School Closures in Crawley on Monday 6th Feburuary - Updated – 18:20 – 5/2/12
Currently there are no reported school closures.
Schools have been asked, where possible, to keep their own websites updated.
If you know of any schools that are not on the above list please Facebook Crawley Happy Times or email bry@crawleyhappytimes.co.uk
On Friday 9th December Network Rail invited us to view the site for the new 2400sq meters
(L-R) Simon Chapman, Mark Ruddy, Henry Smith & Brett Jarman
The building itself is being built with sustainable and environmental measures. With solar panels and specialist glazing to minimize heat loss and many other measures to make it groundbreaking and environmentally friendly. The works have been carefully and considerately planned with the surrounding road networks and public areas taken into consideration at all times. The building is the fourth of its kind built by the specialist construction company Spencer Limited on behalf of Network Rail which has gone through a careful design process. Brett Jarman told us “after constructing three of these specialised buildings, we feel we have a world class building now”.
Henry Smith MP
Attending this landmark event was Henry Smith MP who told us “This is a ground breaking event for the building of a new signalling centre. Three Bridges will become the hub of the signalling centre for the railways for the entire South East. This will bring high quality employment to Crawley.
Getting signed in and kitted out
The capacity of track and signalling will be increased with the addition of investment into a complete revamp of Three Bridges Station. It’s going to be a great new customer experience with an extra 120 car parking spaces for the commuters. All in all it is going to be of great financial benefit and employment source to Crawley, with 3000 jobs being created. With 53 millions pounds worth of investment going into Gatwick Station and planned improvements to Crawley Station too the travelling experience will be greatly improved in just over a years time. The construction comp-any and Network Rail have gone to lengths to communicate with the general public on any disruption issues but if there are any concerns, the public can call the Network Rail Hotline on 0845 7114141 or are more than welcome to contact my office on 01293 934554 or email here“.
Mark Ruddy, Route Managing Director for Sussex Network Rail
We spoke to Mark who told us “we are starting to build a brand new rail operating centre that will modernise the whole of the running of the South East of England. We chose Three Bridges because it is the main link from London to Brighton main line which is probably the busiest route in Europe with ten trains per route mile travelling at any time of the day. Three Bridges is the main key focal point for these trains.
Crawley is a natural hub for this part of the country and sits central between London and Brighton, especially with Gatwick on its doorstep. We have chosen to start this project now because there has been a five to seven percent increase on the growth of the railway passenger demand year on year over the last decade. If we are to keep up with this curve we need to radically modernise the railway. This has to be in proportion to the timing of the growth as the cost can be surmountable. Construction has just begun with the projected build completion to be December 2012. We will then move signals and controllers into the building. The control hub should be up and running by Spring of 2014. We hope to grow it to be able to host the Thames Link trains by 2018 when we will be committed to running 24 train per hour. To do this we will need this new signalling centre. On the ecological side of the project, we believe moving large numbers of people around by train to be one of the most ecological methods and we have gone to further lengths with this build to make it even more environmentally friendly. We have put the land and the building through rigorous tests to make sure we are doing the best for the environment now and in the future, including re-homing all wildlife before construction commenced. With solar power and other ecological methods the hub should be pretty much self sufficient, power wise”.
Henry was really pleased with his special gift
We feel Network Rail have gone to extreme lengths to make this a safe, beneficial and environmentally friendly project which will only increase the traffic of passengers to Crawley bringing a greater economy to the town.
We will keep you all updated with the progress of this new and exciting project.
We would like to thank Jon Crampton, Media Relations Officer for the invite. Our thanks also goes to Chris Burchell, Managing Director of Southern Trains, Brett Jarman, Project Director for Spencer Limited for showing us around the site, Peter lawrence, Regional Director South for Spencer Limited, Henry Smith MP, and Mark Ruddy, Route Managing Director for Sussex Network Rail.
What a nice touch by C Spencer Limited
Improvements to key hospital services have been welcomed by the West Sussex Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), including a proposal to make the Royal Sussex County Hospital a specialist vascular centre for the whole of Sussex.
Vascular services treat conditions where there is not enough blood reaching an organ or parts of the body such as the arms, legs or head, caused by a partial or total blockage. Vascular surgery deals with a variety of acute and life threatening conditions including aneurysms and strokes.
A Sussex-wide vascular network of care will be developed, with St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester and Worthing Hospital continuing to carry out day case vascular surgery. They will also undertake diagnostic work and follow up treatment. Patients who need more specialist procedures will be treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.
