Lib Dem Leader of the Opposition on West Sussex County Council, Morwen Millson says, “We support the review of the Highways response already announced, but the effects of the recent bad weather were much wider than that. The Liberal Democrats want to look at the response not just of all parts of the County Council but of all public bodies, including parish and district councils, the NHS, the Highways Agency and transport operators and the ways in which they worked together.”

Transport lead member Dr. Nigel Dennis says, “Whilst the response of the Highways department was excellent within the current policies, the policies need to be tested. Is there too much emphasis on the use of gritting and not enough on snow ploughs? Should pavements be treated in addition to roads? Has the council investigated alternatives to gritting such as brine spraying in coastal areas? Is the priority list the best and most up to date? Are there enough grit bins or is there a better solution to supporting local residents to keep their areas safe?”

Brian Hall, Vice Chairman of the Council’s influential Policy and Resources Committee says, “The economy suffered not just from snow and ice and the effects on roads and pavements but also from the knock on effects of school closures. We think that the review should look at ways of avoiding such widespread closures and whether all schools need to close completely, or whether some could operate an emergency service so that parents who are key workers and carers could get to work, knowing their children are safe.

Morwen adds, “The NHS was affected badly, with many people attending A&E departments following falls. There will also be extra long-term costs for follow up appointments for fractures and other injuries. In spite of enormous efforts by care workers, some older people did not receive a normal service from the care system, with meals on wheels and domiciliary care particularly affected.

“Finally, the review should cover the ways in which the different authorities worked together. Although, most districts were unable to operate a normal refuse collection service, some immediately sent refuse collectors out to clear snow, whilst others waited several days. Some large parish councils were able to co-ordinate the response in their areas; should this model be used more widely?

“Weather emergencies are relatively rare in West Sussex, though many believe that changing weather patterns may make them more frequent. It is clear that modern society is dependent on being able to travel significant distances to work. We need our public bodies to take the full costs of their policies into account, not just their own costs. This is something the Government should look at on a national level.”

Derek Deedman, County Councillor for Bramber Castle concluded, “There is a considerable amount of work to do over the coming weeks and months to ensure that all parishes have an emergency plan in place covering all contingencies for the future – not just snow and ice. In my own area I have instigated the preparation of such planning with the first meeting of the Bramber, Steyning and Upper Beeding Parish Councils taking place earlier this month. The plan must involve all the agencies mentioned above, together with the many voluntary groups that do so much good work for local people all year round, and I will be working with the Parish and District Councillors to achieve just that.    

The new ideas for a small administrative and information office in the Baptist Church Hall, open just a few mornings and one afternoon each week, complimented by visits to the car park outside the Village Hall by a rural children’s centre bus were presented.

There were a few questions on how this new service would operate, but those present also heard how the mothers & toddlers groups in the Village had been consulted and that they would welcome the new service for parents of children from 0 to 5.

Both the Cabinet Member responsible and I made it clear that people could still contact us if there were any outstanding questions, but it is now likely that the scheme (which will also include the provision of an information point in Steyning) will proceed early next year.  

Liberal Democrat county councillors are delighted that the County Council has backed their call for the Council to increase its efforts to work with businesses in the county to reduce waste going to landfill. They are especially pleased that the Council agreed at its meeting on Friday to press the government for more powers to help achieve this.

Bramber Castle County Councillor Derek Deedman comments, “Commercial and industrial waste makes up 30% of total wastes.

“The Government helped force down the amount of household waste going to landfill by imposing swingeing fines on councils which fail to deliver reductions. However, it has completely failed to address the continuing high level of waste from commercial premises. So although the county has made arrangements for dealing with household waste, we still need to identify suitable sites for landfill. The main reason for the current proposal to use the Laybrook Brickworks site for landfill is the need to provide landfill for commercial waste.

“We need the same regime of legal reductions required for commercial and industrial waste, with fines for exceeding them as applies to local government, as part of a drive to a zero waste to landfill policy.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Morwen Millson added,

“West Sussex Liberal Democrats recognise that some excellent work has been done to reduce commercial waste in West Sussex by working with the private sector on a voluntary basis. However, we want the Government to introduce an Anti-waste and Resource Efficiency Act.

“This would enable councils to enforce a zero waste to landfill policy.

“It would also require businesses to identify any resources being used unsustainably and require reductions and increased re-use and recycling.

“Even more importantly, especially in the current economic and environmental circumstances, it would set sustainable design standards for all key products and require specified products to last at least five years.

“Finally, the Act would make green roofs, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling and sustainable drainage part of compulsory planning guidance. This would ensure that new buildings would have a lower impact on the environment and would be more economic to run than at present.”

I was appalled to hear this news, discovered by Lib Dem MPs in response to a Parliamentary Question.

The statistics show that drinkers are more susceptible to developing certain cancers. For instance, men who drink five units a day are 2.5 times more likely to develop mouth cancer, while women who drink five units a day are 3.6 times more likely to develop liver cancer.

 Since 1997 there has been:  

A 43% rise in liver cancer,

a 53% increase in mouth cancers, and  

a 20% increase in cancer of the oesophagus.

I must agree with Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, Don Foster who said: 

“Excessive drinking has been on the rise for years, and these shocking figures show how dramatically the health problems of booze Britain are escalating. Ministers cannot turn a blind eye to the terrible problems alcohol is causing. 

“The Government’s failure to cut alcohol consumption now is storing up problems for later, with more people set to develop cancers in the years to come. 

“The appalling rise of alcohol-related health problems will only continue unless we crack down on reckless retailers and irresponsible drink offers.”

But we also need a change in culture in our society, for too long getting drunk has been seen as ‘funny’ something required to have a ‘good’ evening. And it is not just the health problems; too much alcohol leads to violence on the streets and in the home. Much of the breakup of families, poor educational achievement and anti-social behaviour by young people is as a result of our drinking society.

I am appalled that the Government is proposing to fast-track a new generation of nuclear power stations.

Although thankfully no new generation of nuclear power stations are planned for this area it will be a colossal mistake regardless of where they are built. New plants in the UK have never been built without massive cost to the taxpayer and a lethal legacy of toxic waste.

