Crawley MP Welcomes Lotto Charity Awards for “Good Causes”
Henry Smith is delighted to extend his support to the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) for their essential work in raising funds for good causes in regional communities throughout the UK, including world-wide relief efforts.
Henry said, “I know that Crawley, as a town, would benefit immensely from available lottery money and I will support any bid that will be a benefit to Crawley and its residents.”
While discussing the local funding possibilities, Henry continued, “We live in a vibrant town with many organisations dedicated to helping others enjoy a better standard of living. Grant awards from BIG would certainly make a huge difference to those in need of support and benefit the groups who make it all happen.”
BIG is the grant-making charity created by the Government to administer the funding of worthy projects to help change people’s lives. Following the creation of the National Lottery, BIG has awarded over £3.6 billion to voluntary and community projects supporting health, education, environment and other charitable purposes.
BIG have provided numerous grants to individuals and organisations in the South-East, including Crawley; on behalf of BIG’s ‘Heroes Return’ programme for the 65th Anniversary of VJ Day, Henry called for all veterans and widows the chance for a fully financed commemorative trip, including travel and accommodation, to visit the places where they saw battle all over the world.
Recently, The Big Lottery Fund South-East Team also announced they are “sharing over £1.5 million in Lottery good cause funding”. With the Crawley Museum’s bid to move to a more central location with the help of Lottery grant money, local good cause agencies are already taking an initiative to request assistance from the charity, with Henry’s full support.
It appears BIG is already starting to make ripples in the Crawley community; If you know of an organisation which could benefit from such an award, or want to learn more about the Big Lottery Fund, please check out their website at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk or for other lottery funding queries, please contact BIG’s South East Regional Team via email at southeast@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Today Henry Smith MP showed his recognition to Charlie Doherty for his valiant and long-standing efforts to raise money for various charitable causes.
Local Crawley resident, 11-year-old Charlie, has helped raise over £15,000 for charity by refusing to accept birthday presents for the past seven years.
Henry said, “I would like to commend Charlie for his generosity and outstanding dedication in helping those who are in the most vulnerable of circumstances.”
As well as denying presents, Charlie actively engages in fundraising activities; last year he ran the Brighton Marathon Mini Mile to help raise money to build a kitchen in a school in Malawi.
Charlie’s interest in helping others started at a young age after raising money for the 2004 tsunami disaster. Henry continued, “It is rare to see someone so young demonstrate their passion for helping others in such a committed fashion. Charlie is an exceptional individual who is a role model for young people; I wish him all the best for the future”.
The long-awaited redevelopment of Maidenbower Pavilion will begin on Monday 7th February.
Morgan Sindall was appointed in December to construct the pavilion, 3G pitch and associated works. The building is due to be completed in August 2011.
The £1 million investment by Crawley Borough Council will include:
• Extending the main hall and provision for social club and bar
• Provision of community café
• Meeting rooms and activity space
• Provision of a brand new 3G pitch.
Councillors were approached in 2007 by residents and community groups who said that existing sports facilities at Maidenbower Playing Fields were underused while there was insufficient provision for children and young people.
This led to a community group being set up working with ward members, led by Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services, to identify the aspirations of the community.
Capital investment was secured, the outdoor play areas were refurbished in 2008 and a wish list of facilities was identified from the community.
The council has continued to work with local interest groups and community representatives to develop and refine the scheme to ensure it reflects local residents’ desires and aspirations. The scheme was presented to the wider community for consultation, the results of which informed the pavilion design brief.
The council will manage most aspects of the facility upon completion and transfer over the management responsibilities within two years of operation.
Any residents who are keen to get involved can contact Tony Bunn, Chairman of the Maidenbower Community Group, on 07710 343111.
The Friends of Broadfield Park got off to a cracking start to 2011 by planting 800 daffodil bulbs on Saturday.
As well as the mass planting, work also continued on clearing coppices to make Broadfield Park more accessible.
