You may switch your car or home insurance regularly, but do you check you’re getting the best value for money with your gas and electricity?

Residents across Sussex can now buy competitively-priced gas and electricity through Your Energy Sussex, the council energy partnership led by West Sussex County Council.

Your Energy Sussex is different to most energy suppliers because it’s operated by local councils who want residents to pay less for their gas and electricity. It’s also run on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis where profits are used to help local people who are struggling to pay their energy bills.

You can request posters and leaflets for display, on noticeboards and online, please email yourenergysussex@westsussex.gov.uk for more information. 

As part of the Forces Connect South East Project we would like to offer parish council staff such as Clerks and Community Wardens the opportunity to undertake a free one hour training session in Chichester in Committee Room 2, County Hall.

It explores the sorts of issues that members of the Armed Forces Community face in their daily life and the support that is available to them and why it is important to ask whether someone has served in the Armed Forces.

It will also provide you with the relevant information regarding the wide variety of organisations that can provide them with the most appropriate support and you will be able to:

• Identify members of the Armed Forces Community
• Identify the issues that concern them
• Signpost them to the most appropriate organisation for support and advice

There will be 3 sessions during the afternoon of 25th June 2018 at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm with a maximum of 30 people at each session.

If you would like to book a place on one of the sessions please email ArmedForces@westsussex.gov.uk stating your preferred timeslot.

Sunday 18 March was CSE Awareness Day, which gave us at West Sussex County Council another opportunity to run training, and raise awareness of CSE and how we all have a role to play in spotting the signs of sexual abuse.

At the end of last year we produced and distributed an A4 poster on how to spot the signs of CSE for town and parish councils to display in prominent community venues.

We think this is a critical communication and if you would like new or additional copies we would like to hear from you.

For additional posters please email your contact details to sam.boulton@westsussex.gov.uk

Since 2009, Armed Forces Day has been marked annually with events large and small throughout the UK. In support of this event, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is providing funding to help organisations and individuals in the UK host an Armed Forces Day event this summer.

Armed Forces Day is a chance for communities to show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community: from currently serving troops to Service families, veterans and cadets. There are many ways for people, communities and organisations across the country to show their support and get involved, from attending an event to throwing a party or hosting a local event.

For more information about Armed Forces Day and to apply for funding to hold an event please check out the Armed Forces Day website.

Applications for funding close on 30th April 2018.

From 1 April, household waste recycling sites (HWRS) in West Sussex will open for longer to cater for increased demand in the summer months.

The majority of sites will open at 9am, apart from Bognor, Crawley and Littlehampton which will open at 8.30am on weekdays.

Worthing, Westhampnett, Burgess Hill and Crawley will be open seven days a week.

All sites will stay open until 6pm.

In line with normal practice, the summer opening hours at all HWRS will take effect from 1 April and run through until 30 September 2018.

Further information on opening days and hours can be found at www.recycleforwestsussex.org.

Please can you promote this information through your communication channels.

In April and May West Sussex Fire and Rescue Authority will be seeking the views of the community on its statutory Integrated Risk Management Plan.

The plan is an analysis of the current and projected risk profile in the county and how West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, part of West Sussex County Council, is organised to support our local communities.

It outlines work on: 

• Prevention – educating the community on how to reduce risks.

• Protection – providing safer public spaces, fire safety inspections and enforcement.

• Response – sending fire appliances and firefighters to emergency incidents. 

• People – how do we make sure we have a highly trained, diverse workforce.

• Value for money – ensuring everything we do is as efficient as possible. 

• Partnership and collaboration – how we will work with other organisations.

The public consultation will run for six weeks in April and May at https://haveyoursay.westsussex.gov.uk/

More details and exact dates will be sent to all councils and promoted in the media shortly.

For more information please email yourfireservice@westsussex.gov.uk 

Given the significant challenges to reduce public spending, but recognising the aspiration of community groups to actively address flood risk issues themselves West Sussex County Council will make available Capital funding of £300k via Operation Watershed Active Communities Fund for the financial year 2018/19.

West Sussex County Council continues to encourage Parish and Town Councils and community groups to consider the fund if they have flood related projects.

The evolution of the Operation Watershed to capital funding requires some changes to the criteria applicants will need to meet to receive grant funding for their projects. Full details please go to www.westsussex.gov.uk/watershed

Contact your local County Councillor to discuss any potential project and officers will continue to work closely with communities as and when they come forward on individual applications.

Members support for their community groups applying for project funding continues to be a prerequisite for approval of applications.

Good luck with your applications!

A reminder to all Parishes, Town Councils and Communities that applications for Community Highway Improvements can be submitted via our online application form.

To be considered for selection for design/feasibility in the next financial year we need to have received your application by the end of August this year.

Successful applications last year are due to be taken forward for feasibility and design in our Annual Delivery programme next year.  Delivery of these schemes will be from 19/20 onwards, depending on complexity.

We get a wide range of schemes and these include footpath and cycle links, traffic calming, junction improvements and improved crossing facilities.

Scheme applications must be supported by your local member and will need to demonstrate community support. The application form asks for scheme details including scope, objectives and benefits. All Applications are assessed and prioritised by a moderation panel consisting of members from the Highways management team. 

If you need advice in relation to your application or want more information on the process, please contact your Area Highway Manager, Richard Speller on 0330 222 6394 who will be pleased to help.