All the latest news from West Sussex County Council
Have you checked out our Budget 2020/21 animation?
An animation outlining the financial pressures West Sussex County Council is facing is now live on the county council website.
You can find it on the Budget 2020/21 web page, together with lots of information on the budget setting process for 2020/21 including the budget challenge we are facing, the national and local picture and the next steps for the county council.
Budget savings options are currently being developed and will go before the council’s four scrutiny committees this autumn and then to a formal meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday 26 November. All these meetings will be webcast live.
Keep checking the Budget 2020/21 web page for the latest information.
Time to apply for your child’s secondary school place
Families with children due to start secondary school in September 2020 can now apply for places online.
Applications will be open until 31 October 2019.
Parents should apply for their child’s secondary school place by the deadline. Applying after the deadline will seriously affect the chances of your child being offered one of your preferred schools.
The quickest and easiest way to get information and apply is online but those unable to apply online can request a form by calling 03330 142903.
The secondary school application online process is quick and simple, and an automatic email will acknowledge that the application has been received. Free use of computers with internet access is available in all West Sussex libraries.
West Sussex County Council staff are available to advise parents on the admissions process. Parents can telephone 03330 142903 or email the admissions team north or the admissions team south.
Confused about recycling? Mia is here to help
Mia recycles is a series of short videos to help West Sussex residents cut the confusion of recycling.
The videos follow Mia around the home as she educates her family on which items can and cannot be recycled in the bathroom, the kitchen and on a takeaway night. Mia will be ending the series by visiting the Ford Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) to show what happens to recycling once it has been collected.
The videos can now be watched from the @WSRecycles Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts with a new video added every Sunday until 6 October.
You can find the videos and information on recycling in West Sussex by visiting the Mia recycles webpage.
Helping communities improve their local places
We’re working with Parish and Town Councils and community groups across the county who are keen to get involved with highways initiatives that improve their local environment.
We’ve developed ‘Improving local places and the spaces we live in’ - this brings together in one place what communities can do, how the County Council can help and examples of what communities are already doing. The scheme will highlight opportunities available in three areas.
In Horsted Keynes, the Village Verges group plant verges with wild flowers. Their project has been so well received that they are now looking to extend to a second site in the village. This type of project also links very closely with the County Council’s Pollinator Action Plan.
Please contact us if you’d like to find out more about how your community could get involved.
Have your say on electric vehicle infrastructure in West Sussex
Last year we conducted a survey asking residents, businesses and commuters what would help them make the switch to electric vehicles.
It showed lack of public charging points as a significant factor discouraging the switch.
We’ve now produced a draft Electric Vehicle strategy taking into account those results and are consulting to seek additional views before it’s formally adopted.
If you require the survey in an alternative format, please contact the Sustainability team on 0330 222 6455 or via email at sustainability@westsussex.gov.uk.
If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have an NGT texting app installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone you can contact them on 18001 0330 222 6455.
Get prepared for an emergency
From flooding to fires, heatwaves to heavy snow, incidents at home or on the road, emergencies can happen at any time and often with little or no notice.
West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s (WSFRS) Resilience and Emergencies team are working to prepare you and your family for how to deal with an emergency.
Older residents are also being invited to ‘tea and tips’ events with some local fire stations. During 2018/19, WSFRS attended almost 150 house fires involving people aged 65 and over. For dates and locations visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/campaigns/home-fire-safety.
