Your Town and Parish Council News August 2021 - Digital Inclusion Survey and more

Welcome to your latest Town and Parish Council eNewsletter.

We have taken on board some of the suggestions and comments on content and structure you made in the survey we carried out earlier this year.

We will be adding more in the coming months.

Please let us know what you think, and any other suggestions you have by emailing townandparishcouncilnews@westsussex.gov.uk

Digital inclusion survey

We are running a survey to help progress our understanding of what is happening locally in relation to Digital Inclusion, Access and Safety.

We would like it to be completed by any West Sussex organisation, community or voluntary group, to give us an initial picture of what the digital support landscape looks like across our county.

The survey closes on Monday 6 September 2021 and can be completed on the link below. 

Plans to boost resilience to flooding

Please have your say on our new strategy to combat local flood risk across West Sussex.

We would also like you to share this public consultation with any flood action groups in your area, so they can also input their views on the new Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

This is a long-term plan on how to make communities more resilient to localised flooding primarily from surface water and groundwater sources.

The deadline to respond is Wednesday 30 September. 

Safe against scams

Due to the success of previous sessions, we are running more Safe Against Scams webinars.

Please share the information about these sessions with your residents so we can prevent as many people as possible from becoming a victim of fraud.

For residents who need support with accessing the webinars from their own devices, or for the opportunity to view the webinars on a library iPad at your local library  – call for support or register your interest by contacting the Remote Digital Support Service via 0330 222 3455.

To help raise awareness of these different types of scams, how to spot them, and what to do if you become a victim, the West Sussex Community Safety & Wellbeing Team alongside Trading Standards are running free monthly scams awareness webinars:

Tuesday 14 September 2021: 10:00 – 11:30am - Book here

Tuesday 12 October 2021: 10:00 – 11:30am - Book here

Thursday 4 November 2021: 10:00 – 11:30am - Book here

Fire service carrying out home visits again

Our West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has restarted free 'Safe and Well' visits in a face-to-face format, while still working in a Covid-19 safe manner.

These involve a pre-arranged visit to eligible householders to offer advice on how to make it safer and, where appropriate, fit smoke alarms or other specialist fire detection equipment free of charge.

Due to the pandemic, visits were carried out virtually for some time. However, the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions means the fire service can now resume visiting people in their homes.

Worryingly, the service is seeing a lower number of requests for visits in comparison to previous years. It is vital that eligible households take up the offer in order to keep our most vulnerable residents protected from fire.

Please help us share the message with local communities and reach those most at risk.

Have your say on plans to improve bus services

Please give us your opinion on how to improve bus services, and encourage your residents to do likewise.

A bus service improvement plan is being developed by the council together with bus companies and other partners to explore ways to help sustain and improve bus travel in West Sussex.

The initiative is in line with the Government’s new National Bus Strategy - Bus Back Better - which has pledged £3billion in funding across the country (outside London) to help deliver these plans.

To complete the survey click on the link below. Alternatively call 01243 642105 or visit your local library to request a paper copy. The closing date for the survey is Tuesday 14 September 2021.

Help us to shape the future of transport in West Sussex

Don't forget to have your say on the future shape of transport in West Sussex - and please encourage your residents to do the same.

The West Sussex Transport Plan (WSTP) is being reviewed to set out the county council’s approach to managing and investing in the transport network from 2022 to 2036.

We are hosting a second webinar to introduce the Draft Plan and officers will be available to respond to questions. This will take place on 8 September, 2pm to 3.30pm, via Microsoft Teams. If you would like to attend, please email ltp@westsussex.gov.uk.

Anyone without internet access, or wanting more information about the consultation, can phone 01243 642105, leaving their name, telephone number/email address and interest (for example, whether they are a resident, business owner, transport operator and so on) or email ltp@westsussex.gov.uk.

The consultation runs until Friday 08 October 2021. Take part here.

Rampion 2's wind farm expansion

Please give your views on proposals for the expansion of the Rampion Offshore Wind Farm.

An ‘Area of Search’ eight miles off the Sussex coast has been assessed for a maximum of up to 116 turbines, the same number as the existing Rampion Wind Farm but using the latest turbine technology, so that the Rampion 2 Wind Farm could create up to three times the amount of power. 

An underground cable route is proposed to carry the power under Climping Beach to Bolney Substation in Twineham, to connect to the National Grid via a new substation required close by.

We have summarised the project on our website and you can take part in Rampion 2’s public consultation, which is open until Thursday 16 September, via the link below.