Construction work starts soon on the first of seven temporary cycleway schemes in West Sussex.

The Chichester scheme will connect the Spitalfield Lane, hospital area with the city’s railway station, creating a 2km-long “keyworker corridor” for safe cycling. The route will also link to the central retail area and other major employment sites, such as the University of Chichester.

Work is set to start week commencing 27 July, subject to factors such as severe weather, and is likely to take about a fortnight to complete.

It includes reallocating road space for cycling by segregating lane one of the dual-carriageway on the A286 Chichester Ring-Road and widening the existing cycle lane on the busy gyratory.

A combination of traffic segregation ‘wands’, temporary 20mph speed limits and road markings and signage will be used throughout.

Road users are advised to please allow extra time for their journeys or, if possible, seek alternative routes while the works are ongoing as delays are likely.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused during the works but our contractor will do all it can to minimise this as much as possible.

The second of the seven schemes to start will create cycle provision connecting the north and south of Worthing, from the A24/A259 Grove Lodge roundabout area to the town centre. The likely start date for this project will be announced soon.

The schemes, totalling 21km of new and improved cycle lanes, will provide improved travel choice for both residents and visitors and help to link commuting destinations in each of the county’s borough and district areas as the Government eases lockdown in the COVID-19 crisis. Details can be found here

Vegetation clearance and “siding out” (widening back to full width) was carried out on the existing off-carriageway cycle track on the A259 Chichester to Bognor Regis route earlier this month. Picture: An illustrative example of the style of improvement which will be used in West Sussex. Photo: in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, taken by Darren Cool Images

Notes to editors

Statutory Guidance issued by Department for Transport on 23 May, directed councils to introduce these measures. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, said at the time: “The Government therefore expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians.

“Such changes will help embed altered behaviours and demonstrate the positive effects of active travel....” 

Is your BBQ out-out?

Video and images of the bin on fire can be found here. West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is issuing an urgent warning to residents this summer after attending a string of fires caused by disposable BBQs. Firefighters from across the county have been called out over the past couple of weeks to attend a number of fires that have begun after a hot BBQ was put in a bin before it had cooled down. In many of the incidents, the fire has taken hold and destroyed the bin and the surrounding vegetation. With another warm weekend forecast, and high temperatures expected into next week and the following weekend, the fire service is urging all residents to take extra care when using disposable BBQs. Marvin Smith, Station Manager for Arundel, East Preston and Littlehampton, said: “When we have lovely weather like we have over the past few days, there is nothing better than enjoying a BBQ in the sunshine. “But unfortunately, disposable BBQs are not without their risks, as we have seen already this summer. “One of our crews was called out to deal with a fire in a wheelie bin in the early hours of the morning, only to find that a disposable BBQ had been put into the bin before it had fully cooled down. It had been smouldering for a couple of hours, before the whole thing went up.” To demonstrate just how quickly a disposable BBQ can cause a fire to take hold, WSFRS carried out a controlled burn, placing a disposable BBQ that seemed cool to the touch into an old domestic bin provided by Chichester District Council that had reached the end of its life. After smouldering away for around half an hour, flames melted their way through the back of the heavy duty plastic wheelie bin. Marvin added: “Had this actually been someone’s rubbish bin, chances are they would have put their BBQ in the bin at the end of the night and gone to bed and thought nothing more about it, until it was too late.” WSFRS is urging residents to follow the steps below to ensure they and their families don’t fall victim to fire:

• Make sure that your BBQ is placed on clear level ground where it will not tip over.
• Use approved BBQ fuel or firelighters to light it, never petrol or paraffin.
• Keep BBQs away from the house, shed, fences, garden furniture or overhanging trees and shrubs.
• Keep children and pets well away from the cooking area.
• Don’t leave your BBQ unattended at any time.
• If you are lighting a barbeque in the countryside or on the beach - check beforehand that it is an authorised area.
• When you have finished cooking, pour copious amounts of water over the BBQ and leave for several hours before disposing in a bin.  Marvin added: “The Met Office is forecasting that the Fire Severity Index is going to be very high this weekend – this means there is an added risk of wild fires. All it takes is for one spark and with the ground as dry as it is, we could have a large fire on our hands. “Please take extra care, the last thing you want is us attending your BBQ.”

