to become members which allowed us to provide a bus service to the parishes. It also entitled the residents and not-for-profit organisations within the parishes to hire the community bus whenever it wasn’t being used on the bus services.
The bus services that we provide are available to any member of the public and we accept all English disabled and pensioner bus passes.
However the service we provide is loss making but nevertheless considered by those who use it as an essential service. It has this problem in common with many rural bus services. The volunteers that provide the service do so without any form of payment whatsoever. As we are a charitable organisation we cannot make a profit. Most of our income is generated by private hires enabling us to plough this back into the organisation and thus continue to provide a bus service to rural communities.
Peter Gibbons
Driver Assessor Trainer/Driver Recruitment
Hassocks Parish Council
Fulking Village Fair – Sunday 28th July 2013
Fulking Fair 2013 exceeded all expectations.The weather was perfect, the attendance well up on the last fair and the dog show, food, drink, stalls, music, exhibitors, games, alpacas and owls were all brilliant.
There is no doubt this village fair has become one of the best fairs in the county if not in the country.
Many thanks to all the villagers who devoted so much time and energy in creating a truly wonderful occasion.
Fulking Social Committee
Click here for a selection of photos from Fulking Fair 2013
If you have any other photographs of this year’s fair that you would like to share then please email them to webmaster@fulking.net
MSDC District Plan – Submission
District Plan
Mid Sussex District Council has formally submitted its District Plan and accompanying documents to the Secretary of State. The District Plan is being produced jointly with South Downs National Park Authority.
The District Plan will now be subject to an independent public examination by a planning inspector. As part of this examination the Inspector will hold a public hearing, these hearing sessions are anticipated to take place during Autumn 2013. Once confirmed, all details relating to the examination process will be advertised, made available online and sent to those people who asked to be notified of the examination.
The Submission documents will be available for inspection from Wednesday 24th July 2013 online at www.midsussex.gov.uk/districtplan and during normal opening hours at Mid Sussex Libraries and Help Points. Full details can be found on the formal Notice of Submission.
Should you have any queries relating to the District Plan, you can contact the Planning Policy and Economic Development Team on (01444 477053) or email planningpolicy@midsussex.gov.uk
Cold Callers — Some Advice
Dear Friends,
This time of year when the weather is hot, the undesirables are out knocking on doors to gain entry and possibly ROB you. Please see below further advice that may help your in making your decision to open your door. You may think my message is a bit strong, but I do not know of another way to tell people to be careful. I hear many times of burglaries where people still leave windows open, doors unlocked because I am just popping to the shops for a few minutes. It takes 2-3 minutes for a burglar to steal from you. Please, please be more aware about your security. Look after your neighbour and they will look out for you.
You can tell door-stop salesmen not to knock — and they have to listen (it’s an offence not to!).
To stop them disturbing you print out Trading Standard’s ‘No Cold Caller’s’ sign (PDF) and put it by your front door. You have seven days to cancel most purchases over £35 made on the door-step. This cooling off period starts when you get written notice of your right to cancel (they have to give you one). If you cancel in this time you should get a refund (including your deposit). There are exceptions – check out the CAB website for details. Remember: the safest approach is to never buy on the door-step or let anyone in if you’re not sure who they are.
If someone knocks that you don’t know:
- Don’t answer if you don’t feel safe
- Always ask for ID and call the company to check
- Don’t sign anything on the spot – get details and do your own research
- Never hand over cash or agree for work to start straight away
- Call the police if you feel threatened
Best regards,
John Wright MBE
Chairman
Sussex Neighbourhood Watch Federation.
Mobile: 07917385213
Business:01444 247368
Email: enquiries@sussexnwfed.org.uk
Web: www.sussexnwfed.org.uk
RSPB South Downs Futurescape
Some of you will have seen Rachel Whitfield, the RSBP Community Engagement Officer, presenting at the recent Fulking Parish Council meeting.
Rachel has sent us a flyer and her presentation notes to put here on the website.
Rachel’s contact details are:-
Rachel Whitfield
Community Engagement Officer
South Downs Futurescape
Futurescapes is generously supported by the EU LIFE+ Communications Programme
The RSPB, South East Regional Office
1st Floor, Pavilion View, 19 New Road, Brighton, BN1 1UF