News and events

West Sussex County Council has launched Skills Bootcamps, a new initiative designed to help people gain in-demand skills that local employers are actively seeking. The programme offers access to industry-recognised, flexible training courses tailored to meet current workforce needs. 

Skills Bootcamps, which are funded by a £4.3million grant from the Department for Education, are open to anyone aged 19 or over who lives or works in West Sussex, whether employed, unemployed or self-employed. 

The courses last up to 16 weeks and have a guaranteed job interview or career progression opportunity at their conclusion. Participants gain both technical and soft skills relevant to local industries, helping them secure employment, start an apprenticeship or advance their careers. In addition to up-to-date industry-relevant knowledge, learners receive tailored support, including: 

• Coaching and mentoring from industry experts 
• CV support and interview practice  
• Regular check-ins during and after the course

Skills Bootcamps are designed to be inclusive and accessible, with tailored support available to help all learners succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. 

Councillor Garry Wall, Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: “I’m really pleased that we are working with local employers and training provider partners to provide this much-needed programme. 

“Skills Bootcamps offer a new way for people living or working in West Sussex to gain in-demand skills, leading directly to sustainable employment and real career progression - especially in our county’s key growth sectors. 

“By equipping residents with the skills local employers are actively seeking, Skills Bootcamps support the county council’s commitment to inclusive growth - helping residents thrive, supporting local employers and strengthening the economy.”  

Employers play a vital role in the programme, actively shaping course content to meet real-world needs, mentoring participants throughout their training, offering hands-on experience and facilitating interview opportunities. In turn, they’re supported to address skills and recruitment gaps within their workforce, which helps boost productivity and drive business growth.  

Training is targeted at addressing local skills gaps and supporting employers of all sizes. As such, the programme includes a wide range of courses across the county’s key employment sectors, including:  

• Construction  
• Engineering  
• Creative & Digital  
• Transport & Logistics  
• Education & Early Years  
• Business & Administration  
• Tourism & Hospitality   
• Health & Social Care    
• Horticulture, forestry and viniculture 

To find out more visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/skillsbootcamps

ENDS

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

Sussex leaders have welcomed approval of their plans to collaborate in a single strategic authority for Sussex and Brighton with a directly elected mayor.

The government has agreed to move forward with a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) and confirmed the first mayoral election will take place in May 2026.

The new MCCA will bring together all upper tier local councils across Sussex to operate across the region while, while existing councils will continue to deliver day-to-day services. 

The Devolution Bill (2025) outlines how significant powers, and funding will move down from central government to a local level, where decisions can be shaped with and by the people who live and work here. Some of the things that impact residents the most include transport, housing, jobs, economic growth, and public safety.

West Sussex County Council Leader, Cllr Paul Marshall, said: “The government’s announcement is a major step forward in the shaping of local government in Sussex. By providing us with the next steps we are now closer to bringing major decision making on key areas down to a local level. This provides Sussex with a voice at national level to deliver on vital issues such as transport, infrastructure and health. I look forward to our continued discussions with our partners in East Sussex and Brighton in deciding the next steps.”

This is just one step of a journey, with the next being local government reorganisation. Conversations on what future councils might look like are happening now across the region.

The legal process for Sussex and Brighton to form a Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) will now begin, this is known as a ‘statutory instrument’.

All councils in Sussex and Brighton will now look in detail at the powers proposed and understand the financial implications, before giving their formal consent through their decision-making processes.

The legislation is expected to be agreed in parliament in the Autumn.

For more information on local government reorganisation and devolution visit Future of local government in Sussex - West Sussex County Council   

Adults in West Sussex are encouraged to find out more about free courses that can help them learn new skills and follow exciting new career paths.

It follows the county council’s Celebration of Learning event which recognised the achievements of nearly 3,000 adult learners who attended courses commissioned by the county council’s adult learning team during the past year.

Awards presented during the event, held at County Hall in Chichester, included Learning Organisation of the Year, Tutor of the Year and Learner of the Year, which was presented to Darren Clarke.

Darren had been unemployed for two years before he started the Routeway to Retail course. The course is designed to equip learners with both the practical skills and industry knowledge needed to pursue a career in retail.