• Marvin added: “The Met Office is forecasting that the Fire Severity Index is going to be very high this weekend – this means there is an added risk of wild fires. All it takes is for one spark and with the ground as dry as it is, we could have a large fire on our hands. “Please take extra care, the last thing you want is us attending your BBQ.”

For more information visit: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire-emergencies-and-crime/west-sussex-fire-and-rescue-service/home-fire-safety/seasonal-safety-advice/

Keep Britain Tidy and its Centre for Social Innovation has developed a new ‘Love Parks’ campaign to address the issue of litter being left behind in parks across the country. The campaign launched on Friday (24 July) and is taking place in eight parks across the country as an in-situ intervention, which will be measured over the summer. Materials are available to order alongside a free digital toolkit and downloadable resources.

The campaign has been funded as part of the Government’s Coronavirus response and will be bolstered with additional campaign activity led by Defra over the summer both online and in locations near to beaches and national parks. This activity will further highlight the impacts of littering, including non-medical PPE litter, as well as unauthorised barbeques and campfires, and breaches of the countryside code. Communication materials are available online through the Dropbox showcase link below; these will be added to over the coming weeks.

Overview of campaign: https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/news/new-campaign-launched-face-littering-epidemic-parks

Communication materials and details on how to purchase printed materials: https://keep-britain-tidy.myshopify.com/

Dropbox showcase: https://bit.ly/2DhCbAU

Sue Furlong

Community Initiatives Principal Theme Lead, Partnership and Communities Team Communities

West Sussex County Council, Room 237, 2^nd Floor, East Wing, County Hall, Chichester

Internal:23834 | External: 033022 23834/Mobile 07595964236

E-mail: [email protected]

Mid Sussex District Council has approved a new Equality and Diversity Scheme for 2020-24.

The Council has a legal duty to promote equality of opportunity, eliminate unlawful discrimination, harrassament or victimisation and to foster good relationships between people. The Council’s Equality and Diversity Scheme sets out how the Council is working to meet these equality objectives. The Equalities and Diversity Scheme seeks to address the needs of those who, by virtue of their protected characteristics, may find it difficult to access the services that they need, or to participate in decisions that affect them. These protected characteristics are age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, gender re-assignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership. In addition, the Council’s updated Equality and Diversity Scheme addresses issues arising from residential location, lack of income, skill level and covers the need to provide support for the armed forces community. The revised scheme also adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism and commits to use it on all appropriate occasions.

Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said: “This Equality and Diversity Scheme sets out our commitment to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. This applies to everything we do, whether that’s providing services for our local community, employing people, our communication, working with partners, developing policies or involving people in our decision making. “We value the diversity of people within our District and we are committed to being an employer of choice, providing a flexible and supportive working environment and trying to ensure our workforce reflects the community that we serve. “Anyone can be discriminated against and suffer disadvantage which affects their quality of life. Our Equalities and Diversity Scheme identifies the issues that people may face and sets out the measures we are taking in response, as we work towards a fair and equal society.”

Successful start to new highway maintenance contracts.jpg

New, multi-million-pound highway maintenance contracts started in West Sussex just nine days after lockdown began.

Since April 1, and despite the extra challenges COVID-19 presents, Balfour Beatty Living Places has been providing core maintenance services, such as carriageway repairs and emergency works, with Drainline Southern providing drainage cleansing and Grasstex grass cutting and hedge maintenance. 

In fact, in the first three months of the new contracts: 

• Balfour Beatty Living Places has carried out more than 9,100 pothole/defect repairs and emergency jobs on the highway
• Drainline Southern is in the process of emptying thousands of gullies and soakaways across the county as part of the first-year programme of works.  It is also working closely with officers to react to drainage issues that may arise
• Grasstex has completed three urban grass cutting rounds, plus the first rural grass cut and first twitten cut across the county. It is also supporting with Covid-related works to ensure the public can socially distance when using footways and cyclepaths.

