Lib Dems press for cash to fund Burgess Hill town centre improvements

During a meeting of the full council on Wednesday (March 2), Liberal Democrats proposed two amendments to the 2022/23 budget, both of which were voted down.

The first, from Robert Eggleston (Lib Dem, Burgess Hill – Meeds) asked for £100,000 to be transferred from the general reserve to a specific reserve aimed at funding environmental, economic and social improvements in Burgess Hill town centre.

Mr Eggleston told the meeting that the money had been given to the council by developer New River – who had plans for a £65m regeneration of the town centre approved in 2020 – and was sitting in the general reserve.

The second amendment, from Janice Henwood (Lib Dem, Burgess Hill – Franklands) asked for £100,000 to be drawn from the general reserve to pay for and install a Changing Places toilet in the Orchards Shopping Centre in Haywards Heath.

Neither amendment was well received by the Tories.

Looking at the first, leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards said there had been no explanation as to what the money would actually be spent on – no business plan.

Comments were also made about why Burgess Town Council had not found money by increasing its council tax precept.

As for the second, he reminded the meeting that discussions about a Changing Places toilet had been going on since January.

He added: “This amendment tries to tell us to do something that is already being done.

“This council is committed to delivering a Changing Places toilet in Haywards Heath.”

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Speaking after the meeting, Mr Eggleston said: “Everybody knows that the Martlets Shopping Centre redevelopment has failed, and that the area is suffering from severe blight.

“We wanted to improve the visual appearance and environment of the town’s shopping centre to make it a more attractive destination for residents.

“Our proposal involved using money that New River had given to Mid Sussex District Council to help users of the Martlets Hall relocate but which was unspent and the £100,000 was found from that pot.

“We think that it is only right and proper that it should support projects in this part of Burgess Hill.

“The residents of Burgess Hill were expecting cash to support some improvements in the town centre.

“After all, I really don’t think having a visually and environmentally attractive town to visit is expecting too much.

“But yet again the Tories have failed the largest town in the district and shown that they are indifferent to our plight.”

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Group leader Alison Bennett (Lib Dem, Hurstpierpoint & Downs) added: “We are stumped as to why the Conservatives persist in their bunker mentality.

“Two weeks before the meeting we suggested to the leader that the Conservatives propose the Changing Places toilet amendment and the Liberal Democrats second it.

“This would have made sense given that the Conservatives have mooted embryonic plans to deliver a Changing Places toilet themselves.

“Had the Conservatives supported [the] amendment, the people of Mid Sussex would have been assured that this project will go ahead against a background of spiralling inflation.

“The Conservative administration have lost sight of the motto of [the council] which is that ‘the good of the people must come first’.”

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