https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/

Community hub (COVID-19)

https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/community-hub-covid-19/

• Request for support
• Updates on Services
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Local suppliers and organisations
• Updates from District and Borough Councils
• Resources and data
• COVID19 Testing
• Schools and Education
• Social care, health and wellbeing
• Business and employers
• Emergency PPE requests
• Scams and fraud

Request support

Wherever you live, if your request is urgent, for example, you are going to run out of food or medicine within the next three days, please phone 033 022 27980 so that we can make sure you get the help you need as quickly as possible.

We are focused on making sure we continue to support the most vulnerable people in our community.

Four support options are currently available to residents, depending on their medical circumstances, location and needs:

• Government support - For residents identified as medically vulnerable by the NHS. Register through Link GOV.UK. 
• Support from district and boroughs - For residents who do not meet the criteria for receiving direct Government support, but still need help
• Support from the County Council’s Community Hub - The team are coordinating all other support requests across the county and arranging help.

Request support via our form (external link)

• Carer's support - A dedicated service that offers general guidance and a provides a listening ear.

Carers Support West Sussex

The Registration Service has now started conducting birth registration appointments at certain locations across the county where they can ensure the necessary social distancing procedures are in place.    

The service anticipate that they will need to register in excess of 2,000 births in the coming months as lockdown restrictions stalled all birth registrations since the end of March. 

The service respectfully ask that those parents whose babies were born in February, March or April 2020 are allowed to book their appointments first. They will give a further update when they can release bookings for May and June babies.    

Residents will be able to register births at offices in Crawley, Chichester (Willow Park), Horsham, Haywards Heath and Worthing and will need to come in for part of the appointment, but each location will have different restrictions. 

To register a birth, you will first need to book an appointment online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/registerabirth 

On your allocated day and time, you will need to attend the chosen office and the Registrar will telephone you to take the registration information. It is therefore very important that you have the mobile phone with you that relates to the mobile number given at the time of booking.  

The Registrar will then print the register page and invite you into the office to sign the paperwork at a table as close to the entrance as possible, with screens and other preventative measures in place. 

You will then check and sign the register page in front of the Registrar and then the birth certificate can be ordered online after the appointment. 

Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities, said: 

“We have really appreciated the patience of residents who have wanted to register a birth during the current pandemic. Unfortunately, due to social distancing restrictions and legislation that only allows for individuals to register a birth face to face, the Registration Service has had to follow the national guidance accordingly. 

“Even though there are still some restrictions in place for the time being, the Registrars are looking forward to sharing in your joy at registering the birth of your new baby, but please be patient as they are already very busy tackling the backlog of registrations that have built up during lockdown, so they would appreciate parents’ understanding at this busy time.” 

Please note that the service is not given details of new births, so will not be contacting families directly. Anyone who has had a baby during the lockdown period must book their appointment through the County Council website at: www.westsussex.gov.uk/registerabirth

Headlines and useful links from WSCC Friday 26^th June new update: Including Government announcements, local updates on support and services, extra money to support new schemes cycling and broadband.

• Most recent Government Announcements - the new guidance for social distancing to be implemented from 4 July. This included changes to the two meter distance rule, the relaxing of rules for certain shops and venues, plus changes for those in the shielding category.  This is good news that many have been waiting for but we would urge everyone not to jeopardise the good progress our county has made so far in slowing the spread of the virus. Support our businesses and make the most of the relaxation, but please continue to take the necessary precautions at all time
• Massive thank you to everyone who makes up the Armed Forces community, especially for all of the help they have provided our county during the pandemic. Saturday was Armed Forces Day.
• Green light for 21km of temporary cycleways in West Sussex
• Bereavement support during COVID-19 - The Sussex Bereavement Helpline has been set up to provide information and guidance Please call: 0300 111 2141 (Monday to Friday: 8am to 5pm). Find out more.
• Thank you to local businesses - Since the end of March a number of local businesses have been kindly supporting our Community Hub operations.
• Ceremonies - Our Ceremonies team will restart marriage and civil partnership services from 4 July Find out more.
• Local suppliers: new listings - Do you know which organisations and shops are delivering food and other essential goods in your area? Find out here Does your business deliver essential goods but isn’t listed? Please email us and we’ll add you to our website
• Gigabit Voucher for residents & businesses - Struggled with your broadband during lockdown? Extra money is available for gigabit-capable broadband for residents and businesses in our rural areas  information regarding the scheme

Attachments

• Gigabit growth_Picture courtesy of Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport.jpg Gigabit growth_Picture courtesy of Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport.jpg

Residents and small and medium-sized businesses in rural areas of West Sussex can now benefit from the fastest and most reliable broadband connectivity if they choose to ‘go gigabit’.

Thanks to collaboration between the county’s local authorities, more money is now available to pay for gigabit-capable broadband connectivity through the Government's Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

County, District and Borough Councils in West Sussex have worked together to jointly invest in topping up the Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to enable it to go further for our residents and businesses. Now rural eligible premises can claim up to £4,000 each towards the installation cost of gigabit-capable broadband, when part of a group of premises.

Gigabit-capable broadband enables internet download speeds of up 1000 megabits per second (mbps), much faster than current superfast speeds of 30 mbps. This next-generation connectivity has the potential to revolutionise rural communities, making them more attractive places to live, giving people the freedom to live and work more flexibly and helping develop thriving digital economies.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman said: “As part of our plans to level up communities across the UK, we’re prioritising bringing the economic and social benefits of gigabit-capable broadband to rural areas.

