Latest News of Local Interest

A273 Northbound at Pyecombe – Notice of Night Closure

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Road_Closed_SignWEST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL
TEMPORARY TRAFFIC REGULATION

A273 NORTHBOUND, PYECOMBE

NOTICE IS hereby given that in pursuance of the provisions of Section 14(2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984, as amended, the use of

A273 Northbound, Pyecombe, at the approach to the junction with D157 London Road, is temporarily prohibited from 20.00hrs to 06.00hrs on the 25th, 26th and 27th March 2013, with the last closure ending at 06.00hrs on 28th March 2013.

This closure is necessary to allow for essential carriageway maintenance.

It is anticipated the works will be completed in 3 nights.

Emergency Vehicle access will be maintained at all times.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

Residential vehicular access will be maintained at all times.

The alternative route for traffic will be via the A23, A2300, A273 and vice versa.

This notice will be effective for a maximum of 5 days from the date given above.

Any queries about the effect of the closure on traffic using the highway please contact West Sussex County Council on 01243 642105.

Dated 11th March 2013

Geoff Lowry
Director for Communities & Infrastructure

“A Thriving Living Landscape”

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A Thriving Living Landscape
The South Downs National Park Authority has issued a draft policy document [PDF], entitled A Thriving Living Landscape. and invited comments. Some extracts follow:

  • The National Park offers important opportunities for renewable energy generation including woodfuels, solar, wind and anaerobic digestion ..
  • Climate change or lack of appropriate management could be a threat to much of our heritage.
  • Allow the landscape to continue to evolve and become more resilient to climate change.
  • Contribute to the delivery of government climate change strategy targets through renewable energy schemes ..
  • There are five oil and gas wells within the Park some already in production others at the exploration and appraisal stage.
  • The South Downs National Park carbon footprint relating to transport is a significant proportion of the overall total .. promoting alternatives to the car also supports opportunities to make tourism more sustainable and increase spend per person (surveys show this is a fact) ..
  • Promote travel behaviour-change across the National Park ..
  • Increasing the proportion of visitors staying in the Downs .. develop .. a wide range of high quality accommodation provision ..
  • Most problems with visitor behaviour are local visits from surrounding areas ..
  • Volunteers are not widely representative of the local demographic.
  • Increase opportunities for young adults, people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, people with disabilities and people from areas of deprivation to visit the National Park.
  • Support land managers to access incentive schemes and work with partners to effectively target agri-environment grants and influence the development of future payment schemes.
  • With the removal of the Regional Development Agencies (RDA’s) and setting up of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) the economic framework of the region has changed significantly. There are three LEPs that cover the SDNP. LEPs currently administer the Growing Places Funds which are revolving funds aimed at unblocking development proposals. Currently no Rural Growth Funds are available within the South East LEPs. It is likely that the LEPs may have an enhanced role in distribution of EU structural funds. Future investments will need to fit with the LEPs Strategies for Growth. There is a need to ensure that these have a rural element and that they fit with SDNP objectives.

GJMG

A Call for Mid Sussex District Councillors

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front_MSDC_LogoMake a difference – be a Councillor

Mid Sussex District Council is encouraging local people who want make a difference in the community to consider standing for election as a County Councillor.

West Sussex County Council elections are being held on Thursday 2 May. Mid Sussex District Council runs all elections in the Mid Sussex area and is holding a briefing on Thursday 7 March at 6pm to provide information to anyone who is considering standing for election as a County Councillor.

The evening briefing will be held in the Mid Sussex District Council Chamber in Haywards Heath and is open to all prospective candidates and electoral agents. The Mid Sussex Returning Officer and elections staff will be on hand during the evening to talk through the election arrangements, distribute nomination packs and answer any questions.

“Local councillors represent the views of local people and make sure that the interests of the community are taken into account,” said Tom Clark, Returning Officer for Mid Sussex. “If you are concerned about your local area and want to ensure that the community get the right services then being a Councillor could be the perfect role for you.

“You don’t have to be affiliated to a political party; politically neutral candidates can simply stand as an independent. All that is needed is a desire to make a difference and help to shape the future of the local community. If you are interested in becoming a Councillor, come along to our evening briefing to find out more.”

Those looking for more information should read ‘Be a Councillor’, an online brochure produced by the Local Government Association. The electronic guide explains what councillors do, how councils work and what is expected of a councillor. There are answers to a range of frequently asked questions and other local Councillors explain why they chose to represent their local community. Prospective candidates can download the brochure at www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections.

Anybody living in West Sussex is eligible to stand for election in the 12 County Council divisions within the Mid Sussex area and candidates are not required to pay a deposit. However, anyone who intends to stand on behalf of a political party would need to be authorised by that party.

For more information about the County Council election briefing call the Mid Sussex District Council elections team on 01444 477003 or email elections@midsussex.gov.uk.

For more information please contact Martin Faulconbridge on 01444 477478 or Martin.Faulconbridge@midsussex.gov.uk

“Visitors choose to travel by car through convenience”

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Sustainable transport
The Department for Transport has provided the South Downs and New Forest National Park Authorities with £3.8m of taxpayer money. They, in turn, are passing some, or all, of this money on to a PR firm for a two-month project intended to see the development of “a strategic comms and stakeholder engagement plan” in relation to “travel-related behaviour change”.

GJMG

South Downs Way Walk 7-15 June

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South Downs Way Walk 7-15 June 2013
An organised nine day walk along the full 100 miles. The Footprints Red Shirts walk with you. Luxury coach transport provided. By far the simplest way of completing the walk. Each day averages around 11 miles. The sectors are as follows: Eastbourne — Alfriston — Newmarket Inn — Devils Dyke — Washington — Whiteways — Cocking — Queen Elizabeth Park — Exton — Winchester. More here.

Characteristics of National Parks

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The ONS has just released a report [PDF] on the national parks in England and Wales based on the 2011 census. Residents of the South Downs National Park (SDNP) should find some of the content to be of interest:

  • The population of the national parks taken as a whole has increased by 7,400 since 2001. Of this, the SDNP is responsible for 7,200.
  • The population density of the SDNP is the highest of any national park and 36 times greater than that of the Northumberland park.
  • The SDNP had the lowest median age at 46 (compare the Broads and Exmoor, both at 53).
  • National park residents are older than the general population but consider themselves healthier: 82% describe their health as good or very good. The SDNP has the highest proportion who describe their health as very good.
  • Among the parks, the SDNP has the lowest proportion of UK born residents at 91% (the figure is 87% for the population as a whole and 97% in Snowdonia).
  • 40% of SDNP households occupy detached houses or bungalows (the figure is 23% for the population as a whole and 66% for the New Forest).
  • The SDNP has the lowest proportion of homes with “no usual residents” at 6% which is a bit higher than the national average but much lower than the national park average (14%) and the Pembrokeshire Coast (28%).

GJMG

Living in vans on the Downs

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Living in a van

Van dwellers appeal eviction notice

The Argus reports:

The group of van dwellers have been on the site, which is in South Downs National Park .. for at least four months. When The Argus visited earlier this month, it included a university student, a roller-skating teacher and a telesales worker. Some members of the current encampment were part of a group which was evicted from land bordering Devil’s Dyke Road in May 2012.

Ward councillor Ken Norman .. said “The big issue here is human rights, whatever they are.”

Illegal encampments can be reported to West Sussex County Council by contacting Esther Quarm on 033 022 23736 or email esther.quarm@westsussex.gov.uk