Committee Chairman Christine Field said: “We support this improvement to vascular services as it will ensure residents have access to high quality specialised services and the full range of treatments available. The vast majority of patients will continue to use local services, but those needing more complex specialist care will be treated in Brighton.
“It’s important that residents understand these changes are about providing better standards of treatment and higher quality care into the future. We have therefore asked the NHS to make sure these changes are clearly communicated to residents. We also want to make sure that people across West Sussex have access to the best vascular services, including those in the north of the county who may be treated in Surrey.”
The committee also welcomed plans to create the first major trauma centre in the region at the Royal Sussex County Hospital. This will provide trauma services for the very severely injured people who make up less than 1% of those going to A&E. This does not mean other hospitals or A&E departments will close, but that major trauma victims will be taken straight to the best place for them to be treated.
Members were also given an update on the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, which will see it become a leading teaching, trauma and tertiary care centre.
West Sussex has been chosen by the Government to become part of a Programme pioneering ways of joining up resources and buildings belonging to different Public Sector Organisations.
‘Better Together’ is the name of the West Sussex County-wide Programme that is already focusing on collaboration, co-delivery and innovation through partnership working with the County, District and Borough councils together with Health Services, Sussex Police, Voluntary Services and the Civil Service Estate.
Due to the progress made in the Better Together Programme, West Sussex has been selected to become one of Britain’s few Pathfinder areas to demonstrate to central Government and other public sector partners that if buildings are used more effectively, for example, sharing accommodation space with other partners our organisations will save money and our customers will benefit by having co-located services.
“It is excellent news to see that the West Sussex Better Together Programme has been recognised as one of the country’s major partnership working projects, and a key part of a nationwide move to drive down costs,” said Louise Goldsmith, Leader of West Sussex County Council.
“This sharing of what we have, and what we can create, is absolutely what the Big Society is all about. Every Public Sector Organisation in West Sussex is facing a tough time financially, and all our Partnership Members are keen to find ways of reducing costs and improving efficiency. Becoming a Pathfinder will be a tremendous boost.”
Examples of partnership projects in West Sussex include the recently completed £10m regeneration scheme with Crawley Borough Council at Langley Green which now offers a shared community and family centre, new medical centre, improved school facilities, whilst improving local commercial premises and public car parking.
At County Hall North, in Horsham the County Council is now sharing its space with both the Health Protection Agency and the Inland Revenue.
Also in Horsham, the District Council and the County Council are working together to develop plans for the regeneration of two extensive areas in mixed public ownership. In time this collaboration will help create better facilities, more attractive places as well as generating significant capital receipts and reduced running costs.
The County Council and Chichester District Council have been working together on a joint £6 million project to rebuild a leisure centre at Midhurst which will include a library and other shared facilities.
In Adur and Worthing Councils, the Community Safety Teams share space at both Adur and Worthing Police Stations and the two councils also share their offices for most of their services.
A regeneration project at Shoreham that could include a new medical centre and library, and include sharing a contact point for the County and District Councils has the potential to be a prime candidate for the new pathfinder support programme, subject to full public consultation.
Representatives from West Sussex have now shared experiences with other Pathfinder authorities at a special meeting in London in October, chaired by Baroness Hanham, Under Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government. All agreed that the programme provides an exciting opportunity to take this work further for the benefit of West Sussex.
The two LEADER programmes covering West Sussex and the surrounding area have awarded their 101st grant supporting the rural economy and communities.
It means that grants worth more than £1.8 million have been awarded to farms, small businesses and rural communities across West Sussex, Havant borough and Lewes district.
To celebrate the achievement, West Sussex County Council Deputy Leader Lionel Barnard is visiting some of the projects awarded grants. The County Council administers the two LEADER grant programmes.
Lionel said: “Thanks to the funding from the LEADER programmes, the projects supported will help create 86 new jobs, with another 199 safeguarded. It represents a total investment in the rural economy and communities of more than £6.5 million.”
The grants have been awarded by the Sussex Downs and Low Weald Local Action Group (55 grants awarded), and the Three Harbours and Coastal Plain Local Action Group (46 grants awarded), made up of volunteers with experience and knowledge of local rural issues.
Recent applications include:
• A new farm shop that will help secure the future of a small traditional dairy farm at Southview Farm, Bury
• A new community run store for the village of Milland
• A new community allotments site serving the parishes of Ford, Clymping and Middleton-on-Sea
LEADER grants support local ideas and initiatives aimed at improving life in rural areas. Farms and small businesses can apply for grants towards investments to help improve their viability such as equipment, tourism and training.
