January 10, 2025

 

Welcome to our first blog of 2025 - we hope you enjoyed the festive break and have some happy, enduring memories to look back upon. Please take care in the cold weather and look out for the elderly, very young and people with medical conditions..

Just before Christmas the Government published its White Paper on English devolution, which follows a consultation last summer. Gareth found this helpful explanation about how regional strategy will be devolved to areas of 1.5 million people. A condition is they replace County and District councils with Unitary ones normally representing 500,000 people: existing smaller ones, like Brighton & Hove with 280,000 people, might have to enlarge. 

You may have read that Donna, who leads the Green and Independent Group at WSCC, spoke at the decisive Cabinet meeting which agreed to jointly express interest with East Sussex and Brighton & Hove to be part of the Government’s priority programme. Together they have a combined population of over 1.7 million and, if successful, a mayoralty overseeing some public services and regional strategy could begin in 2026 and, probably three, new Unitaries in 2027: East Sussex has 600,000 residents so could form one, part of our County could join with Brighton & Hove to form a second and the rest of us make a third.

As the political leaders of CDC, Adrian Moss and I have agreed a letter to the Secretary of State supporting the principle, but expressing concern about whether there will be sufficient local consultation. 

This possibility was discussed on Wednesday at STC's Full Council meeting which followed its Planning Committee. There was concern about how smaller parishes will be ‘heard’ if the Unitaries are too big. We also set STC’s 2025 budget making provision to begin to do something about Selsey’s ageing Christmas lights, agreed some changes to Meetings and considered several requests to hire our land and give a grant.

Earlier that day, Donna has WSCC’s Health and Social Care Committee while on Monday she and Val had CDC’s Development, Planning and Infrastructure Panel. This coming week they have CDC’s Planning Committee on Wednesday, while on Thursday Ian, Donna and I are trialling a Liaison Meeting with STC’s Senior Officers online -  I will link in from school when the pupils have gone home.

The Chichester Farmers’ Market returns to the city centre this coming Friday, January 17, between 9am and 2pm. Traditional traders will be joined by representatives such as Nuffield Health, Fitjoy, Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester, as well as CDC’s Social Prescribers, Wellbeing team and Supporting You team, to offer information and advice on health, wellbeing and finances.

CDC is also launching two new ‘Let’s Talk’ consultations, on play parks and housing. 

WSCC is to offer free Bikeability training to Year 6 pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Bikeability, the government recognised syllabus for cycle training, ensures participants can make independent and safe cycle journeys, providing a foundation to a lifetime of active travel. WSCC’s Road Safety Team trains over 7,000 pupils annually but participation rates have dropped in recent years with cost bring a significant factor.

Finally: - 

• Report potholes

• Warmer Homes

• Supporting You

• WSCC Meetings

• CDC Meetings

• STC Meetings

As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.

Tim