Mid Sussex District Council newsletter - Jan 2025

Pay your council tax by direct debit – and make life easier

Around 80% of residents in Mid Sussex pay their council tax by direct debit. Now Mid Sussex District Council is encouraging more people to switch and pay the same way.

Cllr Simon Hicks, Cabinet Member for Finance, Revenue and Benefits, said: “Direct debit is the easiest and most efficient way of paying your council tax. You have a choice of three dates for payment and you can pay over 10 or 12 months as well as annually or biannually.

“Most of our residents choose direct debit because it’s easy, safe and secure. We never take more than the amount you have to pay and it renews automatically each year. It also keeps our administration costs down. Paying by direct debit also means residents never get into arrears with payments. For those who are in arrears, we have now introduced text messaging, emails and calls, as a reminder to pay before we need to go through a formal process of recovering the outstanding amount of council tax.”

For further information on how to pay by direct debit, go to www.midsussex.gov.uk and search “how to pay”.

Bulky waste

This service restarts on Monday 6th January 2025. For more information visit the link above.

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Mid Sussex District Council newsletter - Oct 2024

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Please be vigilant of fraudulent QR codes!

Fraudulent QR codes have recently been found on payment machines across council-owned car parks. These QR codes, which falsely claim to be for the PaybyPhone service, are designed to trick individuals into handing over their card details. It is important to note that Mid Sussex District Council does not use PaybyPhone for parking payments and uses MiPermit. We’ve also been made aware of a national scam where text messages are being sent with a parking fine and a link for payment. This is a scam. We don’t issue parking f ines via text message. Councillor Chris Hobbs, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Leisure and Customer Services said: “We are asking residents not to scan these QR codes for their own protection. Our enforcement officers, who play a crucial role in ensuring the security of our parking facilities, were the first to spot and highlight this issue. Their quick action has been essential in mitigating the risk posed by these fraudulent QR codes.” For more information or to report any concerns, please contact the council’s parking team at parkinginfo@midsussex. gov.uk or by calling 01444 458166.

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O Type blood stocks are running low!

Mid Sussex District Council is continuing to support the NHS who need your help now more than ever to keep providing lifesaving blood and urgently needs more ‘O’ group blood donors to come forward and help boost stocks. Book an appointment today: visit www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.

To read the full newsletter, pick up a copy of October’s Hassocks Life or click to enlarge the images.

Mid Sussex District Council newsletter - March 2024

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SIGN UP TO OUR DIGITAL NEWSLETTER!

We have launched a digital Mid Sussex Matters newsletter, a monthly email to help residents stay up-to-date with what’s going on at the Council and in the wider district. It will include local events, opportunities to share feedback about new initiatives, and stories that impact our communities. To sign up, please scan the QR code, or visit our website and search ‘Mid Sussex Matters’ to subscribe.

UPGRADES FOR LOCAL LEISURE CENTRES

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In collaboration with Places Leisure, we are proud to announce upgrades for two of our leisure facilities. The Triangle Leisure Centre in Burgess Hill has recently undergone an impressive £765k refurbishment, while the Dolphin Leisure Centre has received a generous grant from the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund. The gym facilities at The Triangle Leisure Centre have been upgraded to feature cutting-edge equipment from Life Fitness. There has also been an installation of a £200k solar photovoltaic system to promote energy efficiency. In addition to the gym refurbishment, The Triangle Leisure Centre has revamped its sports hall and reopened a refurbished Costa store, creating a more enjoyable and holistic experience for visitors. Meanwhile, the Dolphin Leisure Centre in Haywards Heath, has received a significant financial boost through a £44,735 grant from the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund. This grant is a testament to the Centre’s dedication to providing excellent aquatic facilities and services to the local community.

To read the full newsletter, pick up a copy of March’s Hassocks Life or click the images to enlarge them.

An update from Mid Sussex District Council 2024

We have advanced to the next stage in our District Plan making process

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Mid Sussex District Council has given the green light to the latest stage of its District Plan, marking a major milestone in the plan-making process. The Regulation 19 submission draft, enhanced with key additions and protections based on community feedback, is now open for public consultation. This achievement is the result of months of hard work and collaboration with various stakeholders, including invaluable input from local communities.

Robert Eggleston, Leader of the Council, emphasised that reaching this stage has been challenging but underscores the hard work and compromises made by everyone involved. The new District Plan aims to protect the local area while meeting the needs of the population, both now and in the future.

The Mid Sussex District Plan 2021-2039 sets out a visionary framework, outlining the vision, strategy, and policy framework for the District until 2039. It also commits to essential policies and environmental protections for climate change and biodiversity in all new developments.

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To find out more about the District Plan and the intricacies of the plan-making process visit the Mid Sussex District Council website and search ‘District Plan’. This also includes links to the Regulation 19 Consultation which runs from 12th January to 23rd February.

Mid Sussex District Council has also made a short video explaining why The District Plan is important for the future. The video makes it easier to understand the process of creating the plan and how it benefits the District’s future. To find out more and view the video, visit: www.midsussex.gov.uk/districtplan

To read MSDC’s full newsletter, please pick up your copy of February’s Hassocks Life and turn to page 22 or click the images provided to enlarge them.