Welcome to the Cowfold Parish Council website
This provides information on the Council and links to related documents, as well as a summary of local facilities and village activities.
If you want to contact the Council, please call the Parish Clerk, Jan Wright, on 01403 864806 or send her an email at:
Our Next Meeting
The Parish Council Ordinary Meetings are normally held in the Allmond Centre at 7:30pm on the second Monday of every month and are followed at 9:00pm with the monthly Planning Meeting.
The next meeting will be held in the Allmond Centre on Monday 12th December 2022.
Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm
Warmer Homes
Struggling With Living Costs?
If you are short of money and struggling to pay for food or other essentials as a result of the current cost of living crisis, some sources of local help and support are included on the Struggling With Living Costs page.
Cowfold Road and Traffic Issues Report
A detailed investigation of pedestrian safety issues in the centre of Cowfold, as well as an analysis of traffic patterns and accidents on the main roads in and around the village, have been undertaken by the Vice Chairman of the Parish Council, Jerry Cooper.
The results have been included in the following report, which has been approved by the Parish Council and will be used in support of proposals to solve a number of the problems that are highlighted in the document:
Cowfold Road and Traffic Issues Report
Sports and Exercise Equipment Survey
Cowfold Parish Council is investigating different options to help users of all abilities aged 12+ stay fit and healthy.
To make sure we choose the right solutions, we would like to hear from you about your needs and interests.
Please click on the link below and complete the short survey. (Feel free to add additional comments in the free-type box at the bottom of the survey.)
The Council will collate and review everyone’s comments and update you on the findings.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QSBDKDG
New Online Forum for Bus Users in West Sussex
West Sussex County Council has set up an online forum called #WestSussBus for people who use buses in West Sussex.
This is a space to add suggestions, comment on local buses and issues affecting bus passengers and to offer ideas. You can also post videos and upload images about your experience of buses in the County. (By the way, WSCC is also interested in finding out why people don’t use the bus!)
Here’s the link: https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/westsussbus
You can also use the hashtag #WestSussBus if posting bus-related stuff on social media.
At the moment, we’re particularly looking for regular bus users who might like to create a bus journal – follow this link to find out more.
Please note that #WestSussBus is long-term project (at least a year) and content will change regularly.
You can email the team at: westsussbus@westsussex.gov.uk
Sign up to the ‘West Sussex Highways’ or ‘#WestSussBus – Your Views On The Buses’ newsletters here
Cowfold Community Improvement Plan
January 2022 Update
We would like to extend our thanks to all those who provided feedback on the Cowfold Community Improvement Plan for 2021. More information can be found on the Cowfold Community Project Plan page.
We have successfully completed a number of projects during 2021 and look forward to focusing on new initiatives for our lovely village in 2022.
With all ideas comes a cost, both in terms of person power to carry out the project and, of course, a materials cost. The ideas presented were great, however, the costs for some of these projects were in excess of £100,000, well over the budget of the Parish Council, but not impossible if they are sponsored by local fundraising over several years to make it happen.
Where do Parish Council funds come from to spend on Community Projects?
The previous Section 106 scheme has been replaced by the Community Infrastructure Levy scheme which is a fairer system, as the money received due from housing development comes direct to the Parish Council and does not have to be applied for from Horsham District Council. Cowfold Parish Council now uses this money for local community projects.
Our success stories in 2021 included:
- Cowfold Rewilding Project.
- Butterfly Haven.
- Recycling Project in the Local Community.
- Recycling Scheme at St Peter’s School.
- Speed sign(s). Cowfold Parish Council originally proposed four signs but only one location has been agreed with West Sussex County Council currently.
Proposals for 2022
New initiatives for 2022 include the installation of an outdoor gym on the Playing Field.
Community Speedwatch in Cowfold
You may have noticed the local Cowfold Speedwatch group of volunteers who have started monitoring the speeds of vehicles travelling through the Village.
They desperately need to recruit more members to continue this very important initiative!
You can apply on the Community Speedwatch website:
https://www.communityspeedwatch.co.uk
(Once on the home page, click on the “Register” tab on the top menu and then the “Join Existing” tab on the sidebar menu.)
Greening Cowfold
Introduction
Greening Cowfold is a new initiative brought to you by Cowfold Parish Council.
