January 5, 2024

 

Happy New Year, and thank you for reading our first blog of 2024. We hope you enjoyed the break, and had some rest as well as quality time with your nearest and dearest. Because my oldest daughter got married on the 29th, we were rather refrained so we could comfortably fit into our wedding outfits!

Whatever the coming year brings, we know it will include a general election campaign. This does allow us to draw attention to any ‘gilding of the lily’ we spot. For instance, during the holiday period, our MP attempted to take credit for clearing the way for our District’s Local Plan even though, since 2019, the previous Leader of CDC had meetings with both her and Ministers to explain the issues our District faced to no avail.

The Festive period is also a time to look back - you may have read this post from Donna on the 23rd, the anniversary of her cared-for’s passing: - 

“Sadly, I know a few people who have lost loved ones very near to Christmas. Adrian, who I looked after for many years, died shortly before midnight, on December 23rd, 3 years ago. As a carer, my life changed in a moment. Adrian was 97, had been bed bound for a few years, and although between us, Tim and I kept him at home, it was getting harder. He had always said that he didnt want me to 'find' him when I went in, and true to his word he passed away just a few hours after he'd gone into respite care for Christmas - no warning, no indication anything was wrong - he just died ......  suddenly. It was during Covid and I couldn't see him at the end, but went in a few moments after he'd died. I remember being quite cross with him, but he passed how he would have wanted. Losing people we are close to is hard at any time, but for many, Christmas will always be tainted by a resurgence of those feelings of loss at what should have been a happy time. Many of us will look around the table on Christmas Day and know loved ones are missing, but I like to think they are not so far away.“

Following the excesses of the Festive period, many of us think a little more about our health and longevity in January. Here are some related articles for you: apparently Worthing is the town with the highest life expectancy in the UK but if you watched the Doctor Who Christmas Special it may also extend your life expectancy, while taking a bath or shower could help you spot dementia. If developing dementia is something you might wish to avoid, initial research suggests intermittent fasting might help. 

Meanwhile CDC has arranged a Feel-Good Farmers’ Market in East Street in the city centre on Friday 19 January from 9am until 2pm. In addition to the normal traders, who will be offering fresh local produce and artisan goods, they will have a range of partners attending who will be available to help you improve your health and fitness, including Everyone Active; Nuffield Health; Fitjoy; their Social Prescribers (who help with non-medical issues) and their Health and Wellbeing Team, who are available to assist you on a whole range of matters. This free, friendly and confidential service provides advice to help improve your mental and physical wellbeing. They can help you with healthy eating on a budget; reducing your alcohol intake; losing weight; being more active; and improving your emotional wellbeing. In addition, if you’re trying to stop smoking, the team’s trained advisors can offer free Nicotine Replacement Therapy, saving you money as part of a 12-week free package of one-to-one support.

 

In partnership with Everyone Active, CDC also offers a range of activities to help you get started, including walking groups; a beginners’ running club; walking netball, cricket and football; and access to virtual and in-person exercise classes. This also includes a free 12-week course to learn how to walk with poles with a qualified Nordic Walking Instructor for those who are looking to return to exercise and who are currently doing less that the recommended 150 minutes of exercise each week. The course is aimed at inactive adults who are looking to increase their activity levels and confidence through walking.

Over the Festive period I came across what turned out to be quite an interesting read, about our choice of baubles (for our Christmas trees) and what they say about us. I was also not entirely surprised to learn that if you live in the City, you have chosen the least affordable place in the South East. 

The holiday is truly over, as I realised on Tuesday when my alarm woke me once more. Whilst I was at school, Donna inroaded into her case backlog caused by Council Offices being shut over the Festive period. Ian, Andrew, Donna and I also had an STC Personnel Committee meeting that evening. This coming Tuesday, CDC’s Cabinet consider a report on Selsey’s sea defences to make a recommendation to Full CDC of either doing nothing going forward, carrying on with the current approach or applying for a grant to undertake an extensive study into other future proofing solutions that might better safeguard the 1300 homes that could be at risk in the longer term. This is quite topical as a few days ago I read that across the country flood defences are falling into greater disrepair. Work will prevent my attending, while Donna has increased commitments as she is still continuing to cover at West Sussex for our Green colleague’s extended absence due to her husband’s health. Increasing parking charges, something Steve as an independent trader is concerned about, is also being discussed by Cabinet too. On Wednesday Donna has Planning at CDC - you can watch both meetings live here - and also Health and Social Care at West Sussex.

If you have an Open fire or stove, this advice from the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is worth a read. Staying with energy, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks have asked us to share the following with you: -

“If you see any damage to our equipment, please stay back, don’t touch it and instead report it to us directly via our Power Track website or by calling 105, and engineers will investigate as soon as possible.

 

Customers are also being encouraged to report any power losses and respond to supplies by:

• Saving the emergency power cut number - '105' - to your phone to report any loss of supply or damage to the electricity network

• Visiting our Power Track Website to give you details of power cuts and restoration times. You can also report power cuts and network damage through Power Track.

• Visiting the "Preparing for a power cut" section on our website, where there is a wealth of advice and information, or to chat live to one of our advisors via the Webchat service

 

Customers are also eligible for our Priority Services Register (PSR) if they:

• Are deaf or hard of hearing

• Have a disability

• Live with children under five

• Are blind or partially-sighted

• Have a chronic illness

• Use medical equipment/aids reliant on electricity

• Are over 60.”

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Finally: - 

• Report potholes to WSCC

• Housing Health & Safety

• Warmer Homes UK

• Suicide in Sussex

• Domestic Abuse

• Supporting You

• WSCC Meetings

• CDC Meetings

As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.

Tim