Proposed scheme is still a talking point as councillors seek residents’ views
By HILARY GAVIN
I’M not sure if any of you, my readers, can tell me what the record is for the shortest Annual Parish Meeting in England and Wales – but my village, Hunston in West Sussex, might just have clinched the title!
I say this after arriving, with my lodger, on the dot of 7pm on Friday evening (May 23rd, 2025) for our meeting in Hunston Village Hall on the Selsey Road just as our parish Chair, Wendy Gray, was opening proceedings.
Thirty-seven minutes later and I, for one, felt that we – the electors – had all been summarily dismissed after Cllr Gray gave us the opportunity to ask “one question each” from the floor before closing the meeting at 7.37pm following a discussion on the possibility of building a new village hall.
Of course, the proceedings would have lasted longer if our local PCSO officer hadn’t been delayed because – as Cllr Gray told us – her sergeant had assigned her a late-minute task in the afternoon.
The PCSO’s primary task would have been to update us on the anti-social behaviour in the village and give us with the lowdown on the hoodlums who have been sling-shooting wildfowl in and around the area.
If I remember correctly, Cllr Gray told villagers that two catapult incidents had been reported recently but the situation had simmered down since February and March primarily due to increased foot and vehicle police patrols.
As I say, I wasn’t taking detailed notes of the meeting but I believe the police, or PCSOs, should be on rota in the village into July and parish councillors will be meeting at the end of June to discuss findings.
In the meantime, Carol Smith – the parish clerk – reminded villagers that it was important that villagers report everything, adding: “If you see anything happening, dial 999 and the police can come out.”
This left Cllr Gray to announce the parish council review which included a long list of “thank yous” to the clerk Carol Smith, publicity and cleaning staff, her fellow parish councillors and long-serving parish councillor Theo Michell, who has recently stood down from the role.
Cllr Gray told electors that she could understand his decision as working parents “find it hard to get the time to do everything”, before inviting anyone interested in becoming parish councillor to see her afterwards.
Other matters touched upon during the meeting included the crossing outside the hall on the Selsey Road, which she admitted sometimes seems like the M25, land clearance at Outram Way and maintenance projects, possibly in conjunction with members of the nearby Free School which the parish has yet to speak to.
Cllr Gray said the council wanted to develop the Hunston Voice, which she described as an excellent newsletter – even though she admitted that it sometimes feels like it “goes into the letterboxes at the front of houses before being put into the bin at the back”. “If you want any changes, let us know,” she added.
Moving on, Cllr Gray admitted she had been disappointed by the turnout for the village’s VE Day Celebrations on the May Bank Holiday. She praised Sue, and her band of helpers, for putting on “a wonderful spread”, but added: “From a personal point of view, it is disappointing when you spend a lot of time working on something and they (the residents) don’t attend”.
The parish’s events committee is now busy organising a Community Fun Day which – as Cllr Gray said – will be free, and so will enable families “who don’t have much money to attend without feeling under financial pressure”.
She then raised the discussion points surrounding the possibility of building a new village hall, including its age at 30 years old, insufficient parking, the fact it only has one large hall and doesn’t generate enough revenue, is expensive to heat, lack of storage, surrounding residential properties, the need to cross the road to access the playing facilities and green space and the “struggle with noise”.
Cllr Gray pointed out any new village hall would require planning permission, possibly relocating the play area, loss of some green space and significant fundraising, which might not be supported by residents who might say: “I don’t care, I’m not interested, it doesn’t affect me.”
Citing opportunities, Cllr Gray briefly mentioned the surrounding villages of North Mundham, Lavant and the seaside resort of Littlehampton and she stressed that any new village hall in Hunston had to be energy-efficient, accessible and future-proof. She added: “When the village hall was first built, it did what it needed to do, but the village has grown and moved on with technology.”
She brought up the possibility of “a hub” with indoor and outdoor use with tables and chairs – but said any future plans depended on the villagers, pointing out that it was the parish council’s “job to serve the village.”
Cllr Gray added that the parish council wanted “the best for the whole village and what villagers want” and stressed: “We are a democracy.” She said the alternative to a new-build was to upgrade the existing village hall, to take out the annexe at the back and add a second storey, which would cost less than a new build.
She stressed that any new build would be starting from scratch and the possibility of a coffee shop had come up, more parking space along with the disconnect between the hall and recreational space over the road. She said the current hall lacked marketability and admitted the parish “can’t come up with ideas”.
Cllr Gray reiterated that the matter was currently “a talking point” – and parish councillors had got “no further forward than that” but they were here to find out what villagers would like to see happen. She added: “This is not a done deal, you should be with us all the way though,” before opening a Q&A session.
My lodger asked Cllr Gray whether “a strip of parking” and “a two-storey” building wouldn’t be cheaper. Cllr Gray raised the issue of the village football team using a large shipping container as a changing and storage room and selling the current site with planning permission. She said the whole project had five years on it and they were mindful that the hall shares the site with social club so they need its views.
Another elector, sat in front of us, asked Cllr Gray: “What would you say to people, who have been here for years, and want to keep the hall as it is”, before adding that England is a place of tradition…” Cllr Martin Simms reminded the meeting that there was a shed on the site 40 years ago and said the hall needs upgrading, to which the man in front of us suggested that people “don’t like change”.
At this point, I asked Cllr Gray about dividing up the main hall with sliding screens, sound-proofing the walls and also adding a second floor. I suggested the current hall must have good acoustics for music groups. The parish clerk, Carol Smith mentioned separate toilets and the need for safeguarding, whilst the man in front of us broke the one-question rule by mentioning funding.
At this point, I’m afraid I couldn’t hear the rest of the discussion on the other side of the room because the hall, as parish councillors pointed out during their meeting in the Annexe on Monday, May 19th, 2025, echoes and my lodger and the man in front of me were nattering. As far as I could make out, other residents, and newly-elected (CORRECTION: co-opted, made 3.55pm, Monday, May 26th, 2025) councillor Benedict Target, were discussing a possible coffee shop.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the opportunity to ask my proposed question to the room of 20 or so people (I didn’t do a head count) about the safety of the Green Lane T junction because the meeting was closed at 7.37pm – but I will be exploring this issue in future blog posts because I feel it needs highlighting.
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