Horsham council news
Horsham council news, newest first: decisions, budgets, council tax, bins and services, each linked to the council's own papers.
Top story
Horsham Council Plan Draft Out for Comment Until 30 December
Horsham District Council's draft plan for 2027 to 2031 goes out for comment from 19 November to 30 December. It names 26 first-year actions, from play areas to EV chargers.
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Council news
Housing
Nine council-backed affordable homes at Dukes Square due by summer 2028
Horsham District Council wants to pick a builder for nine affordable homes on the Dukes Square garage site from five local firms, to finish by summer 2028.
Culture
Capitol Horsham gets urgent fire door repairs before it reopens
Horsham District Council has hired a contractor without the usual three quotes to repair The Capitol's fire doors before the venue reopens on 29 November.
Bins and recycling
Horsham recycling rate hits 62.2% after food waste rollout
Horsham recycled 62.2% of household waste once weekly food rounds began, beating its 55% target. Missed bins have halved; soft plastics wait until 2030.
Leisure
Steyning Leisure Centre gym members fall below 800
Steyning Leisure Centre's gym membership fell from almost 1,000 to under 800 in 20 months, the council says, while swimming grew. Its dry side needs investment.
Council
Billingshurst Cedars: £1m plot set to go to parish for £1
Horsham council plans to give The Cedars, off Stane Street, to Billingshurst Parish Council for £1, opening a site padlocked since 2019 as public green space.
Council
Horsham home battery advice: keep them out of the loft
Councillors want Horsham homeowners told to keep solar batteries out of lofts and bedrooms, as the council backs a fourth round of its solar and battery scheme.
Council
Horsham council forecasts £5.6m gap as grant falls to £1.2m
Horsham District Council now forecasts a £5.6m gap by 2029/30 and just £67,000 next year, as grant falls from £7.7m to £1.2m. Band D to rise £5.39.
Bins
Horsham bin lorries break down: council to spend £2.2m on 9
Horsham's refurbished bin lorries were meant to last six more years. Breakdowns are now disrupting rounds, so the council plans to buy nine new ones for £2.2m.
Jobs
Horsham Employment Hub back for year 3: 31 jobs so far
Horsham's free Employment Hub and Think Futures youth service run for another year. In two years the Hub got 31 people into work. How to book and who to call.
Taxis
Horsham Taxi Fares to Rise: 2 Miles £8.45 From 13 November
A two-mile daytime taxi ride in Horsham goes from £8.07 to £8.45 from 13 November if no one objects. The Christmas double rate would start at 6pm, not 11pm.
Licensing
KFC Horsham Asks to Serve Until 3am: Comment by 29 October
KFC on Bishopric wants to serve hot food from 11pm to 3am every night. Residents can comment until 29 October. Two more licence bids are also open.
Planning
Horsham planning applications: who decides from 31 October
From 31 October officers decide most Horsham planning applications. Eight objections or a councillor's request will no longer guarantee a committee hearing.
Housing
Pulborough, Billingshurst, Ashurst: 5 social homes saved
Five empty three-bed Saxon Weald homes will be repaired with £547,144 instead of being sold, Cabinet decided. The 22 garage-site homes were approved too.
Horsham district
Horsham district £7.2m levy: £2m to Storrington hub
£2m for a Storrington recreation hub, £1.6m for a Mowbray health centre and £1.5m for a Pulborough pavilion. Full Council votes on the £7.2m on 7 October.
Horsham
Bishopric Horsham: stream goes, work starts January 2027
The stream and birch trees go as planned, the water feature stays, and Worthing Road is cut to save £958,000. Cabinet decides on 23 September.
Housing
Horsham district: 22 social rent homes on 7 garage sites
Saxon Weald would build in Southwater, Horsham, Billingshurst, Steyning, Coldwaltham and Pulborough from April 2027, if councillors release £2.29m.
Leisure
Horsham leisure centres: padel courts, 40 more gym stations
Cabinet is asked on 23 September to find a new operator for December 2027. The report also calls the Broadbridge Heath running track end of life.
Culture
Capitol Horsham reopens 29 November: what £10.2m bought
Horsham's theatre and cinema reopens with panto on 29 November. The first plan was worth £10.7m before a contractor's price rise forced a rethink.
Council
Horsham council signs two-year AI training deal for staff
Horsham council has approved a two-year AI apprenticeship training contract for its staff, awarded directly without a tender. The cost is not public.