Community groups can also apply for grants towards a range of initiatives including village halls and community facilities, community shops and conservation and heritage projects.
For further information on LEADER and how to apply for grants, visit the County Council website at www.westsussex.gov.uk/rdpeleader, e-mail rdpeleader@westsussex.gov.uk or contact 01243 756606.
INTERNET businesses in West Sussex were targeted in an online swoop by officers from the County Council’s Trading Standards Service.
Posing as consumers, they made test purchases and then cancelled them to see if distance selling legal regulations were being met.
The regulations allow customers to obtain a full refund as long as they cancel before the expiry deadline of eight days after the goods are received.
Trading Standards found that:
• 80% of the businesses dealt with the cancellation and subsequent refund promptly.
• 20% of the businesses did not refund within the required time limit (30 days) or provide a full refund (which should include delivery costs).
• 70% of the businesses did not fully comply with the regulations because they did not provide essential information about the consumers’ rights to cancel in the correct format.
Pete Bradbury, County Council Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: Our Trading Standards Service is now working with the businesses that were identified as non compliant. The aim is to ensure they are fully aware of the legal requirements and meet them from now on.
As the number of internet purchases continues to rise we urge consumers to be aware of their rights and businesses to be aware of their legal obligations.
The Office of Fair Trading has set up an internet site to provide information about Distance Selling for businesses www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly/dshome.
For consumers requiring advice, Consumer Direct can be contacted on 08454 04 05 06, or accessed via the Direct Gov website: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Consumerrights/index.htm.
Henry Smith MP has praised the Government for restricting immigration numbers to those who will contribute to society.
Henry said:
“Under Labour, nearly 2.2 million immigrants entered the United Kingdom. In 2005 we were the only country to open our borders completely to the eight new EU member states. Labour ministers predicted that only 13,000 people would arrive, but were proved massively wrong as approximately 750,000 came to our shores.
“Many immigrants do bring useful skills that we need, however, many more were arriving who became burdens on society rather than contributors. I’m particularly pleased that the immigration limit for unskilled workers is now zero. Previously, far too many were allowed to settle in the UK without any skills set which all too often rendered them dependent on taxpayer’s support. I fully support the Government’s decision to forcibly remove 55,000 people over the last three months who had no right to remain in Great Britain and the Government’s insistence that immigrants entering the UK, whether permanently or on student/work visas, should have a basic command of the English language.
“Now only skilled workers are permitted to enter the UK and only if they have a specific job offer already in place. This means that workers already living in the UK will now rightfully get priority for jobs. The number of skilled workers allowed in is also limited, though this limit has not been reached this year, or in 2010.”
Another area that the Government has tackled is that of immigrants abusing education and marriage as a way to stay in this country. 69 bogus colleges have had their licenses revoked with several more under investigation. All incoming students require a good level of English and are only allowed to stay on, after their studies, if they receive a firm job offer. These measures alone are predicted to cut net migration by 60,000 as those who abuse these visas, to work rather than study, will now be denied entry or deported.
Tackling the problem of sham marriages is a much tougher problem. New rules demanding a certain level of English have been introduced as well as requiring a couple to have lived together for at least five years, rather than only two years currently, before they can reside here. The sponsor will now also have to prove that they can support their new partner which will put an end to benefit migration.
Henry added:
“We simply cannot afford a repeat of the unchecked, mass immigration into the UK that we’ve seen over the past decade. Our focus now must be restoring the wellbeing of our national economy and ensuring that those out of work are helped back into work.”
Follow Henry daily via: www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp or visit: www.henrysmith.info for further details.
West Sussex County Council’s TravelWise team is encouraging residents to get on their bikes and save money during TravelWise Week (September 19-23).
The week coincides with European Car Free Day on Thursday September 22.
Commuters could save more than £700 a year by switching from car to bike. A seven-mile cycle ride which takes around 30 minutes will also improve fitness at the same time.
As a further incentive, a number of local cycle shops are offering special Travelwise Week discounts until the end of September. For further details visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/travelwise.
Car sharing is another way to reduce commuting costs. Sharing a journey just once a week could save a person more than £100 a year.
The County Council’s car sharing website, www.westsussexcarshare.com helps people that live or work in West Sussex to find a car sharing partner.
