Town Council Committee Structure for 2018/2019

Following on from proposals made at the Annual Meeting of Hailsham Town Council held Wednesday [23 May], the Council’s Committee structure has been confirmed and the new structure has been put into operation.

Six Standing Committees have been appointed for the 2018/19 municipal year, these being:

STRATEGY COMMITTEE (NEW)

Responsibilities include: To make recommendation to the Council in drawing up a business plan of priorities for the Town Council, monitoring progress against that business plan and recommending any amendments or changes to the business plan as it progresses

FINANCE, BUDGET, RESOURCES & STAFFING COMMITTEE

Responsibilities include: Precept (recommending the Town Council’s budget); Insurance; Staff Structure and Administration; Policy & Policy Reviews; Health & Safety; Contracted Services; Leases; Banking & Investment; Grants; Joint Funded Projects; Subsidies; Section 137 Payments

STRATEGIC PROJECTS COMMITTEE

Responsibilities include: Cemetery and cemetery buildings; Cortlandt former stable block and public toilet facility; Fleur de Lys meeting room; Union Corner Hall; Maurice Thornton Pavilion; street lighting; youth services (Square Youth Cafe/Friday Night Project/Infopoint/Job Cafe); Play Areas; Public Open Spaces; Hailsham Country Park; Common Pond; Orchard Park; Maurice Thornton Playing Field; Western Road Recreation Ground; Allotments (Battle Road/Station Road); dog hygiene bins

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Delegated powers include: Comment on Planning Applications; Enforcement Notices; Notices of Appeal (against planning decisions); Justices Licences; Tree Preservation Orders; Conservation Areas & Listed Buildings; Local Development Proposals; any other planning related matters; Street Closures; Street Naming; Footpath Diversions

COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE

Responsibilities include: Business, Retail and Town Centre Development; Town Revitalisation, Coordination of Hailsham Street Market; Christmas Market and Lights Switch-on Events; Community Events

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING COMMITTEE

Hailsham Town Council took the decision in July 2015 to produce a Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) following the Government’s publication in 2011 of the Localism Act. In order to produce the document, the Town Council established a Neighbourhood Planning Committee to oversee a process that will result in the preparation of a draft Plan (already submitted), which will be put to a public referendum later this year.

A full schedule of Committee meetings, in addition to bi-monthly meetings of Full Council, is available to view on our website.

A copy of the agenda for these meetings is displayed on the notice boards outside the Town Council offices and in Vicarage Field, as well as on our website and social media.

Please note that all Town Council meetings and committee meetings are open to the public to attend as observers, however residents are invited to address members during the 15 minutes set aside for this purpose at the start of each meeting. If several residents attend who wish to address members of the Town Council or Committee, the 15 minutes allocated will be shared between them.

“Local government needs local people,” said Town Clerk John Harrison. “The Town Council is determined to make Hailsham a great place to live, work and learn and residents can get involved by attending, making an enquiry or raising an issue relating to Town Council services at our regular meetings.”

“If there is an issue you think is important or where you believe the Town Council can make improvements you may want to bring it to the attention of members, so please do consider coming along to our meetings.”