Chairman's Annual Report 2025/26
Introduction & Welcome
It is my pleasure to present the Chairman's Annual Report for the 2025/26 period. This year has been one of significant activity for Lyminster and Crossbush and, as the closest level of government to our community, we remain dedicated to delivering local services and advocating for our residents' interests.
Council & Governance
I would like to thank all our councillors, who volunteer their time to improve our parish, and also Carol Hatton, our clerk, for her hard work throughout the year. I am also very grateful to Councillors Gary Markwell and, in particular, Steve McAuliffe for their input and attendance at some of our meetings. The Parish Council would like to thank all those residents who have attended our meetings during the year: their input is vital to our work.
• Meetings: We have held six full council meetings this year, plus additional meetings with Maureen Chaffe. Councillors have also attended a number of external meetings such as with ADALC, the SDNPA and Arun District Council.
Key Achievements & Projects
This year we focused on improving local infrastructure and safety:
• Highways & Safety: In partnership with Warningcamp, we have implemented a Community Highways speed reduction scheme in Crossbush.
• Residents' Survey: We have collaborated with ProcessMatters2 in the development of a Residents' Survey on
Community Safety and Well-being, which we plan to use in guiding future initiatives within the Parish.
Planning & Development
The Council has reviewed all planning applications submitted within the parish this year, with reference to our
Neighbourhood Plan, where appropriate.
We have liaised with relevant organisations to address issuesraised by residents arising from the opening of the new
bypass.
Financial Summary
The Parish Council has faced significantly increased costs over the last year, particularly in terms of digital services and compliance with GDPR.
Precept: For the 2025/26 period, we agreed to request an increase of 27% to cover these rising costs, a figure that
amounts to approximately £3000 across the entire Parish.
Looking Ahead to 2026/27
Our priorities for the coming year include:
Maintaining a stable financial position.
Applying for CIL funding for appropriate projects within the parish.
Analysing data obtained from our Residents' Survey andaddressing any issues identified.
Working to improve parishioners engagement and attendance at Parish Council Meetings.
Continuing to engage with relevant organisations, particularly in view of planned/proposed changes to local government.

Kerry Thompson
Chairman, Lyminster and Crossbush Parish Council