The Friends are also taking a keen interest in the plans for a new ‘free school’ to be located in Broadfield House. Proposals show that the school, if granted planning permission, will take some park land. Detailed plans will come before Crawley Borough Council for approval soon.
The next working party will be on Saturday February 26. All who want to help are welcome. Tools and advice on use will be provided.
The Friends group also has a very good website, which shows progress and the close working arrangement the Friends have with Crawley Borough Council.
19:00 Introduction from Business Scene and Speaker For The Evening
19:30 Open Networking
20:00 Raffle prize draw
20:30 Close
About The Evening
Business-Scene regularly run successful Connections events around the UK, bringing together many of the local Business Networking groups under one roof, and offering a great opportunity for local businesses to expand their own business connections.
Joining us for this evening offers you the opportunity to meet other high calibre business delegates, openly network in a relaxed and friendly environment, build strong business relationships and gain valuable information about the issues that most affect your business.
This event brings together many networks and business communities. If you run one and would like to be involved, do get in touch with Andy Yeow.
Our Speaker – Grant Leboff
Grant Leboff is one of the U.K’s leading Sales & Marketing experts, a serial entrepreneur and a best selling author with his first book Sales Therapy®.
Grant’s next book, Sticky Marketing, provides companies with the new principles of marketing so they can thrive in a Web enabled world and is out January 2011.
His main focus is to address the massive changes that are taking place in the world (new technologies and an evolving World Wide Web) and how we as business people should adapt. The old sales and marketing models are simply now obsolete.
Grant is a highly sought after Speaker, and is constantly presenting at conferences and events all over the world. He also sits on the Advisory Council of The Global Marketing Network, and is a regular contributor to many business magazines and newspapers. Amongst others, he has been featured in the Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Financial Times, The Daily Mirror and The Sun, and has appeared on BBC Radio on numerous occasions.
Attend this event
Exhibit at this event
With an entry fee just £10.00 + VAT (which includes a welcome drink) could there be a better value way for you to market your business to your local area?
To give your business a little more prominence at this event, why not take one of our exhibition spaces?
These places are limited, and do sell out quickly.
FOUR Crawley Council homes are undergoing an extreme eco-makeover set to reduce CO2 emissions by around 80 per cent at each house.
The properties in the West Sussex town are four of just 86 across the whole country being fitted out with innovative materials rarely used in regular house building and should be complete next month.
The work is thanks to Crawley Borough Council’s successful bid to the Retrofit for the Future competition run by the Technology Strategy Board which saw a near half million pounds reward to retrofit the homes in Furnace Green, Langley Green, Pound Hill and Three Bridges.
Councillor Lee Gilroy, Cabinet member for Housing, said: “This project is really exciting; it shows us and the rest of the UK what materials can be used in social housing to help meet CO2 reduction targets.
“The outcome will be very interesting and could help lead to a cleaner, greener future for Crawley residents.”
The properties chosen for the green makeover represent the mix of homes found in the town; two 1950s pre-fabricated buildings, a 60s shuttered concrete terrace and a more standard brick construction with a cavity wall.
All the homes chosen for the Retrofit project were energy inefficient and were losing heat through walls, windows and leaks in the fabric of the buildings.
The modifications are being carried out by Crawley Council’s contractors, Wates, with the support of project partners Keegans and ECD Architects.
Brian and Jill Colvin
Materials used include a range of insulation like Spacetherm and Nanogel, LED lighting, micro-combined heat and power (CHP) boilers, triple glazing and solar panels.
The micro-CHP boilers will be controlled by an intelligent device which learns the tenant’s occupancy patterns and comfort preferences to suit different lifestyles; they will also be left with a range of highly energy efficient white goods like fridge/freezers.
Monitoring energy use, temperatures and humidity levels will be carried out by the Energy Saving Trust for comparison with the other pilot projects across the country on a publicly accessible database.