Parking
Steyning car park revamp approved: new layout, fewer spaces
Horsham council has approved a resurfacing and new one-way layout for Newmans Gardens car park in Steyning, with more disabled bays but fewer spaces overall.
Culture
Capitol Horsham gets urgent fire door repairs before it reopens
Horsham District Council has hired a contractor without the usual three quotes to repair The Capitol's fire doors before the venue reopens on 29 November.
Bins and recycling
Horsham recycling rate hits 62.2% after food waste rollout
Horsham recycled 62.2% of household waste once weekly food rounds began, beating its 55% target. Missed bins have halved; soft plastics wait until 2030.
Leisure
Steyning Leisure Centre gym members fall below 800
Steyning Leisure Centre's gym membership fell from almost 1,000 to under 800 in 20 months, the council says, while swimming grew. Its dry side needs investment.
Council
Billingshurst Cedars: £1m plot set to go to parish for £1
Horsham council plans to give The Cedars, off Stane Street, to Billingshurst Parish Council for £1, opening a site padlocked since 2019 as public green space.
Council
Horsham home battery advice: keep them out of the loft
Councillors want Horsham homeowners told to keep solar batteries out of lofts and bedrooms, as the council backs a fourth round of its solar and battery scheme.
Council
Horsham council forecasts £5.6m gap as grant falls to £1.2m
Horsham District Council now forecasts a £5.6m gap by 2029/30 and just £67,000 next year, as grant falls from £7.7m to £1.2m. Band D to rise £5.39.
Bins
Horsham bin lorries break down: council to spend £2.2m on 9
Horsham's refurbished bin lorries were meant to last six more years. Breakdowns are now disrupting rounds, so the council plans to buy nine new ones for £2.2m.
Jobs
Horsham Employment Hub back for year 3: 31 jobs so far
Horsham's free Employment Hub and Think Futures youth service run for another year. In two years the Hub got 31 people into work. How to book and who to call.
Taxis
Horsham Taxi Fares to Rise: 2 Miles £8.45 From 13 November
A two-mile daytime taxi ride in Horsham goes from £8.07 to £8.45 from 13 November if no one objects. The Christmas double rate would start at 6pm, not 11pm.
Licensing
KFC Horsham Asks to Serve Until 3am: Comment by 29 October
KFC on Bishopric wants to serve hot food from 11pm to 3am every night. Residents can comment until 29 October. Two more licence bids are also open.
Planning
Horsham planning applications: who decides from 31 October
From 31 October officers decide most Horsham planning applications. Eight objections or a councillor's request will no longer guarantee a committee hearing.
Housing
Pulborough, Billingshurst, Ashurst: 5 social homes saved
Five empty three-bed Saxon Weald homes will be repaired with £547,144 instead of being sold, Cabinet decided. The 22 garage-site homes were approved too.
Horsham district
Horsham district £7.2m levy: £2m to Storrington hub
£2m for a Storrington recreation hub, £1.6m for a Mowbray health centre and £1.5m for a Pulborough pavilion. Full Council votes on the £7.2m on 7 October.
Horsham
Bishopric Horsham: stream goes, work starts January 2027
The stream and birch trees go as planned, the water feature stays, and Worthing Road is cut to save £958,000. Cabinet decides on 23 September.
Housing
Horsham district: 22 social rent homes on 7 garage sites
Saxon Weald would build in Southwater, Horsham, Billingshurst, Steyning, Coldwaltham and Pulborough from April 2027, if councillors release £2.29m.
Leisure
Horsham leisure centres: padel courts, 40 more gym stations
Cabinet is asked on 23 September to find a new operator for December 2027. The report also calls the Broadbridge Heath running track end of life.
Culture
Capitol Horsham reopens 29 November: what £10.2m bought
Horsham's theatre and cinema reopens with panto on 29 November. The first plan was worth £10.7m before a contractor's price rise forced a rethink.
Council
Horsham council signs two-year AI training deal for staff
Horsham council has approved a two-year AI apprenticeship training contract for its staff, awarded directly without a tender. The cost is not public.
Parking
Steyning car park revamp approved: new layout, fewer spaces
Horsham council has approved a resurfacing and new one-way layout for Newmans Gardens car park in Steyning, with more disabled bays but fewer spaces overall.