And plans to sweep aside the remnants of local accountability in the planning system expose a Government ready to override all objections as to where new sites will be built.

New nuclear is a reckless strategy for Britain’s energy needs as it won’t be ready for many years and could only make a small contribution to Britain’s demands.

The best way for Britain to reduce emissions and secure its energy supply is through measures to reduce existing energy needs and the rapid development of renewable power which is clean, safe, effective and would create huge numbers of jobs.

This important event for people with learning difficulties, all NHS services (primary care, secondary care as well as specialist learning disability services), self-advocates, carers, commissioners, independent and voluntary sector providers etc., will take place between from10:00am until 3:30pm on Thursday 10^th December 2009 at Billingshurst Village Hall.

The Strategic Health Authority has asked for a Health Self Assessment for Learning Difficulties to be carried out.  This is the first year this has had to be done and it will become an annual event.  This is a really exciting opportunity to make sure that health services are provided that meet the needs of people with a learning disability.

What’s it all about?         

The event is to talk about work to make health services in West Sussex better for people with learning difficulties and how other people can help. All the different people and groups who work in health services have said they will work together to make services better for people with Learning Difficulties.

At the event the 4 big health targets will be discussed, a checklist will be look at to see how good our local health services are – or where they need to get better, and ideas will be shared and plans made to make things work better.    

These ideas and plans will be used to decide how the money is spent and how services work

The 4 big health targets to be checked are:       

1. Make sure campus homes are closed by 2010 and that people who have lived in long stay hospitals have all moved

2. Make sure people with learning difficulties can use the same health services, and get as good a service, as everyone else

3. Make sure people are safe in our health services and that the service is learning from mistakes in the past

4. Make sure that what ‘Valuing People Now’ says will help people’s health

People with learning difficulties and their families are being invited to the Big Health Day, as well as health staff and managers.

What people say at the Big Health Day and the plans for making health services better will be agreed by the West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT) Chief Executive and the Learning Difficulties Partnership Board Chair(s) and then sent to the Strategic Health Authority.

The organisers need to know who wants to attend the Big Health Day, so if you or someone in your family has learning difficulties, or you are involved in providing health services and want to help ensure they are fully available for everybody including those with learning difficulties call: Lynsay Miles 01903 839060 or email lynsay.miles@westsussex.gov.uk  to book your place !!

Dr Vince Cable launched a recovery plan for the UK last Monday, 14 September.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor, Vince Cable has launched a pamphlet published by the independent think tank Reform setting out proposals for tackling the fiscal crisis.

In this pamphlet, he argues that there should be no “ring fenced” areas of spending and that all existing spending should be justified.

He claims that the situation is very probably more serious than the Government’s proposals for a fiscal tightening of 6.4% of GDP over eight years suggest. He argues that a fiscal consolidation of 8% of GDP over five years is more realistic, with the emphasis on controlling public spending, not higher taxes.

Nine specific areas of potential savings are identified as a start to a radical programme of reform. The main proposals are:

• Zero growth overall for public sector pay (saving £2.4bn a year), a 25% reduction in the total pay bill of staff earning over £100,000 and a salary freeze and end of bonuses for the civil service (saving £200m a year)

• Tapering the family element of the tax credit – saving £1.35bn
• A radical review of public sector pensions with the view to moving to higher employee contributions and later retirement ages. There is currently a £28bn subsidy to unfunded schemes
• Scrapping several major IT systems including the ID card scheme (£5bn over 10 years), Contactpoint (£200m over five years), the NHS IT scheme (£250m over the next five years) and the proposed ‘super database’ (£6bn)
• Curbing ‘industrial policy’, including scrapping Regional Development Agencies (£2.3bn annually) and ECGD subsidies (£100m annually) and reducing (by at least half) the Train to Gain and Skills Councils budgets (£990m together a year)
• Reforming the National Health Service, by reducing the centralisation and over-administration - starting by scrapping Strategic Health Authorities (£200m a year) – by strengthening commissioning and with ‘supply side reform’ - in particular tariff reform could save around £2bn a year
• Curbing the centralisation in education, by cutting national strategies and scrapping quangos – saving around £600m a year
• Reducing the amount of waste in the defence procurement process, including scrapping the Eurofighter and Tranche 3 (£5bn over 6 years), the A400M (total cost £22bn), Nimrod MRA4, the Defence Training Review contract (£13bn over 25 years) and the Trident submarine successor (£70bn over 25 years)
• Examining possible future public sector asset sales, including some aspects of the Highways Agency (land value of £80bn) and intangibles such as spectrum, landing rights and emissions trading

Commenting, Vince Cable said:

“The time for generalities is over.

“Instead, we need serious proposals for cutting public spending and tackling the UK’s budget deficit.

“The priority is to move the economy out of recession but there is also a need to restore fiscal credibility and to allow Government to focus its resources where are they are most needed.

“We need to debate when, how and where the cuts will come.

“Undoubtedly more are required to meet the exacting fiscal disciplines but asking the British public for their vote at the next election means being upfront from the outset about what Government should and should not be spending its money on.”

A PDF of the pamphlet can be downloaded here.

Published by Reform, Tuesday 15 September 2009

Please note: this is not official Liberal Democrat policy and examples are illustrative and represent only a first, rough attempt.

The next Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) meeting will take place on Wednesday 23 September at Ashington Community Centre in Ashington. The meeting starts at 7pm and apart from the usual opportunity for people to raise local concerns under the talkwishus agenda item, the major matter for debate will be the planning application for a landfill site at the Laybrook Common/brickworks.

Directors from Cory (the applicants) and a Development Control Officer from the County Council are expected to be present to update the Committee on the current stage of the planning process and answer questions.

I suggested at the Upper Beeding Parish Council meeting last week that parish councillors might attend the CLC meeting to explain what it is like to live next to a landfill site. 

Following complaints over recent months about dog fouling of the riverbank near this twitten from Dawn Crescent, I have been trying to obtain action from Upper Beeding Parish Council to support a call to Horsham District Council (HDC) for a dog bin.