His nomination for the Learner of the Year Award highlighted his willingness to engage and his personal resilience, which helped him succeed during the course.

He said that the course has helped him approach the future with an improved mindset and has improved his confidence, belief and self-worth as he continues to apply for jobs.

Councillor Garry Wall, Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: “It was inspiring to hear the stories of success during the event, as people supported others to develop the skills needed to achieve personal goals and enrich their lives and the lives of those around them.

“Every learner nominated had a story of resilience and personal development.

“Education doesn’t have to stop after school. I’d encourage others to find out what courses are available through our adult learning service. It’s not too late to learn new skills that could lead to exciting future opportunities.”

The adult learning service is funded by the Department for Education and eligible learners can participate in learning at no cost to them.

The service plays a crucial part in helping people and communities to fulfil their potential and building a sustainable and prosperous economy, in line with Our Council Plan.

Courses offered include traditional subjects such as English and maths, as well as those helping people into jobs in the construction, digital, retail and health and social care sectors. Many courses aim to fill skills gaps identified by local employers.

There are also programmes for adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities, as well as family learning courses with joint activities for both children and adult family members.

More information about the Adult Learning Service, details around eligibility and how you might be able to benefit is available on the county council’s website.

You can also follow the Adult Learning Service on Facebook and Instagram.

Pictured (l-r): Darren Clarke, Learner of the Year receives his prize from Councillor Garry Wall, West Sussex County Council's Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills. 

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected].

For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

Collaboration between councils across West Sussex to explore options for local government reorganisation continues to make strong progress.

Council leaders are working to shape a shared vision for the future and develop the evidence to progress options for a new structure that will most benefit communities.

West Sussex County Council Leader Councillor Paul Marshall said:“Reorganisation is a once-in-generation opportunity to reshape local government in West Sussex for the better.

“It is also a complex process so it’s no surprise there are differing views on the best way forward. One of the real strengths of our work together, however, is the diversity of perspectives and mutual respect we bring as leaders.

 “I’ve previously made the case that we must focus on delivering an effective and cost-efficient solution that works for our communities to ensure we make the most of the opportunities.

 “As leader of the county council, I have responsibility for delivering vital social care services to vulnerable people, services that account for the majority of local government spend in the county. This gives me a unique lens through which to view the potential impact of reorganisation.

“I’m approaching the process with an open mind and am very conscious that there is still work to do in developing our position, including engaging with communities.

“However, the evidence I’ve seen so far points towards a single unitary authority as the best option for West Sussex. It offers the clearest model of service delivery for residents and delivers the government’s ambitions for reform while minimising disruption and cost.

“With the national criteria on reorganisation in mind, I find it hard to see how splitting the county into multiple unitary authorities will deliver the changes that the government wants and that our communities need. It would mean dividing social care services, increasing running costs and taking money away from essential services, and introducing unnecessary complexity and distraction at a time when we need to continue our focus on improving services and managing major national reforms.

“In short, the evidence would need to identify something new if the answer for me were to be anything other than a single unitary authority.”

West Sussex County Council, together with the district and borough councils submitted to government a draft interim plan for reorganisation in March this year. It outlined options for consideration. The government is expected to make a final decision later in 2025.

Cllr Marshall added: “There are mixed views about the benefits of reorganisation, but I maintain it is the right thing to do. It will bring a more efficient way of working with clearer accountability and a simpler system for residents.

“The journey to get there will be a challenge and involve significant cost. However, the severity of both will depend on the options we as council leaders favour and the option the government ultimately decides upon.

“Whatever the outcome, councils will need to work differently in the future. The model of local place leadership currently provided by district and borough council will need to be replaced and a new authority will need to be designed to meet the different needs and characteristics of communities across county, including Horsham, Crawley, Mid Sussex, Worthing, Arun, Adur and Chichester.

“The great benefit of a creating a new, single unitary authority is that will have the ability to do just that, building within it the DNA of our local communities and a model that will offer West Sussex a real chance to flourish and prosper.”

See Future of local government in Sussex for more information about the work on local government reorganisation and devolution in our region.

