Local (and national) Government news from Cllr Rex Whittaker
Westminster News
Our new Prime Minister and his Cabinet have now been in position for two months. Gone is the ‘honeymoon’ summer period of platitudes and pledges. We are now well into the hard-nosed Autumn period of parliamentary and media scrutiny of actual – and particularly potential – policy changes that will or could affect us soon.
The focus is on Chancellor John Healey and his forthcoming budget set for Wednesday 28 October.
Once again it might appear that he has boxed himself in by re-stating his adherence to the fiscal rules and previous 2024 manifesto pledges. However over the summer the cost of public borrowing has risen sharply, as has the level of borrowing, as has the inflation rate. The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee meet this month to discuss and review interest rates. Ideally the bank rate will remain as is, but an increase may be necessary.
Local Government Reorganisation
The saga of the Government plans to completely re-organise local ccouncils’structure in England have now reached shambolic proportions. After two years of telling County and District councils to merge into new larger unitary authorities the new Housing & Communities Secretary, Angela Rayner, has reversed the decision for this to proceed in Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampshire and Essex on the basis of recent legal advice. The decision on West and East Sussex is also on hold, pending a further expected lengthy review.
As a direct consequence District Council elections will be held in May 2027 on existing authority boundary lines. This will involve Mid Sussex , Horsham and Crawley District councils close to East Grinstead, but not any Surrey authorities to our north who had a unitary election earlier this year.
MSDC District Plan
Following the independent examination of the Mid Sussex District Council’s (MSDC) Draft District Plan in February this year, the inspector requested MSDC to review its housing delivery numbers and future land supply in order to accommodate a further 4,000 houses ( + 20 % uplift ) within the district over an eighteen year period. Failure to do so he said would render the plan unsound.
As a direct consequence MSDC have completed a huge amount of extra work in a matter of months. A further round of a six-week public and statutory authority consultation ended on 7 September. All public consultation responses to the proposed extra allocated sites have now been sent to the inspector for information and review. Subject to his agreement the draft district plan examination will resume in late Autumn.
New significant changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
On 17 August the Government published a new NPPF which came into effect immediately. The new Framework represents the most significant restructuring of national planning policy since 2012. Full details of the changes will be covered in future news.
However the new NPPF is designed to radically speed up the decision-making process of existing and future planning applications as well as current appeals in the system. Theoretically much more power will be devolved to planning officers to make and take planning decisions and drastically reduce the use of councillor-led planning committees.
Imberhorne Farm Planning Application
The detailed planning application for 550 new dwellings on Imberhorne Farm will be considered at the MSDC District Planning Committee on Thursday 17 September 2026. Full details of this application can be viewed on the MSDC planning on-line portal reference DM / 26 / 0131 / RSM. The officer recommendation is for approval. The site has already received outline planning consent in 2025, and there is a signed Section 106 legal agreement that fully details the significant amount of required infrastructure financial contributions as an integral part of the development scheme.
DIARY DATES
23 September, MSDC full Council
8 October, EG Town Council full Council
17 October, EG Bonfire Society parade & fireworks
27 October, Mayor’s Charity Quiz
28 October, Chancellor’s Budget Statement
8 November, Remembrance Parade & Service
21 November, Christmas Lights Switch on and Big Reveal Event
Rex Whittaker
15 September 2026