Please find detailed below the dates and timings of air displays and fireworks going on during the Festival of Speed event next month. Please do allow ten minutes either side in case of any delays on the day.

Thursday 11^th July

11.45 Red Arrows Display 23 minutes

14.00 Fireworks – Goodwood House 10 minutes

22.30 Fireworks – Goodwood House 15 minutes

Friday 12^th July

11.45 Red Arrows Display 23 minutes

13.05 Fireworks – Goodwood House 10 minutes

Saturday 13^th July

(no plane displays)

13.15 Fireworks – Goodwood House 10 minutes

22.30 Fireworks – Goodwood House 30 minutes

Sunday 14^th July

(no plane displays)

13.30 Fireworks – Goodwood House 10 minutes

District Dispatch

From 1 July until 30 September we will be asking for your views on climate change projects, focusing on potential projects that could help individuals and communities in the district reduce their emissions. This information will be used to help inform our new climate emergency action plan.

We’re also holding in-person drop-in events and online sessions to help people find out more about the consultation. The events will provide the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the proposals with our staff.

The events will begin with an online session on Monday 1 July between 7pm-8.30pm. The first in-person event will take place at Leconfield Hall in Petworth on Wednesday 3 July where you can drop in from 3-7pm. Refreshments and a children’s colouring competition activity will be provided, and you can enter a draw to be in with a chance of winning a sustainable living prize worth up to £500 when you fill in our survey. More information, including links to the online meetings and details about the prize draw, can be found at:https://letstalk.chichester.gov.uk/climatechange

As a council, it’s vital that we play our part in helping to fight climate change. The council’s emissions are only around 0.5% of emissions in the whole district, but since we declared a Climate Emergency in 2019, we have been working extremely hard to cut our own emissions, for example in our buildings and in our vehicle fleet. We have a clear idea of what we need to do, so this consultation focuses on helping individuals and organisations in the district to cut their carbon emissions.

This is an important opportunity for residents and businesses across the Chichester District to help shape the plan and for us all to come together to help tackle a crisis that affects everyone. The ideas that could potentially be included in the new action plan have been put together after working with teams across the whole council, and now it’s over to you to see what you think. Some carbon reductions can only be successfully accomplished at a national or international level, so the emphasis is on the areas where we believe we have the most influence and can make the biggest difference.

So far, we’ve helped some people to make their homes more energy efficient and generate their own energy through renewable energy measures.We’ve worked with a range of businesses to help them become more sustainable and we’re also part of a project that’s led to over 50,000 trees being planted in the district. In addition, we’ve installed electric vehicle charge-points in our car parks, and we successfully bid for £1.3 million to help reduce carbon emissions at our Westgate Leisure Centre. Many projects are still in progress, including work to reduce emissions from homes in the district. We’re now looking ahead to see what else we can do to cut carbon emissions.

Although we are asking people to help shape the plan, I would like to stress that many of the projects will depend on council resources and external funding, so at this stage, we can’t guarantee that they will go ahead, even with public support. However, it’s important that residents know about the potential projects and can feed into the strategy.

The survey will be available from 1 July 2024 at: https://letstalk.chichester.gov.uk/climatechange/participate with videos that help to explain each project. For those who do not have access to a computer, a paper version will be included as part of the council’s residents’ magazine, ‘initiatives’, which people can fill out when it is delivered from 8 July.

Once the results have been examined and the final plan written up, it will be discussed by Cabinet and Full Council for approval in summer 2025, when the current plan ends. The new plan will run until 2030.

Best Wishes

Diane Shepherd

Chief Executive at Chichester District Council

Please see file attached.

Please find attached Southern Water Presentations

Date of Release: 22 May 2024 Ref: 4330

Council agrees funding for vital river restoration projects in Chichester District

Projects aimed at restoring three of the Chichester District’s rare river habitats have received a boost after councillors agreed to help fund them.

At a Chichester District Council meeting on Tuesday 21 May, councillors agreed to invest £180,000 over the next three years, as part of two projects being led by the Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT), formerly known as theArun and Rother Rivers Trust (ARRT), to help restore the River Lavant and also the Ems and the Hambrook.

The money will part-fund two posts. One post will work on furthering a restoration plan for the Ems and the Hambrook. The other will begin work on a similar plan for the Lavant.

“We are delighted to be able to support the Western SussexRivers Trust in their critical work and help fund these key projects,” says Councillor Jonathan Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Strategy at Chichester District Council. “The trust approached us for help, and we felt that it was crucial to support them in this way because our contribution will in turn help them to unlock further potential funding from other sources.

