Author: Andrew Taylor

Could you support your community while learning new skills, earning extra money and gaining some valuable lifesaving training?

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is on the lookout for retained (on-call) firefighters across the county particularly in the following areas: East Grinstead, Turners Hill, Hurstpierpoint, Shoreham, Storrington, Petworth, Arundel and East Wittering.

From fires and road traffic collisions to flooding and community prevention work – you’ll be playing a huge part in one of our emergency services.

Retained firefighters respond from work or home but must be in close proximity whilst on-call.

Fourteen of the County’s 25 fire stations are crewed solely by a retained (on-call) workforce.

So, think you could become part of the team and keep the people of West Sussex safe?

Find out more by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire.

If you’re looking for a new direction and want a more fulfilling job in the new year, then working in care could be for you.

Care providers across West Sussex need to recruit more staff especially over winter when there are huge pressures on the industry.

Roles range from Care Assistants and Community Support Workers to Activity Assistants, kitchen and office staff.

Care work offers flexibility so people with family commitments can work the hours that suit them, pay is competitive and the work is rewarding and fun. People that make great carers have a compassionate nature, empathy and the patience to spend quality time with those that need care either in their own home or residential care homes.

For more information and to search for vacancies visit the Proud to Care website or email proudtocare@westsussex.gov.uk.

The Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee will meet in public next Wednesday 22 January to go through the proposals for how the council will spend its budget for 2020/21. 

The committee, made up of members from all three political parties, will look carefully at the proposals and put forward comments or recommendations for the Cabinet to consider on 28 January, ahead of Full Council in February, when the final budget is agreed.  

Despite saving almost £240 million over the last ten years, there are still more savings to be made to address the £45 million budget gap over the next three years. The proposals will set out how the council intends to provide vital services to our residents in a cost effective way. 

The committee will meet at County Hall Chichester at 10.30am. You can attend the meeting in person or watch it online via our West Sussex Webcasts page. Final proposals will go to Full Council on 14 February to be formerly approved. 

For further information about the council’s financial position visit: www.westsussex.gov.uk/budget or sign-up to the Budget Challenge mailing list.

Mid Sussex District Council has produced a new strategy to prevent homelessness and help homeless people find long-term affordable and sustainable housing.

The new Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy was presented to the Council’s Scrutiny Committee for Housing, Planning and Economic Development on 22 January 2020. At the meeting, Committee Members recommended that the strategy be formally adopted by Full Council on 1 April 2020.

The new Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy identifies 5 key priorities for addressing homelessness within Mid Sussex:

1) Preventing and relieving homelessness

The most effective way to minimise the impact of homelessness is to prevent it occurring in the first place. The Council helps residents at risk to ensure they are receiving all the benefits and support to which they are entitled. When homelessness cannot be avoided, Rent in Advance and Deposit Guarantee Schemes can help local people to find somewhere new. Over the last 5 years, Mid Sussex District Council has helped over 470 households obtain housing through the private rented sector.

2) Minimise the use of and improve temporary accommodation

Being in temporary accommodation can be a stressful experience, particularly if the accommodation is located away from support networks, health care, employment and schools. The Council is committed to providing more temporary accommodation within Mid Sussex and enabling households to move on to a settled home as soon as possible.

3) Prevent recurring homelessness

Housing Officers work with people in temporary accommodation to ensure that appropriate support is provided, either by the Council or an external agency. The Council’s Employment Co-ordinator ensures households are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to and provides advice and assistance to enable them to find employment.

4) Tackling rough sleeping and homelessness amongst vulnerable groups

The Council works with Turning Tides, which is a community led homelessness organisation that provides support to long-term rough sleepers and those new or at risk of rough sleeping.

5) Enable access to suitable and affordable accommodation

Mid Sussex District Council requires all new residential development over 11 units to provide 30% affordable housing. Last year the Council oversaw the delivery of 102 new affordable houses.

Councillor Andrew MacNaughton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning said:

“Homelessness, in all its forms, can have a significantly detrimental impact on people and their families. Health and wellbeing suffers, there’s a detrimental impact on educational achievement and homelessness can act as a barrier for those seeking and keeping employment.

“Our Homelessness and Rough Sleeper Strategy will help to ensure that fewer people in Mid Sussex experience the trauma of homelessness and that those who do can find a settled home as quickly as possible.”

For more information contact the Mid Sussex Housing Needs team on 01444 477574 or email housingadvice@midsussex.gov.uk

Should there be icy conditions the County Council will Grit the A and B roads as usual, there are 68 grit bins around the town that can be used on residential roads and pavements (not private drives). You need only use a very small amount to be effective. The Town Council cannot respond immediately but if there is a prolonged spell, while stocks last, we will try to refill the grit bins.

Please check on neighbours who may need a little help if they can’t get out and about.