The five-year contracts have options to extend to a maximum of 10 years. If they are all extended to the maximum, they could be worth in excess of £200million, dependent upon funding from central Government over that time. 

Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “We know how important the highway network is to both West Sussex residents and visitors to the county. We’re looking forward to developing our partnerships to deliver the best-possible highway maintenance service.”

Balfour Beatty Living Places Contract Manager Lloyd Allen said: “We are delighted to be supporting our partner, West Sussex County Council, with maintenance works throughout the county. Our delivery of more than 9,100 pothole/defect repairs and emergency jobs during lockdown, whilst strictly adhering to our COVID-19 Site Operating Procedures, is testament to the team’s efficiency and expertise in maintaining highways across West Sussex.”

Tristan Miles, managing director of Drainline Southern, said: “We are delighted to be working with West Sussex County Council.

“It is very encouraging to see Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, such as ours, being engaged directly. We are looking forward to bringing some new, innovative and cost-saving ideas to the council for many years to come and working collaboratively with the local authorities and residents.” 

Grasstex Director Richard Conway said: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with West Sussex County Council, helping them deliver a cost-effective service in the coming years.”

Picture caption: West Sussex Highways and company representatives gathered to mark the successful start of the new contracts. They include Roger Elkins, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, Matt Davey, Director of Highways, Transport and Planning Services, Michele Hulme, Head of Local Highway Operations, Lloyd Allen, Balfour Beatty Living Places Contracts Manager, Tristan Miles, Managing Director of Drainline Southern, and Richard Conway, Grasstex Director.

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.

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Thanks Bognor Regis TC for noticing that the original link I sent didn’t work. As they have highlighted the link to the Action Fraud webpages is https://www.facebook.com/actionfraud/

New link to this particular message https://www.facebook.com/143794692304919/posts/4346424028708610/?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=BjbUhLNXmKJJO2am 

Mid Sussex District Council has written to local residents to ask them to confirm their details on the 2020-21 electoral register.

Each year, everyone in the UK must confirm their electoral registration details are up-to-date by responding to the annual electoral canvass. This information is then used to ensure the electoral register is accurate. This year, the annual electoral canvass has changed. Under the new system, data held on the Electoral Register for each household is matched against the information on the Department of Work and Pensions database to check data is correct before households are contacted. Depending on the result of the match, properties are contacted in a variety of different ways.

As a result, some residents will shortly receive a form in the post with information about how to confirm their details on the electoral register. If required to respond, people are encouraged to do so by telephone, text message or online because this is by far the quickest and most convenient method. By using digital channels, all information is processed instantly and effectively, there’s no chance of the form being lost in the post and it’s environmentally friendly. It also provides taxpayers with savings when compared with the cost of posting back the form. Tom Clark, Returning Officer for Mid Sussex said: “Elections can be called at short notice so it’s vital that everyone responds to this canvass and makes sure that their details are correct on the electoral register. “We want to help the residents of Mid Sussex to have their say and maintain their democratic rights. Logging details with another council department does not automatically entitle you to vote because details must be entered onto the Electoral Register separately. “Registering to vote only takes a few minutes. Make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to vote by responding promptly when contacted.” For more information about the electoral canvass visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/annual-canvass/registering. To contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team email [email protected] or call 01444 477003

Headlines:

West Sussex County Council Full Council – Listen back to the 1^st Full Council Meeting since Lockdown

• Recovery Advice for Businesses Scheme
• Free coronavirus test – If you think you've recently had any of the coronavirus symptoms. (press release)
• Plea for more Government funding - Paul Marshall, Leader of West Sussex County Council (press release)
• Shut Fires Out! - Fire & Rescue Service new awareness raising campaign (press release)
• Coronavirus updates - visit our website for the very latest service updates including contact details for the Community Hubs if people still need support . Visit the webpage.