“Even more help is now at hand for rural parts of West Sussex currently suffering with slow speeds. I encourage people and businesses in these areas to check if they’re eligible for a voucher to boost their broadband with these next-generation speeds.”

Welcoming the additional funding, Bob Lanzer, county council Cabinet Member for Economy and Corporate Performance, said: “We are going further and doing more for rural eligible communities who can face increased challenges in receiving broadband infrastructure and coverage. We are pleased to introduce this additional funding at a time when having fast and reliable broadband has never been more important to the health and wellbeing of our communities and the productivity and growth of our economy.

“Gigabit capable infrastructure enables the user to achieve up to 1,000 megabits per second (mbps) download speeds. It is a generational leap forward in speeds and is future ready.  Not only is gigabit-capable broadband faster but it also provides users with a reliable connection.”

Councillor Lanzer added: “By topping up the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme West Sussex Councils are delivering on our ambition to make West Sussex a leading area for digital investment, innovation and expansion. We are keen that as many people as possible benefit and can provide help and assistance with making an application to the scheme.”

The additional funding will mean that customers will be able to use the voucher to pay for up to £4,000 of installation costs when they get a connection from a supplier that is registered on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. In most cases, the voucher fully covers the installation costs and the resident or business will only need to pay for the ongoing broadband connection package, in the usual manner.

The deadline to apply for a voucher is 31 March 2021.  For more information and to check eligibility visit the DCMS website at https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/ . Alternatively contact [email protected] for more information, help and assistance.

More than £1million of additional broadband connectivity has been achieved in the county via the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, benefiting more than 400 households and businesses to date.

Notes to editors: More information about Gigabit broadband voucher schemes is available online.

The West Sussex top up to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme enables qualifying residential premises and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in rural eligible postcodes to get funding towards the installation cost of gigabit capable broadband. The top up boosts the amount that rural eligible SMEs and residential premises can obtain on top of the original Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) voucher.

To be eligible premises need to be within a rural eligible postcode, only have  speeds of less than 100mbps available to them, apply in a group of two or more premises and sign up to a broadband connectivity package of at least 30mbps for 12 months.

All agreements are between the user and the scheme registered suppliers. A full list of eligible suppliers in West Sussex is available on DCMS website https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/

Since 2013, West Sussex County Council has been addressing the challenge of digital connectivity speed and coverage and has successfully delivered better, faster broadband to more than 70,000 homes and businesses that would not have received it through investment by commercial suppliers.

All West Sussex Councils are now working together to increase coverage of digital infrastructure across the county.

Mid Sussex District Council has allocated funding of £4.2 million to boost the amount of temporary accommodation available in the District.

The Council works hard to support local people who are at risk of becoming homeless and helps them to secure accommodation. However, demand for social housing in Mid Sussex is extremely high and it can take time for a suitable property to become available. Temporary Housing is used to provide people with a place to stay in the short-term until a permanent home can be found.

The demand for temporary accommodation in Mid Sussex rose by 80% between 1 January 2019 and the same date in 2020. The surge in demand led the Council’s Cabinet to recommend investment in new temporary accommodation on 16 March 2020. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has seen the need for temporary accommodation become even more urgent, with an unprecedented 101 households currently in temporary accommodation.

The largest demand is from single households who are vulnerable and have complex needs. The Council is proposing to purchase 10 units to help people with these specific needs. In addition, the funding will support the purchase of a further five family homes to add to the 15 purchased in 2019. 

Councillor Andrew MacNaughton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning said: 

“By working to increase the amount of temporary accommodation available in Mid Sussex we can make a huge difference to the lives of local people who are at risk of homelessness. 

“Currently, when all our temporary accommodation is full, we have no choice but to place people into guest houses located outside the District, often in Brighton and Crawley. Living outside the District exacerbates what is already a stressful time because it makes traveling to work, accessing healthcare, taking children to school or arranging childcare much harder. 

“If we can provide more temporary accommodation in Mid Sussex we can help more people to remain close to their families and support networks, who can help them through this difficult time.” 

Councillor Jonathan Ash-Edwards, Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said: 

“The coronavirus outbreak is having a serious impact on the demand for our housing services and it’s vital for us to continue providing our residents with the best possible support.

“The pandemic is placing significant pressure on our finances but thankfully the prudent approach we have taken to spending in recent years means our reserves are strong and we are still in a position to invest in priority areas like this.

“By taking control and purchasing our own temporary accommodation we can provide higher quality living spaces for our residents in locations that enable them to stay close to their local community.

“It’s a sound investment for taxpayers too because guest house accommodation is an expensive option. By investing this money in our own temporary accommodation, we will save over £240,000 each year.” 

Investment in additional affordable housing is part of Mid Sussex District Council’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025, which was adopted by the Council on Wednesday 24 June 2020. The UK Government has committed to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027.

Contracts worth more than £10million have been awarded to companies which will be at the forefront of highway improvements in West Sussex this financial year.

