Vaccine process was exemplary

I was very pleasantly surprised last month when unexpectedly I received a text message from my doctor’s surgery informing me that Covid vaccination would be available the following week.

I attended at Christ’s Hospital on December 16 and wish to express my congratulations and thanks to all concerned.

The manner in which the process was conducted was evidently the result of very careful and considerate planning. This is the more impressive as it must have been undertaken with impressive alacrity.

From the moment one approached the car park one was reassured by the presence of numerous helpful staff.

On arrival in the building the procedures at every level were conducted with a calm efficiency which was not in the least intimidating.

Given that the first batch of patients were by definition in their eighties or above, careful consideration had evidently been given to preparing for the possible requirements of such an age group. I was struck by the sincerity and lack of condescension on the part of all of the staff.

It is a testament to the health service in Horsham that we have so many committed staff at every level in the process, be they the planners, clinicians, nursing, support, or logistical staff; of both the health service and Christ’s Hospital.

We are indeed most fortunate. I wish to express my thanks publicly to all concerned; and to reassure anyone who may be hesitating to not delay in taking advantage of this exemplary opportunity.

IANMCLAREN KingfisherWay, Horsham

‘Flawed formula’ alive and kicking

Rejoice; the ‘mutant algorithm’ is dead but beware, its forerunner, the ‘flawed formula’ is still alive and kicking.

I can’t help feeling that the euphoric reaction to the government’s capitulation over a housing algorithm that was so bad, it should have never seen the light of day, is overdone.

So Horsham still has a huge battle to set a reasonable annual housing requirement that will retain, not destroy, the character of the town and its district.

We are now back to the situation where, at Council on July 1, 2020, Cllr Claire Vickers said ‘we are between a rock and a hard place’ and ‘we shall continue to challenge the housing target and try to bring our housing numbers down’.

Remember, the ‘flawed formula’ increases Horsham’s current 650 annual requirement under the local plan to 920 (41.5 per cent increase) and national planning policy (NPPF) then requires a ‘duty to cooperate’ addition to assist neighbouring authorities with any shortfalls (presently an extra 150 homes per annum for Crawley).

So, if HDC doesn’t challenge the ‘flawed formula’ the minimum housing requirement figure is likely to be around 1100.

Of this figure, 328 homes (30 per cent) are not to meet Horsham’s need, nor even the need of other authorities, they represent an ‘over supply’, in the formula’s theoretical attempt to bring house prices down; fat chance!

In its consultation response in autumn 2017 when the ‘flawed formula’ was first unveiled, HDC correctly noted it was so ‘overly simplistic’ that it would ‘generate indiscriminate, unplanned and unwelcome development’.

The NPPF does not mandate the use of the ‘flawed formula’. With the Housing Ministry now demonstrating a naive fallibility, maybe this is the time for HDC to make a strong case for varying the numbers derived from the standard method?

Surely it can begin by arguing a reduction of the bogus 328 imposed due to unaffordability? Much of this is triggered by the higher salaries of those (over 50 per cent) who work outside the district (e.g. London) yet purchase their homes here.

We don’t want the ‘indiscriminate, unplanned and unwelcome development’ that HDC predicted, so please HDC don’t meekly follow government methodology. It may no longer be mutant, but it’s certainly still flawed.

It can be challenged; it should be challenged, and (on July 1) you said you would! PAULKORNYCKY CoxGreen, Rudgwick

This is not fair, open and honest

Sally Sanderson’s letter last month (December 17) flags up a growing issue for the people of Horsham, in not being fairly represented by local politicians.

Conservative MP Mr Jeremy Quin is silent about Rookwood.

None of the Conservative HDC cabinet who make the decisions live in the town.

The residents of the three Neighbourhood (town) Councils of Denne, Forest and Trafalgar (those most affected by the loss of this green space) have little or no representation and are legally prevented from making any decisions about their own area.

And as Paul Kornycky wrote (December 17), Conservative HDC have just tightened the rules even further so they are now the only district council in the whole of East and West Sussex who refuse public attendance to ask questions freely.

The public is now only allowed to ask a question if the topic is already on their agenda, leaving them free to discuss topics such as Rookwood as ‘any other business’.

How is this fair, open or honest? It creates mistrust, misunderstanding and misrepresentation at best.

And now, with the committed community councillor Leonard Crosbie having sadly passed away, and the only cabinet member who lived in the town, Councillor Peter Burgess, recently resigned, the townspeople have very little way of finding their voice represented on the council.

I have been told by Cllr Jonathan Chowen that the 60,000 people of the town don’t need more than Horsham Park to take their daily exercise and dog walks in; that building streets, bus routes and high rise homes will not close down, but somehow ‘open up; this natural green space for the public; that without having collected any data on the ecology of the golf course itself (having commissioned merely a preliminary assessment of the effect on the Riverside Walk areas, which funnily enough matches the free one provided by Warnham Nature Reserve) that somehow HDC can guarantee to follow the rule which says that ‘Biodiversity must be INCREASED by 10 per cent when building on a new site’! As if…as if by magic!

