District council urged to honour Clair Hall High Court order

Clair Hall in Haywards Heath. Picture: Steve Robards

The council’s Conservative cabinet agreed to permanently shutter the Haywards Heath venue in September, but since then the site has hosted a Covid testing centre and is now being used by the NHS to vaccinate patients.

Campaigners challenged the decision in the High Court and to avoid more costly legal proceedings, last month the district council agreed a consent order withdrawing its decision to permanently close the hall.

The order requires the council to reconsider its decision to close the site and also stipulates that it cannot in any way rely on its previous decision.

However campaigners have raised concerns that the council is still openly referencing its decision from September to close Clair Hall and that it has publicly said the findings of the Haywards Heath Town Centre Masterplan, which is premised on the previous decision to close Clair Hall, could be used to complement the findings of any future consultation.

Law firm Irwin Mitchell has sent a letter before action to the council reminding it of its legal responsibilities following the High Court order and that it should not make reference to Clair Hall being closed nor rely on its previous decision in any way, including using the results of the Town Centre Masterplan consultation in any new decision making process about Clair Hall.

In response the council’s deputy leader Judy Llewellyn-Burke said: “The council will act in accordance with the agreed Consent Order and has already publicly confirmed this.

“The Consent Order was agreed between the parties as a practical solution for all concerned. Clair Hall has been reopened and is in use by the NHS to support the fight against the pandemic.

“It is therefore highly disappointing that further legal claims are being made, at cost to the taxpayer.

“Going forward, the council’s legal representatives would be willing to meet with the claimant’s legal representatives to discuss the matter and seek an amicable resolution of any misunderstandings.”