The successful bidders for planned road, footway and infrastructure works are: 

• Road resurfacing Tarmac Trading Limited 
• Footway improvements FM Conway Ltd 
• Carriageway  maintenance and localised surfacing programme Associated Asphalt Contracting 
• Carriageway and footway microasphalt maintenance and improvements Eurovia Infrastructure Limited
• Highway improvements such as: controlled crossing provision, refuge islands, road safety schemes, plus traffic calming and cycleway provision - Landbuild Ltd

Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “Congratulations to all the successful bidders: these five companies will be at the forefront of planned highway improvements this financial year and we look forward to working with them.

“West Sussex Highways introduced a new contract framework for 2020/21 which we anticipate will provide improved value for money for council taxpayers. It also provides opportunities to explore innovations that will benefit residents, businesses and visitors using our highway network.”

Please see details of the one-way system being implemented on London Lane, Cuckfield from Monday 15th June, until 20th September 2020.

The aim of this is to reduce the amount of traffic using Cuckfield as a cut through during the closure of Hanlye Lane and surrounding roads whilst the new roundabout is build at Penlands Farm.

Whilst parking restrictions may have to be implemented between the roundabout at the Rose & Crown and Glebe Road, this will only be necessary should traffic bottlenecks start to occur. Continued monitoring will be in place throughout.

The remainder of London Lane has unrestricted parking allowed.

London Lane will remain 2-way between the Rose & Crown roundabout and Glebe Road; from Glebe Road to Broad Street will be one-way only, travelling towards Broad Street. It will continue to be possible to access and leave Chatfield Road via Broad Street throughout.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any queries regarding London Lane during this time.

Developer Redrow is set to start building a new roundabout for its Penlands Green housing development in Haywards Heath on 22 June.

The work is scheduled to take about 12 weeks but, following extensive efforts by the local MP, county councillor, highway officers and the developer itself, it has been agreed that the period of full road closures involved will be reduced. Current estimates from the contractor are that the Hanlye Lane and Borde Hill Lane junction will be able to remain open for local access for the first phase of the works. Originally it had been planned for the junction to be fully closed for the full 12 weeks.

There will be extended working hours to enable weekend working to get the work done as quickly as possible and minimise disruption for the community as a whole, and local businesses in particular.

Once built, the roundabout will improve the current junction arrangement to meet current and future needs and make the local highways network safer.

Details of the road closures will be posted on Redrow’s website and advertised on local road signage as work progresses.

Anyone who has an enquiry about the scheme is asked to contact the developer via: [email protected].

https://one.network/custom/wes…

Our next Virtual Climate Cafe is on Monday 6th July from 7pm to 8pm. 

What has Covid-19 taught us that can help create a world that we want to live in? This is an opportunity to think about how we can "BUILD BACK BETTER" 

Fairer World Lindfield has invited Geoff Barnard from the South East Climate Alliance to share some thoughts on the important post-Covid implications for climate change. Geoff is also a member of the West Sussex County Council Climate Change Advisory Group. 

Can we continue some of the positive aspects of lockdown in our daily lives, like travelling less, a slower pace of life, more kindness? 

Can we as a community be bold and imaginative in practical local projects and change planning regulations to build more sustainable housing?  How can we persuade governments at all levels to support a future which is BETTER, FAIRER, GREENER?

Geoff has written a blog which you can read here.

Through a Zoom discussion it's hoped that we don't just come up with good ideas, but practical actions for the future we want to see.

Please register on Eventbrite here and we will send you a link to the Zoom meeting a few days before the event.

Criminals are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to try and get their hands on your money and personal information. To date, Action Fraud has received reports from 2,378 victims of Coronavirus-related scams, with the total losses reaching over £7 million.

How you can protect yourself from Coronavirus-related scams:

There are some simple steps you can take that will protect you from the most common Coronavirus-related scams. Here’s what need to do:

1 - Watch out for scam messages Your bank, or other official organisations, won’t ask you to share personal information over email or text. If you receive an email you’re not quite sure about, forward it to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS): [email protected]

2 - Shopping online If you're making a purchase from a company or person you don't know and trust, carry out some research first, for example, by checking to see if others have used the site and what their experience was. If you decide to go ahead with the purchase, use a credit card if you have one, other payment providers may not provide the same protection.

3 - Unsolicited calls and browser pop-ups offering tech support Never install any software, or grant remote access to your computer, as a result of a cold call. Remember, legitimate organisations would never contact you out of the blue to ask for financial details such as your PIN or full banking password.

NHS Test and Trace scams:

The NHS Test and Trace service plays an important role in the fight against coronavirus and it’s vital the public have confidence and trust in the service. However, we understand the concerns people have about the opportunity for criminals to commit scams.

What you need to know:

Contact tracers will only call you from the number 0300 013 5000. Anyone who does not wish to talk over the phone can request the NHS Test and Trace service to send an email or text instead, inviting them to log into the web-based service.

All text or emails sent by NHS Test and Trace will ask people to sign into the contact tracing website and will provide you with a unique reference number. We would advise people to type the web address https://contact-tracing.phe.gov.uk directly into their browser, followed by the unique reference number given to you, rather than clicking on any link provided in the message.

The NHS Test and Trace service will never: • ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to them (for example, those starting 09 or 087) • ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind • ask for any details about your bank account • ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts • ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone • ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else • ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. If you live in Scotland, please report directly to Police Scotland by calling 101.

Please find attached an update on Gatwick Airport from our Chief Executive Officer Stewart Wingate.   

This letter has been delivered by post to households closest to the airport and is being distributed by email to Parish Councils, Town Councils and Neighbourhood Groups across East Surrey, West Kent and Sussex.

