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Issue 15 | May 2020
Letter from Government to all Town and Parish Councils
Robert Jenrick MP (Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government), has written a letter to all Town and Parish Council staff for all their work during the pandemic.
You can read the letter here - please share it far and wide with your colleagues.
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New leaflet promoting our coronavirus the Community Hub on its way
Our Community Hub has been up and running since the end of March, providing support to vulnerable individuals across the county.
To ensure maximum awareness of the Hub, over the next few weeks residents in Chichester, Horsham, Adur & Worthing and Arun will receive a leaflet through their letterbox, via Royal Mail, alerting them to the help and support available through the Hub.
The leaflet gives all the information required for people who need support during the coronavirus pandemic or for individuals worried about someone in their community.
Crawley and Mid Sussex have made their own arrangements to deliver this important information to their residents.
Since the start of the outbreak, our community hub has been promoted in the media (TV & radio), online, social media and in our regular residents’ eNewsletters. Colleagues in our districts and boroughs have also been actively promoting the support available.
Staff at the hub are fully briefed on the wide variety of support available across the county and are triaging all enquiries they receive to achieve the best outcome for our residents most in need.
If you would like a PDF copy of the leaflet, please contact us and share the leaflet as appropriate.
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County Council’s response to COVID-19 discussed
Cabinet met virtually last week to receive a formal update on our response to COVID-19 and the impact it is having on the county council’s financial position.
They heard that following the Government’s official lock-down, the council, in partnership with district and borough councils, launched Community Hubs across the county to make sure those people who are vulnerable, or have been made vulnerable by COVID-19, get the support, supplies and help they need.
Social care staff across the council have been working in hospitals and people’s homes supporting residents with social care and health needs.
The Cabinet also heard an update on the financial position of the council and the affect that COVID-19 is having on that.
You can listen back to a recording of the Cabinet discussion, where the agenda item starts at 2 hours and 14 minutes. . Our press release is available to read here.
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Help the Record Office document these unprecedented times
The West Sussex Record Office is appealing for help in documenting the pandemic.
They are asking residents to give their unique perspective by keeping a diary (on paper or video), recording their experiences of their time in self-isolation. They would also like help collecting any other material that people might come across.
The diaries and papers will be kept alongside other pandemic related records and will be accessible to the public for research in the future.
Please can you promote the project in your areas, inviting residents to take part.
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Support available for local businesses
We are working hard, alongside our partners, to ensure businesses know where to access support, help and advice during this unprecedented and worrying time.
The Business West Sussex website is regularly being updated to reflect the latest guidance and advice.
Also, a support finder tool for businesses and the self-employed has been provided by Government to help inform people of the financial support available.
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West Sussex Library Services still available online
Although library buildings remain closed, there are still lots of services residents can access, whilst at home.
The current online library offer has been increased, so not only can library users borrow eBooks, eMagazines and eNewspapers, they can also watch videos of book recommendations or join in with a video sing-a-long, research their family history or get digital support to help with any issues accessing the eLibrary.
Anybody who isn’t a library member can sign up for free, so feel free to promote the updated library offer to residents in your local area.
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Window for community funding extended
Our Community Initiative Funding (CIF) window has been extended to support groups carrying out Coronavirus-related community work. We need your help to encourage groups, who may be under financial pressure or delivering COVID-19-specific projects, in search of funding to come forward and apply.
CIF’s relaxed eligibility criteria is now accommodating of:
- Urgent funding bids for consideration outside of County Local Committees;
- Running costs as well as tangible projects.
In addition, our crowdfunding partner, Spacehive, is waiving its fee for all projects created on West Sussex Crowd during the crisis. To request physical copies of this funding round’s poster for display, please email.
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Our latest communication campaigns
Take a look at three of our latest communication campaigns:
Feel free to share these links, and the information contained within, to help keep your residents updated and informed.
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Have your say on local issues that affect you
Have your say on matters that affect you and your local communities - and get your residents to do the same - by visiting our Have Your Say Consultation Hub. From major road schemes and Joint Area Action Plans, to premises licence applications and safeguarding in our schools; we want to hear your residents' views to help shape future policy and decisions.
Our current consultations are:
Go to the Have Your Say Consultation Hub for details of all of our current consultations.
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Your Voice: The People's Panel
Alternatively, encourage your residents to join Your Voice: The People's Panel where they'll be regularly consulted about a number of important local issues. Once registered they'll receive links to surveys, reports and outcomes and occasionally links to other public surveys.
Find out more information and subscribe here.
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Follow us on social media
for all the latest news and updates to help keep our communities informed and safe during this time, visit us on Facebook and Twitter.
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