Buying a bus or rail season ticket can be much cheaper than driving and parking, particularly if bought online. A monthly rail ticket from Bognor Regis to Chichester is currently £61.10 and a monthly bus ticket for the same journey costs £70, compared with the costs of around £100 in petrol and parking fees.
The County Council’s 3in1 card for young people offers cheaper bus travel and discounts to a range of shops and local attractions, as well as acting as proof of age. The card costs £50 – but is free to those receiving free school meals – and is valid for up to three years. Further information is available at www.yourspacewestsussex.co.uk.
Pieter Montyn, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “Travelwise Week is all about raising awareness of the benefits that more sustainable modes of transport have to offer. The week also provides a good opportunity for people to try greener and healthier ways of travelling. Small changes in your travel behaviour really can make a big difference.”
Henry Smith is delighted that the Big Lottery Fund is to invest almost £20,000 in local community projects.
Henry said:
“Historically Crawley community projects haven’t done very well in winning lottery grants but I’m delighted that’s changing following a campaign I’ve pursued to highlight the possibilities which exist through the lottery. The latest awards are very encouraging.
“If local voluntary groups or charities need further information on how to bid then I would be happy to help them make the right connection with the Big Lottery Fund.”
The Northgate Youth Club has been awarded £7,279, to purchase equipment for the newly established youth club for local young people. This will enable the club to provide a fun and safe environment for young people.
Three Bridges Infant School has been awarded £10,000, to create a woodland garden within its grounds for the benefit of local children. This will create a safe woodland area for children to play in and learn about nature.
And a further £875 have been awarded to a local World War II veteran & his partner to cover travel expenses to return for a commemorative visit to Belgium this coming month.
Follow Henry daily on Facebook by visiting: www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp
Record results for GCSE examinations have been achieved in West Sussex maintained schools and Academies.
West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, Peter Griffiths, has praised the achievements of students and teachers following the provisional results.
Early indications show that a significant majority of schools have improved their performance, with provisional results indicating a 5 per-cent improvement compared with 2010 for students achieving 5 good GCSE’s including English and mathematics, continuing the upward trend of the last 5 years.
Peter said today: “I am absolutely delighted with these results for schools and Academies, and offer my congratulations to the students, staff and governors for their achievement.”
A series of workshops to help organisations interested in starting up or developing a social enterprise are taking place in West Sussex.
The free workshops have been organised by the West Sussex Social Enterprise Network and West Sussex County Council.
Deputy Leader of the County Council Lionel Barnard, who has responsibility for enterprise, said: “The workshops programme is aimed at helping organisations to get started and operate successfully as a social business.
“They form part of our ongoing commitment to support social enterprises and community and voluntary organisations.”
The workshops are:
• Find out about social enterprise. Taking place on Wednesday 7th September, from 11am to 3.30pm, at Lodsworth Village Hall. And on Thursday 2nd February, 2012, from 10am to 2.30pm, venue to be announced.
• Starting up a social enterprise – putting your ideas into action. Taking place on Tuesday 27th September, from 9.30am to 4pm, at County Hall North, Horsham. And on Thursday 9th February, 2012, from 9.30am to 4pm, in Chichester (venue to be confirmed).
• Planning ahead – preparing a business plan and business case for your social enterprise. Taking place on Thursday 20th October, from 9.30am to 4pm, at County Hall North, Horsham. And on Thursday 1st March, 2012, from 9.30am to 4pm, in Chichester (venue to be confirmed).
• Financing your social enterprise. Taking place on Thursday 17th November, from 9.30am to 4pm, at County Hall North, Horsham. And on Wednesday 21st March, 2012, from 9.30am to 4pm, in Chichester (venue to be confirmed).
Lionel added: “These workshops really are a necessity for any organisation thinking of setting up a social enterprise. They will be run by professionals with significant expertise in providing exactly the kind of helpful advice and guidance that enables organisations to turn their social enterprise ideas into reality.”
For further information visit the website at www.wssen.org.uk. To book a place on a workshop e-mail dawn.brock@ruralsussex.org.uk or telephone 01273 407313.
A youth participation co-ordinator at West Sussex County Council has set up a project to give young people in India opportunities to play sport.
Lara Pearce set up the ‘Youthivate’ project working with the Centre for Tribal Rural Development in India. The project will directly engage with young people to improve their health and wellbeing.
Through setting up and running a variety of sports sessions in the villages, Youthivate hopes to create opportunities for young people to become sports leaders and organise tournaments and festivals for children.
The project also aims to improve the quality of life of children in southern India through sport.
