West Sussex Registration Service – “Now We Are One”

WEST Sussex County Council’s five Register Offices, which are at Chichester, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Horsham, and Worthing, will operate as one from Thursday April 1.

This means births or deaths occurring in West Sussex can be registered at any of the offices and couples will be able to give notice of marriage and civil partnerships at the offices.

“This wasn’t possible in the past. We have now made the system much more flexible,” said Peter Evans, Cabinet Member responsible for the Registration Service.

However, anyone subject to immigration control will still need to give notice of marriage or civil partnership at Crawley Register Office, which also offers a Nationality Checking Service.

For any further information visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/registration, where you can schedule your own appointments and purchase copy certificates or by calling us on 01243 642122.

Flagship County Council schemes to go ahead

The Leader of West Sussex County Council says he is delighted that all of the planned School Safety Zones for the next year are to go ahead.

Henry Smith has taken steps to ensure that the ‘vital safety schemes’ are retained in the council’s programme of work for the coming year.

It had been feared that some School Safety Zones were to be deferred in order to free up funds for urgent road repairs, needed to address damage caused by the worst winter weather conditions for three decades.

However as a result of a funding package just announced, all of the planned School Safety Zones will now go ahead.

Henry said: “School Safety Zones are one of the council’s flagship schemes, having won ‘Pathfinder’ status from the Department for Transport to develop the new initiative some years ago.

“Whilst fixing the roads is our number one highways priority at the moment it is also important that we do all we can to protect these vital safety schemes. This funding package means we can do both.”

The County Council has announced it is to invest £15 million in permanent repairs of its roads. £5m is made up of existing road maintenance budgets and £1.3m has come from a government grant. A further £8.7m has come from delaying some Highway schemes and by using capital grants and funding more flexibly.

Derek Whittington, West Sussex Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “It’s important that we strike a balance between doing what is needed to repair our roads, while still keeping as many other projects as possible in our work programme.

“I am very pleased that so many children will be able to benefit from these excellent schemes which enhance the perception of safety and improve traffic conditions around schools.”

School Safety Zones include:

• An advisory 20mph speed limit at drop off and pick-up times.

• Flashing lights to warn drivers of the advisory limit, and that they are close to a school.

• New road lines and markings near the school gates.

Crawley Controlled Parking Zone to be extended

Parking restrictions in Crawley are to be extended into the Three Bridges area after concerns were raised about congestion and a lack of parking spaces.

A consultation was held last year into whether to extend the town’s Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) after concerns were expressed by residents and businesses.

The majority of people who responded supported the move, which is designed to ease congestion, improve safety and make it easier for residents and their visitors to park.

The CPZ will move into the area between the town centre and Three Bridges railway station on April 12.

Henry Smith, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “For many years, residents, visitors, shoppers, students, commuters and people who work in the town centre, as well as Three Bridges, have competed for the limited on-street parking space, which in turn has caused severe parking problems.

“The CPZ is designed to prevent all day on-street commuter parking, making it easier for shoppers, residents and their visitors to park. It will also improve road safety and remove obstructions to people’s driveways by eliminating indiscriminate parking.”

The scheme will be enforced and administered by Crawley Borough Council under the new Civil Parking Enforcement arrangements, which come into effect on the same day.

The scheme will operate using a combination of permit parking, pay and display, voucher parking and free limited waiting.

After its introduction, a two-week period will follow where warning notices will be issued to any vehicles parked illegally instead of penalty charge notices. This will allow residents, and others, to get used to the changes.

The impact of the new zone will be monitored and further measures proposed in other areas if needed.

Thousands of new street lights on their way to West Sussex

A multi million pound makeover of West Sussex street lights is about to get underway.

More than 68,000 street lights, illuminated signs and bollards are to be replaced or upgraded over the next five years as part of the biggest street light project in the country.

Old equipment over 15 years old will be replaced with modern, energy-saving lights, which will reduce carbon emissions by up to 25 per cent.

