COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW FOR HAYWARDS HEATH
Mid Sussex District Council is currently undertaking a Community Governance Review for Haywards Heath Town Council, which could potentially have an effect on the administrative boundaries of the neighbouring Parish Councils including Ansty and Staplefield as well as those of the Town of Haywards Heath.
What is a Community Governance Review?
A Community Governance Review is a way for councils to make sure that, at the town/parish level, governance arrangements are working as efficiently and effectively as they should be. This is achieved by asking the public, town/parish councils and any interested parties whether they feel their communities are suitably represented and whether town/parish councils would like to see any changes made to their current governance arrangements.
Consultation Process
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The first a first stage of consultation, containing draft recommendations commenced on Monday 9th June 2025, and concluded on Friday 8th August 2025.
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The responses were be considered by Mid Sussex District Council with final recommendations being published on 15th September 2025.
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These recommendations are now being consulted upon with the deadline being the 14th November 2025.
How to make a Representation
The Town Council encourages you to visit the consultation portal and make your representation.
The consultation is live now on the Mid Sussex District Council website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/community-governance-reviews/ and the closing date is 14th November 2025.
What are the recommendations being consulted upon?
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Draft Recommendation 1: Haywards Heath North East remains within Haywards Heath Town Council.
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Draft Recommendation 2: Rocky Lane North and Rocky Lane South remain within Ansty & Staplefield Parish Council.
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Draft Recommendation 3: That Haywards Heath Town Council is served by 17 Councillors, representing 5 wards. This includes an increase of representation on the Haywards Heath Franklands ward, increasing the Councillor numbers from 3 to 4.
The Town Council's Position on the Recommendations
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Draft Recommendation 1: Haywards Heath North East Ward remaining in Haywards Heath is supported by the Town Council.
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Draft Recommendation 2: Rocky Lane North and Rocky Lane South remaining within Ansty & Staplefield Parish is not supported by the Town Council for the reasons below. The Town Council wants to see these wards transfer to be part of the Town Council area.
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Draft Recommendation 3: Is not supported by the Town Council in its present form. The level of democratic representation is a concern for the Town Council as the proposal would not balance the level of Councillor representation across all wards. In addition to the proposal for an additional Franklands councillor, the Town Council is asking for an additional councillor for the Ashenground ward to balance representation there. Including the Rocky Lane parish wards (as proposed above) would increase this further to four councillors from the current two.
Draft Recommendation 2 - Haywards Heath Town Council does not support the recommendation because:
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The roads are part of the town of Haywards Heath and have no real relation to the rural and village settings of the Ansty and Staplefield Parish which covers a vast rural crescent area of 6 square miles, made up of a number of small villages and hamlets including Ansty, Staplefield, Brook Street and various other scattered hamlets and households. It neighbours on to Bolney and the west side of Cuckfield and borders north Burgess Hill.
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Residents in Rocky Lane North and Rocky Lane South use the local services and facilities of Haywards Heath. Its shops, schools, businesses, pubs, restaurants and other entertainment, medical services, community buildings, parks, travel services, local events and other amenities…
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The town council provides many services including allotments, community grants, grit bins, bus shelters, benches, burial plots, a community warden, town events and support and advice to residents from the Town Hall which is open 9am-5pm every weekday.
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These homes have Haywards Heath postal addresses and are already part of the Haywards Heath Neighbourhood Plan area (since 2018) and yet you have no democratic say in the running of the town and are thus a detached part of our town community.
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The area would, under the Town’s proposals, be a part of Haywards Heath Ashenground Ward with 4 Town councillors representing the ward area, just under a quarter of the town council.
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The Town Council will be making its case objecting to the latest proposals of Mid Sussex District Council and asks for your support to request that your home comes into the Haywards Heath Town Council area.
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Moving from Ansty and Staplefield into Haywards Heath would reduce your council tax. For comparison, the annual Band D tax rate in Ansty and Staplefield is currently £87.95 compared with £72.72 in Haywards Heath. For your Council Tax you would receive a comprehensive range services run from the Town Hall which operates full time every working day with a staff of 16.
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The Ansty and Staplefield parish does not have an office or a full-time capability. It has a small budget and limited powers, can only offer limited local services and is facing tough challenges including the potential Cuck-Stye development.
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With the moves to a unitary council for our part of West Sussex, it is vitally important that the Town Council fully represents and champions our whole town community to get the best local services for local people.