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

Residents, businesses and community groups across the county are being invited to share their views about the future of their councils as part of an important survey launching on 17 July at: www.shapingwestsussex.org

All West Sussex residents and organisations are invited to complete a survey asking about where they live or work, the council services they use, as well as what matters to them about how their council could be structured in the future.

The survey will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 13 August. This is just the start of local government reorganisation in West Sussex and as we move through the process, we will continue to seek your views.

All councils in the area are working together to gather views that will help shape proposals for the future of local government in the county. The government has asked councils to explore how local government reorganisation could work in the area, with the aim of creating a new unitary council model, or models – replacing the current two-tier system with a single-tier council responsible for all local services. What is local government reorganisation?

Local government reorganisation is a process of restructuring local government to simplify the way services are delivered. Instead of having separate county and district or borough councils, a unitary model brings everything together into one organisation – from bin collections and housing to education and adult social care. Town or parish councils will remain as they are.

This is different from devolution, which involves transferring powers from central government to regional or national governments, whereas local government reorganisation focuses on streamlining existing local structures.

Why your voice matters

As part of the requirement for submitting a proposal on what unitary options we believe are best for West Sussex, the government has asked us to ensure our residents, partners and businesses are fully engaged with the process and given the opportunity to have their say. The Government will make the final decision on our submission which will then lead to further consultation, run by them, whereby residents and others will be able to feed in their views to inform the decision.

Our job is to develop the options, and we want to ensure our resident, partners and businesses have the opportunity to input to help inform what options we put to the government.

This is a significant change that will affect how local services are run in the future – and how decisions are made about the things that matter most to you. That’s why it’s vital that residents, community groups, and businesses have their say at this early stage. Your input now will help build a strong foundation for a new council that truly reflects the people it serves. Once the business case has been submitted on 26 September 2025, the Government will begin a formal consultation process.

A Government decision on local government reorganisation in West Sussex is expected in spring 2026. After this we will further engage with residents, staff, councillors and businesses on the design of how the new council will look. Further engagement will follow in line with the chosen model and implementation schedule. Whatever changes are agreed, vital local services will continue – from waste collection and public health to care for older people and support for families. The aim of local government reorganisation is not to reduce services, but to simplify how they are delivered and to ensure that local voices are heard more clearly in decision-making.

West Sussex County Council Leader, Cllr Paul Marshall, said: “We urge everyone in West Sussex to take the time to respond to this survey. We believe that local government reorganisation, done correctly, will deliver for residents, communities and businesses. This is your opportunity to have your say on the first steps in this process and will  provide vital feedback as we move towards our submission to Government in September 2025 on what we believe are the best options for the county.”

Take part in the survey

The survey is now live at www.shapingwestsussex.org and will be open until 11.59pm on 13 August. Whether you’ve lived in the area for decades, work here or have just moved in, your views are important. This is a unique opportunity to help shape a new council that works for you, your family and your community. For more information visit: Future of local government in Sussex

Notes to Editor:

All councils in the area – Adur District Council, Arun District Council, Chichester District Council, Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council, West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council - are working together to gather views that will help shape proposals for the future of local government in the county.

The government has asked councils to explore how Local Government Reorganisation could work in the area, with the aim of creating a new unitary council model, or models – replacing the current two-tier system with a single-tier council responsible for all local services.

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

A recent report outlines West Sussex County Council’s continued commitment and investment in the county’s highways along with detailing its preventative approach to highways maintenance.

The report, which has been published on the council’s website, has been produced in response to the requirement from the Department for Transport (DfT) for all local highways authorities to publish information about their highways maintenance activities to help local taxpayers see the difference that funding is making in their areas.

The DfT set out that the report should present local level information about the overall state of the county’s road network, including what percentage of roads are in what condition, and how this has changed in recent years.

West Sussex’s 2,500mile highway network plays a vital role in connecting people and places across the county. It supports the wellbeing of our residents, enables our communities to thrive and provides our residents with access to jobs, learning and business opportunities.

Unfortunately, roads are not permanent structures and deteriorate over time and the network has been experiencing a notable, year-on-year increase in the number of safety defects, reaching the highest level on record in 2024/25. 

