Beach Life
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We start with an apology to any of you who have tried tagging us in a Facebook Post and not heard back. We discovered this week one resident had done so in a closed group we have no access to - luckily someone realised and got in touch.
We want to remind you about Ticks and Lyme disease: Donna was bitten a few years ago, but luckily her son realised its severity. This year there have been higher than normal incidents of tick bites and tick-borne infections locally. Activities in areas such as green spaces in the countryside increase the risk of being bitten. This does not necessarily mean you will get Lyme disease as not all ticks carry the bacteria, but awareness and prompt removal is a good way to reduce risk.
It was the District Summer Street Party in Chichester last Sunday. If you went we hope you saw the #LovefromSelsey Artisans. It was an opportunity for them to showcase their products and signpost visitors to the pop up shop in Selsey Donna helped set up. We hope things like this and the sixth seal in Selsey’s art trail, which was also funded by CDC, help encourage more people to visit Selsey and the wider Peninsula. Our businesses generally get very good reviews, which is part of the reason why the Peninsula accounts for 70% of our District’s tourism.
Don’t forget WSCC has prioritised Route K of our Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan which is the section of highway from the easternmost extent of Westgate in Chichester to the A27 underpass on Fishbourne Road East, for highest delivery and is carrying out a consultation until 7 August. WSCC also want feedback on: -
You may have read about proposals to close railway ticket offices. Not everyone feels able to book online, and may need advice, or have issues using a computer. Unstaffed stations will have nowhere to seek help or information. You can click here if you want to learn more about potential ticket office closures including Worthing, Brighton and Chichester. If you are concerned by this, there is a petition you can sign.
Last year, over 80 tonnes of plastic was recycled in West Sussex (that’s the weight of a space shuttle!). Whilst recycling your plastic is great, this Plastic Free July, WSCC suggest we try and reduce this where possible by choosing to refuse and pledging to make swaps that will help to reduce our plastic waste. These swaps can be as easy as using reusable shopping bags or using a reusable container to store leftovers. Or, if you have young children and use disposable nappies, why not try switching to reusable ones. Learn more here.
In other news: -
People in Boxgrove are unhappy with proposals to build a highways depot and car park on nearby farmland.
A travel influencer has been reported nationally for describing West Wittering as having outstanding natural beauty.
Improving soil could keep the world within 1.5C heating target, research suggests.
If we don't manage that, the UK could see a 30% increase in uncomfortably hot days.
Research has shown that racism is costing the NHS billions because of its effect on staff morale.
This interactive map shows which countries consume the most calories
Ofgem has asked suppliers to publish details of all of their energy tariffs to make it easier for households to understand if a fixed deal is worth switching to.
On Tuesday Donna had a Harbour Conservancy meeting, then on Wednesday, CDC’s Planning Committee; later some of the team had a meeting of Selsey Town Council's Finance & Administration panel, then others joined Donna for the Assets & Amenities Committee, and I went off to do some ward work. Donna also had CDC’s Housing & Communities Panel on Thursday, at which she learnt about Beam who are working with homeless people locally.
Early tip off - Trussell have another initiative to help you help them: #StepUpSeptember.
Last week I caught up with one of the independent traders I have helped in the past. Our other casework included Donna and I looking at a toilet block in Chichester facing potential demolition and Steve & I being asked if goldfish are allowed to be given away as prizes in our District: hirers of CDC land are not allowed to give away any animals as prizes, and it is generally considered an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to give one to an unaccompanied Under-16.
This week, I have a sinus operation so am unsure which meetings,etc I will manage - we have Full Council CDC. (On Wednesday there are also meetings of Selsey Town Council's Personnel and Planning Committees.) At my pre-op on Monday I discovered the nurse grew up in Selsey and lived opposite Sir Patrick Moore. Their families went to a local pantomime when she was seven, which she remembers well because a witch leapt out near to them and caused him to cry out in surprise!
Love Parks Week 2023 runs from July 28 to August 6. This annual campaign by Keep Britain Tidy celebrates parks, green spaces, and the dedicated volunteers and workers that look after them all year round. These vibrant, living spaces bring communities together and provide an opportunity to connect with nature in the heart of our cities, towns, and neighbourhoods. Nearer to home, we are fortunate on the Peninsula to have the Manhood Wildlife & Heritage Group.
In case you missed it, thanks to CDC’s Pop-Up Shop initiative, a vegan wellness shop which hopes to help people buy more sustainably sourced and produced products has opened in Crane Street, Chichester. The Home Spa previously had a shop in Selsey and is there until September. Donna and I had a look on Sunday when we visited the Street Party and inspected the toilets I mentioned earlier. The business is run by Naomi Harris who started making self-care products at home in 2021 as a hobby alongside raising her children. The initiative gives her the opportunity to experience a busier retail environment and gain more exposure.
Last week we shared some information about harassment. This week we thought we would follow it up with some information about stalking. This refers to a pattern of unwanted and repeated behaviour that makes an individual feel afraid or threatened. Victims also describe it as feeling harassed or pestered. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), of all the people who experienced partner abuse in the year ending March 2022, nearly 21% experienced stalking - read more here.
The summer holidays are on their way so WSCC has lots of ideas for families to make the most of the sunny weather right here at home – without forking out a fortune: -
Revel in the natural world: whether it’s a walk round one of the nature trails or one of our County’s parks.
Get cycling: fast, quiet or balanced routes, journey times, distances and calories you’ll burn.
Beach life: try rock pooling, taking a dip or making your very own castle in the sand!
You may have heard that WSCC and ESCC have been appointed as the ‘Responsible Authorities’ for the production of two Local Nature Recovery Strategies for Sussex over the next 18 months: one covering West Sussex, and one for East Sussex and Brighton & Hove. These are a flagship measure in the Environment Act 2021 to encourage more coordinated, practical, and focussed action and investment in nature. It is the first time that planning for nature recovery in England has been put on a statutory footing. To develop them, the Councils will work in collaboration with key stakeholders, including the Sussex Nature Partnership, local authorities, the South Downs National Park Authority and the bodies for the two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and major landowners.
Finally: -
As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.
Tim
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