“Many people may not be aware but the rivers Ems, Hambrook and Lavant are among only 283 chalk streams and rivers in the world. These are globally significant but very rare habitats and are almost exclusively found in the south of England. None of these rivers has official protection but we are seeking to gain better protection for them through the Chichester Local Plan and its Strategic Wildlife Corridors policy.We appreciate that this isn’t enough on its own and that significant recovery work also needs to take place.

“Sadly, these rivers are now suffering from the effects of a number of activities including: pollution; habitat loss; drought; and, interruptions to their natural processes and flow. In addition, the River Ems is also suffering the effects of over-abstraction, a process where water is removed for domestic, industrial uses and agriculture.

“These chalk streams also feed into the internationally protected Chichester Harbour Special Protection Area and so it is absolutely vital that as a council we do all that we are able to do in order to support their protection and restoration for future generations. These projects will safeguard the future of three of the most significant rivers and streamsin our district which will then also have a positive effect on our harbour.

“Working with our partners on projects such as these is key. Our role is to help facilitate other organisations who have the expertise to enable results that the council wouldn’t be able to achieve on its own.”

The projects are catchment-based plans, so not only would they look at the rivers and streams themselves, but also the whole landscape area that feeds into them.

The work will focus on restoring the natural function in the river channels; tackling invasive non-native species; andriver re-meandering. This is work that creates a new meandering course or reconnects cut-off meander. Thiscan slow down river flow and is also known to have a positive impact on sedimentation and biodiversity.

Alongside this work, the project officers will also work with landowners and the local community to carry out citizen science, which would include a range of activities such as monitoring water quality, biodiversity and encouraging people to report incidents.

Getting the public and local community involved is key to gathering good statistics in order to gain good outcomes. The officers will also run public events to build community engagement and understanding of the issues affecting the rivers — this will feed into finding potential solutions.

The Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT) isone of a national network of river trusts that aim to protect and restore our rivers and streams. The Trust’s area covers nearly all of Chichester and Arun Districts. The trust has been working on a series of catchment-based plans for the restoration of rivers and their tributary streams within Chichester District.

As part of the projects the council will meet regularly with WSRT to monitor progress

Singleton and Charlton Parish Council

Meeting Dates for 2024

All Meetings are held in Singleton Village Hall at 7pm

Full Parish Council Meeting Wednesday 17^th January 2024

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 18th March 2024

Full Annual Parish Council Meeting Monday 20th May 2024

And Annual Parish Meeting

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 22nd July 2024

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 16th September 2024

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 18^th November 2024

Please see attachment.

Priority Services Register

Please see attachment below.

Date of Release: 29 January 2024 Ref: 4321

Water regulator agrees to partnership working following criticisms in relation to Southern Water

The watchdog responsible for regulating the water and sewerage industry, Ofwat, has pledged to work more closely with local authorities across the south coast to hold Southern Water to account.

Ofwat — the Water Services Regulation Authority — pledged to better partnership working with local authorities at a meeting organised by the Southern Water Stakeholder Group on 19 January 2024.

The Southern Water Stakeholder group was set up to put pressure on Southern Water — which is responsible for wastewater across the region and for drinking water in other parts of the southeast —in light of pollution and flooding concerns.

Ofwat’s pledge follows criticisms by councils that the watchdog has not been effective in holding Southern Water to account.

During the meeting, which was attended by Southern Water, council officials said responses from the organisation have been continuously slow and unacceptable and the company failed to deliver promised upgrades. They asked Ofwat what local authorities could do to expedite complaints about Southern Water and how Ofwat carried out compliance checks against the company.

There were also criticisms that Ofwat is not monitoring Southern Water closely enough or ensuring that the water company is working efficiently. Council representatives explained that a much clearer understanding was needed of how councils can work with Ofwat to resolve problems and called on the water regulator to proactively help local authorities. They also asked for reassurance from Ofwat that water companies, such as Southern Water, are delivering on their promises to invest in infrastructure improvements.

Chichester District Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Jonathan Brown, and Cabinet Member for Planning, Cllr Bill Brisbane, also attended the meeting.

“Chichester District Council is one of 24 councils across the south east that have joined together to hold Southern Water to account over pollution and infrastructure failings,” says Cllr Brisbane.

“We have been challenging Southern Water in relation to their engagement with both the planning process and the environmental impacts of discharging sewage into Chichester Harbour for some time. This includes previously filing an official complaint about the company to the Ofwat.

“By joining forces with other local councils, we have been able to apply significant pressure on Southern Water. The Southern Water Stakeholder Groupwas set up in response to issues including flooding; sewage backing up into people’s homes, gardens and roads; the ongoing problem of discharges into rivers and waterways; and the inability to deal with additional development.

