12/05/2014 - Press Release - Labour threatens withdrawal of support for Neighbourhood Plan due to broken promises
At the meeting of Burgess Hill Town Council on Tuesday 6 May, Labour Councillors threatened to withdraw their support for the Neighbourhood Plan because promises to the people of Burgess Hill during the consultation were simply not being kept.
”Residents were told that money raised from developments in the town would be used for the modernization and improvement of local amenities”, said Labour Group Leader Councillor David Andrews.
”But although the funding agreement from the development on land east of Kingsway is a good one and provides for £8 million towards community improvements, £6.5million will be given to West Sussex Council County Council, and the rest will be handed to Mid Sussex District Council apart from £370,000 which will be provided for Ditchling Common Management. The Labour Group has serious doubts of how much of this money will be used on projects in Burgess Hill and cautions that there is a time limit for the spending of this funding otherwise it will be given back to the developers.”
In a motion calling for a return to the Council’s original concept of establishing a Burgess Hill Development fund, Labour Councillors challenged the Conservative majority to ensure that residents received the benefits from accepting such a large proportion of the housing required in Mid Sussex. A development fund managed by local Councillors and representatives from the Community would represent localism in action and would still allow funding for areas such as provision of schools and highways to be utilised by West Sussex District Council provided the schemes were demonstrably of benefit to residents of Burgess Hill.
”Burgess Hill must not become the dumping ground for new houses if the town is not improved in the ways detailed in the draft Neighbourhood Plan”, insisted Councillor Andrews.
Tory Councillors voted against the motion, describing it as”one of the most dangerous proposals ever to come before the Council” as it threatened their good relationship with the District and County Authorities.
”The value of this relationship can be measured against the District Council‘s failure to pass on to Burgess Hill £30,000 in Council Tax Benefit relief from the government, unlike any other District in Sussex”, observed Councillor Andrews, to describe our modest proposals as dangerous is just ludicrous. The Burgess Hill Branch of the Labour Party will be awaiting with interest the agreement now being finalised with Developers of the Tile Kiln Site and will be considering withdrawing support for the Neighbourhood Plan. In St Andrews Ward which I represent there are already moves to build on almost every spare bit of grass so the Plan will not protect us from any further Development”
.David Chalkley – Secretary
Burgess Hill Branch Labour Party
The Motion for Council 6th May 2014
This Town Council:
- Notes with dismay the terms of the Section 106 Agreement made between Mid Sussex District Council and Developers for the Development East of Kingsway.
- The Council believes that this agreement casts serious doubts on our ability to fulfil our pledge to the people of Burgess Hill during discussions and consultations on the Town Wide Strategy and the Neighbourhood Plan to the effect that money raised from these Developments will be used for improvements and modernisation of the Town.
Burgess Hill Town Council calls on Mid Sussex District Council to:
- Immediately set up a Burgess Hill Community Fund and Management Board to provide funding for the modernisation of the town.
- Negotiate agreements with Developers to provide that at least 80% of funding raised should be paid into the Community Fund.
- Attempts to renegotiate with Developers where Section 106 payments have already been agreed to allow for funding to be transferred to the Community Fund.
Proposed By: Councillor David Andrews.
Seconded By: Councillor Janet Smith.