The periods of extreme fluctuations in weather across the seasons that have been experienced in recent years has only served to accelerate the decline in the condition of our roads.

In response, the council has allocated additional funding in the current and past two financial years, to support a more proactive maintenance approach. 

This proactive approach provides additional resource to fix potholes and increased capacity for drainage works including jetting, gully repairs and digging of grips and roadside ditches. 

The additional funding has also allowed for an increase in the Highways, Transport and Planning Delivery Programme which delivers highway infrastructure maintenance schemes. The programme focusses on improving carriageway and footway surfaces as well as maintaining of highways infrastructure such as bridges and traffic signals.

Each of these measures aim to strengthen the resilience of the highway network and reduce the impact of extreme weather events, particularly during the winter period.

Cllr Joy Dennis, WSCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I hope that this report will help our residents to understand that the scale of the county’s highway assets is substantial and managing them effectively, so that residents and businesses can go about their daily lives with minimal disruption, is no small task. When factoring in both operational and financial constraints, the complexity of this responsibility becomes even more apparent. 

“Council officers work diligently to ensure that the highway network remains safe, functional, and cost-effective. Their efforts are guided by a commitment to delivering services that meet both local needs and national standards. 

“As is the case across much of the country, maintaining road conditions in West Sussex presents ongoing challenges. Not only do we have the impact of severe weather events, but we must also factor in the increase in the volume of traffic using our network on a daily basis, along with the ever-growing requirement from utility companies to carry out works within the carriageway to install and update their own infrastructure in order to support the demand for their services.

“This report demonstrates that, despite the difficulties faced by the Highways team, the Council’s performance - aligned with the Council Plan and national best practices - is commendable.”

ENDS

  For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415. 

Children of all ages can combine reading with nature and the great outdoors at West Sussex libraries when taking part in Story Garden, the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge. 

The annual initiative aims to encourage kids to keep reading over the school holidays with rewards available for completing the challenge, including a special medal and certificate.  

The challenge runs right across the summer and children aged 4 to 11 can join in anytime from Saturday 12 July to Saturday 13 September. It’s free to take part and you just need a library card, available from all West Sussex libraries. 

Meanwhile, little ones aged four and under can join the Story Garden Mini Challenge and collect stickers as they share library books over the summer, before receiving a special gold sticker and certificate when they finish.    

Councillor Duncan Crow, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue, said: “The challenge is not only a fun activity for young people to take part in, but it also helps to improve their reading skills and confidence. This supports a key priority of Our Council Plan which is to help people fulfil their potential.   

“Over 340,000 books were read by children and young people in West Sussex last summer and almost 10,000 children took part in the challenge. It’s fantastic to see a consistently high number of children getting involved each year. The challenge is free to join and I would urge all children and families to sign up and take part at their nearest library.” 

Some of the council’s libraries are appealing for volunteers aged 14 and over to support staff in promoting the challenge and in return develop their skills and gain valuable experience working with children and families. 

See West Sussex Libraries for full details of how to sign up to the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge, and how to volunteer.

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415

July Events coming Soon - read the newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/b51ff6a48c72/july-cpc-newsletter

Nestled in the grounds of The Queen's Hall. Come and explore our beautiful garden — a hidden gem open to all, Monday to Friday, 10am–3pm. Access is via the open double gates at the rear of the Queens Hall, from the recreation ground.

Whether you wish to enjoy your lunch, bring a cup of tea, or simply take a moment to relax, the Angela Fox Nature Garden offers a peaceful retreat.

We’re looking forward to your visit. opening date 1st July 2025

Hosted by the Parish Council & Greener Cuckfield

2.30pm on Saturday 12th July

Council Chamber (upstairs) at the Queens Hall.

'Emily is a PhD Candidate and Doctoral Tutor in Ecology at the University of Sussex and is currently studying the ingestion of microplastics in small mammals.

Having studied zoology, Emily has built up an extensive knowledge and understanding about one of the UK's most loved animals and the ways in which we can help in securing their future. '

Please email [email protected] to reserve a place.