We are set up to help Cowfold become a more sustainable, biodiverse and healthy place to live. We want to work with all the organisations and businesses in Cowfold. So if you, or anyone you know, would like to plant trees, help Cowfold homes become greener or get involved in any way – we’d love your help. Please get in touch by emailing us at greeningcowfold@gmail.com.
In order to provide more details of our activities, we have established a separate web page which can be accessed here:
Newsletters
Here are links to our latest newsletters:
April 2021
https://mailchi.mp/b7b91cf89910/april-newsletter
May 2021
https://mailchi.mp/91c268ccb43f/greening-cowfold-may-2021
June 2021
https://mailchi.mp/791dea60dd21/june-2021-newsletter
July 2021
https://mailchi.mp/c795a3b8f234/butterflies-bugs-bbqs
August 2021
https://mailchi.mp/d24524882d3f/august-2021-greening-cowfold-newsletter
September 2021
https://mailchi.mp/6a4b45de6686/september-news
October 2021
https://mailchi.mp/ff5ffd2e8d73/greening-cowfold-october-newsletter
November 2021
https://mailchi.mp/24e0c8ed2712/new-recycling-scheme-in-cowfold
December 2021
https://mailchi.mp/e96ea934c5ac/new-recycling-scheme-in-cowfold-4167410
January 2022
https://mailchi.mp/0f803e8f8258/january-2022-new-year-and-new-opportunities
February 2022
https://mailchi.mp/4391a38c9bd3/how-many-hours-tv-1-recycled-aluminium-can
April 2022 – Number One
April 2022 – Number Two
https://mailchi.mp/1957da7fe221/april-2022-newsletter
May 2022
https://mailchi.mp/2037a088a44d/may-2022-newsletter
June 2022
https://mailchi.mp/04426f024cae/wilding-my-garden
July 2022
https://mailchi.mp/c007cab08de8/where-have-all-the-insects-gone
August 2022
https://mailchi.mp/1f9b016599a4/what-can-we-do-to-help-our-planet
September 2022
https://mailchi.mp/da0d1d3a5076/gyo-trees-big-green-week-recycle-saturday-tony-talks-cowfold-rakes
October 2022
https://mailchi.mp/4dd82b2fa087/where-have-all-the-insects-gone-9763551
November 2022
https://mailchi.mp/b96c898adb1b/a-very-wet-autumn-corrected-tree-planting-date
Please take a look and do forward the links to anyone else who might be interested – thank you!
Wild Verges
As part of the Greening Cowfold initiative, it has been proposed that, for the next several years, the village collaborates with West Sussex County Council to introduce an annual ‘No Mow’ policy for designated verges between March and September. These areas (see maps) will be clearly marked, not obscure any lines of sight for motorists and allow habitat regeneration with the possibility of enhanced wildflower planting from 2022.
More informations is provided on the Greening Cowfold page:
Cowfold Neighbourhood Plan
The Submission version of the Cowfold Neighbourhood Development Plan, which can be viewed at CNP_Submission_Plan_Final_.pdf, has been submitted by Horsham District Council for independent Examination.
The Examiner’s report has now been published and can be viewed at:
HDC published the full Regulation 16 documentation including all feedback and the Clarification Note from the Public Examiner in early March 2021.
Our response to the Examiner’s Clarification Note was sent by HDC to the Examiner on Wednesday 17 March 2021. This can be reviewed here:
CNP-Response-to-Examiner-Clarification-Note.pdf
The full documentation can be examined here:
https://www.horsham.gov.uk/planning/neighbourhood-planning/cowfold
An overview of the overall planning process is provided in the Cowfold Neighbourhood Plan page.
Follow the Countryside Code!
Our local farmers and other rural businesses are pleased to see people out enjoying the countryside but have sometimes been negatively affected by irresponsible behaviour. Some of this is often due to a lack of awareness and the following poster is useful in explaining the basics.
West Sussex County Council’s Electric Vehicle Strategy 2019 to 2030
West Sussex County Council has published its electric vehicle strategy for the period from 2019 to 2030.
The vision for the County is that, when residents travel by car and small van, they choose ultra-low emission vehicles, and travel in a carbon neutral way.
To achieve this vision, WSCC has three highly ambitious aims:
- At least 70% of all new cars in the county to be electric by 2030.
- There is sufficient charging infrastructure in place to support the vehicles predicted to be reliant on public infrastructure to charge.
- Ensure that there is a renewable energy source for all charging points on County Council land or highway.
More details are given in the WSCC Electric Vehicle Strategy document or are available on the WSCC website.