Residents are being reminded to keep West Sussex safe as restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are eased.  

As businesses begin to reopen, public health leaders are reminding people that the virus is still active and are urging the public to continue to follow guidelines on social distancing and hand hygiene and take other preventative measures.  

Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health, said: “It is tempting to feel that we are back to some semblance of normality and to relax into old routines. However, as we have seen elsewhere in the country, life is not back to normal.

“For us to keep our county safe, open for business and working well, we all need to take responsibility for how we act and how we live and work.

“Let’s do everything we can to keep West Sussex safe.”

People are advised to follow four key steps:

• Wash your hands regularly with soap or hand sanitiser.
• Keep a good distance from people not in your household - two metres if possible.
• Wear a face covering on public transport, in hospitals and when you are going to confined spaces where it’s not possible to keep a safe social distance, including shops and supermarkets.
• If you have symptoms (a new persistent cough, high temperature, changes in your sense of smell or taste), please get tested. Visit nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119. If you or your household are asked to self-isolate, then please do so.

Last month West Sussex County Council published its plans for how West Sussex will respond to any local outbreak of COVID-19.

Anna Raleigh, Director of Public Health for West Sussex said: “We are keeping an extremely close eye on the data for West Sussex and we have detailed plans in place in the event of a significant increase in cases.

“As things stand, there is no need for any additional restriction measures in West Sussex and by following the public health advice, we will put ourselves in the best position possible to keep it that way.”

The Keep West Sussex Safe campaign will run throughout the summer.

Visit our dedicated coronavirus web page to get the latest information and to sign up to receive our weekly e-newsletter for residents: www.westsussex.gov.uk/coronavirus

For updates on social media follow us on Twitter: @wsccnews and Facebook: @WestSussexCC

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Thanks for all your help promoting our Play Days at Home. Just a quick update to make sure we are getting the word out as much as possible!

Play Days at Home (under 10s) - we now have a week’s worth of content on this YouTube playlist. This is updated each weekday at 11am in the hols   

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR0D-xywxM6r7MLb2C82_8V31YQZ1DWe4

Virtual Festival (older children and teens) – today the first 3 videos have gone up (Tik Tok, DJ and graffic art). New content will be up each Friday at 12 noon in the hols. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR0D-xywxM6rghUuSUNO_dOQcaLXJ81Z2

Any help you can give in sharing this content would be helpful. Today I’m going to post a roundup of Play Days and launch of Virtual Fest on our Facebook page – perhaps you could share this through your Facebook page also?

If you have links to any particular family, kids or youth groups in your areas please do let them know, perhaps by sending them the links above to the channels.

All of the info, and other resources are on www.midsussex.gov.uk/playdays   

Best wishes

Julie Blackstock

Communications Officer Mid Sussex District Council

01444 477240

[email protected]

www.midsussex.gov.uk

My working days are Tue – Fri.

This year’s winners of the West Sussex Pupil Librarian of the Year Award have been announced. They are: Team of the Year – Rudgwick Primary School.

Individual of the Year – Patrick Beatty and Dulcie Gieler (joint winners) of Glebe Primary School, Southwick. The awards are given out by West Sussex Schools Library Service to celebrate and reward the contribution pupil librarians make to their primary school libraries. The role of a pupil librarian includes helping to run their school library, supporting other pupils, making displays, devising activities and fund-raising. The winners received a £15 book token each and a special drawing from the award-winning illustrator and author Chris Riddell who is a former children’s laureate and a strong supporter of school libraries.  There were over 30 nominations for this year’s awards. Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities, said: “In the times we have all recently found ourselves in, it is always wonderful to hear such heart warming stories about the difference young people are still making across the county. “All the nominees for these awards have really stepped up to the mark to support their school library and I just wanted to pass on my congratulations to the winners who have shown strength and determination even in these challenging times.” During lockdown, the West Sussex Schools Library Service were still working hard to compile book lists and reading promotion ideas for their website, tweeting about new books and online learning resources and giving advice to schools via their blog.  Now back in the office, the team are preparing the topic loans requested by teachers for when children return to school in the autumn term and looking at how they can further use technology to help and advise schools in the future. For more information on the West Sussex Schools Library Service, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/sls. 

