Welcome to the April 2024 edition of our Residents’ eNewsletter, featuring the latest news and updates from your county council.

Take a look at 'Our Council Plan'

The county council’s updated plan for delivering services to communities across West Sussex is now published on our website.

Our Council Plan maintains a focus on four priorities, all of which are underpinned by a cross-cutting theme of protecting the environment.

This year’s plan was agreed at a meeting of Full Council in February and is based on your feedback during a public consultation. 

View Our Council Plan

Get help to stay away from scammers

Our Digital Safety Team’s free online and in-person ‘Are you scam savvy?’ sessions are back by popular demand to help residents stay safe against online scams.

The sessions are available to anyone who wants to keep themselves from falling victim to different types of scams, including telephone, courier and romance fraud, which are all a concern in West Sussex. 

The dates available for the online only sessions are:

Wednesday 22 May: 1pm to 2.30pm

Friday 5 July: 11am to 12.30pm

In-person sessions are also taking place in two West Sussex libraries:

Monday 20 May at Bognor Library: 10am to 11.30am

Monday 17 June at Shoreham Library: 10am to 11.30am

If you can’t attend the library events in person, there is also the opportunity to view these online.

Booking is essential to attend any of the sessions.

Advice on staying safe online

Have your say on these important local issues

Tackling drug use

We are committed to reducing drug (and alcohol) related harm in our communities.

To be able to do this, we need to understand the drivers and what makes people vulnerable to drug use.

We can then develop actions with our partners that have a real impact in reducing the harm it causes.

To help us understand this topic on a local level, we are asking all residents to give us their views and experiences on issues related to drug use in their community.

The survey is completely anonymous, takes between five and 10 minutes to complete, and closes at midnight on Sunday 26 May 2024.

Improving home care services

We want your views to help us improve our Community Reablement and Hospital Discharge (Home First) Care Services for years to come.

Both services are designed to help people regain their skills, confidence and independence, to remain safely in their home or usual place of residence following a period of illness, a fall or hospital admission.

We are keen to hear from people who are considering using these services, or who feel they may need to use them in the future.

We have created a short survey for you to share your views on what you would consider important from those services, should you require them yourself.

There is also a separate customer survey, specifically for existing users and people who have previously used the service.

Closing date for both surveys is midnight on Thursday 2 May 2024.

Launch of 'cutting edge' project

We're bringing our innovative 'Greenprint' project to highway verges in Aldwick, Bersted, Horsham and Pagham this growing season, to explore the benefits of managing them in a different way.

Instead of leaving grass cuttings on the ground, we’re collecting them and investigating recycling them into something useful, such as biofuels and road surfacing materials.

Collecting the grass cuttings should also slow down grass growth and encourage a wider variety of plant life and pollinators, boosting local biodiversity.

The project has been funded by the Department for Transport through the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport’s (ADEPT’s) Live Labs 2 innovation programme.

ADEPT Live Labs 2: Decarbonising Local Roads in the UK is a three-year, UK-wide £30 million programme that aims to decarbonise the local highway network.

Find out more on the link below or watch our short video on Greenprint.

A greener way for grass cuttings

Due a jab? Get the job done!

Covid-19 boosters

Spring covid-19 booster vaccinations are being offered to those most at risk including:

• Adults aged 75 years and over
• Residents in a care home for older adults
• Those aged six months and over with a weakened immune system.

Bookings for the booster are now open and appointments will start from 22 April.  You don’t need to wait to be invited.

Use the NHS App or go online to book an appointment. 

The vaccination will be available through a mixture of walk-in and booked appointments at pharmacies and GP practices.

MMR vaccine reminder

There has been an increase in measles across the country and people are being encouraged to check that they and their children have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.

The free vaccine is a safe and effective way of protecting against measles, as well as mumps and rubella.

It's important for parents to take up the offer of MMR vaccination for their children when offered at one year of age, and as a pre-school booster at three years, four months of age. If children and young adults have missed these vaccinations in the past, it’s important to take up the vaccine now from GPs.

Check your child’s Red Book to see if they’ve received MMR vaccinations or check with your GP surgery if unsure. Most healthy adults will have developed some immunity to measles but can still receive two doses of the vaccine from their GP too.

Improving services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

West Sussex County Council and NHS Sussex are responsible for delivering, planning, and commissioning services for children and young people with SEND.

Following the Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspection, which gave West Sussex Local Area Partnership the middle rating for delivery, planning and commissioning of SEND services, a detailed improvement plan is being implemented to make improvements to ensure all young people with SEND receive the right help and support so that they enjoy positive experiences and outcomes.

Read the full report

Head to our Newsroom to find all the latest news:

• Our West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has launched its Ashes to Art charity auction in aid of The Fire Fighters Charity. A total of 26 local artists have transformed decommissioned fire helmets into one-of-a-kind pieces of art. You can bid on your favourite online until 30 April.

• Two new initiatives are underway to further improve bus travel in West Sussex.More than 400 Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) digital displays are being installed countywide in a £3.3million programme and traffic lights are also being upgraded at 24 junctions to give buses priority in a £1.4million scheme.
  
  

• We are reinforcing our ongoing support for people who care for family members, friends, and neighbours with a new five-year contract for Carers Support West Sussex, a local charity with expertise and specialist knowledge in supporting unpaid carers.

• Our firefighters are set to carry out their biggest training exercise in several years at a prominent Chichester landmark. On Monday 20 May a significant amount of smoke will be seen coming from Chichester Cathedral as fire crews simulate a major fire, as well as the rescue of a young person trapped inside.

• A total of 92.4% of children will be offered their first preference primary schoolwhen they start this September, which is up on last year’s figure of 91%.

• Spring is a great time to be outside, but don’t forget to #BeTickAware. Read this blog for more information on protecting yourself from tick borne infections like Lyme Disease, what to do if you are bitten by a tick and how to safely remove it.

Discover some of the beautiful gardens in West Sussex now that springtime is here. Immerse yourself in nature and breathe in the scent of spring flowers by visiting some of the local gardens highlighted by Experience West Sussex.

Do you know someone who needs help with a computer, smartphone or tablet?

Our Library Digital Volunteers can provide 50 minutes of free support with basic digital enquiries, such as using the internet, setting up an email, shopping and staying safe online.

You can find out what a Digital Volunteer session is like in this video.

This is an appointment only service. To find out more or to book an appointment, please contact your local library or Library Digital Support on 0330 222 3455 or email library.digital.support@westsussex.gov.uk.

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Reminder: We have more than 40 eNewsletters on a wide variety of topics including Envrionment & Climate Change, Walking & Cycling, Highways & Transport, Recycling, Weather Alerts and Staying Safe Online. View all topics here.