Gusss who? So they can't sue!
Back in September, a company on the Victoria Industrial Estate was advertising jobs in its factory, packing clothes. Most of the staff that applied and got jobs were put on three months probation. Nothing unusual there. So what happened, just before Christmas? They were all fired. The company had no intention of keeping them on, they just wanted some temporary help until Christmas. Apart from students and immigrants, few will take temp factory jobs. This way, they got their staff and could dump them when their usefulness was over. Just in time for Christmas! And a happy new year to them as well. They know who they are.

MIDDY

Charity
There is a very dull story about anglers raising money for a baby unit at the Princess Royal Hospital. A worthy cause without doubt. Only, is it me, or is it getting a bit irritating now when people do a sponsored-whatever-I-do-normally-as-a-hobby-at-weekends-anyway? I have known other people to do sponsored golf! I want a little suffering if I am going to reach into my pocket! If the people can't even be bothered to at least get out of breath for sponsorship then I say, don't give. Then there are the people doing a trip of a lifetime for "charity". In a weaker moment I sponsored someone to walk the Great Wall of China. Others do parachute jumps, without paying anything towards the jump at all. That's what the rest of us mugs are for. Many people dream of taking a parachute jump, and here they get to do it for free. We end up paying for these charity junkets as it is, when some fool tries to row the Atlantic in an upturned wardrobe and the military spend a quarter of a million pounds rescuing them.

Fly Tipping
Somebody just dumped a wrecked car, I ask you, a wrecked car, by the side of the road in Bolnore Village. I know the culprits as well: the county and district councils. Yes, after doing the same last year, as part of the festive anti-drink driving campaign someone has dumped a wrecked car. How this is supposed to stop accidents, I don't know. It won't deter, it will just be something to point out to passengers as you pass in your car. If anything, it's a distraction. How many accidents are caused by drivers slowing down to get a really good look at a road traffic accident. Or maybe even a car made up to be like one?

Treehouse
I have mixed feelings over the issue of the tree house in Keymer Road. I must say I rather like the look of it. But not knowing Keymer Road, I don't know if it really overlooks people's gardens and invades their privacy or not. The funny thing is that it is the councillors who have turned against it. These are the councillors who were considering building a huge four-storey block of flats in Haywards Heath until this week (see below). Councillor Andrew Miles said of the tree house that "I think it is appalling that the neighbours could not have got together and agreed a better site." That's a bit rich coming from a councillor. It is councillors, particularly Gill Balsdon, who have been egging on neighbours in Leylands Ward to cause trouble for Burgess Hill FC.

Master Plan
Guess who's been on a public relations course then? Listen to John Jory, Chief Executive of Mid Sussex District Council: "With the Better Mid Sussex partnership, we can make a positive difference to the three town centres which is a really exciting concept for everyone living and working in the area."

It has to be noted that the councillors had proposed to demolish five blocks of flats to create an 800 resident mega block of flats in Haywards Heath. Surprise, surprise; leaks led to a withdrawal of the plan. How different then when a private developer suggests something similar. Councillor Andrew Barrett-Miles has accused Rowan New Homes of "greed" and "urban cramming" for wanting to demolish three bungalows in Cants Lane and replacing them with 14 new homes. At the same time, part of the council's proposed housing strategy includes building 500 houses at the Keymer Tiles site near Cants Lane

THE LEADER

Master Plan #2
Christine Field. You remember Christine Field, don't you? Her wages (sorry, expenses) from the council doubled this year. Well, our leader of the council has obviously been on the same course as John Jory: "Burgess Hill needs a centre, a focal point where people can come together."

The council now wants a civic centre. I might be persuaded, but does a civic centre mean an entertainment venue that can serve a variety of purposes - adult education, craft fairs etc? A good example of this would be Clair Hall, which the council wants to demolish. Or does it mean a town hall for all the councillors to meet, in the luxurious surroundings to which they feel entitled?