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A note from Trevor Leggo, CEO, Sussex Associations of Local Councils Changes at WSALC Many of you will already be aware that certain adjustments are being made to the administration of WSALC; this note seeks to reassure member councils there will be no detriment to the service WSALC provides. The key changes are: Emily Simpson, currently ESALC Administrator, becomes Assistant Chief Executive and takes over Anna’s responsibility as the point of contact for day to day WSALC enquiries and training arrangements. This restores the position up to 2021 when Anne Bott occupied a similar role deputising for the CEO. This change is intended to assist with continuity and succession planning. Mandy Jameson, whom many of you will know from her time with the PCC, takes over the admin of the four DALCs for their fist meetings in 2025; the arrangements will be reviewed for future meetings. We will restore two annual face to face Clerk Networking Days from April with two in each county. A full training programme for 2025 is now available and will be published on the websites shortly. Certain elements of training will be at no charge to member councils and covered by the subscription; this includes Councillor training both new and refresher, Chairmanship, visioning and business planning. Other elements may also be available at nil cost following discussion with the CEO. We are reintroducing Clerks’ Leadership Training presented by David Foster and based on elements of the MBA training he runs at two universities. WSALC continues to be the only body in West Sussex able to sign off requests for borrowing approval, details from the CEO. Similarly WSALC is the body to arrange CiLCA training with the appointed and accredited trainers – with changes expected in 25/26 we will arrange a briefing for those who may be planning to make a start. Through membership of WSALC (and ESALC) every town and parish council has direct access to the Chief Constable; an arrangement almost certainly unique in England. In addition to the above points our basic service continues with the CEO available to attend meetings by arrangement and take calls up to 7.30pm each day.  Policing our rural communities By Inspector Andy Barker Sussex Police’s Rural Crime Team is a specialised unit dedicated to making the police response to rural crime more effective. As large portions of our region are rural, we recognise the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by those living and working in the countryside. Our Team The team is made up of an Inspector, two Sergeants (Ed Bowles in Heathfield and Tom Carter in Midhurst), 12 PCs and 6 PCSOs. Together we provide expert support tailored to rural communities’ needs. Through specialised training, we can better recognise and address rural crime types including agricultural, environmental, heritage, and wildlife offences. Reporting By reporting crimes, you play a key role in making our community safer. Your information helps us identify patterns, allocate resources efficiently and respond promptly to emerging issues. Significant improvements have been made to our contact centre’s handling of rural matters – call takers and dispatchers receive specialised training on common rural crimes. Partnership and Problem-Solving Collaboration is key to our approach, working closely with partner agencies and voluntary organisations to tackle rural issues through joint problem-solving efforts. We collaborate with adjacent police forces to create a co-ordinated, comprehensive approach to addressing rural crime. Our Commitment We’re here to serve our rural communities and, by working together, can create a safer environment for all. If you would like the rural crime team visit to sign you up to DISC or offer crime prevention advice (where we can forensically mark property and show you how to register it), please contact ruralcrime.team@sussex.police.uk Peacehaven Town Clerk wins prestigious award George Dyson, clerk to Peacehaven Town Council, has been honoured with a top national award from the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC). Representing clerks from over 5,000 town, parish and community councils across England and Wales, SLCC awarded George the title of New Clerk of the Year at its National Conference earlier this autumn. The award recognises clerks who have shown exceptional promise, dedication and excellence in the first three years of their role. George said: “It’s an honour to serve the community of Peacehaven and I’m thrilled that my commitment to the role has been recognised, especially while I’m still in the early stages of my career.” Right: George receives his award from Gina Lopes, SLCC President  Fairlight PC – Good news! We are pleased to report that the difficulties in the Parish Council mentioned in the last edition of this newsletter now seem to have settled down and the new councillors are moving ahead positively. Pay rates The National Joint Council for Local Government Services (NJC) has agreed on pay rates applicable from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. Further information can be found on the NALC website. Discounted defibrillators for councils A recent feature on NALC’s website saw the British Heart Foundation (BHF) highlight efforts to improve outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK, where the current survival rate is only 1 in 10. BHF offers an exclusive deal for local councils on defibrillator packages, stresses the importance of defib registration to enhance emergency response and encourages adoption of free CPR training via the 15-minute online tool RevivR. NALC welcomes Government approach to remote meetings With Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner’s statement of the government’s commitment to allow remote council meetings, a consultation has been published closing on 19th December. NALC encourages all parish and town councils, individual councillors and clerks to participate – your responses are vital in demonstrating strong support for this flexibility, building on momentum from the previous call for evidence. Grants for education The SLCC Educational Trust was set up to improve access to education for those working within the local council sector. Applications are considered every two months with the next round closing on 30th December, and smaller councils will be prioritised for funding. Grants will fund course fees, costs of attendance at events and books or equipment to facilitate study. You can find out more at www.slcceducationaltrust.org.uk Preparing for emergencies NALCs recent online meeting on proactive emergency planning stressed the importance of preparing for terrorist events. Martyn’s Law mandates that those in charge of publicly accessible locations must take reasonable steps to protect the public from terrorist threats. For town and parish councils, well-documented processes and effective communication help to avoid unnecessary community concerns. Connections between the community and local authorities are also key in emergency preparedness. For emergency planning advice, contact Dee Thornton: 07737 779594 dee@deethornton.co.uk NEWS FROM THE WEST Veterans Breakfast Club comes to Burgess Hill Across Sussex there are some 60,000 armed forces veterans with many towns facilitating a Veterans Breakfast Club. At least one club operates in each district and borough, supported by its respective Armed Forces Champion. They tend to meet on a monthly basis and become a highlight for some of our lonely veterans who can enjoy relaxed social time with others who understand service life. The most recent club has been set up in Burgess Hill. Meetings are held at the Top House pub at 09.30 on the 3rd Sunday of each month, with 20-30 veterans from all three services in attendance. For further details please contact trevor.leggo@wsalc.co.uk Changes at Cuckfield PC Following Sam Heynes’ recent move to East Grinstead as Town Clerk, Noemi Ripert has been promoted to Clerk at Cuckfield PC. Noemi is supported by Kate West on Communications and Administration with Jane Forester dealing with bookings for the Queens Hall. Three other staff look after burials, facilities and general maintenance within the Parish. The PC is fortunate to have such splendid facilities in the Queens Hall; a pleasant office, visible high street location and meeting facilities to hand. We wish Noemi and the team every success moving forward. NEWS FROM THE EAST Crowborough’s Youth Ambassador Board This year has seen an exciting new venture for Crowborough TC. As part of an initiative to involve more young people in the life of the council, it’s set up a Youth Ambassador Board. Comprised of students from years 9-12, the ambassadors will represent other young people across the town. Four are from the Beacon Academy and were elected by their peers, while the remaining three places were filled by students from other local schools. Each student will serve one term running from September to July to coincide with the academic year. The board met with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in early October to discuss aims for the year. A number of great ideas were on the table but the Board decided to focus on raising the profile of council events among Crowborough’s young people, encouraging them to volunteer and care for their community. Through the Communication & Events Committee, it was agreed that the Board will design an ‘I Care for Crowborough’ event for spring 2025. This will encourage residents to join a week’s practical care for the town: www.crowboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk  Look out for our Spring edition in March! |
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