I  raised this matter again at last week’s Parish Council meeting (when one of the District Councillors was present), when it was reported that a number of people, including the Neighbourhood Wardens as well as the Parish Council, wish to see such a bin provided, but that currently the District Council is refusing to provide one. It appears that HDC consider that it is too difficult for staff to walk to the riverbank to empty the bin!

I am pleased to say that the Parish Council agreed to raise the matter again with HDC in view of the continuing need for such a facility to deal with the amount of dog mess still being left at the site.

Another public meeting on the proposed Upper Beeding Children & Family Centre will take place this evening at the Upper Beeding Primary School, starting at 8 pm.

This time the meeting, open to all residents of Upper Beeding, will be chaired by the Chairman of the School Governing Body.

It is intended that the programme for the meeting will be: -

1. a presentation on the activities based at a Children & Family Centre,

2. the benefits to Upper Beeding from having a Centre in the Village, and

3. the possible solutions to the traffic concerns raised at the first public meeting.

I have been asked about the lack of a dog bin at the end of the Twitten to the river bank between numbers 27 and 29 Dawn Crescent. Many people walk their dogs along that way and although some pick up their dogs mess many often just leave it in plastic bags in the area.

I have asked Upper Beeding Parish Council to discuss with Horsham District Council whether a bin could to be provided in a suitable place for these walkers. If this is not possible because the District Council vehicle would be unable to access the bin to empty it, I have suggested that at least signs could be provided to encourage people to take their ‘doggie bags’ home. It is after all, litter, and should not be left in the area.

I attended the County Multi-agency Flooding Group on Thursday and raised the Parish Council’s concern at the lack of details regarding the emergency plans for dealing with any possible overflowing of the Adur at Beeding Bridge.

Arundel & South Downs Liberal Democrats are asking where local MP Nick Herbert was on Friday when MPs voted on a new parliamentary bill aimed at ending fuel poverty.

The Bill was just 11 votes short of the number it needed to make progress.

Just one in ten Conservative MPs and one in fourteen Labour MPs were in Parliament to support the Bill. Nearly three quarters of Lib Dems were present but it was not enough to stop the Government blocking the Bill.

County Councillor Derek Deedman, who is also Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Arundel & South Downs said:

“The Fuel Poverty Bill was ‘talked out’ by the Government on Friday because not enough MPs turned up to support it. It needed 100 MPs but it only got 89.

“This is a crying shame. With millions of people across Britain struggling to afford to heat their homes, this Bill is desperately needed.

“With such a narrow margin of failure it is really disappointing that our local MP, Nick Herbert, was not in Parliament to support this important Bill.

“The Bill, which is being proposed by Liberal Democrat MP David Heath, would have delivered a massive home insulation programme which would halve the energy needed to heat the average home. And it would end the scandal of those who use pre-pay meters – generally the least well-off – paying higher rates for their gas and electricity.

“Our best hope now is to put as much pressure as possible on the Government to change their minds and support the Bill. Without government support I am afraid it looks doomed.”

Campaign groups such as Consumer Focus and Age Concern have condemned the Government for blocking the Bill’s progress. Help the Aged have said that, “Millions of older people… will be devastated and dismayed by this result.”

ENDS.

NB. A household is said to be in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain a satisfactory heating regime (usually 21 degrees for the main living area, and 18 degrees for other occupied rooms).

Visitors to this website will recall that a Lib Dem MP, David Heath, is to promote a Private Members Fuel Poverty Bill in Parliament.

This Bill is necessary because, according to its own estimates, the Government is not on course to meet its statutory targets, set pursuant to the Warm Homes & Energy Conservation Act 2000, to end fuel poverty in vulnerable households by 2010 and the rest of the sector by 2016.

The Warm Homes Act was supported by 418 MPs’ during its passage through Parliament, but a recent High Court judgment ruled that the targets in the Warm Homes Act 2000 were not targets but merely “aspirations”. David Heath MP’s Fuel Poverty Bill (introduced into Parliament with cross-party support on 21 January) seeks to reinstate the statutory duty to end fuel poverty and focuses on increasing the energy efficiency of the housing stock of the fuel poor. It also requires energy suppliers to provide social tariffs to vulnerable customers in the short-term.

Urgent action is needed to help the 4 million people living in fuel poverty in the UK, some of whom live in my Bramber Castle Division and the Arundel & South Downs Constituency.
 
David has chosen Friday 20 March for the Fuel Poverty Bill’s debate in Parliament.

It is vital that at least 100 MPs attend so that it can be assured the Bill obtains a Second Reading.  I therefore urge everyone to email/write to Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel & South Downs, and ask for his commitment to attend on 20^th March, and to vote for the Fuel Poverty Bill at its Second Reading debate that day.

Those who live in other Constituencies should write to their MP.

Many thanks

Liberal Democrats in this area have expressed their delight that Liberal Democrat MP David Heath is bringing forward a parliamentary bill aimed at ending fuel poverty.

 
The Fuel Poverty Bill will bring in two measures:

• A major energy efficiency programme to bring existing homes up to the current energy efficiency levels enjoyed by modern homes.
• Social tariffs to limit vulnerable households’ exposure to high-energy bills.

Derek Deedman, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Bramber Castle, said:

“There are many people in my Division who are finding it difficult to pay their energy bills, and so I was one of many Liberal Democrats to encourage David Heath to use his high position in the ballot for private members bills to bring forward this particular parliamentary bill.

“These proposals will be great for the environment whilst also making a real difference to pensioners and others struggling to pay their energy bills. It will make a real difference to the estimated five million households faced with the terrible choice between heating and eating this winter.

“The bill would also provide a much-needed boost to the local construction industry struggling in the recession.

“These proposals deserve the support of politicians from all parties. I hope that the MP for Arundel & South Downs will give the bill his support when it is debated in the House of Commons.”

The measures in the bill have also received the backing of many major charities and campaign groups, including Help the Aged, Friends of the Earth, Consumer Focus and the Association for the Conservation of Energy.