If you have any queries please contact [email protected].

Parking charges are set to resume in Mid Sussex car parks from Monday 8 June 2020. 

Charges were suspended in Mid Sussex District Council car parks on 30 March 2020 to help residents park safely during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. 

With full lockdown measures in place and many people staying at home there was a shortage of on-street parking spaces, especially for the key workers travelling to and from work. The car parks provided a space for residents to park safely without adding to the road congestion. 

Councillor Stephen Hillier, MSDC Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: “With lockdown restrictions starting to relax and people able to travel freely around the District once more, the pressure on street parking spaces has decreased significantly. 

“Central Government has announced that they plan to gradually ease lockdown restrictions over the coming months. Non-essential shops will reopen in June, more people will be able to return to work and the Government hopes primary school children in England will be able to return to school. 

“With the reopening of our town centres and workplaces, parking charges will help us to manage the demand for parking and ensure there is regular turnover of spaces, so people have space to park when they want to visit our towns and go shopping. 

“NHS staff and care workers with a valid government permit on display will continue to receive free parking in our car parks and designated on street parking bays.” 

New signage will be installed in all car parks to remind customers of how important it is to follow social distancing measures when getting in and out of vehicles or moving around the car park.

People are encouraged to use the MiPermit pay by phone service that is available in every car park to avoid contact with the machines. However, if customers choose to use a machine then signs will be on display to remind them to follow Government guidelines in respect of social distancing and hand washing. 

Season ticket holders will automatically have additional time added to the end of their subscription period.

Attachments 

• Firefighters tackling the bin fire in Shoreham on Sunday http://collateral2.vuelio.co.uk/…/Firefighters%20tackling%2… 

• The bin fire in Littlehampton http://collateral2.vuelio.co.uk/…/The%20bin%20fire%20in%20L… 

• The damage caused to the bin in Littlehampton http://collateral2.vuelio.co.uk/…/The%20damage%20caused%20t…

Firefighters are urging residents to think twice before binning their BBQs.

The warning comes after crews responded to a number of fires involving rubbish bins, only to find a discarded disposable BBQ had started the fire.

In the first incident of the season on May 27, crews from Littlehampton were mobilised to Marina Gardens, Beach Road after a member of the public saw smoke coming from a public litter bin. Upon arrival crews extinguished the fire, and soon discovered a discarded disposable BBQ inside the bin. The BBQ had not been left to cool properly and the hot coals had ignited the rest of the rubbish. The heat from the fire was so powerful it completely destroyed the plastic rubbish bin.

Then over the course of the weekend, the retained crew based at Shoreham Fire Station were called out to two further incidents. The first at Kingston Beach near Brighton Road on Saturday at 6.52pm, and the second at Forthaven, Shoreham Beach on Sunday at 4.40pm.

On both occasions, disposable BBQs were the cause of the fire.

Nicki Peddle, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s Head of Prevention, said: “When summer arrives, it’s hard to beat a BBQ on the beach. And given this recent period of social distancing, we can completely understand people wanting to get out and make the most of the lovely summer weather.

“But we would just ask that you please think twice before disposing of your BBQ. These single use BBQs are designed to get extremely hot very rapidly, and they take a long time to cool down. Make sure it is extinguished fully and completely cool before taking it anywhere near a bin full of rubbish.

“To avoid starting a fire you should allow it to cool for several hours and even then make sure you pour lots of water over it to make sure it is out before putting it in the bin.

“On each occasion recently, someone was nearby and spotted smoke coming from the bin and we were able to contain the fire, but it wouldn’t take very much in these dry conditions for a fire to spread and get out of control very quickly.”

For more information on where it is permitted to have a BBQ on the beach in Adur & Worthing visit: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/seafront-and-ri…/barbeques/ or for Arun visit: https://www.arun.gov.uk/aruns-beaches/….

A proposed ten-year plan to address and adapt to the challenges of climate change will be set out by West Sussex County Council next week. 

The draft Climate Change Strategy 2020 - 2030 will be examined by the Environment and Communities Scrutiny Committee at a meeting on Wednesday 24 June 2020 at 10.30am. The meeting can be followed online at: http://www.westsussex.public-i.tv/core/portal/home 

The County Council adopted a Notice of Motion on climate change in 2019,  calling on West Sussex County Council to show leadership, step up the work of the Council to combat climate change, and attempt to make West Sussex County Council carbon neutral by 2030.

The Climate Change Strategy, which will be examined by the committee before being formally adopted in July, sets out a vision that by 2030, West Sussex County Council will be both carbon neutral and climate resilient. 

A Climate Change Advisory Group was formed at the request of the Cabinet Member for the Environment last year, involving members from all political parties, members of the West Sussex Youth Cabinet and invited community representatives from the South East Climate Alliance (SECA). 

As well as hearing from officers of the county council, the committee will also hear from Dr Tony Whitbread, President of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and member of SECA. 

Chairman of the committee, Andrew Barrett-Miles, said: “In April last year, Full Council recognised and acknowledged the threat of climate change and passed a motion pledging to try to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030. 

“The Climate Change Strategy is the next important step in this process, recognising that our response needs to be much wider than carbon reduction. I look forward to hearing more detail about how the county council will work towards its goals over the next ten years.” 