New technology will also allow the lights to be dimmed or turned off completely after midnight if the light is no longer required.

West Sussex County Council hopes the improved visibility the upgrade will bring will not only increase road safety but will also make the streets feel safer and reduce levels of crime.

Henry Smith, Leader of West Sussex County Council, said: “Many of our lights are old and in need of replacement and this contract gives us a great opportunity to not only do that but also to upgrade the lights with modern state-of-the-art equipment.”

The work is part of 25-year contract West Sussex County Council has signed in partnership with Hampshire County Council and Southampton City Council. The Private Finance Initiative is worth £225 million – the largest of its kind in the country.

Derek Whittington, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “Everyone will see benefits when the new lights are introduced, not only in terms of road safety but also in making our streets feel safer. Less light pollution and lower energy costs are some of the other plus points.”

Work is being carried out by Tay Valley Lighting Ltd, using its contractor Southern Electric Contracting.

Go green with Taste West Sussex

Find out how to go organic, have a green wedding and grow your own veg with the spring 2010 edition of Taste West Sussex – out now.

The magazine is for West Sussex foodies and promotes locally produced food and drink.

Articles in the current edition include:

• Crazy for cupcakes – read about the popular cupcake and find out how it’s had a revamp over the years.

• Green weddings – if you’re getting married go green this year – there’s ideas for food, gifts and flowers.

• Going organic – organic food has remained popular during the recession. Find out why and where to go organic in West Sussex.

• Luscious local lamb – it’s a sign that spring is here when Sussex-raised lamb appears in the shops. Find out about the different cuts available and try a recipe for shoulder of lamb.

• Walk this way – enjoy a walk and a pint in Steyning.

• The ancient game of skittles and where to play it in West Sussex pubs.

• Grow your own – how to brush up on your gardening skills, some top tips and local cookery courses.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Communications Brad Watson OBE said: “A new addition to this issue is reader’s recipes – where readers send us their favourite recipes using locally produced produce.

“Taste West Sussex has established itself as a well-known and well-respected publication working to promote our local food and drink producers.”

Readers can subscribe to Taste West Sussex and receive three issues delivered to their door for just £8.50. Subscribers also receive a free ‘bag of Taste’ environmentally friendly jute bag. They normally cost £2.95 each, or two for £5.

Subscribers also become a member of the Good Taste Club, receiving special discounts and competitions, and the ‘Tastemail’ – an electronic newsletter with foodie dates, competitions and recipes.

Taste West Sussex is available from a number of outlets including local food retailers. You can also read it online as an interactive e-publication with quick and easy links to other websites at www.westsussex.gov.uk/taste.

For further information contact 01243 777431, e-mail taste@westsussex.gov.uk or visit the website.

The next issue will be out in early June and will celebrate Sussex Day (June 16).

Advice shop praised by County Council

Crawley Advice Shop has been praised by West Sussex County Council Leader Henry Smith after a successful six months in business.

The Advice Shop opened in the County Mall, Crawley, in September 2009. It’s managed by Crawley Citizens Advice Bureau and supported by Crawley Borough Council.

County Council Leader Henry Smith said: “The service has helped more than 2,600 clients since opening. West Sussex County Council supported the scheme with £10,000 funding from our Keep West Sussex Working initiative, set up to help residents and businesses through the recession.

“The Advice Shop has gone from strength to strength and I would like to congratulate everyone involved.”

It brings together a one-stop shop with organisations including the Citizens Advice Bureau, Shelter, Crawley Borough Council, JobCentre Plus, Next Steps, West Sussex Credit Union, Central Sussex College, Crawley Council for Voluntary Services, Relate and Business Link.

All sorts of advice can be given including around skills and training, jobs, benefits and housing, finance and debts, volunteering and business.

The shop is open Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm and the first Saturday of the month.