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.

Attachments

• Rudgwick Primary School winners L to R Lilly Fowle Bethany Holmes and Sophie Maki.jpg Rudgwick Primary School winners L to R Lilly Fowle Bethany Holmes and Sophie Maki.jpg
• Joint winner Dulcie Gieler Glebe Primary School Southwick.JPG Joint winner Dulcie Gieler Glebe Primary School Southwick.JPG
• Joint Winner Patrick Beatty Glebe Primary School Southwick.png Joint Winner Patrick Beatty Glebe Primary School Southwick.png

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Mid Sussex District Council has approved a draft Site Allocations Development Plan for one final public consultation before it is submitted to the Government for public examination.

The Council has produced a final version of the draft Site Allocations Development Plan, which sets out how to meet the District’s outstanding housing and employment needs up to 2031. There will now be an eight-week public consultation from 3 August 2020 to allow people to comment on the plan The Mid Sussex District Plan 2014-2031, which was adopted in March 2018, sets out in broad terms what, where, when and how development will take place in Mid Sussex up until 2031. Whilst the majority of development sites are already planned for in the District Plan, the Planning Inspector required the Council to identify more sites to ensure the housing and employment needs of the District are met.

The draft Site Allocations Development Plan Document addresses that requirement and recommends 22 housing and 7 employment sites at locations across Mid Sussex, plus a Science and Technology Park. Following the public consultation, the draft Site Allocations Development Plan Document will be submitted to the Secretary of State for examination by an Independent Planning Inspector.

Councillor Andrew MacNaughton, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning said: “The preparation of this draft Site Allocations Development Plan Document is one of the final steps we must take to finish our work on the 2014-2031 District Plan. “Strategic plans like this are really important because they show that Mid Sussex can meet the future housing needs of our District. Once agreed this protects our District from speculative unplanned developments put forward by developers.

“The consultation starts on 3 August and I encourage as many people as possible to read the proposals set out in the Site Allocations Development Plan Document. If you have any comments to make about the plan, please submit them to us and we will send them to the Independent Planning Inspector for consideration as part of the public examination.”

Redrow have advised that although they were able to keep the Hanlye Lane/Borde Hill Junction open during the initial stages of the roadworks, this junction closed on 20 July for the duration of the roadworks to be completed around early September.

A redundant former library building in Burgess Hill is set to be demolished in late summer and early autumn 2020.

Mid Sussex District Council’s Cabinet agreed on Monday 6 June to appoint a specialist contractor to carry out the demolition work. 

The former library was occupied and in continuous use when the attached Martlets Hall building was demolished in 2019. Now the library has moved to a new permanent location, it’s possible to demolish the vacant building, clear the site and make the whole area safe. 

The site on which the former library sits is due to be redeveloped as part of NewRiver REIT’s proposed town centre revitalisation but, as the landowner, the responsibility for demolition rests with Mid Sussex District Council. 

Due to the age of the building, and the asbestos that was found hidden deep within the structure of the adjacent Martlets Hall building, an extensive intrusive asbestos survey will be undertaken before engaging with potential contractors. 

Councillor Judy Llewellyn-Burke, Deputy Leader of Mid Sussex District Council said: 

“Our plans to demolish the former library have been in place since 2018 but unfortunately the library was still occupied when the Martlets Hall was demolished and wasn’t ready to move to its new home until December 2019. 

“Burgess Hill now has a wonderful new glass fronted library with flexible shelving, a modernised public computer area and a Changing Places toilet that ensures the library is accessible for everyone. It’s a fantastic new facility for the local community and library’s relocation means we can now push on with our plans for the old site. 

“The former library building is redundant and is just taking up space in an important part of Burgess Hill Town centre. By demolishing the old building we will be able to tidy up the whole area, clearing rubble from the site and levelling the ground so that it’s safe for pedestrian access and ready to be used once more.”