In fact this seems to be getting worse. It is very noticeable on my regular walks in the area that many dogs have been allowed by their anti-social owners to foul the pavements in our area.

This matter was raised at the Local Action Team (LAT) meeting in November, when it was mentioned that the Horsham District Council Street Scene Team were doing early morning patrols in the area, speaking to dog walkers and providing bags. I was unable to attend the November meeting as I was at another meeting, but clearly the resources being allocated to resolve the current level of dog fouling is completely inadequate.

I will raise this matter again at the next LAT meeting; please let me know if your pavement is being fouled.

I have written to two Lib Dem MPs to congratulate them on being successful in the ballot to be able to introduce a Private Members Bill in Parliament, and to urge them to adopt the Fuel Poverty (Eradication) Bill, which will reinstate the duty to end fuel poverty and compel the Government to take proper action to meet its targets.

I was appalled to learn in October of the High Court judgment that ruled that the Government’s duty under the Warm Homes Act was in fact merely discretionary.  I know that this was not what Lib Dem MPs thought was being enacted at the time.

The Government have been repeatedly censured by their own Fuel Poverty Advisory Group for their failure to fulfil their duties under the Warm Homes Act.  If the Lib Dem MP’s take up this Bill, this will ensure that the Government is not allowed to wriggle off the hook completely.

The Bill specifically requires the homes of the fuel poor to be brought up to the minimum energy efficiency standards currently enjoyed by new homes.  It also requires the use of social tariffs to limit vulnerable households’ exposure to high energy bills.

Over 5 million households are currently in fuel poverty, and parents and older people will face the impossible choice between fuel and food this winter.  This Bill will not only provide a long-term solution to fuel poverty but also a much-needed boost to Britain’s construction industries.  It will also help reduce carbon emissions.

Many people in Arundel & South Downs will benefit from the success of this Bill and I hope the MPs’ will introduce it as a Private Members Bill.

Public meetings to discuss this proposal are being held this month.

Locally there will be a meeting at Worthing Hospital on Tuesday, 11 November from 6 to 7.30pm in the Board room, Washington Suite, and at Southlands Hospital on Monday, 24 November from 6 to 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre.

Further information, including an information leaflet is available on the Worthing & Southlands NHS Trust website. (See link under Health Services.)

I am a member of the West Sussex Learning Difficulty Partnership Board.

At the Board meeting last week I met Martina Osei-Bobie who is one of the three part time members of the West Sussex Carers Support Service team. She is responsible for the Worthing & District area which includes the Chanctonbury area of south Horsham.

Although she already has contact with many people in our area who are caring for adults with learning difficulties, there are no doubt many others who are not aware that she might be able to help them in their role as carers.

If you are such a carer or know someone who is, and maybe needs help/advice, Martina would be glad to hear from you. She can be contacted by: - ‘phone 01903 528689, fax 01903 528611 or email martinaoseibobie@carerswsx.org.uk

The Government has asked Horsham District Council if it wants to take up an offer of extra grant by agreeing to allow free swimming for over 60’s and under 16’s in the District’s swimming pools such as at the Steyning Leisure Centre.

The District Council will be discussing this matter tomorrow evening (10th) and I have suggested to District Councillor George Cockman that the proposal should be welcomed. This is as an excellent move to improve the health of older as well as younger people by increasing the availability of free sporting activities. This would also provide an alternative, free activity for those on low incomes, and for local young people, a few of whom might otherwise engage in anti-social behaviour.

George considers that the Government’s present plans need to be improved to really attract young people. This is because the current offer is just for free access in all adult sessions which is not likely to be much good for them and certainly not for the rest. He suggests that more funds are needed for equipment for youth leisure swimming activities and to enable specific youth sessions to be provided.

George has agreed to hopefully convince the Council to support making these points in the response to the Government.

At long last the new Steyning Health Centre opens at 10am on Monday, 1 September. For more information go to the Health Centre website via the link on the left.

In an article today in many national newspapers I understand that the Tories will be launching a drive to encourage healthier lifestyle and insisting that people claiming biological or environmental causes for their obesity are simply making excuses.

Well they obviously have no idea why most people get into this condition. Just one example from the whole variety of possible causes - for those on low incomes, is to compare the price of junk food/sweets etc with good nutritional meals/fruit etc – no prizes for guessing which is the cheapest. They are really launching a persecution of such people by encouraging bullying in the playground, at work and in the community. The outcome will certainly not reduce obesity but might increase the number of suicides.

This is the great news from Jennie Musgrove, the Project Coordinator for the new building which is due to be handed over by the contractor this Friday 22nd August - 2.30pm on time and within budget. Congratulations to Jennie and her team on this success!
Following the delivery of new furniture and fittings next week, the doctors, other health professionals and administrative staff will move in on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th August. The Upper Beeding Surgery will remain be open for emergencies during the move. The New Health Centre will then open to patients on Monday 1st September.

The existing temporary Health Centre buildings in Fletchers Croft are due to be removed on 2 and 3 September, so the Steyning Centre car park will be closed whilst the removal work is carried out. The work should be completed in time for the car park to re-open just ahead of the school term start on 4h September.

For more information about the New Health Centre click on the link on this website under Health services.

The official opening celebration date has yet to be confirmed but is still likely to take place in October.

The meeting of the Steyning, Bramber and Upper Beeding Local Action Team (LAT) today heard that the Steyning Zero Tolerance campaign is a success. The figures for anti-social activities are being collated, but the indications are that they show a welcome downturn on the figures for the same period last year. Good news for the launch of the campaign in Bramber and Upper Beeding next month.

However, aggressive behavior by individuals who have become intoxicated with alcohol continues to be a problem. In my view we must start to change the culture in this Country, that getting ‘merry’ or drunk is just a ‘laugh’ and is something to be expected, especially from young people. The media is to be blamed for promoting such a culture, particularly on television.

Not that the media is much better on the smoking front. How many TV programmes can you name where people are unnecessarily shown as smoking and/or drinking to excess? We cannot expect young people in particular not to smoke or to drink to excess when leading personalities are shown doing just that almost every night. It would surely not be difficult to eliminate such activities from television shows? The savings to the NHS from fewer smokers and heavy drinkers would be enormous, as would be the benefit to family life and community safety from a reduction in anti-social behavior from drunks on our streets or in their own homes.