The green homes are expected to save the tenants hundreds of pounds (reducing annual combined gas and electricity bills of £800 to around £100, for example) – as well as tonnes of carbon emissions.
The move towards seriously eco-friendly social housing will take Britain a step closer to its target of an 80 per cent reduction in household energy use by 2050.
‘Access 4 All’ event for disabled children, young people and their families in February
An “information and activity” day is being held for disabled children,young people and their families, on Saturday February 5.
The day called ‘Access 4 All’, being hosted by West Sussex County Council and West Sussex Parents’ Forum, gives families the chance to find out about services available and to share their views about services they already use.
The free event at Fontwell Racecourse, from 10am to 4pm, will have sessions such as:
• ‘Infozone’ featuring organisations and services for disabled children and their families.
• ‘Reach Out’, featuring ‘Communic8’, an exciting new website launch which will provide a ‘one stop information shop’ for families and services working with disabled children and young people.
• talkback sessions and feedback walls to share attendees’ views on services – a range of organisations will be on hand to answer questions and some will be giving talks such as Aiming High for Disabled Children talking about how its projects have helped West Sussex so far; Alison John, who is herself disabled, will be talking about her life experiences; and West Sussex Parents’ Forum will be talking about the work they do to help improve services.
• facepainting, messy play and sensory art workshops for the children.
• refreshments.
Peter Evans, County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Families, said: “This event is the perfect opportunity for families with disabled children, to find out what support and guidance is available to them and for them to get their voices heard on matters they may want to raise.
“We want to know how we can improve our services to better meet their needs.”
For more information phone the Family Information Service on 01243 777807 or email the team at family.info.service@westsussex.gov.uk, or visit www.westsussex.gov.uk and search ‘Access 4 All’.
Henry Smith MP was concerned to learn yesterday that the daily car park charge at Three Bridges Railway Station has shot up from £4.20 to £5.
Henry said, “Although Southern have made significant investments recently, notably investing in CCTV and other security improvements, I am worried that these additional costs are being passed directly on to the commuters in the short term, who are already having to make essential adjustments in their budgets to take account of recent hikes to rail fares.”
Henry continued, “I have demanded a meeting with Southern to seek an immediate explanation for this parking price hikes and have called on them to invest in more parking at the station in light of developments which are about to take place there. For a while now I have been calling on the rail operators to completely revamp this important transport interchange and provide a multi storey car park. I have also written to the Prime Minister to express my concerns about the price of rail fares more generally.
“I am worried that more people will opt to commute by car instead, which I believe will only serve to clutter up our roads further and contribute to this country’s greenhouse emissions at a time when the Government, having pledged to make this the greenest Government ever, is pushing to make emissions reductions worth at least 34 percent by 2020 and at least 80 per cent by 2050. I am in no doubt that commuters should be encouraged rather than discouraged from using rail services.
Have a cuppa and find out more about your old photos
Is there a photograph that’s been passed to you through family generations, and you don’t know when it is from? Do you look through old family photo albums and wonder when they were taken?
If so, visit West Sussex Record Office, Orchard Street, Chichester, on Wednesday February 2, from 10am-11am, for the latest Coffee Time Session, which this time is concentrating on dating old photographs.
The Record Office holds mid-morning sessions on the first Wednesday of each month, for people wanting to learn about family history. It gives people the chance to learn more from experts, in a relaxed atmosphere over a cup of tea or coffee.
Sessions so far have included learning how to read old handwriting and introducing computer sources for family historians. Future sessions include reading old army and school records and general advice for beginners.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Record Office, Deborah Urquhart, said: “With television programmes such as ‘Who Do You Think You Are,’ family history is becoming one of the fastest growing recreational interests in the country.
“Nobody knows what they are going to find and it can be great fun.
“For beginners to the subject, these Coffee Time Sessions show people how to embark upon the journey of discovery, give simple guidance to anyone unsure of computers, and show them the incredible range of archive material available at the Record Office.”
West Sussex Record Office is nationally assessed as one of the top five local record offices in the country.