The Strategy also notes that there are many lessons the Council can take forward from how it has worked during the Covid 19 crisis and how we need to take into account the longer term impacts of climate change as we recover and move forward.  

Once the strategy is agreed in July, the county council will set out a delivery plan, showing how it plans to lead, enable, and inspire the change needed and how it will engage with communities to shape the actions. 

Further details about next week’s meeting can be found at www.westsussex.gov.uk by searching for ‘environment scrutiny’.

Notes to Editors

For more information on how the County Council is responding to climate change please see the following links: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/about-the-council/policies-and-reports/environment-planning-and-waste-policy-and-reports/climate-change-in-west-sussex/

https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/about-the-council/policies-and-reports/environment-planning-and-waste-policy-and-reports/sustainability/

West Sussex County Council has welcomed the news that Gatwick Airport has resumed its North Terminal operations from this week despite the challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic.

This is good news for the local economy, which has been severely impacted since the start of the pandemic in March.

The £150 million Gatwick Airport train station upgrade works have also continued throughout the lockdown period utilising innovative ways of working and social distancing safeguards, which has allowed the project to continue with little delay.

Bob Lanzer, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy and Corporate Resources, said: “Gatwick Airport is a thriving hub for business and travel in the north of the county and is a significant driver of growth for the regional economy, so we are delighted to hear that the North Terminal has now re-opened.

“It is also encouraging to hear that work is continuing on upgrading Gatwick Airport station. Network Rail’s progression with the project during these challenging times is a testament to their commitment to reduce the use of private cars by passengers and employees and encourage the use of public transport instead.”

Gatwick Airport station’s upgrade, due to complete in 2023, will include wider platforms, improved step-free access, five new lifts and eight new escalators.

On-street parking charges in West Sussex have taken a ‘green’ step forward, with cheaper permits for low-emission vehicles.

From this week, the cost of a parking permit for this type of vehicle was reduced by 25 per cent.

Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “The 25 per cent reduction for low-emission vehicles represents a contribution towards our Electric Vehicle Strategy and its overarching aims of reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality.

“The strategy sets out a long-term vision that will enable West Sussex residents, when travelling in a car or small van, to choose ultra-low emission vehicles and travel in a carbon neutral way.”

Other changes to on-street parking include new, six-month, Resident, Non-Resident, Healthcare, Carer, Countywide, Trader and Doctor permits. Previously only year-long permits were available, so the half-yearly option has been introduced to give people more choice. The higher charges for six-month permits reflect the admin costs that go with this.

A standard charge has also been introduced for hotel permits in Worthing Zone Z only. This is to bring consistency and improve the operation of the Worthing Controlled Parking Zone.

Permits are purchased by the hotels in Zone Z and handed out to guests. They can be daily or for half a day.

Details on all the new charges can be found online 

NB: In line with national guidance during the Coronavirus outbreak, while not all key workers are entitled to free on-street parking, NHS staff and social care workers and volunteers in West Sussex currently are, so long as they display supporting evidence in their windscreens, such as photocopies of their work pass with sensitive information removed, or a letter of evidence from their employer. This will continue until further notice.

For those who might still be furloughed at home etc and need to park additional vehicles, dispensation notices are available from the relevant district/borough council at a cost of £5 per month. On-street enforcement was stepped up from Monday (June 1), with more consistent patrols of permit/pay and display areas. For the last few weeks, attention has been focused on safety/access and enforcement has largely been reactive.

The following works are scheduled on the M23, subject to weather conditions.  

Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:00 daily for 11 weeks
Full closure of J10 exit slip Northbound. Diversion to J9 and back southbound to Junction 10.

Saturday 13 & Sunday 14th June (inclusive) 20:00 to 06:00
Full closure J10 entry slip Northbound Diversion to J10a and back. 

Monday 15 to Friday 19 (inclusive) 20:00 to 06:00
Full closure from J8 to J10 Southbound Diversion to Brighton via J6 M25, A22, A264 Copthorne Road and join at J10 M23. Diversion for Gatwick - traffic continues on A2011 Crawley Avenue, A23 London Road, Airport Way.
Full closure of the Reigate to Crawley Link Diversion to M25 J6 and follow A22 to M23 J10.
Full closure of the Godstone to Crawley Link Diversion to M25 J8, back to J6 and follow A22 diversion to M23 J10.
Full closure of J9 entry slip Southbound (Gatwick Spur) Diversion via Airport Way, A23 London Road, A2011 Crawley Avenue and join at J10. 

If you’re interested in joining Neighbourhood Watch, or want to find out more, visit www.sussexnwfed.org.uk or send an email to [email protected].

The Government has announced initial funding of up to £784,000 for emergency, safe space cycling and walking measures in West Sussex in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Schemes will largely be temporary, such as pop-up cycle lanes and some road closures, but may evolve into permanent changes. They will promote cycling and walking as a replacement for journeys in areas which, until the Covid crisis, were heavily used by public transport, especially for short journeys, but would be more attractive to cyclists as routes if measures were taken.

Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “This initial funding is welcome news and will boost provision for safe space cycling and walking in the county.

“We hope to make further announcements on funding for both walking and cycling provision in the county once we have details of second tranche funding.”

News of extra funding levels has been eagerly awaited since May 9, when the Transport Secretary announced a £250million boost nationally for cyclists and pedestrians to help them socially distance more easily during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roger said: “Since May 9, our officers have been working hard, liaising with our district and borough council partners to draw up a list of priority schemes and we have commissioned consultants to start to develop these into workable designs that can be implemented.