The Police, Police Community Support Officers and our Neighbourhood Wardens can help tackle the drunks in our community, but the Government, media and people as a whole can do much more to show that drinking to excess is unacceptable in a civilized society. And let’s do much more to show that anyone with any sense or concern about their own, as well as other peoples, health should not be smoking at all, not just in those places banned by law.

The construction of the new Health Centre is expected to be completed later this month.

Provided all goes to plan it is likely that the move to the new building will take place at the end of August with the new Health Centre open for business from 1 September. The temporary Health Centre will close whilst the move takes place, but the Upper Beeding centre will reamin open for urgent appointments.

The temporary buildings at Fletchers Croft should be removed a few days after, but the Steyning Centre car park will have to close whilst this takes place. The new car park in Church Street (next to the Library) for the School (and community use after school hours and at weekends) should help relieve the parking situation at that time.

There will be more publicity about the move and confirmation of the dates at the Temporary Health Centre, in the local media, and hopefully the Parish Council’s ‘Steyning News’.

In a historic vote the County Council at it’s meeting on 6^th June voted by an overwhelming majority to bid to the Government to take over the functions of the West Sussex Primary Care Trust (PCT).

The Council was encouraged to take this action by the Government’s recently announced proposals to give people the chance to have a greater say in the way local health services are delivered, to help improve services to patients, and to make the local NHS more accountable to the people they serve.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Derek Deedman (Bramber Castle), proposed to the meeting that the functions of the PCT be brought under democratic control. The Leader of the Conservative Group congratulated Derek on bringing the proposal to the Council, which he said was one of the most important that had come before the Council in recent years. With some agreed amendments the proposal was accepted by the majority  Conservative Group and passed overwhelmingly, with the only opposition coming from the three members of the Labour Group present.

Mr Deedman said, “Local Government Association, Conservative and Liberal Democrat policies support greater local democratic control of local health services, and we should take up that challenge as to how that can be achieved, now.

“Direct County Council responsibility for local health services would enable the democratic deficit to be addressed, and would lead to improved working between health and social care. If it had already been in place this would have enabled the appalling original ‘Fit for the Future’ proposal, which, even now, has only been partially addressed at a high cost to the County Council budget, MPs’ and stress to the public, to have been avoided.

“Furthermore such a responsibility would give democratic control over the need for a new hospital in the Crawley and Horsham area which is currently of great to local residents. In addition the County Local Committee network would be an ideal forum for local monitoring and public consultation on local area health provision.

“Finally such an organisation would lead to considerable cost savings. For example it would need one Chief Executive and one set of support services for finance, legal, IT and personnel.

“This is a ‘win win’ situation - better, more effective and efficient local health and social care services, under local democratic control, and at a lower cost. I am delighted that the Council supported my proposal.”

Note - a full webcast of the debate can be seen via the West Sussex County Council  website link  from this website.

The meeting, open to the public, will be at County Hall, Chichester, starting at 10.30am.

The meeting may be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the County Council website on the internet. Log on to the West Sussex website (link from this site) at 10.30am on Friday!

Apart from questions to the Leader and Cabinet Members, one major debate will be on whether to approve more paid jobs for the Tories with an additional Cabinet post (for Education & Skills) and up to four more deputy cabinet posts.

Another debate will be on my Motion to welcome the Government’s proposals in the draft Queen’s Speech to improve local control over the National Health Service, by asking the Leader of the Council to call on the Government to approve a merger of the West Sussex PCT and the County Council.

In starting the debate, I will highlight the Conservative Chairman of the Local Government Association press release supporting giving people the chance to have a greater say in how their local health services are delivered. I will refer to the existing close working between the County Council and the PCT in a number of areas (£100m budget) and how this is proposed to be extended in the next Local Agree Agreement to work jointly on a number of targeted improvements to services.

I will stress how such a merger would address the democratic deficit in the current situation, which led to the appalling proposal as the original ‘Fit for the Future’ which has only been more-or-less corrected at a high cost to the County Council budget, MPs and stress to the public. Furthermore such a merger would give democratic control over the need for a new hospital in the Crawley and Horsham area. In addition the County Local Committee network would be an ideal forum for local monitoring and public consultation on local area health provision.

Finally such a merger should lead to considerable cost savings. Starting at the top, one organisation would only need one Chief Executive and one set of support services for finance, legal, IT and personnel.

This is a ‘win win win’ situation - better, more effective and efficient local health and social care services, under local democratic control, and at a lower cost. I hope the Council will support my proposal.

Following the proposals in the Government’s draft Queen’s speech I am moving a Notice of Motion at the next County Council meeting on 6 June: -“This Council welcomes the Government’s proposals in the draft Queen’s speech to give people the chance to have a greater say in how their local health services are delivered, to help improve services to patients, and make NHS trusts more accountable to the people they serve. This Council considers that this would be best achieved in

This Council would be pleased to work with the West Sussex PCT to establish a pilot scheme for such an arrangement, and asks the Leader to call on the Government to formally approach the Government to approve a merger of the PCT and County Council as a pilot for it’s proposals in the draft Queen’s speech.”