See details of the play days at home sessions running daily throughout the summer.

MSDC is pleased to announce that the Play Days at Home online Programme is coming together really well and are now encouraging families to visit the webpage – below – and register to receive information and updates.  We will be encouraging children to download the stencil drawing of the Play Days at Home logo to colour in and put in their windows to say they are part of the “Play Days at Home Club” and we are encouraging children to also take photos of their artwork and creations and send in to MSDC.  Each week Tomfoolery will announce a winner who will receive a £10 voucher.

www.midsussex.gov.uk/playdays

The 6 weeks programme  is starting on Monday 20^th July for both Under and Over 10’s. 

For the Under 10’s there will be ½ hour programme released every morning Monday to Friday at 11.00 am through a link on the webpage above which will direct to the MSDC YouTube channel.  All programmes will be available to view after they have been released each day – just in case they were missed or needed a catch up on content.  Each day has a theme – below:

There is also a programme for the Over 10’s – “Virtual Festival”.  This one hour programme of 3 parts will be released every Monday from 20^th July for young people to view in their own time – the theme is repeated for the 6 weeks:

There will also be lots of ideas and suggestions of other activities on the MSDC webpage.

https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/coronavirus/mental-health-coronavirus

The above link is to a guide to help increase understanding and awareness of all aspects of dealing with the stress of the lockdown and bereavement. With the current COVID-19

pandemic, many people who live with depression are struggling to stay afloat during self or mandated isolation.

This guide can be one
of many stepping stones for those struggling and their loved ones to better
understand their situation and lead them to find a supportive and safe
environment, especially during the pandemic.

Following the great success of the first Mid Sussex Applauds Awards last year, nominations are now open for 2020. The Awards aim to highlight the fantastic work of individuals and organisations across the district.

Through each of the eight categories the Awards seek to recognise our connections and celebrate our community. With categories ranging from young achievers to green champions, those who help support active lifestyles and who work to bring communities together, we hope to highlight all our community VIPs.  The categories are -

Good Sport Award – a club or individual who has made an outstanding contribution to supporting activity or sport in Mid Sussex

Young Volunteer of the year - recognising those young people who have made a difference in their local community

Stronger Communities – a community group or organisation that has helped to bring together cultures and communities through a local project or community activity

Young Achiever Award - against all the odds, someone who has overcome significant obstacles and made a positive difference to their own lives or to other young people through education, campaigning or helping another overcome a difficult situation or personal problem

Take Pride in Mid Sussex - This award will recognise residents who dedicate their time and energy into keeping Mid Sussex clean and green, take pride in their local area by creating community gardens, painting local spaces, upcycling or encouraging others to recycle.

Business in the Community Award – recognising a business which supports or makes a positive contribution to benefit and enhance community life

Lifetime Achievement Award – an individual who has made a substantial commitment to the community in their lifetime

Stronger Together – an individual who has helped to bring together cultures and communities through a local project or community activity

Mid Sussex District Council Chairman Councillor Colin Trumble commented, “2020 has been an exceptionally challenging year for all in the community. I have been extremely impressed at the way organisations and individuals have risen to those challenges giving vital support, especially to those most in need. I have also been impressed by the way businesses have very swiftly adapted to the new environment and continued to give help to their communities. Yet, while the response to recent challenges has been magnificent, I am so pleased that people and organisations have continued to do the charity and support work they always do. Unquestionably, this shows we have a strong community in Mid Sussex of which we should feel proud and for which we should feel grateful.

“I know there will be many individuals, groups and organisations we will want to thank and recognise so please send in your nominations for this year’s Mid Sussex Applauds Awards so we can celebrate their achievements and tell their stories.”

Residents are encouraged to take part in the straightforward nomination process which will be open until 18th September. Just visit www.midsussex.gov.uk/applauds for details of how to nominate.

The following works are scheduled on the M23, subject to weather conditions.

