Parish Councillor Martin Simms resigns as Hunston continues to debate future of its village hall

One of Hunston Parish Council’s noticeboards

Village sign for Hunston, West Sussex, England 2025 — One of Hunston Parish Council’s noticeboards

By HILARY GAVIN

I’M NOT sure where January went, but we’re now into the first working week of February so I thought I’d update you – my readers – on Hunston Parish Council matters.

As you know our parish councillors have been deliberating over the future of our village hall.

This morning I decided to write a Facebook post (pasted below) on the current state of play, as far as I know it, which is self-explanatory.

If you’re reading this WordPress post from abroad, and have never visited England, or Britain, you might not be aware of the pivotal role village halls have played in the lives of rural folk in the UK.

Sadly, it would seem that some village halls are facing money troubles hiring out their venue as they continue to compete against swanky corporate ventures nearby.

I say this after writing my WordPress blog about the plight of the village hall in Singleton on the South Downs (see link below).

As the can see the village hall trustees are dipping into reserves to keep it afloat and have warned that this situation can’t go on.

If you read the post, you’ll discover that my family have long links with the Agatha Christie-esque village of Singleton, and nearby East Marden, so I was saddened to hear about the village hall’s woes.

Of course, I can’t speak for others but I would hate it if Singleton became a truly elitist village after residents and trustees decide to get rid of its old “beating heart” and the hall is redeveloped into either private dwellings or luxury holiday lets.

After all, if the hall goes, where would the locals meet in person to catch up on all the village gossip?

Unthinkable!

Anyhow, here’s my FB post:

“MORNING FB friends. So it’s back to a working day after a rather dismal drizzly weekend.

At the risk of wishing my life away, I’m rather glad January is behind us and we can look forward to the spring although I believe wintry weather is forecast in mid-February.

To be honest, I enjoyed January because it gave me a chance to relax at home recharging my batteries and getting my chores done.

In fact, I was so chilled out that I missed the January neeting of Hunston Parish Council held on the 19th of the month. As you can see from the agenda, and the council’s website, Cllr Martin Simms resigned as a parish councillor last month.

Of course, I wasn’t at the January meeting so I didn’t hear Cllr Simms’ fellow councillors say goodbye to him (if he was present) or the reasons why he decided to step down, but I’ve read this thank-you to him on HPC’s website.

As you can see from this news snippet – and from the front page of the latest edition of The Hunston Voice newsletter – the parish council is seeking a new councillor to fill Cllr Simms’ shoes.

I’m sure you’re aware that HPC is a small parish council representing around 1,000 villagers which only meets once every two months.

Saying that, there’s currently a lot going on as our parish councillors are deliberating over whether to either revamp or rebuild our village hall which is overseen by them (for us) as its trustees.

The future of public amenities, like village halls, affects residents because they have a knock-on effect on parish council precepts that property owners pay as part of their council tax bills.

In May 2025 the Chair of HPC Cllr, Wendy Gray, laid out the issues facing the village hall at the parish council’s annual electors’ meeting (see my WordPress blog post below).

At the meeting Cllr Gray told villagers that either revamping or rebuilding Hunston Village Hall “was not a done deal”. She reminded villagers present that parish councillors SERVE them and they would be fully consulted in deliberations.

Later last year our councillors agreed, in council, to ask Brighton/Hove and Midhurst based architects Whaleback to compile a survey of the current state of the village hall and they were still awaiting their report at the close of 2025.

It’s a pity I missed last month’s meeting, and Cllr Simms’ farewell, but the parish clerk Carol Smith should be updating villagers on the current state of play of Whaleback’s survey by posting the council’s draft minutes online soon.

I’ve also yet to read the latest edition of The Hunston Voice, which is out now and should be delivered through my letterbox soon, so I’m not sure if there’s an update there too.

According to the audit reports I’ve read, it would appear that parish clerks are now only required to post council notices, agendas, approved minutes etc online and not on village noticeboards.

Personally, and having spoken to some villagers, I question how truly democratic this policy is – as I know some electors don’t go online.

Anyhow, I’ll leave this FB post here to let you read the Vacancy for a Parish Councillor news snippet on the HPC website below my blog link.

Hilary Gavin
Excuse typos”

Possibility of new village hall is “not a done deal” says Hunston Parish Council Chair

Visit Hunston Parish Council for news snippet as mentioned above.

See link below to the blog post on the fate of Singleton’s village hall:

Is Singleton’s old village hall facing its D-Day as England’s heritage continues to vanish? – Hilary Gavin

Hilary Gavin

A freelance journalist who wants to see a return to public accountability in the local press

Hilary Gavin

Freelance Journalist & Writer serving the community

T/A Business & Commas

6 Southover Way

Hunston

CHICHESTER

West Sussex

PO20 1NY

Tel: 07940 444664

Email: grumpywoman@hilarygavin.blog

Hilary Gavin

Like this:

Discover more from Hilary Gavin

Leave a ReplyCancel reply