“Many of these potential schemes have been drawn from Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans that have been developed across the county.

“Now we know the level of initial funding, we can accelerate those schemes which best fit the Department for Transport’s criteria for the emergency measures.”

Timing is critical: the Department for Transport wants to see all proposals by Friday (5 June) so it can decide if they are suitable for funding. The £784,000 is not guaranteed and may be clawed back should schemes not be started within four weeks of allocation.

The money will need to fund the implementation, maintenance and monitoring of the schemes, which will be closely monitored to ensure they are having a positive impact on local travel.

Sussex Police has launched a new rural crime team, whose overall aim is to crack down on unlawful behaviour in isolated communities.

This team, launched on Monday (June 1), has been made possible with the precept increase, as acquired by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Katy Bourne at the start of this financial year. The new funding will allow for more enforcement and greater local policing presence, part of which is rural crime.

The team will have a specialist focus on agricultural, equine, wildlife and heritage issues, and it has been brought together to serve the rural community, to increase confidence and encourage reporting through preventing crime and carrying out more proactive investigations.
Made up of two sergeants, eight constables and six police community support officers (PCSOs), the team will be operating out of bases at Midhurst and Heathfield.

The impact of rural crime has become more apparent in recent years, and this is reflected with the implementation of the national Rural Affairs Strategy in 2018, from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).

Sussex Police’s own Rural Crime Strategy aims to make rural communities feel safer by building long-lasting partnerships, responding to the community’s needs, and provide an effective policing service. In turn, this work aims to increase confidence in the police in our more isolated areas.
With 62% of Sussex’s area dedicated to farming, and a significant proportion being in the South Downs National Park, Sussex is defined as ‘significantly rural’ by DEFRA (2011).
Recently, Sussex Police have arrested a trio near High Hurstwood, Wealden, on suspicion of burglary and going equipped for burglary. This is just one example of the force’s approach to disrupting rural crime in the county.

Chief Inspector Steve Biglands, Sussex Police’s Rural Crime lead, said:

“We are keenly aware of the significant impact that these types of crimes have on our remote communities, and the implementation of this new team is designed to provide a direct link between those more isolated and the police. We want to encourage reporting of rural crimes, because with this insight, we are able to deploy the team to where they are most needed in order to protect the most vulnerable. We have a substantial number of rural residents and businesses in Sussex and they deserve our protection.”

Deputy Chief Constable for Sussex Police Jo Shiner said:

“It is so important to have a dedicated team for this area of policing, which quite often can go unnoticed. We want to reassure the residents of Sussex that we are here to disrupt rural crime, to catch those who think they can get away with it, and to ensure our more isolated communities feel safe in their own homes.

“There have been cases recently of animal thefts, quad bike thefts and numerous other countryside offences. We understand how destructive these are to people’s livelihoods, and how damaging they can be emotionally to the victim. We want perpetrators of these crimes to know we are here to catch them: do not consider committing the crime because we will bring you to justice.

“Working closely with partners, we can draw on expertise and resources from all over the county: together, we can provide the service needed to prevent rural crime.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said:

“Through my ongoing consultations with local residents and organisations, including the National Farmers’ Union, I know that our rural and village communities in Sussex can sometimes feel ‘abandoned’ and ‘forgotten about’.

“Rural crime is particularly worrying and, since the Covid lockdown, there have been many disturbing reports of fly-tipping and expensive equipment theft.  I want to reassure our rural residents that these crimes will not be ignored and are being taken extremely seriously.

 “This expanded team will have the specialist knowledge, skills and training that is vital to police our rural communities, successfully investigate and prosecute crimes made against them and keep people feeling safe where they live and work.

“I know that this will be welcome news to many residents and organisations across Sussex".

West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet met virtually today to discuss how the County is coping amid the COVID-19 crisis as well discussing safeguarding and school provision in the county.

At the meeting Cabinet noted this week’s decision by the Regional Schools Commission to issue academy orders to two schools; Clapham and Patching C of E Primary School, near Worthing and Rumboldswhyke Church of England Infant School. A decision which was due to be made around the closure of these schools was withdrawn following this news. The Cabinet committed to work with them, the academy trusts and the RSC to support the process through the coming months.

Cabinet agreed to the relocation of Warninglid Primary School to a new site in Pease Pottage, Crawley, by September 2021.

Further updates were given during the meeting on the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report, where the Cabinet discussed how the County Council works hard to protect and safeguard people across the county. Councillor Amanda Jupp presented a report by the Safeguarding’s Adults Board.

The Cabinet then discussed the council’s response to the COVID-19 emergency including detailed information about how West Sussex is responding to supporting the national Test and Trace system for the virus, the County’s care home resilience plan and an update on cycling and walking plans to support people moving around the county as restrictions ease. They discussed the funding pressures the Council faces as a result of COVID-19.

Councillor Paul Marshall, Leader of the Council, said: “Covid-19 is having a massive impact on all of our lives and is affecting everything we, as a council, do to support residents. We are working really hard to make sure we support to our most vulnerable residents as well as providing services to all our residents to keep our county running despite the pandemic. We continue to raise with Government the significant rising costs of keeping our residents safe during this pandemic. I am proud of the work we are doing to continue to improve West Sussex as a county to live and work in, particularly today on Sussex Day, and would like to thank everyone who is working hard for our county, both here in the County Council but also our district and borough councils, health and other partners and community groups.”