For further information contact 01293 657100, e-mail julian.paszkiewicz@westsussexcab.org.uk or visit the website at www.crawleycab.co.uk

Broadfield Stadium leased to Crawley Town FC

Crawley Borough Council has agreed a deal to support the long-term future of Crawley Town Football Club.

The council has agreed to lease Broadfield Stadium to the club, enabling the club to manage its own pitch maintenance, cleaning and utilities, which will help ensure its sustainability.

Clubs and groups across the town are being encouraged to take more responsibility for their facilities and assets while working in partnership with the council.

The council is looking forward to working in partnership with the club to further develop the established Football in the Community Scheme, providing opportunities for people to get involved in local football as players, coaches, officials and supporters.

Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services,

said: “I’m keen to support the longer-term sustainability of the football club and have gained confidence that the new owners are managing the club in a professional way as well as their assurances to be a true community club.

“This is why we have committed to this lease agreement. I’m keen that organisations like Crawley Town FC take greater control and ownership of their resources.”

Bruce Winfield who negotiated the arrangement for the football club and is a major shareholder at Crawley Town FC, said: “We’re very pleased with this new agreement and how supportive the council has been in these negotiations.

“It shows following a rigorous process the new-found confidence that the council has in the new directors and management in place at Crawley Town FC.”

New Library opening hours to start in May

Opening hours for West Sussex Libraries are to change from May 10, after more than 10,000 people across the county responded to a three-week customer consultation. They were asked to comment on preferred patterns of opening, and were also invited to two-hour ‘surgeries’ held by senior managers in each of the county’s 36 libraries.

The new hours create a harmonised opening pattern across the county, and focus on times when people most want to use their Libraries. It means all are now open six days a week including lunch hours – some Libraries were previously open only on five days. The actual hours at each library vary in response to local factors, most importantly the preferences local people expressed during the consultation.

The changes in opening hours mean that money has been freed up to invest in libraries. Previous consultation has shown high demand for things like self service and drop off points. These service improvements will be introduced as soon as possible in the coming months following the changes to opening hours.

“We are confident that within the constraints of delivering an affordable service, the new opening hours are tailored to reflect customer choice,” said Brad Watson, County Council Cabinet Member who oversees Libraries. “Our customers value the fact that their preferences and views were considered. This was very evident at the surgeries.” A senior team carefully analysed the results of the consultation, and built many of these into the final decisions.

“These are tough economic times, but unlike in other parts of the country all of our Libraries have remained open,” continued Brad. “We are looking at all other aspects of the service, to see how we can become more efficient, and provide even better service to our customers.”

The new opening hours will be:

Chichester, Worthing, Crawley Horsham:

Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturdays 9am to 5pm.

Bognor Regis, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath:

Monday: 9.30am to 7pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9.30am to 6pm Friday, Saturday: 9.30am to 5pm

Burgess Hill:

Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm

Lancing:

Monday to Friday: 10am to 6pm

Saturday 10am to 4pm

Littlehampton and Shoreham:

Monday: 10am to 7pm

Tuesday to Thursday: 10am to 6pm

Friday: 10am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 4pm

Storrington:

Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 5.30pm

Saturday 10am to 4pm

Billingshurst, Broadfield, Durrington, Goring, Henfield, Midhurst, Rustington, Selsey, Southwick, Steyning, Willowhale:

Monday to Friday: 10am to 5pm

Saturday: 10am to 2pm

Angmering:

Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm

Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Arundel and Broadwater:

Monday to Wednesday: 1pm to 5pm

Thursday to Saturday: 9am to 1pm

East Preston:

Monday to Wednesday: 1pm to 5pm

Thursday to Saturday: 10am to 2pm

Ferring:

Monday to Thursday: 9am to 1pm

Friday: 1pm to 5pm

Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Findon Valley:

Monday to Wednesday: 1pm to 5pm

Thursday to Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint:

Monday to Wednesday: 9am to 1pm

Thursday and Friday: 1pm to 5pm

Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Petworth, Pulborough, Southwater, Witterings:

Monday to Wednesday: 1pm to 5pm

Thursday to Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Southbourne:

Monday to Friday: 1pm to 5pm

Saturday: 9am to 1pm

Parking changes on the way

Crawley Borough Council will take over the enforcement of parking regulations on the roads in Crawley and in the Town Hall and Orchard Street off-street car parks on April 12.

