Councillor Inadvertently Makes Arguement For Why Burgess Hill Residents Shouldn't Have To Pay For New Community Venue

Cllr Colin Holden is the gift that keeps on giving. At Monday's meeting of Burgess Hill Town Council's Community Engagement Key Area Group, he detailed why paying for something that won't be used exclusively by the people of Burgess Hill is not right.



There was a discussion about whether the town council should award of grant of £2,000 to HAMSVA (Horsham and Mid Sussex Voluntary Action) to help pay towards the cost of supplying a community room for hire at their new offices in Burgess Hill.

Cllr Holden informed the committee that he knew of people and organisations that have used the community room for training courses who come from outside the town. He also took issue that HAMSVA serves all of Mid Sussex yet came to the town council with a large request. In light of this, he felt that the town council shouldn't give the group the full amount.

Cllr Kirsty Page added that the town council should see a break down of who uses the venue at the end of the year.

Cllr Anne Jones said that all the parishes should chip in with £500 here and there.

What a great concept! It should definately be applied to the inevitable new arts and community venue that's being forced upon Burgess Hill's residents

Quite simply, Burgess Hill's new venue should keep a record of where ticket holders for each event reside and also note where the venue hirers come from. At the end of every financial year you work out the percentages and send a bill to each town and parish council to help service the £190k yearly repayments. Genius.

We're sure that Cllr Holden is going to get straight onto this by booking appointments with every local town and parish council. We look forward to him reporting back on his progress at the next full meeting of Burgess Hill Town Council. He's going to save his residents a ton of money.


Colin also questioned if HAMSVA have been to ask for more money directly from Mid Sussex District Council, something that he declined to do when asked by a member of the public at a recent meeting of the full town council when it was questioned who should be paying towards Burgess Hill's proposed new Arts and Communtiy building.
YOU COULDN'T MAKE THIS UP!!!

Way to go Colin!