The Charity Trustees of Mid Sussex District Council are scheduled to meet on 24 September 2025 to discuss an annual operational report on council charitable land, and to consider operational delegations. The meeting will be held in the Council Chamber. Members of the public who wish to attend must register in advance, but the meeting will also be available via a live stream on the Mid Sussex District Council's YouTube channel.

Council Charitable Land

The Charity Trustees are scheduled to discuss the Council Charitable Land Annual Operational Report 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. The report provides a review of the operational activities of the charities and a statement of each charity's financial affairs for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

The report incorporates the accounts for each of the charities. These accounts detail the income and expenditure for each trust site for the financial year commencing on 1 April 2024 and ending on 31 March 2025.

The charities that are scheduled to be discussed in the report are:

• Beech Hurst Gardens in Haywards Heath
• Ashurst Wood Recreation Ground in East Grinstead
• Richard Worsley Recreation Ground (known as Cuckfield Recreation Ground)
• St. Johns Park in Burgess Hill
• Fairfield Recreation Ground in Burgess Hill
• Public Open Spaces, Lucastes Avenue in Haywards Heath
• Public Walk and Pleasure Ground, Lindfield (known as West Common)
• Brooklands Park Eastern End in East Grinstead
• John Pears Recreation Ground in East Grinstead

The report states that the objective of all the charities is:

to maintain the quality of the facilities they provide whilst securing income-generating capacity, to offset the costs of providing these publicly accessible open spaces and facilities.

The report notes that in the case of any charity where the charity's expenditure exceeds its income, the shortfall is met from the council's own resources.

For example, the report states that Beech Hurst Gardens received £129,805 net income through charitable trading in 2024/25, which funded the expenditure of £95,274 for grounds and general upkeep of the park. In contrast, St Johns Park generated an income of £200 in 2024/25, which contributed towards the expenditure of £55,722 for grounds and general upkeep of the facilities, with the balance of expenditure covered by a donation from the council of £47,926.

Operational Delegations

The Charity Trustees are also scheduled to discuss a report seeking delegation from the Charity Trustees to facilitate efficient maintenance and operational support for Charity assets and land interests.

The report recommends that the Charity Trustees approve delegations to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services and Contracts in consultation with the Assistant Director for Corporate Resources and the Chair of the Trustees.

The report states that it is proposed that a delegation is given to the Assistant Director, Commercial Services and Contracts to agree works not to exceed £10,000 in any twelve month period, in consultation with the Chair of the Charities, to ensure efficient decision making in the best interests of the assets, including maintenance and minor refurbishment works, payment plan requests, replacement fixtures and fittings, and re-decorations requests.

In addition, a further delegation is sought in support of the use and occupation of Beech Hurst Cottages. If this delegation is given to the Assistant Director Commercial Services and Contracts, it will permit the authorisation of the grant of assured shorthold tenancies¹ of vacant cottages.