Lara said: “Young people who live in the villages enjoy watching sports but do not have the resources to play themselves.
“By building strong partnerships with local charities such as Cricket Without Boundaries which has donated equipment, Yellowave Beachsports which has donated volleyballs, and the Rugby Football Union, plus fundraising locally, we are able get sports equipment out to areas of severe poverty in southern India.
“Huge thanks also to myparceldelivery.com, which has been pivotal in this project’s success and is transporting all the equipment to India in September.”
To keep up-to-date with the project’s news, sign up to its blog at http://youthivate.wordpress.com
A new scheme from Southern Railways that offers three new types of support for passengers with learning difficulties, is being backed by West Sussex County Council.
The first, which is also for people whose first language is not English and passengers who often find communicating difficult, is an easy to read accessibility guide.
It gives information in easy to read information and pictures, on travelling with a wheelchair or mobility scooter, station and train accessibility, access on board trains and using Southern’s ‘Priority Seat Card’.
The second is a ‘Travel Support Card’, which is pocket sized and has details of the holder’s name, home station, where they travel to and from, contact numbers and a section stating how train staff can help them. This will allow passengers to travel more independently with confidence.
The third is an A4 sized pictorial card where passengers can point to a picture to indicate to a member of Southern staff what they need help with.
Graham Tyler, West Sussex County Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services, said: “Some of our adults with learning difficulties worked with Southern Railway in the development of this scheme, advising what would be helpful to them when travelling on public transport.
“These forms of support will enable vulnerable adults to travel independently with confidence.”
All three types of assistance are available to download from www.southernrailway.com/accessibility or by calling 08451 272920.
Crawley Borough Council’s noise experts carried out free MP3 headphone checks in County Mall yesterday (Thursday 4th August) – and were shocked at what they found.
Of the 30 tests carried out, six people were playing music at volumes above 100 decibels, which should only be listened to for a few minutes each day. They admitted to playing music this loud for at least an hour every day – at this level they are likely to be damaging their hearing.
Fifteen people were playing music at volumes above 90 decibels for more than an hour each day, which is above recommended guidelines.
The council’s Environmental Health Team urges MP3 owners to take three simple steps to protect their hearing:
1. Avoid volume levels that completely block out other background noise
2. Take regular breaks from using your headphones
3. Use the ‘smart volume’ feature if you have one.
For more information visit www.crawley.gov.uk/noise and www.noiseactionweek.org.uk
With more than 40 miles of coastline, West Sussex is well placed for fish-lovers, with many places to buy direct from fishermen. The latest edition of Taste West Sussex looks at some of the varieties of fish available.
The magazine for West Sussex foodies has a range of articles, special offers and dates for the diary focusing on local food and produce.
Other articles include:
• The British Tomato Growers Association, based in West Sussex, and squashing some of the myths around the tomato.
• The appeal of orchards and their history in West Sussex.
• Gluten-free food and diets, and how to bring out the best in food.
• The revival of the alpaca in West Sussex, and where to visit and see them.
• Where to find samphire on the West Sussex coastline, how to cook it and what it goes well with.
West Sussex Leader Louise Goldsmith said: “Taste West Sussex supports our many local food and drink producers, as well as having handy recipe ideas and details of what’s in season. Buying local is good for the environment and benefits our local businesses and economies.”
Taste subscriptions are available for just £8.50 for three issues, delivered direct to your door. All subscribers get a free ‘Bag of Taste’ environmentally friendly jute bag (while stocks last).
Subscribers become a member of the Good Taste Club and receive a regular ‘Tastemail’ electronic newsletter with discounts, offers, recipes and foodie dates.
Taste West Sussex is available from a number of outlets including local food retailers and can be read online 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 of Taste West Sussex is due out in the autumn.
Looking for a family day out with a difference? Then why not join firefighters in Crawley as they host their mid Summer Open Day on Saturday 30th July.
The Fire Station on Ifield Avenue will be throwing open its doors to the public for what should be a great day combining exciting firefighting and rescue displays, fun activities as well as tips and advice from fire crews including staying safe in the kitchen while cooking and how to plan an escape route in the event of a fire.
There will be an opportunity for people to chat to the firefighters, get a rare up-close look at the fire engines and specialist equipment and learn more about the work the Fire & Rescue service do in the community. Partner organisations Sussex Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service will also take part in the day and be on hand to offer safety advice to residents.
The day runs from 10.30am until 3.30pm and admission is free.
