Pocket park idea for centre of Burgess Hill causes row

During a meeting of the district council, Samantha Smith (Con, Burgess Hill – Dunstall) asked if such a park could be set up at the former Martlets Hall site, replacing the bland concrete with a bit of colour.

The idea wasn’t a new one.

An urban garden had been suggested to the district council by Burgess Hill Town Council in 2020 but never went anywhere.

So it was perhaps predictable that there would be laughter from a number of Liberal Democrats when leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards described Mrs Smith’s suggestion as ‘an excellent one’.

Taking to social media after the meeting, Robert Eggleston, district member for Burgess Hill – Meeds, and leader of the town council, wrote that ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’.

He explained that the town council’s bid for an urban garden had been rejected because an agreement on the term of a licence could not be reached.

Mr Eggleston said: “The offer from [the district council] was for a six-month licence only and [the town council] wanted 18 months.”

Mr Ash-Edwards, however, called the laughter ‘really rude’ during the meeting and accused people of heckling.

He too took to social media where he accused the Liberal Democrats of ‘jeering’, and reporting that Mrs Smith had been ‘aggressively berated’ by a male councillor after the meeting.

MP Mims Davies even jumped on board saying: “This sort of report is what puts women off from standing as local [councillors] and is absolutely unacceptable.”

Alison Bennett, leader of the Mid Sussex Liberal Democrats, acknowledged that the councillor had been Mr Eggleston.

She said he had been ‘frustrated by the antics of the leader of the council’ and had approached both Mr Ash-Edwards and Mrs Smith at the end of the meeting ‘where he made his feelings known’.

Mrs Bennett added: “Upon reflection, Cllr Eggleston realised that the tone of his engagement did not meet the high standards he sets himself and he wrote to Cllr Smith the following morning apologising for any distress caused, and offering to meet to discuss her and the town council’s proposal.

“Cllr Smith has still not acknowledged this communication.

“The welfare of all councillors is important to me, and that is true regardless of whether they are male or female.”

An update about the Marlets Hall site will be given at the annual town council meeting on Monday (April 11).

It will be held at Cyprus Hall in Cyprus Road, from 7pm.

Writing on social media, Mr Eggleston added: “[The town council] has been endlessly waiting for action on the town centre.

“[The district council] and the Conservatives now need to work collaboratively with [the town council] and residents – and at speed – to improve the site before the summer.”

Mrs Smith has started an online survey where residents can share their views.

Log on to www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/pocketpark to take part.

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