Horsham District Council (HDC)  is in the process of updating The Horsham District Play Strategy.

The District Council would like your help to evaluate if the existing Play Strategy has made a difference to residents, especially children  in the parish and ask you to complete a short questionnaire. Responses should reach HDC by Monday 13^th March.

The survey can be found at:- https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=148830275571

The fundamental aim of the Horsham District Play Strategy is to improve children’s opportunities and experiences in public places. It is to ensure that wherever they spend the majority of their free time, children and young people  aged 0-17 should have access to spaces and facilities  for play and informal recreation, which meets the three free’s test which are:

• FREE OF CHARGE
• FREE TO COME AND GO
• FREE TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY DO WHILST THERE

The current play strategy can be found here:
https://www.horsham.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/15309/Play_Strategy_maindoc.pdf

At North Heath Hall, behind St. Marks Church, we have availability for a regular weekly hire from 08:30 – 12:00 on Tuesday mornings.
It’s a large hall (32’10” x 42′) which includes a stage, ideal for a variety of different purposes.

If you are interested in hiring please call on 01403 750786. Alternately you can email your enquiry to hall.bookings@northhorsham-pc.gov.uk.

Message from Councillor Roger Wilton – Chairman of the North Horsham Parish Council

I first met Pat in 2003 when I was selected to stand as a District Council candidate for the Roffey south ward of Horsham District Council.

Pat was a long standing councilor and was part of a successful administration from 1995 to 1999.

We were both elected, my success mainly based on Pat’s local high standing.

Pat served Horsham District Council from the late 1980’s until 2011

I found Pat to be a very fine mentor and tireless social campaigner, she understood that her role as a local councilor was to first and foremost to represent the electors, even if sometimes the requests in planning disputes were unreasonable.   She always listened carefully and explained the processes of the council to constituents.

When we both lost our seats on the District Council Pat was the one who encouraged me to fill a vacancy on the Parish Council on which she had served with great distinction for 25 years.

Pat was Chairman of the Property Committee for a number of years. The quality of the three community buildings that the parish council own, is a testament to her careful chairmanship. Pat represented the council on the board of Saxon Weald from 2003 to 2012 where she helped to introduce many changes seen as helpful by tenants. She was the councils representative at Horsham Age Concern.

Pat was Chairman of the governors at Chesworth Junior School and oversaw the transition to create Kingslea Primary School when it amalgamated with St Leonards School.

Martin Pearson, CEO at Horsham District Council until 2005, said of her “ She had a clear vision and it made my job easier”

Pat served on the North Horsham Parish Council until 2013.  Pat was subsequently made the first, and so far only, Freeman of the Parish of North Horsham in 2014.

Roger Wilton
Chairman North Horsham Parish Council