A spring welcome

In the Horsham Town area, we welcome the introduction of its new Parish Council.  And, as the Government moves forward with the next phase of its Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation programmes, we anticipate the formation of new authorities.

We will see the launch of a Strategic Mayoral Authority for the whole of Sussex and Brighton this spring. The Mayor for that authority will be elected in 2028.

At the time of writing, we have not yet received a decision on the boundary of the new unitary authority in our area which will bring our services together with those of the County Council in 2028. We remain committed to working closely with our neighbouring councils to ensure a smooth transition for residents.

In the meantime, we will continue delivering our services as usual, and you can contact us in the same way you always have. Before we reach that milestone, we have prepared our Annual Plan to maintain progress for our residents. Several projects will make a real difference and leave a lasting legacy, including our Better Billingshurst initiative, refurbishment of The Capitol, ongoing work on our housing strategy, and preparing for the retendering of the contract to manage our four leisure centres.

In this edition, you’ll also find details of family-friendly events, more on the introduction of food waste collections, and information on grants, opportunities, and sustainability projects designed to help our local businesses and communities thrive. We have also included information on how your Council Tax is collected and distributed.

We are committed that 2026 will be a year of progress and shared success for everyone in our District.