Monday to Friday 07:00 to 19:00 daily for 7 weeks

Full closure of J10 exit slip Northbound. Diversion to J9 and back southbound to Junction 10.

Monday 13 to Sunday 19 July (inclusive) 20:00 to 06:00

Full closure from J8 to J10 Southbound

Diversion to Brighton via J6 M25, A22, A264 Copthorne Road and join at J10 M23. Diversion for Gatwick, traffic continues to J10 M23, A2011 Crawley Avenue, A23 London Road, Airport Way.

Full closure of the Reigate to Crawley Link

Diversion to M25 J6 and follow A22, A264 to M23 J10.

Full closure of the Godstone to Crawley Link

Diversion to M25 J8, back to J6 and follow A22, A264 diversion to M23 J10.

Full closure of J9 entry slip Southbound (Gatwick Spur)

Diversion via Airport Way, A23 London Road, A2011 Crawley Avenue and join the M23 at J10.

Monday 13 to Sunday 19 July (inclusive) 20:00 to 06:00

Full closure of the Reigate to Hooley Link

Diversion to M25 J6 and follow A22 towards Caterham.

Full closure of the Godstone to Hooley Link

Diversion to M25 J8, back to J6 and follow A22 diversion towards Caterham.

Monday 13 July 2020 to Wednesday 15 July 2020 - Full closure Junction 10 to 9 M25 anticlockwise

Connect Plus Services work on behalf of Highways England, and will be carrying out drainage clearance of gullies, linear and catch pits, sign cleaning/maintenance, vegetation clearance from signs, verge and associated hazardous trees, sweeping of detritus and removal of litter and debris from verge and central reservation, repairs to carriageway potholes, replacement of loop detectors, repairs and inspection of safety fence, resurfacing, road marking and stud replacement works, drainage inspections, structures inspections and street lighting inspections, repairs and maintenance.

In order to carry out these works as efficiently and as safely as possible they will be installing a closure on the main carriageway from 9pm and the total closure will be established from 10pm, taking traffic off at junction 10 on the M25 anti clockwise. There will be a fully signed diversion route in place from junction 10 on the M25, travel north on the A3 to the Tolworth junction A240, continue back onto the A3 southbound to the A243 (caution low bridge on the A240), continue southbound on the A243 to junction 9 of the M25, where you will re join the main carriageway.

If you’re interested in joining Neighbourhood Watch, or want to find out more, visit www.sussexnwfed.org.uk or send an email to [email protected].

Mid Sussex District Council has removed 24 tonnes of litter and detritus from the A23 central reservation during a six-night clean-up.

The Council’s street cleansing partner (Serco) worked with Highways England and their contractors (A-One+) to remove rubbish from the length of the A23 central reservation, which runs through Mid Sussex from Pease Pottage to the Brighton border.  This was made possible by taking advantage of planned lane closures for vegetation clearance.

Serco’s street cleansing team worked from 8pm to 4am each night covering a huge six kilometres of road per night.  

Over six nights the team removed a whopping 24 tonnes of litter and detritus from the central reservation. This included a staggering 1,478 black sacks of litter and other materials such as wood, tyres and discarded metal objects.

Councillor John Belsey, Cabinet Member for Environment and Service Delivery said:

“Mid Sussex District Council is pleased to have been able to make the most of this opportunity to remove the litter and waste along the middle of the A23 that spoils the impression of our beautiful district.   This is a very busy road and it is not possible to undertake cleansing works on the live carriageway without lane closures.

“The Council urges motorists who throw litter out of their car windows, or fail to secure their loads, to think about the massive effort and expense that is required to clean up. Even with lane closures in place, the hazards associated with clearing a busy road like the A23 are very high and put workers lives at risk. Everyone has a responsibility to dispose of their litter properly to help to protect the environment.” 

For more information, or to report littering or fly-tipping please visit the waste and recycling section of the Mid Sussex District Council  website at www.midsussex.gov.uk/waste-recycling

The annual election canvass starts in Mid Sussex on Monday 13 July and a new system will be used across the UK for the very first time.

