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Supporting people and communities

A fresh vision for Horsham District

Supporting people and communities

Our District is a great place to live and everyone deserves to benefit. We’ll provide help in tough times and build communities where people can flourish and have fun.

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. Help people through the cost of living crisis.
  2. Better understand the needs of our whole community to deliver services that support people to live long, active lives.
  3. Improve access to affordable housing and community services.
  4. Build closer ties with all our housing partners.
  5. Improve vulnerable residents’ access to benefits.
  6. Work with partners to ensure our District continues to be a safe place to live and work.
  7. Create safe spaces for our children to grow and play.
  8. Invest in local arts and leisure and foster civic pride.
  9. Improve access to sports for under-represented groups.

Read the Annual Plan for 2024-2025

Read the Annual Plan for 2023-2024

Annual Plan 2025-2026

  1. Help people through the cost of living crisis.
    • Implement the new Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
  2. Better understand the needs of our whole community to deliver services that support people to live long, active lives.
    • Start to prepare for the relet of the Leisure Centres contract.
    • Design and prepare for facilities at Highwood that support the needs of the local community.
    • Agree an ongoing golf and leisure offer at Rookwood.
  3. Improve access to affordable housing and community services.
    • Deliver new affordable housing units on Council land at Duke’s Square through Horsham District Homes.
    • Explore and investigate providing additional housing to meet local need through a small development of energy-efficient, sustainable modular homes for homeless households moving on to permanent accommodation on land we own.
    • Take action to bring more long-term empty properties back into use.
    • Consult on and draft a new three-year Housing and Homelessness Strategy.
  4. Build closer ties with all our housing partners.
    • Work with Saxon Weald to deliver improvements to housing provision in the District.
  5. Improve vulnerable residents’ access to benefits.
    • There are no new actions under this theme for 2025/26.
  6. Work with partners to ensure our District continues to be a safe place to live and work.
    • Consider the potential impact of the Rent Reform Bill and publicise action to ensure renters understand their new protections.
    • Roll out the monitoring function of Awaab’s law (ensuring landlords take residents’ concerns about health and safety seriously) into the social rented sector.
    • Address any issues arising from Overview and Scrutiny’s task and finish group on battery storage.
  7. Create safe spaces for our children to grow and play.
    • Consult on the refurbishment of the South Holmes playground in preparation for installation in 2026.
    • Understand the community safety needs and concerns of young people and develop a plan to address these, including the potential for an event or multiple events to engage with young people.
  8. Invest in local arts and leisure and foster civic pride.
    • Make improvements to the Capitol Theatre.
    • Consult on and develop a new cultural strategy for the Horsham District.
  9. Improve access to sports for under-represented groups.
    • Review and revise policies relating to planning of, and investment in outdoor leisure and play facilities to improve accessibility, especially for women and girls.