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This week we must begin with our thanks and best wishes to the Queen, because on February 6th she will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Where do you think is a good place to live if you want to raise a family? That is a question likely to prompt a range of views, but The Telegraph has done some research and unsurprisinglyconcluded that our area has a lot to offer, and in terms of places to grow up is right up there, particularly East and West Wittering. Meanwhile, The West Sussex Gazette suggested 20 beautiful villages to visit based on it's readers' suggestions. All of which goes some way to explaining why our District, along with six others in Sussex, is in the top 50 most expensive places to live outside of  London. 

Wherever you choose to bring up a family, you won’t be able to escape the potential dangers of the internet. This week is Safer Internet Day 2022. This year’s theme relates to the dangers of gaming. As a CEOP Ambassador, I think parents might also find Stop Abuse Together and this new guide about Talkng to your child about online sexual harassment helpful as well.

There is a free Eating Disorder Awareness online course from @WestSussexMind for parents, family members, professionals and anyone who wants a better understanding of eating disorders. Figures from the NHS suggest that more than 725,000 people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder and that around one in 250 women and one in 2,000 men will experience anorexia nervosa at some point in their lives. It goes without saying that the effects can be long lasting and impact the individual, their families and their friends. 

CDC is launching a scheme to support young people across the District who have been adversely impacted by the pandemic. Social Prescribing is an opportunity for them to talk through some of the non-medical issues in their life which may be having an adverse impact on their health and wellbeing. Funding has been made available for a two-year pilot project to support young people aged 13-19. It will be managed by CDC who are funding the project in partnership with Hyde Housing Association and Clarion Housing Association. It will go live in the spring. For more information send them an email. 

£71,000-worth of Enabling Grants is also being made available by CDC. Businesses will be able to apply for up to 50% of the total cost of growth projects, subject to a maximum of £2,000 (but not retrospectively.) Smaller grants up to a maximum of £500 will be available for start-up businesses, without the need for match funding from the applicant. Don't forget, Independent shops are also being urged to register now to be part of  ShopAppy a virtual high street created with them in mind. It is free to join until the end of March and allows shoppers to book, buy, collect or get a convenient home delivery. 

Last week I mentioned a couple of driving matters so, as there has been a lot of media coverage of the Highway Code changes, this is the official explanation.

Advance warning that the next Chichester County Local Forum is due to take place on Tuesday 1 March at 5pm at The Grange Community and Leisure Centre, Midhurst. It’s being in person and location may not be so helpful for people in the Southern part of our District. You are asked to email questions at least 5 working days before the forum, or simply to register to attend. You can also register via Eventbrite.

Donna was very pleased to be appointed one of four West Sussex County Council representatives to the Chichester Harbour Conservancy earlier this week. As she pointed out when she announced her appointment, working with natural systems is so important, supporting their regeneration and adaptation to climate change, the impact of which we are seeing here.

Councils noticed an increase in Public attendance at meetings when they were held virtually if you compare web traffic with people present plus the number listening to an audio cast. The law unfortunately needs to be changed for that to become a permanent thing, so there is a petition you might be interested in if you found online streaming preferable.

Good news for those of you who like shopping and browsing around markets. The Cross Market and More event, which took place in November last year and welcomed thousands of visitors, will be back on three occasions in 2022. The markets will take place in North Street and East Street, Chichester, between 10am to 4pm on three Sundays: March 13, July 17 and October 15.

Finally: -

• The Frozen Fun Run. 

• CDC’s Local Plan latest. 

• The BBC NHS postcode tracker.

• The latest snapshot of Covid’s  impact on our area's economy.

• WSCC's winter road service information. 

• CDC’s Calendar of Meetings, and WSCC's. 

As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.

Tim