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Always listening, learning and improving

A fresh vision for Horsham District

Always listening, learning and improving

We’re stronger when we work together. That means more sharing and more community involvement. Local democracy has to mean more than just an election every four years.

Council Plan Priorities 2023-2027

Click on each priority to see specific actions, goals and targets in our Annual Plan for 2025-2026 below.

  1. Actively listen to and communicate with residents, businesses and volunteer groups.
  2. Engage and involve parishes and neighbourhood councils more.
  3. Improve our understanding and response to inclusion and equality issues.
  4. Review the Council Constitution to ensure it is fit for purpose, allows for proper scrutiny, and facilitates public engagement.
  5. Ensure a District-wide balance of focus between rural and urban communities.
  6. Support residents in getting a locally responsive service from West Sussex County Council’s Highways service on traffic and parking issues.
  7. Look for opportunities to generate income and reduce costs in order to support our services.
  8. Review existing strategies and policies and address any gaps identified.

Read the Annual Plan for 2024-2025

Read the Annual Plan for 2023-2024

Annual Plan 2025-2026

  1. Actively listen to and communicate with residents, businesses and volunteer groups.
    • Conduct a resident survey during calendar year 2025. To include a plan for feedback to residents on the findings and an action plan following the completion of the survey.
    • Review the KPI’s / Performance Metrics with the aim to simplify them and ensure they are tuned to the delivery of the annual plan and the 2023 – 2027 plan. Identify also those metrics that should be communicated to residents.
  2. Engage and involve parishes and neighbourhood councils more.
    • Introduce four area meetings between the Leader or a Cabinet Member and the parishes twice a year.
    • Start a Community Governance Review of the parishes in the District.
  3. Improve our understanding and response to inclusion and equality issues.
    • Better understand our community by identifying data, such as numbers of people with different protected characteristics by ward, that can be used in future decision making.
  4. Review the Council Constitution to ensure it is fit for purpose, allows for proper scrutiny, and facilitates public engagement.
    • Implement the new Constitution for the beginning of the new municipal year.
    • Arrange with the Local Government Association (LGA) a Corporate Peer challenge.
  5. Ensure a District-wide balance of focus between rural and urban communities.
    • Ensure two of the parish area meetings have a rural focus.
    • Introduce a Councillor Development Framework to ensure our Councillors are well-skilled to represent all our communities.
  6. Support residents in getting a locally responsive service from West Sussex County Council’s Highways service on traffic and parking issues
    • There are no new actions under this theme for 2025/26.
  7. Look for opportunities to generate income and reduce costs in order to support our services
    • Implement the redesigned pre-application advice service in planning.
    • Set out a plan to balance the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.
  8. Review existing strategies and policies and address any gaps identified
    • Refresh the Asset Management Strategy including a progress review of the properties agreed for sale in March 2019.
    • Agree a strategy for the future of Broadbridge Heath running track.
    • Agree a strategy for the future of the old ambulance station site.
    • Investigate the potential for a new cemetery as part of the Mowbray development.
    • Agree improved protection for Horsham Park.