Blog

Please note that the post office at the Vineyard will be temporarily closed until Wednesday 20th November.

The Road Safety Team at West Sussex County Council have set up a new Facebook page to help deliver important Road Safety messages to its residents, as well as the wider public who also use the roads of West Sussex. If you are interested in keeping up to date with Road Safety topics, or have any questions you wish to ask, please go to https://www.facebook.com/RoadSafetyWSCC and follow this page! Thank you for your support.

Mid Sussex District Council are updating some of the equipment in our playground at Batchelors Field. They have now launched a full public consultation seeking views from those who use the play area. Both adults and children can submit comments so please do have your say using the link below. The closing date is 1st December. www.midsussex.gov.uk/playgroundconsultations

A new consultation has been launched on a proposed change to the concessionary travel support provided by West Sussex County Council.

There will be no changes to the national ‘free bus passes’ provided to older and disabled people. However, council funding is currently provided for certain additions to the national ‘free bus pass’ scheme. The proposal being consulted on is to no longer offer a free Senior Railcard as an alternative to the bus pass.

If the proposal goes ahead, eligible older people will be able to receive their free bus pass instead of a free Senior Railcard. WSCC will continue to fund the following additions to the national scheme in West Sussex:

· Free travel on buses at any time for Disabled Person’s Bus Pass holders

· Companion passes so that qualifying pass holders who need help to travel on buses can take someone with them who can travel for free as well

· A free Disabled Person’s Railcard instead of the Disabled Person’s Bus Pass

Before any decision is made, we are keen to gather feedback from passengers and others to help us understand the impact of this change.

Further information and the consultation questionnaire is available online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/buses – or by calling 01243 642105 for a paper copy. The closing date for responses is 4 December 2019

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.