Air Alert

The summer is definitely here and although the sun puts a smile on most people’s faces the warm weather can affect air quality and agitate lung problems.

Crawley Borough Council is a member of Sussex Air and urges people with asthma or other lung problems to register with the Air Alert scheme.

The free service will send a voice or text message to your phone the day before high air pollution is predicted in the area. Alternatively you can opt for emails.

Karl Bock, Environmental services Group Manager, said: “Being forewarned can help people take extra steps to manage their health and it’s particularly important for people who suffer with more serious asthma or lung issues.”

To register for Air Alert messages, visit the website at www.airalert.info

For more general information about air quality and pollution in Crawley visit www.crawley.gov.uk/environmentalhealth

New Direction For West Sussex Youth Services Takes Shape

A new-look for West Sussex County Council’s Youth Services is beginning to take shape following a consultation with young people, staff, partners and residents.

At its heart would be a combination of targeted youth services for those young people at risk and improved specialist services to help very vulnerable young people, as well as working closely with the community and voluntary sector to make sure young people have access to a wide range of positive activities.

The proposals would mean a more Integrated Youth Support Service by joining up the service with the Youth Offending Service and the Connexions Service.

Earlier this year, the County Council said it would also focus on work with and support for vulnerable young people such as young offenders, Looked After Children, teenage parents, young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and young people with drug or alcohol problems.

A report now says this approach should play a leading role, and the teams would have the flexibility to respond to targeted groups and areas of need. They will also work closely with local community partnerships when there is a specific need.

The review is designed to make a £2 million reduction in the Youth Services budget between now and 2011/2012 – money that would be re-invested into areas under growing budget pressure such as caring for growing numbers of Looked After Children.

Another key aim is to work more closely with community and voluntary organisations, and encourage others to come forward and provide the support they need to develop youth provision.

Schools and colleges will be an important access point for services.

A section of the report called ‘Vision’ puts it like this:

“A wide range of providers of high quality youth services working in partnership with each other and with young people, parents and carers, and their communities to improve their well-being.”

The report says that much greater involvement by young people in all aspects of the new-look service is also a priority. They should increasingly lead, design and evaluate services.

The County Council’s Children and Young People’s Select Committee will discuss the report at its meeting at 10.30 am on Wednesday, July 14 at County Hall, Chichester, which will also be webcast on the council website www.westsussex.gov.uk

Final decisions will be taken at the end of July by Pete Bradbury, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families.

Areas of need identified for new youth teams have been identified as – Littlehampton, Lancing, Worthing, Bognor Regis, Shoreham, Durrington and the south-west and north-west areas of Crawley.

Factors behind this include a range of statistics such as youth crime, teenage pregnancy and the number of NEETs.

Areas where resources could be reduced are – Hassocks, Billingshurst, Midhurst, Westergate, Selsey, Southbourne and the south-east and north- east sectors of Crawley.

The report says there will be fewer staff and resources as a result of the proposed changes.

But it says that the County Council will work closely with local communities and other partners to explore alternative options to closure for the following centres and projects listed as being at potential risk -

Crawley – Either the Oriel or Ifield youth wing

Horsham – Weald and Holbrook

Mid Sussex – Cuckfield and the Beacon Centre at Hassocks

Worthing – Either the Sydney Walter Centre or The Place

Arun – Yapton, Rustington/Ferring

Chichester – Witterings

Other proposals include phased reductions in revenue and staffing costs to some voluntary organisations supported by the Youth Service –

Crawley Youth Centre

Cobnor Outdoor Centre near Chichester

Konnect Project, Bognor Regis

Chichester Boys Club

Lodge Hill, near Pulborough

The Rural Mobile Trust

The report says there will be a formal staff consultation after final decisions have been taken about the future shape of the service.

Pete Bradbury said: “Everyone knows there is enormous pressure on the County Council to save money, and find new ways of working. This review has shown that there are potentially very exciting new ways of providing youth services that will benefit young people in West Sussex who are most at risk and need the greatest support.

“We are also very keen to promote localism and the Big Society. Where we cannot provide we can help play a key role in enabling local communities to help themselves.

“That is why the report says these centres are at risk and not that they will close because if viable alternatives come forward the County Council is willing to help with premises and advice.

“The primary purpose of the review is not selling off assets, and we will look at any viable alternatives that can reduce the cost to the council taxpayer.”

Crawley Council to honour four war heroes

St John’s Church, High Street, Crawley

Today @ 2.45pm

Crawley Borough Council will have the names of four war heroes from the town etched into a war memorial following requests from the men’s families.

Private John Brackpool, Royal Marine Scott Summers, Gunner Jack Mills and Gunner Leonard Elliott will all have their names added to the war memorial at St John’s Church in the High Street on July 9 – which would have been Pte Brackpool’s 29th birthday.

Pte Brackpool, 27, died while on duty in July last year with the Prince of Wales’ Company, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

John’s mother Carol asked the council if it could commemorate her son’s life. The council instructed a stonemason to etch Pte Brackpool’s details into the memorial and asked the media to help find any other Crawley residents who had died in conflict and were not commemorated locally.

This resulted in family members of the other three men coming forward. All four names will be added to the war memorial, which is being cleaned next week in preparation for the stonemason to etch the names.

Marine Summers of 42 Commando was killed in Afghanistan in 2007. His mother came forward and asked if his name could be added.

Gunner Jack Mills’ nephew told the council that his uncle died in March 1942 and is buried in Ambon War Cemetery in Indonesia.

Gunner Leonard Elliott died in January 1944. He is buried in Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily. His sister told us that Leonard was from Crawley and is not remembered on the war memorial.

The memorial currently has names of those members of the armed forces from Crawley who died in the First and Second World Wars. The remaining two sides are empty.

Depending on the weather, all four names will be added to the war memorial on July 9. The unveiling will be followed by a reception for families, friends and representatives from the four soldiers’ regiments at St John’s Church Hall.

Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council, said: “Mrs Brackpool approached us with this idea of remembering her son. We are pleased to be able to help with this by adding his name to the war memorial on what would have been his 29th birthday.”

Mrs Brackpool said: “John was a Crawley lad through and through and proud to be so. Honouring my son this way is something he would have been proud of just like we are very proud of him. I think it is very important that we honour and remember all our heroes who have died serving their country.”

Carol Summers, Scott’s mother, said: “I am and always will be proud of Scott, whose passion was to be a Royal Marine. To be recognised and honoured by his local community would have made him so proud, just as we remember those who have died serving their country. We should continue to support those still serving and whose lives have been effected by their injuries.”