Tickets are £7 and need to be booked in advance. Call the Record Office on 01243 753602 or email, records.office@westsussex.gov.uk
Last year we were invited by Debbie Mann to The Mumpreneurs Networking Club in Burgess Hill. So, who and what is this club all about?
About The Mumpreneurs Networking Club:
An informal networking group for Mumpreneurs and those that want to reach them. If you’ve started your own business after having children or want to reach those that have, come along to one of our events, we guarantee you will be surprised at how much you enjoy you it.
Interviews:
No formal presentations just a chance to say who you are, what you do and meet like-minded businesses . Set up by local partnership Nicky Chisholm and Sara Guiel it’s a chance to share ideas, make some contacts or just get some advice – it’s open to all.
However big or small your business, we would love to meet you. Come along to one of our meetings, it’s amazing what can be achieved over a morning cup of coffee ! Non-members can book onto any event online – please click here to book. or click on the Store link in the Main Menu. Your first visit is FREE, thereafter, £15 to attend for non-members.
Members can attend any of the networking events in any area for FREE. To join The Mumpreneurs Networking Club and find out what it can do for your business, please click ‘Join Now’ in the Main Menu. If you would like to attend, please book beforehand so we know numbers
We were very impressed with the enthusiasm and vibrant atmosphere and were keen on knowing when this great organisation would be coming to Crawley.
Pictures:
Yesterday it happened! The Mumpreneurs had their first networking meeting at The Hawth, Southgate. The meeting was a brilliant start to the new Crawley event with lots of visitors and at least five new members. We feel this organisation is going to grow from strength to strength so if you have any interest do go along, your first visit is FREE. The meetings are once a month and you are never committed to attend.
Registration is at 10.30 with open networking. Then you have the opportunity to give a brief talk on who you are, what you do and what you are looking for, usually with a finish time of 12. Next meeting is on the 9th February. For all future dates please visit our calender here.
REDUCING the speed of vehicles using Hyde Drive, Ifield West, where there have been a number of accidents over the past year, will be discussed at the next public meeting of West Crawley County Local Committee.
The topic is being raised in response to requests from residents.
Alan Quirk, Committee Chairman, said: “Because there have been various accidents in Hyde Drive, including a vehicle knocking down a young girl, residents have requested action to be taken to protect them.
“Vehicles regularly travel in excess of 40 mph along Hyde Drive, even though the limit is 30 mph. Issues include school buses picking up and dropping off children at the bottom of Hyde Drive by the junction with Rusper Road, which is on a blind bend.
“Residents are asking what options are available to reduce speed either by the introduction of a safety camera or lane narrowing. They’re also asking about the possibility of a crossing being installed at the top of Hyde Drive, where a new children’s play area is being built in 2011.”
The meeting is being held on Thursday January 20 in the Longley Exhibition Room, Crawley Library, Southgate Avenue, starting at 7.00pm.
Find out more about the feathered friends of Buchan Country Park in Crawley on Saturday January 22, with two birdwatching events.
From 11am to 1pm ‘Family Big Garden Birdwatch’ will give the chance to find out how to get involved in a national bird survey. Learn how to be a bird detective and a master chef for feathered customers. Enjoy making bird cake and feeders, as well as quizzes and games. Tickets cost £3 per child with accompanying Sussex Wildlife Trust, RSPB members and adults free. An adult must accompany children. Meet in the Countryside Centre.
Also on Saturday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, ‘Buchan Birdwatch’ is a guided walk for adults, looking and listening out for birds as they go to roost. Find out how to become involved in national bird surveys and discover the Buchan Park birds. Tickets cost £3 per person and £10 for group tickets (four people). Meet in the Countryside Centre.
Booking is essential for both events. To book on the events, or for more information, contact Buchan Country Park in Horsham Road (RH11 9HQ) on 01293 542088/544120, or email buchan.park@westsussex.gov.uk.
