Be a star this Christmas and recycle your tree

Once the festive fun is over, local residents are reminded that they can recycle their real Christmas tree at a number of convenient locations across Mid Sussex.

Mid Sussex District Council is keen to help get 2016 off to a green start and has set up a number of local collection points so there will always be a place nearby where residents can recycle their real Christmas tree. Simply bring your tree along to the most convenient local site, place it in the marked bay and it will be taken away to be recycled locally.

Residents with a green garden waste collection bin can put their tree directly into it, as long as the lid can still close firmly. Alternatively, people can take their real tree along to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites at Fairbridge Way in Burgess Hill or Imberhorne Lane in East Grinstead.

There are also a wide variety of local drop off points in towns and villages across the district.

Sites will be open between Thursday 31 December 2015 and Friday 14 January 2016.

The collections crews will place tags on general waste bins w/b 7th & 14th December to let you know about changes in collections over the holidays. Date change information is also on the back page on Mid Sussex Matters.

Full details of changes over the period can be found here http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/waste/8216.htm which includes a subpage covering Xmas tree collection sites and dates.

You can also get their full calendar by inputting their postcode and address into our collection page here – http://www.midsussex.gov.uk/8368.htm

They are promoting the collection of pots, tubs and trays over Christmas as it should produce a lot of recycling that they couldn’t accept on previous Christmases. A poster is currently at print and I will email it out when I have it.

Mid Sussex District Council is providing all-day town centre parking for £1 on the weekends leading up to Christmas.

The Council is supporting shoppers and traders with discounted parking on Saturdays in the towns of Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath. The £1 parking offer will only be available in long stay car parks owned by Mid Sussex District Council.

Parking in Mid Sussex is completely free on Sundays, so that’s a whole weekend of shopping for less than the price of a loaf of bread. The parking discounts will be available from Saturday 5 December at the following locations:

Queens Crescent car park – Burgess Hill

Station Road car park – Burgess Hill

The Vicarage car park – East Grinstead

Norton House car park – East Grinstead

Franklynn Road car park – Haywards Heath

The Council is also encouraging families to visit the town centre Christmas Festivals by making car parking free after 1pm on the day of each event. In Burgess Hill children can meet The Gruffalo, Father Christmas and his real reindeer on 21 November. In Haywards Heath there’s a lantern procession and firework display on 28 November and the offer is available in East Grinstead on 5 December, with the Christmas Festival taking place the following day.

“This is the most important time of the year for local retailers and we’re showing them our support by offering town centre parking all weekend for just £1 in the run up to Christmas,” said Councillor Gary Marsh, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Property.

“You can join us and show your support for the local economy this Christmas by shopping in your local town. Popping into town is quick and convenient way to pick up gifts for friends or family and with the great range of shops we have in Mid Sussex, there’s no reason to go anywhere else.

“I hope our parking offer encourages even more people to shop locally and attracts shoppers from other areas to spend their money in Mid Sussex.”

For more information about parking across in Mid Sussex visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/parking.