Watch Manager at Crawley Fire Station, John Convey, said:
“Our aim is to put on an enjoyable, exciting day packed with lots of activities, drills and demonstrations, while at the same time raise awareness of some really important fire and road safety messages.
“We don’t want the only time people see their local fire crew to be if they dial 999 in an emergency so this is a great opportunity for them to get to know us better and ask questions in an informal setting. If people leave with a smiles on their faces as well as with extra knowledge that helps keep them safe, then the day will be a success.”
For information on other upcoming Open Days and for fire safety advice visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire
Henry Smith will this week be advising local activity groups that Sport England has launched a £50million fund for sporting facilities. The programme will invest in refurbishment or improvement of existing facilities and opening up facilities for community sport. These are local projects developed and delivered predominantly by community and voluntary sector groups. Round 1 applications will begin in August 2011.
Henry said:
“This investment is aimed not just at sporting organisations but also at voluntary and community groups with an interest in running sporting activity. Given the importance of clubs to sport at the community level, Sport England is proposing to make available up to a thousand grants worth between £20,000 and £150,000.
“I am pleased to see that, even in the tougher economic times, we still fully recognise the value of sports to our local communities and continue to invest both in a healthy, active lifestyle and our sporting achievers of the future. I would urge local groups to carefully consider applying for a grant to support their services.”
For full details of the catalogue and the key eligibility criteria please call 08458 508508 or email funding@sportengland.org.
Follow Henry daily via: www.facebook.com/henrysmithmp or visit: www.henrysmith.info for further details.
Economic plan for town is launched
A new economic business plan for Crawley was agreed by Crawley Borough Council last night (Wednesday July 20).
The plan, titled Crawley’s Economic Plan (2011-16) In support of prosperity, sets out the council’s vision, role and purpose. It’s designed to be a short-term plan with a range of priority areas and activities which the council has a role in delivering.
The plans priorities are:
¢ Revitalise the town centre
¢ Enhance Manor Royal Business District
¢ Support the development of a sustainable Gatwick
¢ Encourage new business and local supply chain opportunities
¢ Contribute to the development of skilled and enterprising people and businesses
¢ Support housing supply and sustainable transport improvements
¢ Develop an economy noted for its environmental excellence.
The council is committed to supporting the economy and the plan is focussed on the next few critical years. To demonstrate that commitment the council is committed to reporting progress in public and inviting interested parties and the community to comment and contribute to the ongoing development and delivery of the plan.
The plan is also practical and focuses on areas where the council can make an impact.
Councillor Claire Denman, Cabinet member for Planning and Economic Development, said: Delivering the plan against a challenging economic backdrop will not be easy. The plan tries to balance ambition with realism.
Its an action-focussed plan and already the council is making progress in key areas including Manor Royal, the town centre and in housing and delivering important infrastructure.
The Local Economic Action Group has been a key partner in the development of the plan, letting the council know what’s important to the Crawley business community.
John Stapleton, Chair of the LEAG, said: delighted that the Crawley Economic Plan has been agreed. The LEAG and Crawley Borough Council are committed to working jointly to support the delivery of the plan over the next five years.
We will play an active role as a critical friend to the council and provide oversight to support the delivery of the plan.
For more information about the LEAG visit www.crawley.gov.uk/leag
CRASH COURSE IN ROAD SAFETY FOR HAYWARDS HEATH SHOPPERS
Firefighters will be giving shoppers a ‘crash course’ in road safety when they visit Orchards Shopping Centre in Haywards Heath on Wednesday 27th July.
The wreckage of a crashed car will take centre stage in a special road safety display by local fire crews and create a stark visual reminder of the dangers that drivers face on the roads.
Firefighters will be on hand from 8am until 6pm for people to chat to about all aspects of road safety and they will also be encouraging shoppers to test out special ‘beer goggles’ to experience for themselves how even a small amount of alcohol can impair their co-ordination and judgement.
The demonstration is just part of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s ongoing campaign to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads. In Mid Sussex, in the past 6 months (Jan 1st-June 30th 2011) there have been 179 accidents on the roads and 3 people have lost their lives.
Crew Manager from Haywards Heath, Gary Miller, said:
“The crashed car certainly won’t be what people will be expecting to see when they are out shopping but we hope it will be an effective way to show the results of a road traffic accident up close and raise awareness of the risks posed by dangerous driving.
“As firefighters, cutting people out of car wreckages is, unfortunately, a job that we are frequently called upon to do. We will continue to work alongside other road safety partners to promote safer driving habits and reduce the number of accidents on local roads.”
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