News and Events
WSCC Residents Newsletter
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Welcome to the December 2024 edition of our Residents’ eNewsletter, featuring the latest news and updates from your county council.
Christmas is coming - very soon!
Libraries
Your local library is the perfect place to get cosy in winter with a festive Storytime!
We’re holding a range of events up until Monday 23 December, some of which require pre-booking and others you can just turn up to.
If you need an excuse to wear pyjamas in public, we've even planned a few late-afternoon Christmas Stories at Bedtime events. Don’t forget your torch and teddy!
Check our What’s On page for more details and how to book.
Don’t forget that our regular children’s activities continue through the festive period, except on 25 and 26 December, and 1 January, when libraries will be closed for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Bus travel
Ho-ho-hop on the bus this festive season! Whether you’re heading out to the local markets for some holiday shopping, planning a trip to the panto or off for a fun night on the town, why not leave the car behind and catch the bus instead?
Take advantage of the £2 bus fares until the end of December and say goodbye to parking fees and driving on busy roads.
Further discounts are available for young people with our “16 to 20 Bus Saver”. Try travelling with Book-a-Bus for trips to areas in the county with limited commercial buses. And don’t forget to take a moment to renew or sign-up for a free bus pass, if you’re eligible. There’s more information here on local bus travel.
Gifts with a difference
If you are looking for a unique West Sussex gift, visit the Sussex Pictures website to choose local images for a range of products, including framed and canvas prints, mouse mats, jigsaw puzzles, coasters and cushions. The images are from the historic collections held at our West Sussex Record Office.
WSCC Leader reaffirms commitment to winter resilience on our highways
A message from West Sussex County Council Leader, Cllr Paul Marshall
As we enter the winter months and the weather starts to turn, I want to take this opportunity to reassure the residents of West Sussex that I, and my colleagues at the county council, remain committed to improving our county’s roads and keeping West Sussex moving. The extreme weather of the last two winters has had a substantial impact on our road network which suffered large levels of flooding resulting in damage to the road surface.
Over the past six months, our highways teams have been working hard to repair this damage, and I believe that their efforts are paying off. Almost 40,000 safety defects were repaired in the first half of this financial year, and we will continue to respond to reports as the weather allows.
To ensure that this hard work isn’t undone and that we are prepared for the impact of extreme weather this year, we have invested a further £1.5million for much-needed resources to continue maintenance work and provide resilience in responding to emergencies.
We have also recently launched our Road Safety Strategy consultation. See the 'More News' section below for details on how you can contribute.
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Last chance to have your say on our budget plans
Have you completed our budget and priorities survey yet? It closes this Sunday (15 December) and we are keen to hear the views of as many residents as possible.
Our budget for 2025-2026 amounts to over £2 billion which will be spent on services for our 900,900 residents and more than 42,500 businesses.
We'd like to hear your opinions and views on how and where we should spend that money.
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Good news - reuse shop is open!
Our second reuse shop in the county has now opened at the Worthing Recycling Centre.
The shop is part of our commitment to reducing waste and promoting reuse across the county.
Following the success of the first reuse shop at Billingshurst Recycling Centre, which has diverted over 51 tonnes of materials for reuse since its launch in March 2022, the Worthing shop aims to build on this!
You do not need to book to visit the new Worthing reuse shop as it can be accessed without entering the Recycling Centre. However, to donate, you will need to book an appointment.
Please note that donations need to be in good working order as shop staff cannot repair or refurbish items.
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Winter health update
- If you are eligible, protect yourself and your loved ones from winter bugs by getting your Flu, Covid-19 and RSV vaccines. Find out more about winter vaccinations and how to get them on the NHS website. You can also find details of Covid-19 vaccination walk-in clinics in West Sussex through December and January, please check your eligibility.
- Quitting smoking is much easier when you get the right support, and with professional help you’re three times more likely to quit for good. Visit Smokefree West Sussex or call 0330 222 7980 to get free support from trained advisors to help you quit smoking for good. Support is available face-to-face, over the phone or using the new Smokefree app.
- Now we’re in the winter months, it’s good to be prepared. Please take a look at and share our advice and information on keeping yourself and others safe this winter.
Could you spend time with a child in care?
Are you a kind and caring person who could offer a few hours each month to provide friendship and to do something fun and interesting to support a child in care?
If the answer is yes, then volunteer to become an Independent Visitor and help make a real difference in the life of a child in care.
Join us for an informal online information session and find out more:
For more information please email Independent.Visitors@westsussex.gov.uk.
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Head to our Newsroom to find all the latest news.
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Are you or someone you know struggling with energy costs? If you receive certain benefits such as Pension Credit you may be able to get extra financial support, including the Winter Fuel Payment. Find out more on our cost of living pages.
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We’d still like to hear from autistic people, their families and carers and professionals working with autistic people to help us make the county a better place for those with lived experience of autism. A consultation is open until 16 December, made up of in-person workshops and online surveys. The findings will help inform a new autism strategy that aims to improve services and support for autistic people. See our webpage for more information.
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We want to hear from West Sussex drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to help shape our Road Safety Strategy. Your feedback will influence how we integrate road safety into every aspect of our highways operations, to make the road network in West Sussex safer for everyone. The consultation will close at 23:55 on 2 February 2025.
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A children’s home run by the county council has been praised for its outstanding work and the progress its young people are making. Breakwater, in Shoreham, has been given an overall rating of ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
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Councillor Joy Dennis, our Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, explains how everyone with a ditch, stream, culvert or brook on their property can help prevent flooding this winter.
We have partnered with our recycling and waste contractor Biffa, to launch a new Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund for community-based household waste prevention projects.
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