Update from West Sussex County Council
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Stay safe as pubs and restaurants reopen
More items allowed at recycling sites
‘Select and Collect’ service coming to a West Sussex Library near you!
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Birth registrations open for 2,000 West Sussex babies born since lockdown
Help keep our county clean
Plans for protecting West Sussex residents from the spread of COVID-19 are published
Plans for protecting West Sussex residents from the spread of COVID-19 are published
Plans for how West Sussex will cope with any local outbreak of COVID-19 have been published by West Sussex County Council.
Every County and Unitary Council has been asked to publish its plans to deal with local pockets of the virus which may appear.
The West Sussex plan, which includes details about the public health response, what action businesses and members of the public might be asked to take, and how this will be communicated, can be found on our website.
Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health at West Sussex County Council, said: “COVID-19 has affected our way of life and everyday routine extensively. We have been asked to make unprecedented sacrifices in order to limit the spread of this virus and as national restrictions begin to lift, it is important for us to make sure that here in West Sussex we are able to monitor and manage any rise in cases locally.
“I know that a considerable number of people, as well as our businesses, are very keen to get back to a more normal life, but I also recognise that this will cause a certain amount of anxiety. We want to ensure that we get the balance right between keeping our residents safe and well while getting our economy back on track.”
To ensure the plan is delivering for residents, a Local Outbreak Engagement Board (LOEB) will be established as a sub-group of the County Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB). This is chaired by Amanda Jupp and will report to the quarterly Health and Wellbeing Board, which is held in public. Dates and times of the meetings are available on our website.
Update from Chichester District Council
Thursday 2 July 2020
Issued by the Communications Team – publicrelations@chichester.gov.uk
www.chichester.gov.uk/coronavirus
www.facebook.com/ChichesterDistrictCouncil
This briefing is to keep you updated on the evolving situation around coronavirus (COVID-19) and the actions being taken in the district.
Who does it affect?
- Residents and businesses within the district
- Chichester District Council staff and councillors
- Parish councils
- Community groups and charitable organisations
In this briefing
- Latest update
- Stay alert
- Service changes
- Parks reopening
- Litter in public places
- Parking patrols boosted
- Public toilets
- Domestic waste and recycling collections
- Parking offers
- Meeting up with friends and family
- Pubs and restaurants reopening
- Stay safe, leave a space
- Community hub
- COVID-19 local outbreak plan
- Legionella risks after lockdown
- Keeping children safe online
- Shielding reminder
- Coronavirus statutory sick pay scheme
- Stay in touch
Latest update
This week the Prime Minister made a speech outlining how the Government would be bringing forward £5billion of funding for capital investment projects to support jobs and the economic recovery. Projects include:
- hospital maintenance;
- road network improvements;
- school re-building and repairs;
- digital upgrades and maintenance to some court buildings;
- prison building maintenance and creating temporary prison places;
- a series of local growth projects; and,
- money to speed up investment in town centres and high streets.
You can find out more about the Prime Minister’s announcement at https://bit.ly/PMBuildSpeech
Stay alert
We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. You can find more information on what you need to do at www.chichester.gov.uk/coronavirus and the very latest government advice is available at www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Service changes
Please visit www.chichester.gov.uk/councilservicestatus for all the latest information.
Parks reopening
Our play parks will be open again by this weekend. Please make sure that you refer to the guidelines that we have placed at each site to make sure that you and your children stay safe.
Litter in public places
Our litter enforcement officers are patrolling busy areas and fining anyone who is caught littering. We have seen an increase in the amount of litter that is being generated, especially on our beaches and in our car parks. We want to assure you that our teams are working flat out to keep on top of this, but we ask that if you find a full bin, or you can’t find somewhere to place your rubbish, please take it home with you.
Even though we are regularly clearing up and emptying bins, the sheer volume of people using our car parks and beaches has meant that we have seen an increase in littering. We will be increasing our messaging from our Against Litter campaign, to remind people that they have a role to play in making sure that our district is kept beautiful. Find out more at www.chichester.gov.uk/againstlitter
Parking patrols boosted
We have boosted parking patrols, especially in our coastal areas, and we will continue to do this. We’ve also met with the West Wittering Estate who own and run West Wittering beach and car park to discuss concerns raised by local residents. They are gradually increasing parking capacity, and they are advising anyone who has not booked that they should not visit West Wittering beach. We have been issuing Penalty Charge Notices to anyone who parks illegally, and we are looking at other possible measures that could be taken. We are also working closely with West Sussex County Council, which is responsible for the roads, and the Police — who have the powers to deal with anti-social behaviour — to discuss what further action could be taken, especially when hot weather is expected.
