Here is a summary of the upcoming Horsham Council meeting. The meeting will address a petition to save the stream, rocks, and birch trees in the Bishopric, and will also include a review and debate on a proposal for local government reorganisation in West Sussex. The meeting will also include questions from the public and from councillors.

Local Government Reorganisation in West Sussex

The council will review and debate a report from Councillor Martin Boffey, Leader of the Council, regarding a business case and proposal for local government reorganisation in West Sussex. This will be reviewed and debated, before being determined by the cabinet.

The report pack states that on 5 February 2025, the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution asked the leaders of councils in West Sussex to work together to develop a proposal for local government reorganisation. The council was asked to submit an interim plan by 21 March 2025 and a full proposal by 26 September 2025.

The report pack notes that the leaders have been working together to put together a business case for local government reorganisation in West Sussex, and have reduced a long list of fourteen options to three options for public engagement. The three options are:

• A unitary council covering the whole county area.
• A two unitary option, with Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex in the eastern unitary council and Arun, Chichester and Worthing in the western unitary council, with a variation depending on whether Adur District Council is included in the eastern, or western unitary council.

The report pack includes the Appendix 1 - Business Case 24092025 Cabinet.pdf, and Appendix 1 - Appendices to the Business Case 24092025 Cabinet.pdf, as well as Appendix 2 - Supplementary Statement A Two-Unitary Model for West Sussex 24092025 Cabinet.pdf.

The supplementary statement argues that the two-unitary model meets the six core criteria for local government reorganisation, and that it aligns with West Sussex's distinct economic geographies: a coastal/downs zone and the Gatwick Diamond/M23 corridor. It also argues that the model is financially viable, and that it is backed by a clear democratic mandate, with 62% of public respondents, 55% of staff, and 58% of stakeholders favouring a two-unitary system.

The report pack states that the cabinet is recommended to approve the joint business case and the arguments contained in the supplementary statement, to support the two unitary model, and to agree to submit the local government reorganisation proposal along with the business case and the supplementary statement to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Petition: Save the Stream, Rocks and Birch Trees in the Bishopric

The council will receive a report on the petition Save the Stream, Rocks and Birch Trees in the Bishopric . The report pack states that an e-petition was submitted to Horsham District Council following the results of a public consultation on 'a new vision for Horsham Town Centre'. The e-petition was published on the council's website on 22 July 2025 and has now reached the required number of signatures to warrant debate by the full council.

The report pack notes that the existing design of the Bishopric was part of the original 1990s improvements, which provided a tranquil space as part of a wider pedestrianisation scheme to mitigate traffic noise from the Albion Way ring road. The public realm scheme was designed to address existing issues in the Bishopric area which amount to poor levels of accessibility and permeability for all users, particularly from Albion Way into the Bishopric. The scheme element pertaining to the Bishopric makes provision for the relocation of the silver birch trees to Horsham Park, or such other suitable location, and the removal of the stream and accompanying rockery to facilitate the opening up of the Bishopric West to allow for more tables, chairs and trees.

The report pack includes Appendix A - Bishopric West 1990s Scheme.pdf, and Appendix B - Bishopric - Worthing Road Landscape Masterplan for Petition Report Save the Stream Ro.pdf.

The report pack states that the council is recommended to debate the petition, and to take such action as it deems appropriate, including asking Councillor Ruth Fletcher, Cabinet Member for Planning and Infrastructure, to reconsider the changes to the Bishopric, or to take account of any comments raised during debate when formulating final scheme proposals for the Bishopric, or to take no further action.

Other Items

The agenda also allows for:

• Apologies for absence
• Declarations of Members' Interests
• Announcements from Councillor Tony Bevis, Chairman of the Council, Councillor Martin Boffey, Leader of the Council, members of the cabinet, or the chief executive, Jane Eaton.
• Questions from the public
• Reports of representatives on outside bodies
• Members' Questions on Notice
• Urgent Business