The Road To Crawley project began in July 2008 and since then Crawley Community Arts has collected many personal histories from Crawley residents. The aim of the project is to ensure that the information in Crawley’s archive is inclusive and represents the history of the town’s diverse communities.
Audio recordings are being made of people’s personal stories, shared experiences and the reasons why they settled in Crawley, and examples of previous work with the pre-new town residents and the Diego Garcian community can be viewed at Crawley Library and Crawley Museum. Now the project is moving on and as of this month will be exploring the stories of the African and Caribbean and the South Asian Communities – this is where you can help.
It takes courage to build a life in another country. If you are from the African and Caribbean community or the South Asian community in Crawley and would like to share the story of your journey to the town then The Road to Crawley team would love to hear from you.
On Wednesday 19 January there will be a presentation about the project including examples of the work so far, in The Hawth Elgar Room from 6.30pm – 8.30pm. Anyone interested in taking part in the project who would like to find out more is welcome to come along, meet the team, bring along any old photographs or items from their journey to Crawley or just ask any questions.
Carolyn Murphy, project leader said ‘This is a very relaxed project and those that have participated so far have found the discussions and sharing of experiences very enjoyable.’
If you would like to come along on Wednesday 19th January please contact Carolyn Murphy on 01293 438152/ Carolyn.murphy@crawley.gov.uk or Marilyn Le Feuvre on 01293 438109/ Marilyn.lefeuvre@crawley.gov.uk.
Anyone who cannot attend the presentation can call to arrange another meeting
Come and join us on opening night of Crawley Fleadh 2011 with a ‘CRAWLEY CEILI’ on Friday 11th March
Well-known musician Mick ‘Banjo’ O’Connor and his band provide the entertainment on a night not to be missed.
The Mayor of Crawley, Cllr Lee Burke will open proceedings and be piped in by a Scottish Piper.
ADMISSION FREE – so come early.
Friday 11th March @ 20:00
The Wingspan Club, Whitworth Road, Crawley, RH11 7SS
Crawley Fleadh 2011 now in its seventh year is as much about cultural awareness as well as education and entertainment and will introduce visitors to Celtic culture through a Ceili Night with history and language lectures and Irish film shows. There are tin whistle and bodhrán classes and an Irish cookery course also programmed. Music and dance workshops are also scheduled to add to this unique mix. We are also involved with some of the Crawley schools with story telling in the junior schools and Celtic design and art and design in the upper ones
Closing date for starting school applications in West Sussex
Children could miss out on their preferred school places in West Sussex if parents who haven’t applied for Reception places fail to do so by the deadline.
The critical date is Saturday January 15 for returning their forms for children starting at first, infant or primary school.
The authority’s advice to parents is to complete and submit the form, or apply online, by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/admissions and click on ‘Applying online for starting school and transfers’.
This page provides further information about how to apply online and a link to the online booking system in which you can submit your application electronically.
Peter Griffiths, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, said: “With only a week to go, more than 1,000 parents still haven’t let us know what their wishes are for a place in a primary school in September 2011.
“There is now a national deadline of January 15 and it is essential that parents who have yet to apply for a place complete an application before this closing date.”
The deadline also applies to those transferring from infant and first schools to junior and middle schools.
Tough decisions taken by West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Members are being challenged in a no holds-barred collection of video interviews now available for viewing on the County website.
The Digital Democracy series asks blunt questions of top politicians, and demands they justify their decisions and proposals. Four interviews have so far been recorded by the Communications Unit, and more are planned.
“Digital Democracy is about good and bad news, and digging out the truth,” said County Council Leader Louise Goldsmith. “We’re planning one the most difficult budgets ever, against a background of spending cuts and no increase in council tax this year. People have a right to know, and to see, who is taking the decisions and why.”
Louise herself was questioned by interviewer Chris Rider on whether West Sussex could really save £75m over three years. Was the Big Society nothing more than an urban myth, and why had the county given more than two-and-a-half million pounds to Chichester Festival Theatre over 10 years?