Public toilets
All of our public conveniences remain open and are being cleaned regularly. Please remember to maintain social distancing when using our parks and toilets.
Domestic waste and recycling collections
We are continuing to empty your bins as usual, including household waste, recycling, green recycling and trade waste. The teams have been working hard to make sure that all services are running.
Parking offers
Don’t forget that if you are paying to park in Chichester District Council car parks you can select two hours and get a third free if you use the MiPermit app over the next three months. We are also offering free parking at Avenue de Chartres car park on Saturdays and Sundays for the next three months. Find out more atwww.chichester.gov.uk/parking
Meeting up with friends and family
From Saturday, two households will be able to meet up in any setting with social distancing measures – updated guidance on social distancing can be found at https://bit.ly/SDUpdated
Where it is not possible to stay two metres apart, this will be reduced to a distance of ‘one metre plus’. This means staying one metre apart, plus mitigations which reduce the risk of transmission.
Pubs and restaurants reopening
This weekend, many pubs and restaurants across the district will be reopening. We have written to all of them offering advice and guidance, especially around licensing and planning as the Government has indicated that restrictions in these areas could be eased this month, to help them get back on their feet.
However, we do ask that everyone makes sure that they plan ahead because many pubs and restaurants will be working to a strict ‘bookings only’ policy to limit numbers. Please make sure that you follow social distancing guidance at all times and avoid large gatherings or congregating outside licensed premises.
Stay safe, leave a space
It is vital that we all observe social distancing rules as part of our fight against coronavirus. We’ve produced signage which is being displayed across the district, reminding people that they must stay safe and leave a space. We’re currently working on another project which will further expand on this work and we’ve also produced a video with our local businesses to welcome shoppers back to our High Streets at www.chichester.gov.uk/supportlocal
While our Civil Enforcement Officers, Foreshore Officers and Community Wardens have all been closely monitoring social distancing and offering advice, they do not have any powers to enforce these measures.
Community hub
We are continuing to work in partnership with West Sussex County Council and its Community Hub which is there to support the most vulnerable residents in our communities. We have been supporting the hub by collecting and delivering food, supporting volunteers, calling people to check that they are okay.
You can contact the Community Hub if you, or someone you know, need help, or if you want to volunteer your services in these difficult times. This will be available seven days a week and staff will be on hand to respond to enquiries from 8am-8pm. The team will be contacting the most vulnerable to tell them how to get help. The best way to contact the hub is online; if you have access go to www.westsussex.gov.uk/covid19communityhub.
A dedicated telephone helpline is also available for residents who are unable to go online: 033 022 27980. We are trying to keep the resources available through the hub for those who are most vulnerable, so if you do have support in place already, such as from family or friends, then please continue to use their support.
COVID-19 local outbreak plan
We have been working very closely with West Sussex County Council and our other partners to create a Covid-19 Local Outbreak Plan. The plan works hand-in-hand with the test and trace system, providing a strategy on how we will reduce the spread of the virus if infections start to increase locally. If we see a local spike in coronavirus cases, the plan will ensure a speedy response to contain the virus and prevent it from spreading further. This could range from making sure that infected individuals self-isolate, to locking down a specific local setting or even introducing a wider local lockdown where we will all need to follow this agreed plan.
Legionella risks after lockdown
Our Health Protection Team is reminding local businesses and voluntary groups that they must legally consider the potential for hazardous bacteria if their water system has been fully or partially closed during the lockdown period. If premises have been closed, or operating at reduced capacity, there is an increased risk of Legionella, which grows in water systems that have not been flushed through regularly, and where water has stagnated.
Those premises currently preparing to reopen can find information and advice at www.chichester.gov.uk/article/34084/Council-urges-premises-to-carry-out-post-lockdown-Legionella-checks?fbclid=IwAR2CdZ8IkfD_RGsH5FCZdv4ixAWOgtwHKhi3I4KhZc-uBYIK6ymgTvZ1GXs as well as helpful links at www.chichester.gov.uk/foodguidance.
