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(….or access to Council services made simple)

Do you understand which Council is responsible for which service? Some people think access to Council services is difficult, unnecessarily complicated and confusing. At Burgess Hill Town Council we recognised some of these difficulties and the fact that some authorities were not adequately represented in the town. The result was a Help Point, a ‘One Stop Shop’, literally on the High Street, created to provide a simple, convenient, customer friendly access point for local government services. Since the Help Point opened in 1996, the range of services provided and its partners have increased considerably.

The Town Council is the first tier of local government and as such, closest to the community. The creation of the Help Point at this level is very logical. Not only does it act as the focal point in the town, but it also links to the Town Council’s other primary roles of community development and amenity maintenance. Issues raised by customers at the Help Point can often be dealt with directly by the Town Council’s Mobile Maintenance Team or, where appropriate, linked to one of the many community development initiatives. For information on current initiatives, please see our website: www.burgesshill.gov.uk.

The two main partners in the Help Point are West Sussex County Council and Mid Sussex District Council. The County Council is responsible for strategic services such as Adult and Children’s Services, Highways and Trading Standards. The District Council remit covers issues such as Local Planning, Environmental Health and Leisure Services. Staff from some of these departments undertake weekly surgery sessions at the Help Point in order to give customers direct access, whereas others are available via telephone. In addition, the Help Point provides a full Tourist Information service and has partnership arrangements with the following organisations:

Mid Sussex District Council • West Sussex County Council • Startup Co • Sussex Enterprise • The Pension Service • West Sussex Primary Care Trust (NHS) • Downland Housing Group • Tourism South East.

The Help Point staff are fully trained with all of the partner organisations and provide a wealth of knowledge and information. Our aim is to always put the customer first and we pride ourselves on providing a quality service. If you have yet to visit the Help Point come and see us. If you have done so already and believe we can further improve our services, please tell us.

For further information on the role of the Help Point, contact our Help Point Manager, Liz Clark, tel. 01444 247726, e-mail: helppoint@burgesshill.gov.uk. For further information on the role of the Town Council or local government issues in general contact the Town Clerk, David Carden, tel. 01444 247726, e-mail david@burgesshill.gov.uk.

Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements contained herein are believed to be correct, the publishers and promoters cannot accept responsibility for any inaccuracies. Reproduction of any part of this publication in any format, without permission, is strictly forbidden. Photographs: Burgess Hill Town Council, Steve Robards and Mid Sussex District Council.