All the reports discussed can be found online at www.westsussex.gov.uk and search "Cabinet" and the meeting can be watched again via our webcast here https://westsussex.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/487403 

New Local Authority Discretionary Grants are now available to local companies who are not eligible for the Government’s main Small Business Grant support scheme. 

The Government announced in March a scheme to provide grants to businesses in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief and those working in the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors. Those grants are to help businesses meet the ongoing premises related costs and challenges they are facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and are still available to qualifying applicants. 

So far, Mid Sussex District Council has distributed more than £24m to nearly 1,900 local business but there are many more who don’t qualify for this support and are in desperate need of financial help during this coronavirus pandemic. 

The Government has now allocated Mid Sussex District Council £1.4 million to help support businesses that were not eligible for the original grant. The Council has been asked by the Government to prioritise the following types of business for this funding, subject to eligibility: 

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces
• Regular market traders with fixed stall locations who do not have their own business rates assessment and have their main domestic residence in Mid Sussex
• Bed & Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of business rates
• Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief
• Businesses in the supply chain to the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality sectors that did not qualify for the original government business grants but pay business rates or have other property costs
• Businesses that did not qualify for the original government business grants but pay onerous business rates or have relatively high property costs
• Businesses which may have qualified for a business grant but are waiting for a business rate valuation decision from the independent Valuation Office 

Applications are open to businesses outside of the categories listed above but will only be considered once these priority applications have been processed. 

Local businesses are encouraged to apply for funding online at www.grantapproval.co.uk and applications must be received by Midnight on 14 June 2020. 

All applications will be assessed as quickly as possible after the closing date. Councillor Stephen Hillier, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said: 

“We welcome this additional financial support from Central Government for our local businesses who have been hit so hard by this dreadful pandemic. However, we expect demand for this support to be extremely high, possibly over-subscribed, and so it will be important for us to assess each application against the set criteria swiftly and in an equitable manner. 

“I urge every business that applies for this grant to provide us with as much information as possible about how the coronavirus pandemic has affected your business. Please provide evidenced details about the costs you are facing, of your lost income and information about your employees and how this funding could help you to protect local jobs. 

“We’re aiming to support as many small business in our District as possible to ensure they continue to help the local economy post COVID19 but there is a limited amount of money available for this scheme and once it has been allocated the scheme will close. 

“If your small business is struggling due to this coronavirus pandemic and you haven’t been able to obtain support from the Government through previous schemes then please submit your application now at www.grantapproval.co.uk”

https://www.getsafeonline.org/

As a parent or someone else with responsibility for a child or young person, you’ll be all too aware of the dangers they can be exposed to online. Children and young people are generally curious, sociable and impressionable to one degree or another. Under the right circumstances these are good qualities, but online, they could lead to being bullied, befriended by dangerous people or even lured into internet crime. These are occurrences that happen every day.

However, if you’re worrying about your family’s health, trying to work from home or concerned about job security during the current situation, there’s more chance these things will happen to your child, especially while they have more time on their hands and are spending longer online.

Unless you take the appropriate precautions.

Top tips for a switched-on parent

The Get Safe Online safety experts have put together some expert tips to help you keep the children and young people in your care safe and more aware of these dangers. 

• Have regular conversations with your child about the positive and negative aspects of the internet in language appropriate to their age. Talk about stranger danger. Get them to show you what they’re doing and try it out for yourself. Gain a better understanding of new online technologies and trends. Don’t shy away from discussing potential issues, but not in a scary way. Keep it general so as not to get your child curious about specific sites. Check your facts beforehand. 

• Set boundaries and rules from a young age, such as time limits and what’s out of bounds. Draw up an agreement with your child’s input to give them a degree of ownership. Lead the way by using your own mobile devices responsibly and at the right time. 

• Chat with friends, family and other parents about how they help their children to progress and keep safe online. Swap experiences and tips. 

• Do the tech: apply parental control software and apps on computers, mobile devices and games consoles, privacy features on social networking sites, safety options on search engines and safe location settings on devices and apps. Turn on your internet service provider’s family filters. 

• If your household is using technology for the first time for home schooling, try to familiarise yourself with the basics of how it works and do what you can to help your child avoid online harms. 

• Check lower age limits of social networking, picture/video sharing, gaming and other sites and apps. Download apps only from recognised sources like App Store and Google Play. Add your own email address when setting up accounts and apps for your child. 

• Keep yourself up to date with new game and social media trends, especially those with negative publicity, because they may be violent, encourage gambling or leave the way open for grooming. 

• Explain and encourage safe searching and websites. Check what your child is watching on streaming sites like YouTube and STEAM. 

• If your child wants a video call with friends, set it up for them observing the latest safety advice on updating the platform’s settings, using passwords and keeping knowledge of the call only within a group of friends they know. 

• Talk to your child about the consequences of oversharing confidential information or personal details in posts, profiles, messages and chats. Consider what you share yourself: could it embarrass or endanger your children now or in the future? 

• However well you know your child, ask yourself if they could be carrying out some kind of negative online activity that harms others, even if they do not realise it. 