The Local Government Association (LGA) has made some good comments on the 2008 draft legislative programme: -

• “The best way to make the police more accountable would be through councils and councillors.  Councils are visible, open and democratically accountable to the residents they serve. Bypassing directly elected councilors risks disrupting the successful local work which is already occurring.” But the first past the post electoral system means that here in West Sussex the Tories have an overall majority on all County and District Councils and they can, and do, ignore the majority of local views on many issues - the opposition to a South Downs National Park despite massive local support for such a Park being just one example! 
• “Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) must be more accountable for the decisions they make. Health accountability can be achieved through the use of local government structures already in place and an additional local electoral structure would be unlikely to be effective or efficient.” The West Sussex County Council  should be campaigning  to become  the PCT for the County.
• “The government is absolutely right to want to improve people’s influence over local decisions.  Many councils are already leading the way on this issue, responding to thousands of petitions every year.  Councils will want to ensure that new legislation doesn’t impose unnecessary new rules for town halls to follow.” Right! But we can really only oppose this if councils actually represent, and make decisions on, the whole range of local political views. It does not happen like that in West Sussex!
• “The LGA is disappointed that the government has been overly cautious in its approach to the Supplementary Business Rate. It is important that local authorities should be given powers to levy the supplement and it is regrettable that the power will not be available to district and London councils.” Many local businesses are already struggling to survive in current economic circumstances, so giving powers to both County and Districts to levy supplementary business rates could be the final straw for a large number of them. There is a case for local authorities to have the responsibility for levying the Business Rate restored to them to help fund economic regeneration in their areas, but it should be at the strategic county level - perhaps the Government should be moving to a unitary local government system as the basis for its business rate proposals?      

At the recent Annual Upper Beeding Parish Meeting the Neighbourhood Wardens for Bramber, Steyning & Upper Beeding presented a report on their activities during the last year and their plans for 2008/09.

Now the Wardens can issue penalty tickets for dog fouling and dropping litter they will be working to reduce this sort of anti-social behaviour across the area. Fortunately this sort of behaviour is only carried out by a few people, but it has a significant impact on the street scene, and can also be a danger to health.   (And don’t forget that dropping cigarette butts is also litter.) Contact the Wardens, Paul Sweeney on 077344 387 888 or Kylie Calder on 07734 387 889 (or via the office on 01903 813 236) if you have information on regular sites/times when this sort of anti-social behaviour is carried out.

The Wardens will be continuing with their work to control other sorts of bad behaviour such as under age drinking in our recreation grounds, whilst at the same time working with the junior wardens from the Upper Beeding (and soon Steyning) Primary Schools.

And they are still able to help those more older residents who are unable to get out by collecting medicines etc for them.

Our Neighbourhood Wardens are doing a great job - help them to do an even better one!

The consultation period will be from May to July 2008.

The County Policy & Resources Select Committee on Wednesday (7th) at County Hall will be considering the methods used in preparing the draft Strategy, whether additional groups might be engaged in the preparation of the Strategy work and how to promote the consultation in local communities.

The Strategy will be for all the population, not just those who have been traditionally been supported because they have been seen to have the highest needs. It should: -

aim to build strong and cohesive communities where individuals feel included and recognise their responsibilities;

assist individuals and communities to access services and opportunities with minimal intervention; and

encourage service providers to work as partners in focusing needs and aspirations of people, ensuring that there are high quality affordable services, and improving information provision from a variety of sources including through the web, so people can identify, and take, opportunities and choices.

I will be suggesting that Parish Councils should be included in the consultation, and will be reporting on this the Upper Beeding and Bramber Parish Council meetings this week.

A summary of the Framework document is available from the County Council at:

www.westsussex.gov.uk/scs

Please read the Framework, consider the information it presents, and then respond to the questions at the end of the document.

Despite excellent speeches from seven local residents explaining why the planning application to extend the life of the Horton Landfill Site at Small Dole should be refused, including health fears, the majority of the County Planning Committee voted to approve the application.

Local County Councillor, Derek Deedman, in his presentation to the Committee, highlighted the continuing growth in heavy traffic throughout the area, the fact that the Head of Waste Management Services (the Waste Disposal arm of the County Council) had told him that the Site did not feature in the Interim Contract for Waste Disposal (thus shooting down the claims that there was a need for the extra waste facility at Small Dole), and that the draft County Minerals & Waste Planning Framework policy on land raising (which this scheme was) stated that it did not form part of the preferred waste strategy and was unlikely to be acceptable. He then read out an example email from two local residents showing what a very bad impact the operation of the Site had on their daily life. Derek also referred to the litter from vehicles going into and out of the Site and wanted an extra planning condition to require vehicle containers to be covered to prevent spillage or loss of material onto the public highways. He finally asked for the application to fill the present void to be approved by extending planning permission to 1 June 2009, (with a further 18 months for restoration only), but called for the bid for extra waste to be tipped at the Site to be refused.During the Planning Committee discussion some of the Committee members were concerned at the health fears which had been raised by the Henfield Medical Centre, outlined by some of the residents speaking against the scheme, but wanted this addressed by stronger planning conditions rather than to refuse the application. One Member took the view that his area had suffered from planning decisions in the past - so why shouldn’t Small Dole receive the same treatment! Another Member felt that although the Committee had refused a similar land-raising waste application in the recent past, because this had then been allowed on appeal by the planning inspector, the Committee could not refuse this application.

Two Members did, however, speak out against the application. One agreed that the present void should be filled, but that any further tipping went against what could be regarded under the Human Rights Act as proportionate in terms of its continuing effects upon the private lives and homes of Small Dole residents. They had had their ’share’ of waste disposal. The other Member felt that the quality of life of local people was important and the County Council should base its actions on improving and enhancing the quality of life of all its residents.

Following a discussion as to how the planning conditions could be improved to better control the toxic and other gases and smells from the Site, the Committee decided, despite the objections, to approve the planning application. The use of the Site for disposal of waste is now to cease on or before 1 October, 2010, with restoration to be completed by 1 April 2012.

Derek said, “I hate to lose any debate, and although the odds were stacked against the application being refused I really thought there might have been a chance this time. For the people of Small Dole it is an extremely disappointing decision.”

There was an excellent presentation at yesterday’s Learning Difficulties Partnership Board on the help that is available.

Many people with learning difficulties do not know how to look after their eyes, nor whether they can get help about this.

Stephen Kill at West Sussex County Council is responsible for helping adults with learning difficulties to look after their sight and wants to do more work this year about eye care and even start to help people look after their hearing.

Although the County Council and voluntary groups know of many of the people who can be helped in this way, there could be many others for whom there are no records. If you know of a person in West Sussex with learning difficulties with sight or hearing problems who does not know what to do about them, contact Stephen Kill for advice.

Stephen can be contacted on 01903 745331, stephen.kill@westsussex.gov.uk or via his website, www.lookupinfo.org

The five parish councils in the Bramber Castle Division will be holding their annual meetings over the next two months.

