Local Government news from Cllr Rex Whittaker, March 2026

EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL

A very busy time – the quarterly session for the four main council committees have all been held this month. Four executives from South East Water (SEW) made a presentation about the January water outage in East Grinstead at the Public Services Committee, and then took a host of public and councillor questions. EGBA Chair, Grahame Russell, attended and made a passionate appeal for SEW to adequately compensate all local businesses.

Environment and Sustainability committee met on 17 March, Amenities & Tourism on 24 March with Finance Committee set to meet on 31 March.

The Annual Town public meeting of the council is set for Tuesday 21 April in Meridian Hall at 6 pm – a great opportunity for members of the public to ask open questions to their councillors and officers.

The Town Council had published a draft version of the Town Improvement Plan – the result of many months of collaborative work with Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC), EGBA and residents through consultations and exhibitions. The final independent consultant report will be formally published in April together with a future Action Plan.

Town Council officers have also been very active in preparing a feasibility and funding bid for East Grinstead to be considered in the UK Town of Culture competition. If this proves successful it could unlock substantial future funding streams to improve the town.

Running in parallel with both of the above initiatives has been a further project collaboration with MSDC on the initial feasibility work to consider setting up a BID (Business Improvement District). Initial survey information was recently distributed to town centre businesses by a commissioned independent specialist consultant. Once again the EGBA are closely involved here.

MID SUSSEX DISTRICT COUNCIL

Between 24 February and 19 March the Draft District Plan (2021 to 2039) has been tested at independent examination by appointed Inspector Mr Jonathan Bore. All details and information can be seen on the MSDC website/Planning/District Plan Examination, as well as YouTube recordings of each day of the public inquiry hearings.

However – it is clear that the direction of travel is very much on MSDC re-looking at all of their previous housing site allocations – with a view to allocating more housing supply land (and housing numbers) to satisfy the Government’s drive for increased housing targets nationally and to reflect big recent changes to national planning policy and guidance (via the National Planning Policy Framework and the recently adopted Planning & Infrastructure Bill).

This involves the MSDC planning team undertaking a large piece of process work in a short period of time – so it can be presented back to the Inspector before the second phase of the Examinations resume later this year. The target is still to get a new adopted Local District Plan by the end of 2026.

The eagerly anticipated Government decision on Sussex-wide Local Government re-organisation is expected this Thursday 26 March just before the Parliamentary Easter recess. This will follow over a years’ worth of exhaustive feasibility work on various future options. It will see the biggest structural change to local government in over fifty years. Once announced full details and implications analysis will follow in April and May.

In any event – Sussex-wide County Council elections will happen on Thursday 7 May.

Finally – some good news about the recent decision by MSDC at their 25 February full council meeting to abolish the very unpopular 6 to 8 pm evening car parking tariff. This will come into effect from Monday 6 April. This decision was really helped by the very strong political lobbying that EGBA made over the past year including a 5,200 signature public petition.

TOWN DIARY EVENTS

• Tuesday 21 April – Annual Town Meeting
• Sunday 26 April – Vintage Bus Running Day
• Sunday 26 April – Sunshine 7’s Rugby Club charity Tournament
• Saturday 2 May – Mid Sussex Marathon at EGRFC
• Monday 4 May – Annual Lions May Fair
• Sunday 10 May – East Grinstead Triathlon
• Thursday 14 May – Mayor Making meeting
• Sunday 7 June – East Court Live
• Tuesday 9 June – Three Towns Joint Business Association Network Event
• Saturday 13 June – Sussex Day Celebration
• Saturday 27 June – Armed Forces Day
• Sunday 5 July – East Court Live
• Sunday 2 August – East Court Live
• 13 to 16 August – East Grinstead Jazz Festival
• Sunday 4 September – EG 10 K Run
• Sunday 13 September – Classic Motor Show
• Saturday 17 October – EG Bonfire Parade & Fireworks
• Sunday 8 November – Remembrance Parade & Service
• Saturday 21 November – Big Reveal & Christmas Lights Switch on

Rex Whittaker
23 March 2026