About the Parish Council

What area does Lindfield Parish Council cover?

There are two Parish Councils representing residents in the Lindfield area. Lindfield Parish Council came into being in 1987 and covers most of what can be described as Lindfield "Urban" but the Council voted at the outset to drop "Urban" from its title. Lindfield Rural Parish includes Walstead and Scaynes Hill and the area around Gravelye Lane.

What part does the Parish Council play in Local Government?

The Parish Council is the third tier of local government, after the County Council and the District Council, but it is a non-political body. It is at the "grass roots" and is in the best position to represent the views of the local community.

How is the Parish Council Organized?

Lindfield Parish Council has twelve Councillors, a Clerk, a Deputy Clerk and a Responsible Financial Officer. Full Council currently meets every two months, and much of its work is remitted to three main Committees:

Planning, Transport & Traffic
Committee

Finance & General Purposes
Committee

Environment & Amenities
Committee

Complaints
Committee

All meetings of the Council are advertised on the Parish Council notice board in Denmans Lane, and on this web site. They are open to the public and the Council would like to encourage residents to come along - the elected Members are your representatives and your views are important to them.

What does the Parish Council do?

The Parish Council has a surprising number of powers which it can exercise if it so wishes. Below are some of the activities Lindfield Parish Council currently carries out for the benefit of the village:

Owns the Parish Office at The Clock Tower House, Lindfield Enterprise Park, Lewes Road, where assistance with concessionary travel passes can be obtained, planning applications and Minutes of meetings can be viewed

Owns and manages the allotment site in Denmans Lane

Owns and manages the public toilets in Denmans Lane

Considers all planning applications relating to Lindfield, and makes comments as appropriate, to the District Council

Provides and maintains bus shelters

Maintains the King Edward Hall clock

Provides litter bins and some seats and benches in the village

Plants trees and bulbs in roadside verges with consent of the relevant authority

Provides and maintains tubs of plants in Denmans Lane, plus other gardening maintenance throughout the village

Is responsible for some of the street lighting in Lindfield

Has contributed towards the cost of traffic calming works

Produces the annual Lindfield Parish Directory and Year Book

Funds and holds the Village Archives

Works in partnership with the County and District Councils, and the Society for the Preservation of Lindfield, for the benefit of the village

Organises an annual Spring Clean

Organises the annual Christmas Festival Night

Who Pays for the Parish Council?

The Parish Council raises the funds to undertake these services and facilities through what is known as the precept. This is charged to residents through the council tax. For the financial year 2018/19 the precept is £156,000.

To see the Council's accounts click here

What services does the the Parish Office provide?

The first Parish Office in Denmans Lane opened in July 1996, and many of you have taken the opportunity to visit it. In March 2013 the Parish Office moved to new and larger premises in the Enterprise Park in Lewes Road. If you have not yet ventured in, then below is a brief guide to the services provided, for details of opening times click here: