All the latest news from West Sussex County Council
Being clear on our budget challenge 2020/21
Find out more about the county council’s budget setting process and the proposed savings options in a new animation.
Live now on the WSCC website, there is also information on the budget setting process, next steps and the national and local context for West Sussex.
West Sussex County Council, like many other local authorities across the country, continues to face unprecedented financial pressures mainly due to increasing demand on social care services, significant reduction in government funding, and uncertainty around future funding.
The county council has made almost £240m of savings since 2010 and in the same period our funding has been cut by more than £155m by Government. But we still have a gross budget gap of more than £127m (before any council tax increase) to close over the next four years.
The budget 2020/21 web pages will be regularly updated, so please keep checking back.
New Chief Fire Officer
Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton is to join West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service as its new Chief Fire Officer.
Dr Cohen-Hatton joins the service with 18 years of fire service experience - most recently as Interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.
She is a chartered psychologist and her pioneering research into critical decision-making has received international recognition.
She said: "It is an honour and privilege to be given this opportunity to lead the fire and rescue service in West Sussex.
“I have witnessed the human and economic impact of the emergencies we attend. We are privileged to be trusted to help when these events happen, and also trusted to prevent them from happening at all.”
With the school summer holidays upon us, keeping the whole family entertained can be a challenge.
That’s why we’ve launched our #SummetimeSussex campaign that promotes the fantastic range of family friendly activities on offer in West Sussex. Look out for top tips and inspiration on West Sussex County Council’s social media channels.
For a chance to win one of three fantastic prizes at local attractions, visit our Facebook page from Monday 5 August and enter our photo competition.
Looking for ideas? We asked local schoolchildren what they love doing in the summer holidays in West Sussex – watch the video. You’ll see it’s the simple things they enjoy the most!
The website www.experiencewestsussex.com is also packed full of ideas to keep residents entertained during the summer holidays.
Think Before You Throw
Recycle more and #ThinkBeforeYouThrow
We’ve just launched a brand new version of our Think Before You Throw video which shows the massive amount of recycling which West Sussex is missing out on.
The West Sussex Waste Partnership recently carried out a study which showed that 22,000 tonnes a year, or just over 14 per cent of the general rubbish collected from homes in the county, could have been recycled.
The study found the common items that could have been recycled but were being missed were:
Plastic pots, tubs, and trays (including black plastic)
Card (corrugated and non-corrugated)
Newspapers, magazines and other recyclable paper
Glass bottles and jars
Please watch the video to find out more about the campaign and what you can and can’t recycle in West Sussex at www.thinkbeforeyouthrow.co.uk.
Stay safe when driving for work
Last year there were 680 collisions on West Sussex’s roads involving people driving for work purposes.
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is calling on those who drive for work, managers and business owners to help reduce risk on the road.
Advice includes:
Regular servicing of vehicles and checks before setting off
Avoid distractions whilst driving
Eating while driving diverts concentration it’s safer to pull over and eat
Never use your phone while driving
Accidents while reversing are very common; when possible ask someone to see you back.
Of the 680 road traffic collisions in West Sussex last year which involved people driving for work, devastatingly nine people died and 137 people were left with serious, life changing injuries.
Places are now open for parents and professionals to book on the Autism and Social Communication Team’s ‘Making Sense of Sensory Processing Differences’ conference, taking place at the University of Sussex on 18 September.
Researchers and adults with autism will offer insight into the sensory world of autistic individuals and other sensory differences.
The conference runs from 9:30am to 3:15pm. Book your place here, or for more information, contact Helen Cottell (tel: 0330 2228525).