Although the meetings will be chaired by the chairman of the parish council in each case, they are not parish council meetings, they are the annual opportunity for the public to attend , make their views known on current issues concerning the parish and ask questions of the parish councillors. The parish council chairman will usually give a short report on the activities of the parish council over the last year and answer questions. There may also be a presentation on a topical subject by an invited guest which should be of interest to local people.

The meetings this year will be: -

Steyning Parish Meeting - 7.30pm, Monday 31 March at the Steyning Centre. Jennie Musgrove, from the New Steyning Health Centre Development Group, will give a short presentation on the new Health Centre and answer questions. (Note this is not a public consultation meeting.)

Ashurst Parish Meeting - 8pm, Thursday 3 April at Ashurst Village Hall. Steyning Parish Councillor, Marlene Carman, will be speaking about the Steyning & District Community Partnership and the Steyning & Ashurst Conservation Volunteers.

Woodmancote Parish Meeting - 7.45pm, Tuesday 8 April at the Parish Hall. Two of the major topics to be discussed will be traffic developments in the Blackstone area and progress on implementation of the Woodmancote Parish Plan.

Upper Beeding Parish Meeting - 7.30pm, Wednesday 23 April at the Beeding & Bramber Village Hall. The final list of speakers has yet to be finalised, but may include a representative of Viridor Credits (West Sussex) talking about the community grants available from the organisation (relating to landfill tax paid for waste going into the Small Dole site), and how they can be applied for.

Bramber Parish Meeting - 7pm, Wednesday 7 May at Beeding & Bramber Village Hall.

The Liberal Democrat Spring Conference yesterday backed plans to radically transform the NHS into a ‘people’s health service’ by empowering individuals and decentralising control to local communities.The measures will set the NHS free from central government control, make it accountable to the people it serves through elected health boards and deliver high quality services to all guaranteed in a ‘Patient’s Contract’.

Plans contained in the policy paper Empowerment, Fairness and Quality in Healthcare include:

·        Guaranteeing every citizen access to a high standard of core healthcare entitlements within maximum waiting times in a ‘Patient’s Contract’. To make sure that the NHS delivers, patients would have the right to receive private treatment, paid for by the NHS, if the waiting time was not met.

·        Introducing a ‘Care Guarantee’ by spending £2 billion on personal care payments for all elderly people requiring care, based on need and not their ability to pay.

·        Directly electing the majority of members of local Health Boards instead of unaccountable Primary Care Trusts, putting people in charge of decisions about their local health services.

·        Rolling out the use of direct payments and individual budgets for people with chronic, long-term conditions and mental health services.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

“I am thrilled by this result, it is a very significant vote for the Liberal Democrats.

“The Government’s obsession with targets has distorted clinical priorities without giving specific rights to patients.

“Entitling patients to be treated in a private hospital if their wait breached a defined period would provide a real incentive for local health boards to ensure that hospitals deliver that treatment on time.”

County Councillor Derek Deedman said:

“I especially welcome the decision to directly elect people to Local Health Boards. If this system had already been in place the appalling ‘Fit for the Future’ proposals to downgrade our local hospitals, with no acceptable alternative arrangements in place would never have got off the ground.”

The Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee considered this evidence on the Fit for Future proposals for West Sussex and Brighton & Hove City PCTs’ at its meeting on 5 March.

The meeting was webcast so that you can see the meeting in full by clicking on to the West Sussex County Council website link to the left.

Once on the West Sussex site, click ‘Your Council’, then click ‘Meetings and Decisions’, then click ‘webcasts’, then click the webcast archive for the Joint Health Oversee Scrutiny Committee, 5 March.

Interesting viewing!

Following complaints from people about difficulties in finding the temporary health centre, the Local Highway Manager has agreed to Derek Deedman’s request for a couple of signs to be erected directing people to the temporary Health Centre near the Steyning Centre.

They will be at the Church Street/High Street junction and at the entrance to the Fletchers Croft access road.

Derek Deedman reported:-

1. Horton Landfill Site - the planning application is due to be heard by the County Planning Committee on 8 April, there will be a site visit by Committee members on 3 April. The current planning permission expires on 31 March, but no enforcement action will be taken to stop tipping whilst the current planning application remains to be determined. If it is refused, no enforcement action will be taken if there is an appeal until that is determined, which could be another 15 months.

2. The next Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) meeting is on 18 March at Pulborough Village Hall, starting at 7pm. The main item on the agenda will be a discussion on the proposed closure of the Mobile Waste Service. Under the bids for a CLC grants, a decision will be made on the Upper Beeding Parish Council bid for a grant towards a new bus shelter outside the Kings Head and a Beeding & Bramber Village Hall bid for a grant towards the replacement of radiators at the Hall.

3. A response is still awaited from the Safe Routes to School Team regarding improvements to the Pound Lane/Monks Walk twitten where it goes through the Monks Walk garage compound.

4. The repair to the interactive speed limit sign opposite the Village Hall in Small Dole is awaiting a spare part. Also in Small Dole, County Officers have been requested to consult with the Parish Council on the design of the Village ‘Gateway’, planned for construction during 2008/09.

5. The reasons behind the latest electoral review of the County Council divisions, and the possible impact on the Bramber Castle Division if the Horsham District were to have an additional County Councillor.

6. The new Health Centre was due to open in Autumn 2008. A newsletter was being produced to give more details of the building and the services which might be available.

7. The interviews for the new Head of Upper Beeding Primary School, to replace the existing Head who was retiring in the Summer, would take place on 8 & 9 May.

8. Recent publicity about new incinerators in West Sussex was based on very old news regarding possible sites for waste management facilities. Nothing had changed in the past few months and arrangements to decide on the successful bid for the Materials Resource Management Contract dealing with the waste left after recycling etc were still in progress. The new contract would not be signed until 2009, and so it would not be known until later this year whether the old cement works site would be proposed to be used as part of that contract.

