Well here we are heading now into Autumn but as I write these notes I have to admit the weather has been great for holidays, not something you can always say about August but no complaints in 2025.
First of all our Children’s homes. 3 have recently had OFSTED in and I am pleased to say that 2 Bright Star, specifically for children with learning difficulties, and Blue Cove, specifically for short term emergency care, have both been judged good with special praise for the staff and High Trees in Crawley has been rated Outstanding and again praise for the way the staff handle the residents there. I think this deserves a Gold Star. They really do a wonderful job for young people who haven’t always had the best start in life.
There is a new high risk National Flood Strategy and if you think it would be useful to you the best thing to do is access it on the West Sussex County Council site. Perhaps we don’t have many large rivers etc in our particular area but it has to be remembered that a few years ago Loxwood was the most flooded village in West Sussex, mainly because the Lox had been blocked in different ways and it caused a lot of damage and heartache.
I’ve mentioned UK Harvest before. It does a great job collecting food from stores
that does not have much of shelf life left and then distributing it at some centres across the County at a very minimal charge. Please look on their website. For a standard price you can literally fill your bag. Probably the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre in Petworth is the closest for most of the residents in my division. Check it out. Not only do you get a bag of very cheap food it saves it going to waste and is very good value.
The South Downs National Park is in the middle of producing an updated Local Plan and is looking for sites for Gypsies and Travellers. Please take a look and if you have any suggestions they would be happy to check out sites suitability. It’s another go to the web site I’m afraid.
I don’t know how many will have heard of the ‘Big Sleep Out’. I have done this myself and it’s great fun and if you can build your own little property with cardboard that’s always good to see. We sleep out the night on the greens around Chichester Cathedral and the funds raised go towards the homeless in Chichester District mainly run through Stonepillow. A good cause that needs support.
Nothing much to update at the moment on the devolution and local Government reorganisation but we believe that latish in September we may hear more from the Government. I do hope so because, as yet, although we know the Mayoral election will be in May 2026 we still don’t know if there will be County elections or not at the same time. Of course we won’t know who the Mayor will be until after the elections but that part of the devolution is set, it’s the LGR (Local Government reorganisation) and setting up of the Unitaries that is still up in the air. Hopefully all will become clearer September/October time.
As ever if you need to contact me it’s janet.duncton@westsussex.gov.uk and mobile 07979152898.
Janet Duncton,
County Councillor Petworth division,
WSCC representative on South Downs National Park