Keeping children safe onlineAdvice and guidance to help parents and carers to keep children safe online during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has been updated and can be found atwww.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-keeping-children-safe-online
Shielding reminder
Millions of people shielding from coronavirus will be able to spend more time outside their homes from Monday 6 July. You can find out more information at www.gov.uk/government/news/plans-to-ease-guidance-for-over-2-million-shielding
Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme
The guidance for employers on whether they can use the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to claim back employees’ coronavirus-related statutory sick pay has been updated to include Information about employees who have transferred under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006. Find out more at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-back-statutory-sick-pay-paid-to-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19
Stay in touch
Make sure you stay in touch with our daily updates on:
www.chichester.gov.uk/coronavirus
www.facebook.com/ChichesterDistrictCouncil
www.instagram.com/ChichesterDC
www.linkedin.com/company/chichesterdc
You can also now sign up for our e-newsletters at www.chichester.gov.uk/newsalerts
Select and Collect service coming to a West Sussex Library near you
The service will allow residents to collect books from the front doors of all 36 West Sussex County Council owned libraries without the need to enter the building.
People will be able to reserve specific titles in the usual way online or by phoning their local library. In addition, people who may not know exactly what they want to borrow, will be able to ask for a more general selection of books chosen by a member of the West Sussex Library team.
Customers can complete a short online form or phone their local library giving them some basic information so that appropriate books can be selected.
People will also be able to pick up existing reservations made before Monday 23 March.
When items are available, the library service will let customers know and arrange a time for the items to be collected.
Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities, said: “Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the West Sussex Library Service has done their utmost to make sure that they offer all library users an alternative service to tide them over until lockdown restrictions were eased.
“Now, they are taking their first step back to a ‘new normal’ by offering this fantastic ‘Select and Collect’ service. We hope that this will get our regular library users comfortable with heading back into their local library when they re-open fully at a later date. It will also allow library users to see some of their regular library staff and have a chat or talk through any worries or concerns they may have about using the libraries at this current time.
“Whatever you plan to do, the staff at all of our libraries are looking forward to welcoming you back.”
Browsing inside the library is not yet available and all libraries will be operating with reduced hours for the foreseeable future.
Once the ‘Select and Collect’ service has been trialled, the next priority is to restore customer access to IT whilst still enabling staff to work safely.
For anyone who cannot visit the library and would like to borrow a selection of stock or request specific items, the Essential Delivery Service, which was set up when libraries closed towards the end of March, will still be available.
There are currently no overdue charges for outstanding items, so please do not worry if you are unable to return your books at this stage.
To take advantage of the ‘Select and Collect’ service, visit arena.westsussex.gov.uk/web/arena/staff-select and fill out the short online form.
Update from West Sussex County Council
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Green light for 21km of temporary cycleways in West Sussex
Bereavement support during COVID-19
Thank you to local businesses
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Ceremonies
Local suppliers: new listings
Gigabit Voucher for residents & businesses|
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Update from Public Rights of Way, West Sussex County Council
Please note WSCC has suspended the 15 month Inspection and Maintenance Cycle, due to the Covid 19 pandemic, and is currently only taking action on Public Rights of Way where reported issues require work to ensure public safety on the network. Should any enquiries received not be of this nature it will be logged so it can be prioritised and addressed in the future when normal working practices are resumed. We are currently reviewing when we can re-start inspections in line with government guidance and ask you for your patience in dealing with issues that arise. It is also important to note that our summer clearance programme for surface vegetation has now begun on selected paths and is running between the 1st June and mid-August.
- At this time it is important to remind people that public footpaths are for use by the public on foot only and cycling on these routes is a trespass against the landowner. This unlawful use risks conflict on the paths themselves and considerable challenges for people trying to keep the necessary 2m apart whilst enjoying the countryside.
- It is also important to note that landowners are responsible for any side vegetation encroaching onto the path and any structures on the PROW network, such as stiles and gates. If appropriate to do so please contact the landowner, if known, directly to make them aware of the issue but if not you can continue to report such issues by following the link below.
- A final reminder is the need to ensure good hygiene when using the PROW network including regular hand washing along with social distancing in line with government advice.
Brief
Our aim is to communicate with all residents within Easebourne parish and to be as transparent as possible. Our primary communication method is still our public Parish Council meetings held every other month and our Annual Parish meeting.
Given the significant number of changes taking place within the Parish we rely heavily on this website to assist in providing you with updates from our meetings and projects. News stories and updates will also be shared through our Facebook page. Please do follow us on Facebook and share updates with your friends and family to help keep Easebourne Parish updated.
We will continue to utilise our notice boards around Easebourne and Henley village for significant updates, updates in the United parish magazine, along with door drops when necessary to reach out to everyone in the Parish.
If you would like to ask your Parish Council anything please feel free to attend one of our meetings, or contact the Parish Clerk via email, post or phone. Details can be found on our Contact Us page. Please bear in mind that our Clerk works 13 hours a week and so there maybe a delay in receiving a reply.
Members
Carol Cantlon (Head)
Ian Milne
Mike Noble
David Pack
Kay Graetz (Co-opted)