Children and Families Cabinet Member Pete Bradbury was asked if he would resign following the Ofsted ruling that child safeguarding was inadequate. How did it happen, who was to blame and what was he personally doing about it?
In another interview, Peter Catchpole, Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services, was challenged on whether proposals to close some day centres were just about saving money. He was also asked to explain why there were proposals to cut adult social care and limit it to people with substantial or critical needs.
Peter Evans, Cabinet Member for Public Protection was asked to justify why he approved Fire and Rescue Service changes that will include the closure of three retained fire stations.
“The Digital Democracy series is a success because literally no question is taboo,” explained Louise. “It asks exactly what the person in the street would ask, given the chance.”
Future interviews in the video series include Michael Brown, Cabinet Member for Finance, and Peter Griffiths, Cabinet Member for Education and Schools. Anyone can submit a question which could be included in future interviews. Just e-mail: press.office.ce@westsussex.gov.uk
To watch the Digital Democracy series, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk and click on ‘Your Council.’
Get ready to Spring into Dance with The Hawth’s programme of world-class companies presenting some truly exciting work. Whether you are a fan of hip hop, ballet, contemporary or classical you will find something you’ll love.
On Thursay 3 February, 7.45pm Step Out Arts will be presenting a showcase of British East Asian choreographers and dancers in Stepping Out East. The show includes four works, exploring memory and forgetting, the Morecambe Bay tragedy and different cultures. All performed by East Asian dancers including former member of CandoCo Chisato Minamimura.
For those with a preference for more classical dance, renowned Hawth regulars Moscow City Ballet will be presenting two stunning pieces in February. Victor Smirnov Golovanov’s Swan Lake (Mon 14 Feb), is a stunning demonstration of precision and sheer grace, the perfect Valentine’s treat. The enchanting story of Sleeping Beauty (Tue 15 & Wed 16 Feb) is set to Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score and will captivate audiences as it has done for well over a century.
Balletboyz
Another welcome return for this season is from Michael Nunn and William Trevitt’s Balletboyz on Friday 4 March at 7.30pm. The Talent is an explosive feast of exhilarating live dance, cleverly fused with the company’s trademark use of film and behind the scenes footage. The show features a mixed programme of four works including a mesmerising re-working of Russell Maliphant’s Torsion, Paul Roberts’ haunting Alpha plus two brand new commissions.
Flawless
The Hawth is delighted to also be able to offer audiences the chance to see Flawless, the stars of StreetDance 3D and Britain’s Got Talent as never before in Chase The Dream, Monday 14 March at 7.30pm. The group fuse stunning street with jazz and ballet in a show that is breathtaking, funny and moving.
Internationally renowned contemporary dance company Phoenix Dance Theatre visit Crawley for the first time under new Artistic Director Sharon Watson on Wednesday 6 April at 7.30pm with Reflected. An evening of compelling, entertaining and diverse programmes featuring classic pieces from Phoenix’s rich history as well as new works (Recommended for ages 11+).
Rounding off the season of dance Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jasmin Vardimon uses her power to grip and seduce audiences in 7734 on Wednesday 27 April as the company of spectacular dancers examine man’s inhumanity to man and questions the human forces and weaknesses that have manufactured hell on earth. The choreography is combined with video, text and music to create an awe-inspiring performance.
To book tickets for any of these shows please call The Hawth Box Office on 01293 553636 or visit www.hawth.co.uk to book online.
Make it your New Year resolution to be more eco friendly by volunteering to become a qualified Waste Prevention Advisor.
West Sussex County Council has developed the award winning Waste Prevention Advisor Volunteer project under the Better Tomorrows Scheme. This is in partnership with the Waste and Energy Research Group at the University of Brighton, and local district and borough councils.
The aim of the project is to train members of the community to help promote waste prevention throughout the county. Courses are about to start for anyone interested in becoming a volunteer.
