Local Committee to hear Fire and Rescue Service improvement plans

THE draft improvement plan drawn up by West Sussex County Council Fire and Rescue Service will be the headline item at the next public meeting of West Crawley County Local Committee.

The meeting, which is being held in the Longley Exhibition Room, Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, on Thursday July 15, between 7pm-9pm, will hear a presentation from Max Hood, County Fire Officer.

The draft plan is designed to update the Fire and Rescue Service and ensure it has the right resources in place to make sure West Sussex is a safer place in the 21st century.

It proposes:

• Changes to some fire stations, personnel, and appliances.

• Significant investment in training and facilities for firefighters.

• Faster response in parts of the county pinpointed by sophisticated ‘risk mapping’.

• Strengthening the Service’s wide-ranging work in the community to prevent fires in the first place.

• Making efficiency savings while protecting essential frontline services.

One of the proposed changes is the removal of the second fire engine from Horley Fire Station. The Fire and Rescue Service say this will improve the balance of its emergency cover, as well as free up resources to invest in training and fire prevention work, so improving the safety of firefighters and the public.

Alan Quirk, Committee Chairman, said: “No decisions have been made at this stage and the County Council will be consulting throughout the summer about the draft plan.

“This is an opportunity for people to discuss with the County Fire Officer the draft plan and take an active part in the consultation. It is an opportunity to make sure their views are known to the decision makers at County Hall.”

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, from Monday July 19 to Friday October 8.

The agenda will also include a ‘talk with us’ session, which gives residents the opportunity to discuss local issues they are concerned about.

Fire and Rescue Service consultation begins next week

WEST Sussex County Council will begin consulting next Monday (July 19) on a proposed draft improvement plan drawn up by its Fire and Rescue Service following extensive research.

The draft is designed to update the Fire and Rescue Service and ensure it has the right resources in place to make sure West Sussex is a safer place in the 21st century.

The draft proposals include:

• Changes to some fire stations, personnel, and appliances.

• Significant investment in training and facilities for firefighters.

• Faster response in parts of the county pinpointed by sophisticated ‘risk mapping’.

• Strengthening the Service’s wide-ranging work in the community to prevent fires in the first place.

• Making efficiency savings while protecting essential frontline services.

Peter Evans, County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “The draft improvement plan drawn up by our Fire and Rescue Service is designed to make it even more effective in the long term.

“At this stage no decisions have been made. They are just proposals and our consultation will be widespread. Your views are important to us and I would urge as many people as possible to take part.”

The consultation will run until Friday October 8.

The proposals are contained in the draft Service Plan for 2011-12 and copies are available in all libraries, District and Borough Council offices, and on request from Fire Service HQ on 01243 753706.

The draft and all its supporting documents can also be viewed on the County Council website www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire and residents can take part in the consultation via public meetings. They can also submit their views by:

• email: fire.redesign@westsussex.gov.uk

• By telephone: Fire Redesign Team 01243 753706.

• In writing: Ian Coleman, Fire Redesign Team, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service HQ, Northgate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1BD.

Free Entitlement to early years childcare permanently extended from September

A scheme piloted last year in West Sussex to help families give their children a head-start in education will be made permanently available from September.

Called Free Entitlement, it allows children aged three and four years old to have up to 15 hours of childcare a week, over a minimum three days per week, at a wide range of childcare providers.

Parents can use the 15 hour entitlement flexibly across the week between 8am and 6pm. The entitlement equates to 570 hours a year. Prior to this only 12.5 hours of free childcare was available in blocks of 2.5 hours.

Free Entitlement gives children access to early education through nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups and independent schools. They can also attend via an accredited childminder who is part of the ‘Children Come First’ quality assured childminder network.

Pete Bradbury, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “This Free Entitlement is open to all children the term after their third birthday, regardless of needs or disabilities.

“The scheme is to help families give their children the best possible start in education, and to help financially.

“Research proves that access to good quality early education and care can improve confidence, social skills, language and literacy.”

Leaflets about the scheme are available from the Family Information Service and your local Children and Family Centre.

For more information about the criteria for the flexibility of the hours, and more about Free Entitlement and where to access the early years provision, contact the Family Information Service on 01243 777807, email family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk and look for ‘Information for Parents’ under the ‘Education’ pages.