A well attended meeting on Tuesday afternoon heard from a number of speakers, representing the New Steyning Health Centre Development Group about the proposals for services in the new building which is due to be open this Autumn.

To enable more people to hear about the New Health Centre proposals, Jennie Musgrove will be speaking on behalf of the Development Group at a Steyning Parish Council meeting on 31 March. The meeting will start at 7.30pm at the Steyning Centre.

The meeting is at the Penfold Church Hall, Church Street, Steyning starting at 2pm.

The major items on the agenda are the presentation/consultation on the New Steyning Health Centre from 2pm to 3.30pm and the Bramber Road Crossing, Steyning which will part of the main agenda starting at 3.30pm. Tea and cakes will be available.

Everybody is welcome to attend to make their views known, on both the major items and on any other matter concerning County Council services in the Chanctonbury area.

A presentation on the new Steyning Health Centre will be made at the next Chanctonbury County Local Committee meeting at the Penfold Hall in Church Street, Steyning from 2pm to 3.30pm. 

Speakers will include: -

Pat Arculus, Chanctonbury County Local Committee Chairman, who will open the event,

Jennie Musgrove, West Sussex County Council, will provide information about the Steyning Partnership Approach and the Care Closer to Home project, and

Dr Eric Noren, Senior GP Partner at Steyning Health Centre who will have information about New Service Delivery and Chanctonbury GPs working together. 

Put your Questions to a range of Professionals

Michael Bish, from ADM Architects and architect of the new Health Centre will be there to display the Building Design and Plans.

John Snell, Property Services at West Sussex County Council will have information about plans for the care home next door to the new health centre.

Chris Carey, Head of Property & Economic Development at Horsham District Council.

Tony Appleby, Principle Building Surveyor from Horsham District Council.

Sharon Plank, Adult Services at West Sussex County Council. 

Local County Councillor, Derek Deedman, and District Councillors, George Cockman and Len Warner will also be present.

There will be a Graffiti Wall available at the meeting to enable people to make their comments about any issues raised at the event. To make a contribution people will be able to simply write write a comment or question on a sticky label and put it on the Wall.

Liberal Democrats are opposed to the Government’s proposals for the building of replacement nuclear power stations and want radical plans for increasing the use of renewables and reducing overall energy use to be adopted instead.

Local Liberal Democrat campaigner Derek Deedman said,

“The Government is determined to push forward an expensive programme of new nuclear power stations, which will undermine the potential for an increase in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.

“As well as the cost, there is the risk of accidents, the long-term legacy of waste and the danger of terrorist exploitation of nuclear material. Plus a new generation of nuclear power stations will mean that other technologies, such as renewable and carbon capture, are pushed out of the mix. This only serves to make the day that we can be fully sustainable further away.

“The Government should reject nuclear power and instead invest in reducing the amount of energy we use. The Liberal Democrats have put forward radical proposals to improve the energy efficiency of homes, here in Arundel & South Downs and elsewhere.

“By setting tough new insulation standards for new homes, and creating a system of ‘energy mortgages’, so the cost of energy efficiency measures can be repaid over the long-term, using the money saved from lower energy bills, we can reduce carbon emissions from existing homes by more than 60 per cent, and from newly built houses by 95 per cent, by 2050. That is more carbon than is produced annually by all the cars on Britain’s roads.

The next Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) meeting will take place at 2pm at the Penfold Hall, Church Street, Steyning on Tuesday, 22 January.

The major item on the agenda will be a presentation by the New Health Centre Development Group. This will give a general update, share information and invite comment on the plans for the new Steyning Health Centre building and services, and other current NHS and Social Care initiatives affecting Steyning and the wider Chanctonbury area.

Derek Deedman is very pleased that the CLC and the Development Group agreed to his suggestion for this presentation. It will give local people the opportunity to be consulted, comment on and influence the proposals for the new Health Centre, which is still due to be completed in July 2008.

Derek Deedman reported the following to the Parish Council meeting on 4 December: -
1. The next Chanctonbury County Local Committee meeting on 22 January 2008 will be at the Penfold Hall, Steyning, starting at 2pm to include a presentation/consultation by the Health Centre Development Group on the proposals for the services etc to be based/available at the new Steyning Health Centre.
2. The County Members seminar on 28 November on the next stage of the Fundamental Service Review (FSR3) of County Council services had highlighted the significant reduction in chief officer posts from April 08, with further reductions in April 09, and the major change in culture for the County to become completely customer focussed. It is anticipated that this will lead to very large cost savings in County Council expenditure.
3. The planning application to extend the life of the Horton Landfill Site at Small Dole had not been considered by the County Planning Committee on 4 December. The next meeting is on 15 January 2008, by which time all the queries from both county officers and the Small Dole Action Group should have been answered so that a decision could be made to either approve or refuse the application. With the current planning permission running out on 31 March 2008 a decision must be made soon.
4. Viridor Credits, West Sussex will be meeting on 6 December when the Committee will be considering a grant application for a Skateboard site at Small Dole.
5. The new material recycling facility (MRF) being constructed at Ford will not now be operational until October 2008. When completed this will enable waste collection authorities such as Horsham District Council to introduce mixed kerbside collections rather than the current separate bins and also enable other material such as glass to be collected in this way rather than having to be taken to a household waste recycling site. This should improve recycling rates.
6. The next full County Council meeting on 14 December will be considering it’s response to the post office closure proposals.
7. As part of the safe routes to school improvements being introduced for the Upper Beeding Primary School, the County School Crossing Patrol Officer will be carrying out a survey just before or after Christmas to enable consideration to be given to the provision of a School Crossing Patrol at the Pound Lane/Hyde Square junction. If the results do not meet the national criteria then a voluntary patrol could be considered with the County Council meeting the cost of training, uniform and equipment. If such a volunteer was unpaid the School would need to carry out the CRB checks, if paid for from sponsorship (School, local companies, parish council etc) then the County would carry out the CRB checks.
8. The new yellow lines painted along School Road related to the safe route to school work, but unfortunately had been painted before the required Traffic Regulation Order had been published, let alone approved. They would therefore have to be removed as they cannot legally be enforced and so were causing confusion.