Which Burgess Hill Councillors Agreed To Use Public Money To Put A Christmas Tree In A Privately Owned Shopping Centre?

We start 2025 with an unresolved issue concerning Burgess Hill Town Council - just who at the organisation decided that council tax-payers money should be used to put a Christmas Tree into Market Place Shopping Centre, and why wasn't a report prepared for the councillors to then vote on?

If you cast you minds back to Christmas 2023, Market Place Shopping Centre only put up a few bows (made from basic ribbon) on a few of the balconies in the main section of the centre.


Would you bo-lieve it! This is all Market Place did in 2023.

Their scrooge-like effort was in stark contrast to previous years where the public had enjoyed a giant sleigh and reindeer illuminated from the ceiling, preceded by a very tall Christmas tree with a passageway though the middle which was a big hit with the public in the years prior.


The popular tree from 5 years ago

Coming into the festive period of 2024, it was unknown what the centre was going to do in terms of decorations for the benefit of the shoppers. They were ridiculed for their efforts in 2023. Clearly, either the centre reached out to BHTC, or it was the other way round, but we'll never know.

If BHTC made the approach to put up the tree, there was no way the Market Place Shopping Centre would say 'no thanks' but why should public money be used to install a tree in a privately-owned commercial centre which enjoys significant rental income from the likes of Waitrose and B&M?


The new tree for 2024, with a sponsorship sign featuring BHTC's name.

The Town Council (Officers and/or a few councillors in the inner-circle) have now set a precedent where they are prepared to spend money on private businesses. If the town's other 'shopping centre' asks for a Christmas Tree next year, will Burgess Hill Town Council oblige? What is their policy? We'll never know as it was never discussed at a meeting!

Clear as mud at council meeting
At the full meeting of Burgess Hill Town Council on Monday November 25th, Cllr Andy Stowe (Independent) asked why the Community Engagement KAG were noting the expenditure of the tree and didn't like that money had been spent without agreeing it first.

Cllr Brenda Williams (Chairman of the KAG) responded that the money came from the Community Team's budget as there was money left over.

However Town Clerk Julie Holden got involved, saying that Cllr Stowe had already put in a question to officers previously where he was told by the Responsible Finance Officer that the money had come out of the 'Bridge the Gap' budget. Ms Holden added 'We just need to be consistent on where that money came from'.

The draft minutes following the full council meeting for that particular item, read:
It was clarified that the Christmas Tree in the market place was paid for from the Bridge The Gap funds or the Community Engagement budget as there was budget available and this project fell under the approved terms.

So the council still haven't made their minds up on which department suggested the tree for the centre and from which budget the money is coming out of!

What Are The Financial Details?
How much did the tree at Market Place cost? Is it being used in future years? If so, is there going to be a cost for the yearly erection of it?

Situations like this start to make you think 'well what else are they doing in secret?' bypassing bringing contentious items for discussion to Key Area Group Meetings and no formal sign-off at a full council meeting.

The magnifying glass will be firmly fixed on Councillor Peter Willams - leader of Burgess Hill Town Council along with his close associates in 2025.


Lights hanging from the roof and the great sleigh and reindeer. Wonderful between 2019-22