worth a fortune
In last week’s post we talked about dark stuff - yep, the proliferation of potholes (which are hard to avoid on darkened days) and sewage. Based on your response, we can confidently say that both subjects are of interest and concern to many of you. Of course both have been worsened by the recent heavy rainfall, a symptom, sadly, of our changing climate. Last weekend I drove from Selsey to Hunston in daylight and was saddened by how many there are now. This article is about a now-filled one (yes, some Councils do manage to do that) might interest you because a cyclist was able to park their bike in it.
Adrian Chiles has become a pothole activist.
Another concern caused by the heavy rainfall we mentioned last week is the release of sewage on our beaches. We questioned Southern Water at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Tuesday (in advance) asking what, in concrete terms, Southern Water plan to do about the outflows and by when, as well as what future proofing measures they are planning and what assurances they can give residents. Needless to say, the answers given to the questions posed to them were not as concrete as I had hoped they would be, which does not mean we don't recognise the challenges the combination of comparatively recent development and a changing climate bring (or appreciate the amount of material they have emailed us since the meeting!). You may have read this report about it
These concerns are brought into focus by the scale of development we have witnessed since moving to the Peninsula in 2003. Don’t forget 100 new homes generate an extra 30 tonnes of sewage. This Tuesday sees the Local Plan Full CDC, with the normal bi-monthly one on the 31st. The proposals remain confidential but we are pleased by the extent to which Officers have taken on board concerns we have been raising since our election in 2019 and when Donna was first elected to STC, in 2015.
A joint project has successfully helped to reduce the number of privately rented properties classed as ‘cold homes’ in both Arun and Chichester districts. Last autumn the two councils made a joint bid for government funding so that they could support landlords to carry out works in order for their properties to meet the Government’s Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). The project targeted properties with an Energy Performance Rating of F or G because these are the poorest performing properties in terms of energy efficiency and are identified as non-compliant under MEES. Any property being privately let as a home must be rated an E or above, unless a valid exemption has been registered.
Officers identified 441 non-compliant cases (149 in Arun District and 292 in Chichester District. Over the past year they have been working with a number of landlords to help them comply. This has involved work such as installing high retention storage heaters, improved double glazing; replacing boilers and increasing insulation. You can find out more about MEES here.
Did you realise the UK still has some remaining rainforests?
Nearer to home you might like to visit: -
In these straightened times, the search tool in this article might transform your fortunes as you can check if you are heir to an unclaimed estate in Sussex.
Finally: -
As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.
Tim
Comments
Post a Comment