July 5, 2024

 

Welcome to this week's blog. As always, thank you for sparing the time to have a read. 

As the summer holidays are approaching, now is the time to book for WSCC's Holiday Activities & Food programme.  Plus, from July 13 until September 14, children can visit West Sussex libraries and join Amelia, Riley, Bob the dog and friends to complete the 2024 Summer Reading Challenge, Marvellous Makers. This encourages youngsters to keep reading over the holidays by offering rewards, including a medal and certificate if they read six library books of their choice. After registering online, children receive a special code word to reveal to their local library to get a fold-out poster and first set of scratch-and-sniff stickers.

WSCC is recruiting volunteers aged 14 and over to support staff in promoting the Summer Reading Challenge. 

Meetings are no longer affected by the General Election campaign. This week Val and I had CDC’s Licensing Committee on Wednesday, then that evening Ian, Andrew, Donna and I had STC's Personnel Committee. At Licensing, Val and I supported a successful proposal to recommend to Cabinet to give businesses with Under-5 tables a 20% discount on the new pavement licence fee.  This coming Wednesday, Donna and Val have CDC’s Planning in the day, then in the evening there is STC's Assets & Amenities Committee followed by Planning and, at the same time, Sidlesham Parish Council. 

Watch CDC’s public meetings here, and Full WSCC here. 

CDC’s popular Cross Market & More artisan market and Summer Street Party returns on Sunday, from 10am until 4pm. The Cross Market & More is a mixed street market, celebrating the very best creatives, designers, makers and producers from the district, along with entertainment and family activities. It is being held in conjunction with the Summer Street Party, offering a day full of unique shopping experiences, family-friendly activities, free entertainment and local food and drink vendors. There will also be a programme of live local music artists, fashion show, children’s magic performances, face painting, hair braiding, a carousel, trampolines, garden games and a reptile encounter.

This week’s interesting reads include an article which might lead you to the conclusion that the UK is the sewage capital of Europe. In happier news, a village shop in our District has been named the best in the UK; meanwhile for those of you with an eye on your health B-vitamins may help some people with Parkinson's DIsease and Professor Tim Spector says a £2.25 supplement can zap inflammation, diabetes and stave off dementia.

WSCC has announced they have decided to relocate Jessie Younghusband Primary School in a move that will help secure the future of primary education in Chichester. It follows two public consultations on the proposal to move the school to a new site on the Minerva Heights development allowing neighbouring St Anthony’s School to expand, and to revise the catchment areas for Jessie Younghusband Primary School, Parklands Community Primary School and Fishbourne C of E Primary School. The decision is subject to a call-in period. 

WSCC say that relocating Jessie Younghusband to newer, more modern buildings at Minerva Heights will create the potential for the school to expand to a two-form entry in the future, which is not possible in the current location. In addition, the move will allow St Anthony’s School to be expanded utilising the building vacated by Jessie Younghusband Primary School in order to create 50 much-needed places for children from across the county with special educational needs and disabilities. Further work on detailing the proposals for St Anthony’s School will progress in the autumn term.  

Finally: - 

• Report potholes to WSCC

• Housing Health & Safety

• Warmer Homes UK

• Suicide in Sussex

• Domestic Abuse

• Supporting You

• WSCC Meetings

• CDC Meetings

As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.

Tim