Civil Parking Enforcement (CPE) is the implementation of on and off-street parking restrictions by civil enforcement officers.

CPE enables the income from Penalty Charge Notices to be used to fund the enforcement operation and it moves infringements of parking regulations from criminal law to civil law.

The officers are employed by Crawley Borough Council in conjunction with West Sussex County Council and their role incorporates the work currently carried out by traffic wardens.

Civil enforcement officers will enforce:

• All the existing parking restrictions on the road which are

currently enforced by traffic wardens

• Parking regulations in the two multi-storey pay and display car

parks operated by Crawley Borough Council

• The resident permit schemes in Controlled Parking Zones.

There are no new parking restrictions being introduced directly as a result of CPE.

Councillor Keith Blake, Cabinet member for Environmental Services, said:

“The introduction of CPE in Crawley will enable existing parking restrictions to be enforced more effectively. It also brings benefits in terms of road safety and improved parking for residents and businesses.

“The vast majority of people, who park sensibly, will not notice any change, except for less congestion on the streets.”

Motorists who contravene parking regulations and restrictions will be issued with a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). This will set out details of the vehicle and contravention that has taken place, the amount that needs to be paid and the ways in which the penalty charge can be paid.

There are two levels of penalty charges depending on the seriousness of the offence. These are currently £70 for serious offences and £50 for less serious offences. These charges are reduced by 50 per cent if they are paid within 14 days. Charges will also increase by 50 per cent if they remain unpaid or uncontested after 28 days.

Ultimately unpaid debts may be recovered by bailiffs. Money from PCNs goes towards the costs of running the service. If there are any funds remaining after these costs have been met, the surplus is ringfenced by law to be spent on local transport projects.

For more information visit www.crawley.gov.uk/parking, call Parking Services at the Town Hall on 01293 438312 or 01293 438218 or email comments@crawley.gov.uk

Easter Soccer School

Crawley Borough Council is working with Crawley Sports Academy to provide a three-day soccer school at the 3G pitch in Broadfield.

The course, on the all-weather surface next to Broadfield Stadium, runs from April 7-9 and will provide three days of fun activity for young people aged six to 12 culminating in a day of fun games on Friday April 9.

The course runs from 9.30am-3.30pm and costs £36 for all three days or £14 per day.

For more information contact Simon Pearce on 01293 585350 or email simon.pearce@crawley.gov.uk

“You’re heroes,” radio station tells firefighters

SIX members of the West Sussex County Council Fire and Rescue Service’s Technical Rescue Unit (TRU) have scooped a Mercury FM Local Hero Award.

The radio station presents the awards in recognition of outstanding local individuals and organisations from across Sussex and Surrey.

The six members of the TRU received their award for the part they played in the UK’s 64-strong International Search and Rescue Mission in earthquake-hit Haiti. They spent 10 days in the capital, Port-au-Prince, after it was devastated.

The award was received at the Effingham Park Hotel, Copthorne, Crawley, by:

• Station Manager St John Stanley (who lives in Billingshurst).

• Crew Manager Chris Kemp (Horsham).

• Firefighters Peter Thorpe-Hinks (Steyning) Brian Vincent (Worthing), Rob Negus (Hove) and Mick Lewin (Billingshurst).

St John Stanley said: “We don’t really consider ourselves to be heroes. We were just doing our job to the best of our abilities. The real heroes were the Haitian people.”

Henry Smith, Leader, West Sussex County Council, said: “They carried out a difficult job in difficult conditions. It was a magnificent team effort and they are, indeed, true local heroes. Congratulations to them all.”