• Chat with them about things like bullying, trolling, shaming, creating/sharing fake news and being recruited into cybercrime

This Sussex Day (Tuesday 16 June) sees the launch of an exciting new venture exploring the history and heritage of West Sussex, courtesy of the West Sussex Record Office and Screen Archive South East. 

Delving deep into the county’s past, this multi-media mix of films, photographs, blogs, posters, folksongs, saucy postcards and rare documents have been combined into an entertaining and illuminating visual experience. From the rolling Downs to sun-filled beaches, the ten-week series will give everyone the opportunity to traverse the length and breadth of West Sussex through the ages. 

The films will include:

• Encounters with indomitable members of the Women’s Institute at Treemans in 1954, along with a glimpse of their famous ‘Operation Produce’,
• Ex-Goon Harry Secombe being greeted by nurses in Haywards Heath in 1959,
• Crawley celebrating the Jubilee of George V in 1935,
• The official launch of the Selsey lifeboat in 1937,
• A frenzy of Morris Dancers invading the quiet streets of Horsham in 1989,
• Memories of Shippams’ paste sandwiches at a tea party in 1955,
• The delights of the Bognor Regis Show in 1950,
• And a train ride along forgotten pre-Beeching lines.

The first video available on Sussex Day focuses on an exciting day trip to Littlehampton – where children and grown-ups from a Sunday School in Three Bridges hit the beach in woollen swimwear, licking ice-creams with soggy wafers and being enchanted by the delights of Punch & Judy. 

Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities, said: 

“The West Sussex Record Office’s partnership with Screen Archive South East has always been a remarkable and unique collaboration, allowing visitors to see another facet of history. You can get lots of information from records, diaries and photographs, but the extra dimension of film brings everything to life and gives a unique view into how people lived. “The launch of West Sussex Unwrapped on Sussex Day will be a fantastic opportunity for residents who live across West Sussex to get a glimpse into some unique moments in history allowing people who can’t visit the Record Office at the moment  the opportunity to delve into the archives virtually.” 

Dr Frank Gray, the Director of Screen Archive South East said, 

“The West Sussex Record Office began its relationship with Screen Archive South East and the University of Brighton in 1992, and its Chichester premises is now the home of Screen Archive South East’s Conservation Centre and a large collection of original films, tapes and files. 

"This valuable relationship between both organisations has enabled Screen Archive South East to create and care for a collection dedicated to films made in the county, many of which date from the early 20th century. A number of these films now appear in our new and very exciting joint venture, West Sussex Unwrapped – which will, for the first time, demonstrate how our collections can combine to reveal the county’s multi-media history.” 

A new episode will be available every Tuesday from 12 noon beginning on 16 June, with the final film being uploaded on Tuesday 18 August. 

Watch the film, visit the West Sussex Record Office blog and follow the fun every week on these channels:

• Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/showcase/westsussexunwrapped

West Sussex Record Office blog  - https://westsussexrecordofficeblog.com/westsussexunwrapped/

The Government has awarded an extra £9.8million for improving West Sussex Highways’ road network.

A total of £7.8million of this will be used for pothole prevention initiatives, with whole roads or parts of roads resurfaced, extended areas of highway patched and more localised issues dealt with. This is on top of the £8million worth of road resurfacing/pothole prevention works already planned for this financial year.

Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “The extra funding from the Government is excellent news for all road users in West Sussex. This, together with the funds we had already allocated, means a total of £15million is planned to be spent on pothole prevention measures.

“This level of commitment to improve our highway network shows how seriously we take the issue of potholes, which we appreciate is a source of frustration and concern for all road users.

“It also shows we want to find longer-term solutions to the pothole issue with the emphasis on preventative measures rather than short-term fixes, wherever possible, and where finite resources permit.”

Work programmes are currently being finalised and further information will be released, when available.

The remaining £2million, out of the extra £9.8million, will comprise safety-related improvements and other enhancements for road users, such as new signs and road markings.

While communities across West Sussex won’t be celebrating Sussex Day in the usual way this year, there are still some ways you can celebrate our beautiful county.

Sussex Day falls on 16 June – this date was chosen because it is St Richard’s Day, which marks the life of St Richard who was Bishop of Chichester from 1245 until his death in 1253.

Leader of West Sussex County Council, Paul Marshall, said: “West Sussex is a wonderful county, full of rich heritage and history together with modern attractions, places to visit and many, many local businesses. These are strange and unprecedented times with the coronavirus outbreak, but as a county council we are doing all we can to ensure we bounce back and thrive again as we emerge from the outbreak.

“We would normally encourage local communities to celebrate Sussex Day with local events, but it has not been possible to organise public events this year due to the outbreak. The Sussex Day flag is flying on many public buildings and we encourage residents to celebrate Sussex Day from home or safely outside today.

“Businesses and attractions are starting to open their doors again as coronavirus restrictions are eased, so let’s all do our bit and support our local West Sussex businesses to help them through these very difficult times.”

The West Sussex Record Office together with Screen Archive South East has also chosen Sussex Day to launch the first in a series of videos delving into the history of the county and giving a unique view into how people lived.

The multi-media mix of films, photographs, blogs, posters, folk songs, saucy postcards and rare documents have been combined into a series of 10 films. Each new episode will be available every Tuesday from 12 noon, with the last film being uploaded on Tuesday 18 August. Watch them via the Record Office’s ‘West Sussex unwrapped’ blog. 

To find out more about Sussex Day, visit the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk and search ‘Sussex Day’.