A new School Effectiveness Strategy is currently being developed which will outline how the County Council will work with education providers over the next four years to ensure that all West Sussex children and young people really do get the best start in life. It will replace the current Strategy for School Improvement 2016-2019.

The new School Effectiveness Strategy will underpin the aims in the West Sussex Plan 2017-2022  to meet the County Council's vision of “Improving educational outcomes in West Sussex by championing all our children and young people”.    

The County Council wants to listen to everyone that is involved in education provision across West Sussex. To create strong partnership working, the views of all stakeholders are being sought in this consultation on a Draft Strategy.  Schools, educational settings, academy trusts, the Dioceses, other organisations, parent, carers, children and young people are invited to comment.

We would like to invite your comments on the Draft School Effectiveness Strategy to help ensure that the County Council is taking the right steps to improve educational outcomes in West Sussex.

Click here to participate and provide your feedback.

This consultation will remain open until Friday 15 June 2018.

We need your help to gain residents’ views about food standards and food hygiene concerning West Sussex businesses via an online questionnaire.

Do you think that West Sussex food businesses should have to display their food hygiene ratings?

Is there a level of rating that would affect your decision not to buy food from a business?

The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme helps you choose where to eat out or shop for food by giving you clear information about a business’s hygiene standards. 

The scheme gives businesses a rating from 5 (very good) to 0 (urgent improvement necessary).

With the right support and encouragement, we believe that we can help our lower scoring food businesses make the necessary changes to improve their food hygiene ratings.   

Please promote the questionnaire in communications with your residents.

If you have concerns about a West Sussex business’s food standards and hygiene, email Trading Standards at trading.standards@westsussex.gov.uk or call 01243 642124. 

The installation of 51 transparent seated military figures in Penshurst Church over Remembrance 2016 lit a touch paper in the psyche of all who saw it.

Given that widespread resonance, There But Not There aims to place a representative figure for as many as possible of the names on local war memorials, around the country, into their place of worship, their school, their workplace or wherever their absence was keenly felt. These transparent silhouettes will be back within their communities for Remembrance 2018, the centenary commemoration of the end of the 1914-1918 First World War.

There But Not There will be the defining centenary commemoration of the end of the 1914-1918 war, installed where the men and women came from across the country, back in the communities they left behind.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust will be opening a programme in the summer making very small grants to communities who want to engage in this activity but where there are financial barriers to them doing so.

Grants of up to £500 will be available for communities to purchase a small number of silhouettes that can be placed in places of worship and community spaces. As part of their project communities will need to hold an event to bring people together to remember; and to think about the Armed Forces Community today.

For more information about the funding please click here.

The West Sussex Crowd is the new crowdfunding initiative for West Sussex and was the subject of an article in the previous newsletter. The site is live www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk, the launch event was well attended, and community groups have attended community workshops across the county to find out more about how to progress their project ideas.

Don’t forget that if groups want to attract a pledge from the Community Initiative Fund (CIF) at the summer round of County Local Committee meetings, they need to have uploaded their project ideas and made a pitch to the fund by 4th June 2018. Click here for more information on how CIF works now that the West Sussex Crowd is live.

Volunteers play a crucial role for West Sussex County Council, giving their time generously and making a difference to a wide range of county council services.
 
As part of Volunteers’ Week 2018 (June 1-7), special events are running to thank those who volunteer in West Sussex libraries for their contribution.
 
Tea parties will be held throughout the week and each volunteer is being presented with a certificate of thanks.
 
One volunteer, Ken Porter, a Computer Buddy at Bognor Regis Library explains what his role involves: “I help people with everything from turning a computer on, to desktop publishing, ancestry, use of email and internet searches.
 
“It’s important to treat every person coming for help as a customer and to listen to their challenges.
 
“It’s great to open the eyes of many users to the power of the internet and I thoroughly enjoy my role as a volunteer.”
 
Debbie Kennard, Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities, said: “I would like to say a big thank you to all our volunteers.
 
“We are incredibly grateful for the contribution they make and I am so pleased to see their work is being recognised as part of Volunteers’ Week.”
 
For those interested in volunteering at West Sussex County Council, there will be an opportunity to meet community volunteers and representatives from the county council at a stand at this year’s South of England Show (June 7 – 9). This will be located on Turners Hill Avenue and can be recognised by West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service branding.
 
If you would like more information about becoming a volunteer click here.