No wonder that almost 10,000 people have signed the Rookwood petition.

If a school teacher were to teach lessons like this to a class of six-year-olds, I think most parents would be rightly outraged. We need to be outraged on behalf of our children.

It is them who will continue to be deprived by this increasingly unfair system.

At Christmas, more Horsham children than ever before were being fed from food banks.

Let’s not allow the biased HDC cabinet to take away their wild green playground as well. MORAGWARRACK HamiltonRoad,

Horsham

Town area is languishing

We have lost Cllr Burgess as a cabinet member for the town. Horsham Town is languishing.

Horsham District Council’s elected representatives of the town area are regarded as outcast, the same as cyclists.

It is all very well electing people who one may imagine would ‘run’ the area for the benefit of residents, however, the ruling majority hate to have any opposition to their Mantra.

Not biased personally, I don’t care who is elected if they are honest and just. We see the Neighbourhood Councils doing as excellent job - unpaid and always representing residents views despite HDC ignoring any views put forward.

HDC appear to be able to employ consultants at the drop of a hat and their report reflects the opinion and view of HDC. See the reports regarding Rookwood, planned some years ago.

Strange how Crawley can retain Tilgate Park and Buchan Park but HDC feel its residents do not deserve any green space.

I noticed there was a letter regarding building on Rookwood that might preclude building on farmland. Farmland will continue to be built on either because the farmer needs money, or there is none left.

We, as a country import most of our food, pity our leaders forget the problems experienced during the war. While the conservative southern councillors control the whole of Horsham area, the town will continue to suffer with no representation as they hate any opposition and ignore any constructive comments.

It would appear that Horsham town residents need not vote at all as any person who is not wearing the conservative colours is a wasted vote in that they cannot be heard and will never be permitted to sit on any committee in case they speak against the Horsham conservative throng. JAMESBROOK Patchings Horsham

Playing golf is all some of us have

I am a 78-year-old senior member at Rookwood Golf Club.

I thoroughly enjoy my golf, as do all my playing partners whom are similar age to myself. If you take this away from us, there will be more of us attending our GPs. It keeps us not only physically fit but mentally as well.

Golf is all some of us have in our lives now, I am one of the lucky ones who still has a partner, but quite a few are on their own so really need this activity to keep them going.

I don’t think we need more housing in and around Horsham, with all the building that is already in progress at Southwater, Broadbridge Heath, and more to start with the new school. Thank you. IANWATSON RowanWay,

Horsham

Golf numbers not declining

So the best HDC are able to do in response to your excellently researched article of December 17 concerning Rookwood Golf Course is to produce an anonymous spokesman who, without one iota of supporting evidence, tells us that golf is declining.

This is untrue and particularly as regards Rookwood could not be further from the truth.

Despite being closed for the best part of four months Rookwood has taken 20 per cent more bookings in 2020 than in the previous year.

The same spokesman appears misinformed as regards the income derived from Rookwood.

I stand to be corrected but I believe it generates in excess of £80,000 per annum for the council plus £30,000 in business rates which compared to other council owned facilities represents

I would suggest a pretty reasonable return.

It is very clear that in the face of overwhelming opposition HDC have adopted a divide and conquer strategy by trading off the golf course in the hope they can appease the non golfers.

This is best summarised by one local councillor reportedly advising a local group ‘that as the golf course is a lost cause, they should promote retaining some green space’.

Nice try but as the various contributors to your article point out it is no more than ‘window dressing’ and the closure of the golf course will have a significant impact on the ecosystems of the surrounding area.

We have also been advised that our elected representatives find themselves ‘between a rock and a hard place’ due to the constraints imposed upon them by central Government.

However, as reported in your paper, the Government policy on development particularly as it affects south east England has recently changed and consequently controversial developments such as Rookwood need to be reassessed in the light of this.

At the very least Rookwood should be removed from the Local Planning consultation until the impact of the new guidelines and other considerations such as NPPF97 have been thoroughly examined.

Finally perhaps a timely reminder to all local councillors that they are elected by the people of Horsham to represent our interests and wishes.

Via your pages and petitions etc we have seen that the voters are totally opposed to this development.

Please bear that in mind.

GRAHAMHARTLEY NorthHeathClose Horsham

‘Crawsham city’ will be chaotic

In a few weeks time, the council will meet to decide which of the main development sites will go into Horsham’s new Local Plan. All of them require greenfield development.

Given the political needs of the ruling Conservative group, the overwhelming majority are likely to be squeezed into the northern part of the district around the town itself. As district councillor for Roffey North and a Horsham resident myself, I oppose this.

They’re building the wrong houses in the wrong places.

The result will be an extended ribbon of development running for miles down the A24. Crawley will run into Horsham, which runs into Southwater, which runs into Buck Barn.

In this context, the

Conservative Council’s 2017 decision to approve thousands of houses for North of Horsham looks even worse than it did at the time. Having crossed the A264 barrier, there’s nothing to stop a fullscale merger with Crawley.

