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Please remember that you now need Photo ID to vote in person at your polling station. If you do not have an acceptable form of ID you can get a free Voter ID Certificate from CDC or register for a postal vote.
As the closeness of May’s District elections means there is less to report from CDC, we will be sharing some insight into what is happening on the campaign trail because this election is vital for the Peninsula; CDC will begin work on the next Local Plan before 2027, and therefore we feel there must be Local Alliance Members on it to argue for no inappropriate development, backed by a majority on Selsey Town Council which, after the City, is our District's largest parish.
On Wednesday the official lists of candidates in every District and Parish ward will be published, so we will share what we are doing after that. Thanks again to those of you who have come forward to help us, we hope for an honest campaign focussed on our area’s future, the issues that matter, and what people have achieved since their election. These are challenging times for so many people, not only do we have food banks we also have clothes banks and hygiene banks too. Obviously we believe strongly in exercising your right to vote, but arguably it is even more important this time around.
We continue to receive emails from residents of Birdham upset at the decision to compulsorily purchase a track opposite the primary school to make into an access road. Donna and I were the only current Peninsulan Members of CDC to not vote for this because this worries us too.
In happier news, Chichester has been named the best place to live in the South East.
Do you remember any of these former railway stations?
Last weekend I came across this last interesting read about why changing the clocks in winter is not only bad for the hospitality industry and energy consumption, it is also unwelcome for people with health conditions or a disability.
We are in World Autism Acceptance Week. Autism Spectrum Disorder impacts the way in which people communicate, learn, and behave. Although considered a 'disorder', ASD means that the brain works differently. Einstein, Darwin and Alan Turing (the inventor of the modern computer) are thought to have been on the spectrum, so it isn't related to intelligence - it's just a different way of interacting with the world. Fortunately, we understand so much more about ASD now, but there is still a lot to be done to encourage acceptance of those who are 'neurodiverse'. They have strengths and talents just like people who are neurotypical. ASD doesn't define the person, and everyone should be able reach their potential.
This week Donna posted a perspective on the anti-social behaviour action plan "On the face of it, this looks positive until we drill down a bit - 'Police and local authorities will be given the tools...' to tackle anti-social behaviour, but after this trial of 16 'Hotspot Trailblazers', will the resourcing of the police across the board be increased? Will they be given the funding needed to deal with recruitment and retention, and will local authorities be funded to enable the recruitment of more community wardens? STC already has to contribute significantly to our community Warden. So, when words like 'increased police presence' are bandied about, are these just words, or will local police forces and local authorities be supported with the 'tools' to provide them? Too often governments impose legislation with inadequate resourcing, which inevitably means the council taxpayer picks up the bill."
Last week our thoughts were with people affected by the Midhurst fire. It seems appropriate to follow this up with a press release from CDC that came our way this week:
“People are being urged to support Midhurst businesses following the major hotel fire at The Angel Inn and neighbouring buildings on the A286 North Street.
A multi-agency recovery group, involving Chichester District Council, West Sussex County Council, West Sussex Fire and Rescue, Midhurst Town Council and South Downs National Park Authority are working hard to support the town and get North Street in Midhurst reopened as soon as possible.
They have stressed that the majority of businesses on North Street are ‘open for business’ and can all be accessed on foot.
People can also benefit from free car parking in all Chichester District Council owned car parks in Midhurst until the end of 16 April 2023 – all of which are just a short walk away. This includes North Street car park, the Post Office car park and Grange car park. Once parked, customers do not need to take a ticket from the machine or book anything on MiPermit.
Chichester District Council has also been working closely with local businesses and has provided funding to the Midhurst Town Team for marketing and promotional purposes to support all businesses in welcoming visitors to the town.
The A286 North Street remains closed to vehicles to ensure public safety. Specialists from a variety of agencies, including South Downs National Park Authority, Chichester District Council and Historic England are urgently assessing the report from the building owner’s Structural Engineer to develop a clear plan of action. It’s expected that this work will take the rest of the week, but the agencies involved believe that they will be able to give a clearer indication on timescales by the beginning of next week (Monday 3 April.) The situation is incredibly complex and as the hotel is a listed building, legal processes must be followed.
West Sussex County Council has organised a diversion with related signage at key locations. To ease congestion, temporary one-way restrictions have been put in place on the lanes surrounding Midhurst. The diversion and one-way restrictions are being monitored and adjusted where needed. Drivers are urged to follow official diversion signage, with more information available on one.network
The county council is also aware that local roads are seeing significantly higher volumes of traffic than usual due to the diversion. They are increasing their targeted inspections and repairs and are also regularly reviewing works in the wider area to reduce disruption as much as possible.
All waste and recycling collections are now operating as usual after Chichester District Council put plans in place to overcome access issues.
All agencies involved are committed to doing everything they can to get the road reopened as soon as they can and helping Midhurst to recover from this dreadful incident. The partners will continue to keep businesses and residents closely updated on the situation.”
CDC has teamed up with iChoosr and WSCC to reopen this group-buying scheme, offering residents and businesses the opportunity to access affordable solar panels and batteries. There are two opportunities for residents to register for the scheme, with the first round of applications now open until 21 April 2023. Households whose properties are thought to be suitable for the scheme are being contacted by letter to make them aware of the opportunity. If residents already have solar panels installed on their home, they can also register to have battery storage added to their existing solar panels to maximise the benefits of their system.
Anyone interested in joining the scheme can register their interest.
Finally: -
As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.
Tim
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