Welcome to the Local Alliance Blog

You may be aware that the West. Sussex County Council elections in May are now going ahead, following a U turn by the government.  Our Members have selected Donna, who is Selsey's current County Councillor, to be the Local Alliance candidate. To vote you must be registered by midnight on Monday 20 April 2026. If you are unable to register online or need additional support, contact Chichester District Council’s Elections team by calling 01243 521010 or emailing elections@chichester.gov.uk . The last day to apply for, or make a change to a postal vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026. Last week we mentioned that Donna and I had caught up with our two grandsons. I sometimes find it hard to believe I am a grandparent but am very glad I am. (And yes, the old saying about being able to hand them back, is true!) Appropriately, an article came my way suggesting six things grandparents do which their grandchildren appreciate. Having seen my parents and Donna’s mum years ago with our ch...

Welcome to this week’s blog - as always, thanks for having a read.  Last Sunday, Donna and I headed in an easterly direction and caught up with number one daughter, son in law, and, very happily, our two grandsons. We met at Wakehurst Place which is run by the National Trust and Kew, housing the latter’s millennium seed bank. Our youngest grandson happily chased after bubbles Donna blew, with great gusto, saying ‘pop’ as he did, then splashed in puddles in his wellies, before deciding he needed a quick rest and sat in one. Donna, as regular readers will know, loves all things garden so Wakehurst is of some interest to her. Luckily we are approaching the time when she can start doing things in our garden once more. Appropriately, there is a use for split teabags, her favourite drink, this month : - https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/garden/2167095/gardeners-put-torn-teabags-garden   We met paramedic daughter number two and paramedic partner in Arundel on our way home. We were...

  Welcome to this week’s blog - as always, thanks for having a read.  Last weekend Donna tried an interesting experience with our daughter: Le Petit Chef, in Brighton, whilst I got on with various things, including helping a fellow councillor with a computer issue. Le Petit Chef is an interactive 3D dinner show where a tiny animated chef is projected onto guests' plates to "prepare" each course before the real food is served. They both thoroughly enjoyed it, however, as a reminder that technology can sometimes falter, the card machine packed up and they had to queue in the bar to pay. Monday was Chichester District Council’s six monthly All Parishes Meeting. Donna also had a meeting at West Sussex County Hall. Then on Wednesday, Mick, Val and Donna took part in CDC’s Planning training for parishes while in the evening Ali, Ian, Andrew, Donna and I had an STC Personnel Committee meeting looking at various policy documents. Next week on Wednesday Donna and Val have Chichest...

  Welcome to this week’s blog - as always, thanks for having a read.  Last weekend Donna and I were in Poole, and walked through Lifeboat Quay next to the national headquarters of the RNLI. We saw several boats, their training college and their Lifeboat Centre which was unfortunately closed. You may not realise that the HQ was founded on 4th March, 1824, to save lives at sea and that, as the heart of the charity, Poole has a deep history and featured  in wartime rescues like Dunkirk  On Monday Donna had a Chichester Harbour Conservancy meeting at County Hall because she is one of the West Sussex appointed representatives and I had some errands to run relating to my charitable involvements. Wednesday was a busy day because Donna had Chichester District Council’s Grants and Concessions Panel on Wednesday morning while Val, Mick, Ian and Andrew had Selsey Town Council's Planning Committee in the evening after we all had a short Extraordinary Full STC to confirm a Person...