Parish Clerk

There is currently a public consultation running on proposed budget savings within the Library Service.

The public consultation closes on Wednesday 13 November. It asks people for their views on proposals to cease the mobile library service and to reduce the evening opening hours in the four main libraries (Chichester, Crawley, Horsham and Worthing) by one hour, from 7pm to 6pm from April 2020.

WSCC are keen for as many library users as possible to take part in the consultation and share their thoughts on the proposals.

The consultation will help inform the decision, due to be taken in November by the Cabinet Member for Fire and Rescue and Communities. The decision is one of a number of options being worked up to take forward in the 2020/21 budget to help meet the funding gap currently being faced by West Sussex County Council.

To find out more and to take part, visit the Have Your Say web page.

Thank you to the eight Bolney Volunteers who came out on Sunday to pick up litter. They collected 12 bags of rubbish including glass and plastic bottles, cans, coffee cups and confectionary wrappers!

The application process for children due to start school in September 2020 will begin on Monday 7 October

The key points are:

·         Apply online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/admissions

·         Applications can be made between 7 October 2019 and 15 January 2020

·         Special rules apply for house movers until 15 February 2020

·         Further information for parents is available on our website now

·         Staff are available to support on 03330 142 903

Applications made after the closing date cannot be considered until all on time applications have been processed. This may mean it is not possible to offer a child a place at a local school so please make sure you apply by the closing date.

It is hoped that Bolney residents may be able to benefit from Project 3: Market and community partnerships, as rural premises with broadband speeds of less than 30Mbps can use vouchers up to £1,500 per residential premise to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections. This would have to be done as part of a community project and is subject to the eligibility rules. It is something the parish council will be looking into further.

Have your say on matters that affect you and your local community by visiting the Have Your say Consultation Hub. From major road schemes and Joint Area Action Plans, to premises licence applications and safeguarding in our schools; West Sussex County Council want to hear your views to help shape future policy and decisions.

Current consultations are:

• Proposed changes to care and support at home

Go to the Have Your Say Consultation Hub for details of all of the current consultations.

A-one+, on behalf of Highways England will be carrying out works to replace like for like the existing anti-glare, close boarded fencing on the northbound carriageway of the A23.

In order to carry out these works as efficiently and as safely as possible, work will be carried out from adjacent land on London Road running parallel to the A23. The works will be carried out from Monday 16 September 2019 to Friday 4 October 2019 during the day between the hours of 9:00am to 4:00pm and will be managed by traffic lights. No weekend working.

If you have any questions or if you’d like to know about the work taking place, please do not hesitate to contact them.

Phone: 01732 446800. Email: area4enquiries@aone.uk.com or  area4enquiries@aone.uk.com Web: www.highwaysengland.co.uk

The Post Office at the Vineyard has now re-opened!

The hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9.30 to 1 pm.  

If you have a watercourse, ditch, stream, river or culvert on or next to your land you are known as a ‘riparian owner’. Riparian owners are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of watercourses on their land to ensure that they are not a flood risk to other people or property.
Well maintained watercourses can significantly benefit the local community by reducing flood risk and creating habitats for wildlife.
The riparian responsibilities for landowners under law are to:
* Ensure the flow of water is not obstructed or polluted
* Maintain the bottom and sides of the watercourse (including managing any trees and vegetation growing on the banks)
* Remove any obstructions, such as rubbish, fallen branches or garden waste
* Maintain any structures (such as trash screens, culverts, weirs and mill gates) on it.

WSCC has updated some helpful information to guide landowners and community groups around this subject.  Keeping our watercourses well maintained benefits the community as a whole. If an area experiences constant flooding, this becomes a nuisance to the community, can restrict access to property, makes everyday living difficult and results in considerable expense and inconvenience for those that have been flooded.

You can find more information here: Ditch the problem