“These include the recent flooding and associated drain surcharging; sewage and subsequent discharges into the harbour and water courses affecting the water quality of Chichester Harbour; delays in upgrades to the sewerage network; and slow responses to planning applications.”

Cllr Brown adds: “Unfortunately, as a district council, we do not have the direct power to regulate Southern Water or require it to address its failings. But as local authorities working together, we can do more to apply pressure and seek the required action needed to resolve these issues.Our residents deserve better and we will continue to work in partnership with other stakeholders to hold Southern Water to account.

“We are also involved in a Three Harbours Summit, whichinvolves Southern Water and representatives from the council and other local authorities, along with relevant agencies such as Natural England, the Environment Agency, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, Langstone Harbour Board and Sussex Wildlife Trust. This is a positive step towards working together to help improve the harbour for future years to come. The aim is that this group will have a positive impact on Southern Water’s five-year investment plan.”

In the meeting on 19 January, Ofwat’s representative explained that the body’s fundamental duty is to ensure that customer and environment interests are met but that it was keen as a growing organisation to have evidence in advance of concerns so it could hear from the water companies how those issues could be addressed.

Chair of the Southern Water Stakeholder group, Wealden Councillor Rachel Millward, said: “It was once again very useful for all the local authorities across the southeast to express their concerns and raise the local issues their residents face.

“However, the disappointing reality is that Ofwat effectively allows Southern Water to mark its own homework, with no monitoring to ensure that promised improvements are made. Ofwat issues permits with conditions of upgrades to the system, but then fails to check that those happen. Ofwat effectively waits until the system breaks down and sewage pollution is a major problem, instead of taking preventative action of checking that required works are done. This clearly isn’t good enough for the national regulatory body.”

Councils have called for greater accountability and much clearer routes to improving the situation for residents.The next meeting of the Southern Water Stakeholder Group will be held in the spring.

Singleton & Charlton Community Highways Scheme – update on progress

Our original proposal back in July 2022 was a ‘wish-list’ of improvements for the roads in Singleton and Charlton, ranging from crossings to school-parking and lower speed limits. We were up against numerous other communities applying for the same funding, so we were very lucky to be selected. However, due to budget constraints, what was on offer was a slimmed down version of our proposal. Then came the feasibility and road safety checks, which knocked a few more things out.

What we’ve been promised is a huge step in the right direction:

· 20mph speed limit throughout Singleton: on the A286 from near the cricket pitch, right through to the village gateways on the Midhurst side, then on all minor roads to the east of this, out to include Bankside.

· Changes to the bus stop: improved access and paving on the northbound side, narrowing the road slightly to slow the traffic, with a courtesy crossing between northbound and southbound.

· Changes to the Town Lane junction to slow traffic down as it takes the corner heading south.

· A courtesy crossing by the cricket pitch and another outside Little Drove Mews on Budd’s Hill. The crossings will consist of a dropped kerb either side with tactile paving and bollards. The cricket pitch crossing will link on both sides via new sections of footpath.

· Replacement of the crash-barrier at Cobblers Corner with a wood-clad version, to improve the appearance.

· Reinstatement of the red road markings on the A286 each side of the village.

· Improvements to the crossing outside the museum.

In addition to all this, we already have the requested 30mph limit up Town Lane as far as the museum entrance.

What we didn’t get and why:

· Removal of centre lines: Highways feel that these are needed until the traffic gets used to the new road layout – we’ve been promised that once we’ve got evidence of slower speeds, this will be reviewed.

· School parking: while this would – and will yet – improve safety outside the school, the costs would have pushed the total budget above the amount that could be allocated for the Community Highways Scheme. The Parish Council is therefore pursuing other sources of funding for this.

· Charlton proposals: These consisted of village gateways and a 20mph limit throughout the village. However, in order to focus on the essential improvements to the A286 – and so increase our chances of being selected for funding – we were advised to withdraw these from the CHS application and pursue them separately. We currently have a TRO application under way for the speed limit reduction and the gateways are at the design and funding stage.

· Changes to Cobblers Corner: The proposals here depended on removing most of the white lines and requiring drivers to slow down and work out for themselves how to get round the bend. We’d also like to get rid of the big yellow chevron signs by the former café. However, all this is currently a step too far for Highways, who fear that it would cause accidents – so the plan is to keep traffic speeds under review and revisit this when we apply (later) to have the white centre lines removed.

All in all, we are very pleased with what’s on offer. Construction is scheduled for 2024/25, so we expect to see activity later this year.

Please see attachment below.

See PDF Below

Emergency Plan Contact List - December 2023

Singleton and Charlton Parish Council

Please see attachment below. Submitted to SDNP on 7/11/23.

Please see attached information.

Please see attached document.

Please see attached various documents relating to the Chichester Local Plan.