This ‘Crawsham city’ will be a chaotic, kidney-shaped kind of place. It will have mile-aftermile of identikit suburban housing where the city centre should have been.

This is a textbook example of how not to build a new city.

The amazing thing is that not even a Crawsham can solve our housing needs. Under Conservative control, HDC have repeatedly failed to get anywhere near our affordable housing targets.

Their key blunder has been an obsession with using private developers for social housebuilding. It’s been an unmitigated disaster.

You may wonder at what point Horsham residents were ever given a chance to vote on this? The answer is simple – you weren’t.

CLLRJOHNMILNE LiberalDemocratmemberfor

RoffeyNorth

Glad this place is being preserved

I read in the West Sussex County Times an article and pictures of the pond and surrounding green which members of the Cootes Farm community have now purchased so we all can enjoy this special place in Horsham.

I lived on the side of this pond with the Wells family, my uncle and aunt Nancy and Reg, during the war as I was evacuated here.

Reg took me often in his canoe to check the moorhens’ nests to make sure they were safe and Nancy with the land girls who worked on the farm took me out in the push chair around the farm and watched them all work .

Ducks often came into our cottage while we were having our meals which were done on a paraffin cooker as were our lights. Such a peaceful place to be but the air raid siren on the corner of Merryfield Drive and Guildford Road was always there to remind us of being at war.

No sign of the Davis Estate yet but soon to come, and other developments happening, so great to see this particular special place is preserved for everybody’s continued enjoyment , yes especially my own. TERRYSLADE CavendishClose,

Horsham

It’s a destruction, not development

Let’s not pretend that building on Rookwood is ‘development’. It’s destruction of a publiclyowned rich natural living

space that’s taken generations to grow and is of benefit to the whole population of Horsham town.

We 55,000 people have noone to represent our views, as the entire cabinet who make the decisions live outside the town. We are about a third of Horsham District, but don’t have our views represented on the council.

We need a plan. We need Rookwood. Take Rookwood out of the plan. Simple!

ÓISÍNCOLLISHE WarnhamRoad, Horsham

It is now time to think ahead

I have read so many letters on your page regarding the housing requirements for Horsham area and in particular Rookwood Golf Course.

I would like to ask how long does it take to create a golf course and how long does it take to destroy one?

These are the two most important questions Horsham District Council must give us the answers to in 2021.

The 18-hole municipal course is well established and used by residents in Horsham and surrounding areas and borders the beautiful Warnham Nature Reserve. It has become even more valuable during the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is now time to think ahead and not look back in ten years time in hindsight and think ‘we shouldn’t have built on Rookwood’ or ‘where shall we create a new golf course’ for as we know, it takes a long time to establish one and therefore

not something that can be created overnight.

If we are expected to absorb a further 10,000 or so residents in the coming years, what recreation facilities are we going to offer these new inhabitants, not only to golfers but to the majority of people who require daily exercise?

This course offers public footpaths and leads to open countryside within comfortable walking distance of the town and very accessible from the wider area.

This is not a brownfield site but it seems an easy option for the Council to consider as there are no buildings to demolish, only trees.

However, in a time when the country is required to plant millions of trees to absorb carbon emissions, they appear to have no regard for destroying them together with shrubs and hedgerows that will need to be removed to make way for housing on this course.

This is in addition to those already being removed to make way for new road structures nearby and the concern now would be the impact this will have on the water table.

We are already experiencing more flooding in the area and the removal of trees will only make the situation worse and more so if the course, or even part of it, is concreted over with housing.

Rookwood must be left to the people of Horsham and district to enjoy as was the intention in its conception and should not be built on.

SHEILAPOYNTER PondtailRoad Horsham

Proposals have no logic or sanity

When we, the local residents turn off Billingshurst’s busy High Street into Little East Street ( December 17, page 7 ‘Plea for rethink …..’) we enter a tranquil haven of peace.

We walk past hedgerows bursting with chattering birds and colourful, well kept flower beds. What a contrast !

After the mayhem of the High Street pavements blocked by parked vehicles or being harassed by cyclists treating pavements like cycle lanes, or avoiding being run down by cars exceeding the 20mph speed limit, Little East Street is a pedestrian’s sanctuary and a balm for jangled nerves.

Not anymore, if the cycle lane lobby have their way! To save cyclists from the heavy burden of a brief 300m detour through Rose Hill, plans are afoot to punch a bicycle lane through our narrow pedestrian footpath.

This will enable cyclists to swoop unrestricted past us older residents and also many young mothers with prams and toddlers.

Presumably they will assume right of way, obliging us pedestrians to hurry aside if we hear or see them coming. Many, being less agile than we are, carry sticks have frames or trollies.

Nor has there ever been proper consultation. Contrary to the assertion of the HDC, none of us local residents have ever received a letter or knew anything regarding these plans.

There is little logic or sanity in these proposals. One can