The 10-week courses are from 6pm – 9pm, in Crawley on Tuesdays, starting on January 18, and Thursdays in Littlehampton, starting on January 20.
The courses will cover a wide range of waste-related topics – how to reduce it, home composting, food waste, cotton nappies, smart shopping and recycling.
Volunteers will work with their local communities to promote ways to cut down on waste. Some volunteers will do house calls to advise on cutting down waste in the home.
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, Deborah Urquhart, said: “This project is part of the Better Tomorrows scheme, which aims to meet the challenging target of reducing municipal waste by 80,000 tonnes per annum by 2015 with pioneering strategies.
“As a Waste Prevention Advisor Volunteer, you can help to make this happen by encouraging businesses and individuals to just think a little bit more about the waste they use.
“If everyone does one thing to reduce waste, it will make a huge difference.”
If you’re interested in joining the course and becoming a Waste Prevention Advisor, call 01243 642106 or email info@ bettertomorrows.org.uk
Residents are being asked to travel wisely in 2011 and reduce their carbon footprint.
West Sussex County Council’s TravelWise team wants to hear about people’s New Year resolutions which aim to help the environment, shed those Christmas pounds, or save money.
The team suggest a number of greener alternatives to travel habits for work, school or leisure journeys, which can help reduce pollution, congestion and improve local air quality.
Why not make one of your resolutions to:
• walk or cycle to work or school, which has health benefits and can reduce carbon footprint significantly.
• use public transport to get to work and for business travel which can help to avoid congestion and parking costs in town centres. Despite the recent rail fare increases, using trains for a daily 20-mile round-trip commute saves nearly £140 a year in fuel costs.
• regularly share the daily car journey, which can cut travel costs by 50 per cent. Sharing a 15-mile drive to work will reduce your petrol bill by more than £500 a year. Register with the County Council’s free car sharing website www.westsussexcarshare.com to find someone to liftshare with.
• take part in environmental campaigns such as the Government’s ‘Act On CO2’ initiative and try to drive five miles less a week. For more information visit http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk
Businesses can also do their bit to help encourage staff to get to work using more environmentally friendly methods of transport. They can set up ‘Cycle to Work’ or ‘Green Travel to Work’ salary sacrifice schemes that enable staff to save money and spread the cost of ticket prices or equipment that will help them travel sustainably.
Lionel Barnard, Deputy Leader of West Sussex County Council with responsibility for Highways and Transport, said: “Changing your travel habits can not only save you money, but can also give you a healthier lifestyle and cut down your carbon footprint.”
Residents are invited to attend the fifth annual State of the Borough Debate, which will focus on what the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) means locally.
The event, on Wednesday 2nd February at 7.30pm, will take place at Crawley Library and will open with a presentation by Councillor Bob Lanzer, Leader of Crawley Borough Council, on the CSR and how it will affect the council and residents.
Other areas of discussion could include the council’s priorities, the key issues facing the town, what is being done to address them and the progress made to date.
The audience, which will be made up of the public, business leaders and partner organisations, will be able to give their views on the challenges facing Crawley and how we should respond to them.
The views and comments expressed will help the council to plan its work on improving its services and the town in general.
Councillor Lanzer said: “The Comprehensive Spending Review and savings have been in the news for many months now. The initial figures were very high level but we’re beginning to understand how they will affect us locally.
“Come along to the 2011 debate, listen to what we think this means for Crawley and have your say too.
“These debates are a great opportunity for us politicians to hear what residents and business people think of the town and help us inform our decision making.”
Last year, audience members asked many questions and raised many views with the panel, including the protection of trees, violent extremism, youth employment opportunities, a new hospital, future development of the town centre, building on green spaces, Connexions, Controlled Parking Zones and Civil Parking Enforcement.
To register your interest in attending the 2011 State of the Borough Debate visit www.crawley.gov.uk/democracy, email anna.smart@crawley.gov.uk or call 01293 438711.
