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 Chairman, Donna Everest, on 01403 864607 or send an email to: clerk@cowfold-pc.gov.uk

Next Parish Council Meeting

The next meeting of Cowfold Parish Council will be held on Monday 9th December 2024 in the Allmond Centre at 19:45 (the meeting will follow the conclusion of the Planning Committee Meeting which may be later than 19:45 but will not be earlier).

Members of the public are welcome to attend.

What is the West Sussex Chargepoint Network

West Sussex County Council, Adur and Worthing Councils, Arun District Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Chichester District Council and Mid Sussex District Council have signed a contract with Connected Kerb, one of the country’s leading providers of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions.

The contract will see chargepoints installed across the county at zero cost to the councils.

Proposed chargepoints in Cowfold

WSCC believes that the future is electric. In 2030, a ban on the sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles comes into force. EV sales increased by 40% in 2022, with more than one in ten new vehicles being electric. This has highlighted the importance of having enough affordable, reliable and hassle-free charging infrastructure for the many, not the few.

Although it may not be a priority for residents now, WSCC wants to give them and their community the confidence to make the switch when the time is right for them.

WSCC is proposing six chargepoints in Cowfold – three in Station Road and three in Oakfield Road.

Until demand increases only two of these bays will be reserved solely for EVs. The other four bays will be available for all residents to use. This approach will be reviewed as WSCC see an increase in usage.

The proposed locations are shown on the following map:

Consultation

The Parish Council has not been consulted on the proposed chargepoints and residents may have strong views on their location.

WSCC is conducting a public consultation between 10 July and 7 August 2023. To provide your feedback, complete the online survey on the following web page:

https://yourvoice.westsussex.gov.uk/ev-chargepoints

Cowfold’s Coronation Party

The party held on the Playing Field on Sunday was a resounding success!

Unlike Saturday, the weather was kind, and we had a great turnout.

Residents were entertained throughout the afternoon by live music, a children’s football tournament, face painting, snail races, a dog show, a performance by St Peter’s School choir and children’s crown making and talent competitions.

In addition to their own picnics, they were also able to tuck into the wide range of food on offer, including tea and cakes provided by St Peter’s Church and the WI in the Allmond Centre, burgers and hot dogs from the barbeque and pizzas from Fratello’s van.

The Parish Council is grateful for the generous donations made by local businesses and the significant funds raised on the day have been distributed to deserving organisations and charities in the village.

Our thanks go to Parish Councillor Connie Towle for organising such a great community event!

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

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

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:

Greening Cowfold

Newsletters

Here are links to our latest newsletters:

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.

Proposed No Mow Map (North)

Proposed No Mow Areas (South)

More informations is provided on the Greening Cowfold page:

Greening Cowfold

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:

https://www.horsham.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/99251/Cowfold-Examiners-Report-19-April-2021.pdf

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.

The Countryside Code Poster

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.

Working to improve the local community

Welcome to the Cowfold Parish Council website

Next Parish Council Meeting

What is the West Sussex Chargepoint Network

Proposed chargepoints in Cowfold

Consultation

Cowfold’s Coronation Party

Cowfold Road and Traffic Issues Report

New Online Forum for Bus Users in West Sussex

Greening Cowfold

Introduction

Newsletters

April 2021

May 2021

June 2021

July 2021

August 2021

September 2021

October 2021

November 2021

December 2021

January 2022

February 2022

April 2022 – Number One

April 2022 – Number Two

May 2022

June 2022

July 2022

August 2022

September 2022

October 2022

November 2022

December 2022

January 2023

February 2023

March 2023 Number One

March 2023 Number Two

April 2023

May 2023

June 2023

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

December 2023

January 2024

February 2024

March 2024

April 2024

Wild Verges

Cowfold Neighbourhood Plan

Follow the Countryside Code!

West Sussex County Council’s Electric Vehicle Strategy 2019 to 2030