August 30, 2024

Welcome to this week's blog. As always, thank you for sparing the time to have a read. The six weeks of Summer are over because schools go back this week: teachers on Monday, students Tuesday or Wednesday.

This week Donna and I had some private meetings and casework, but this coming week it all begins again in earnest. Most notably, Full STC on Wednesday so if you don’t live in Selsey check your parish’s website to see when they are meeting. Watch CDC’s public meetings here, and Full WSCC here. 

If you worry about how your council tax is being spent, you might draw some comfort from this article because a trial of food waste collections by Slough has realised significant savings. CDC will be trialling this soon. Lastly, as there has been recent concern about scamming in Selsey, your mobile may be vulnerable to NGate. Remember if you're contacted by anyone and told to move your money to keep it safe, this is always a scam. Last year, people gave criminals an average of £6,720 through scams like these, so make sure you know who you are talking to before taking any action 

All of CDC’s Community Wardens are digital ambassadors. This means that they have received training to give them a better understanding and knowledge of scams, which is being used as a safeguarding tool for residents in their areas. Rich Moorey, Selsey's Community Warden recently ran a series of free scam awareness presentations, covering a range of issues and advice, such as discussing the most prevalent scams. These include courier fraud (fraudulent communications that look like they are from delivery companies); financial and investment scams; romance fraud on dating apps and social media; and websites.

As part of these sessions, Rich also talked to residents about rogue traders, using examples from his experience as a Community Warden to demonstrate how people can protect themselves. Rogue trading is a huge issue — just this month, Rich helped protect a lady from losing £3,000 to a rogue trader who was carrying out unnecessary loft insultation work in her home!

Rich is organising another day of presentations on Saturday 28 September at the Assembly Rooms in Chichester, as we learn more we will update you. 

Last month, police chiefs outlined the scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England and Wales in a national policing statement bringing together comprehensive data and analysis. Research by the National Centre for Domestic Violence estimated that less than 24% of domestic abuse related crime is reported to the police. When victims do come forward, it is often the most severe or recent offence that will prompt them to report. 

Under-reporting can be for a number of reasons, but if you know anyone who is experiencing domestic and sexual violence and abuse, whether that's physical, sexual, emotional, financial, or another form, the WORTH Specialist Domestic Abuse Service is there to support you.

The first phase of a six-year plan to become carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2030 has been set out by WSCC. A Climate Action and Adaptation Plan for 2024–2027 identifies 20 priority actions to be taken across the council and in partnership with key stakeholders in the county. The actions are broken down into six pathways focusing on issues such as buildings and energy, transport, and nature and environment and include:

 

• Continuing to decarbonise county council buildings, following the recently completed works on seven libraries, six fire stations, and a day centre

 

• Installing electric vehicle chargepoints at key depots to enable county council vehicles to switch to electric models

 

• Working closely with schools to help them address their most pressing sustainability challenges

 

• Working with partners to produce the West Sussex Local Nature Recovery Strategy

 

• Supporting the clean energy transition for the community through Local Area Energy Planning and solar PV group purchasing schemes

A new opportunity for businesses in our County has arrived with the launch of the West Sussex Growth Hub which offers support and advice to businesses to help ensure their success. The Hub offers a free, comprehensive business support service, including triage, diagnostics and signposting as well as one-to-one and intensive support options. An experienced team of advisers is ready to help business owners navigate their way to sustainability and growth.

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