Each year, everyone in the UK must confirm their electoral registration details are up-to-date by responding to the annual electoral canvass. This information is then used to ensure the electoral register is accurate. 

Under the new system introduced this year, data held on the Electoral Register for each household is matched against the information on the Department of Work and Pensions database to check data is correct before households are contacted. 

Residents who have provided the council with their email address details or mobile telephone number will be contacted by email or SMS on or around Monday 13 July and asked to confirm their details within 7 days. If the council holds no contact details, or a household fails to respond within 7 days, a letter will be issued by post asking them to confirm their details.

Should the information on the electoral register fail to match with the Department of Work and Pension records, the household will receive an electoral registration form in the post at the end of July. 

Tom Clark, Returning Officer for Mid Sussex said:

"Residents will shortly receive either an email or postal form with information about how to confirm their details on the electoral register. 

“I urge everyone to respond by telephone, text message or online because this is by far the quickest and most most convenient way to respond.  By using these digital channels, all information is processed instantly and effectively, there’s no chance of the form being lost in the post and it’s environmentally friendly. It also provides taxpayers with savings when compared with the cost of posting back the form. 

“The annual canvass must be held by law once a year and everyone must respond, even if you have recently registered or have been registered for many years. Make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to vote by responding promptly when contacted.” 

For more information about registering to vote or elections contact the Mid Sussex District Council Electoral Services team by emailing [email protected] or calling 01444 477003.

You're probably familiar with some of the ways in which fraudsters approach and attempt to lure in their victims, such as emails, texts, phone calls, letters and traditional doorstep scams. 

But did you know that social media is also a favourite place for scammers? 

With billions of people using social media every day and the trust many place in the platform and fellow users, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Plus, at the moment, you have a lot on your mind, so it could be easy to drop your guard. 

There are a number of ways that social media is used as a means to commit fraud. Examples include links in posts or DMs which advertise content, free items, special offers or quizzes, but which actually lead to fraudulent websites designed to steal your money, identity, or both. Posts instructing you to call or text a number, which turns out to be premium rate. And fake customer service Twitter accounts with fraudulent support links. 

TOP TIPS TO AVOID SOCIAL MEDIA SCAMS 

GetSafeOnline safety experts have put together some simple tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of social media scams. www.getsafeonline.org

• Don’t click on links in posts, tweets or direct messages unless you’re 100% certain that they’re genuine and well-intentioned.
• Don’t respond to posts offering free app downloads, as these may be fraudulent. Download apps only from the authorised app store for your device.
• Don’t respond to online quizzes or questionnaires, however engaging they seem. The data you provide may be sold to third parties, and developers could obtain sensitive information from your profile, friends and IP address.
• Fraudsters frequently use social media platforms to advertise fake or non-existent goods. Do all you can to check the authenticity of the seller, and never pay by bank transfer in case it’s a fraud.
• Don’t click on shortened URLs (website addresses) or QR codes, as they may divert you to a fraudulent website.
• Think twice before responding to approaches such as friend/contact requests or approaches to take some unusual or irregular action.
• Learn to recognise fake notifications or warnings of financial problems, or offers that seem too good to be true. These could include investment opportunities, get rich quick schemes, unusual work opportunities or free supermarket vouchers.
• Check that any communications via Twitter feature the correct handle of the authentic organisation. Even if they appear to have come from an organisation you trust, their account may have been hacked or spoofed.
• If in doubt, call the correct number of the organisation or individual who the post or tweet claims to be from, to check its authenticity.
• Ask yourself if a genuine organisation or individual would really contact you in the way they have.
• Get into good basic habits like using strong, unique passwords for social media accounts, not sharing personal information, making your accounts private, having up-to-date information security software/app and not using public Wi-Fi when what you're doing is confidential.

If you become a victim of a social media scam:

• Report it to the social media network via the reporting mechanism on the site or app.
• If you have lost money as a result of social media scams or via any other fraudulent activity, report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk.

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