March 8, 2023
Welcome once again to this week's blog and, as always, thank you for sparing the time to have a read. A quick reminder, its Mothering Sunday this week (so don’t forget!)
Selsey Town Council have advertised the vacancy caused by Patrick’s unexpected passing. Although it is common practice in these circumstances for the vacancy to be filled by co option, there will be a by-election: we are grateful that upon learning of Patrick’s loss, someone from our group who was born in Selsey came forward and will be our candidate.
This week’s meetings included Health & Social Care at WSCC and Planning at CDC (for Donna) on Wednesday - the latter included applications from Rolls Royce, Southbourne and Runcton. That evening there was an Extraordinary Full STC regarding works to Manor Green for the whole team, followed by STC's Planning Committee for Ian, Mick, Val and Andrew; on Thursday, there was STC’s Finance and Administration Group for Ali, Andrew, Ian. Mike, Donna and myself. There were also meetings of CDC’s Cabinet on Tuesday and Strategic Risk Group on Thursday. (You can watch all public CDC meetings here and WSCC here.)
This week was also National Empty Homes Week; CDC has urged owners of empty properties to find out how they can help bring them back into use. The support currently available includes grant funding and a reduced VAT rate on renovation materials. Funding is available to help give properties that have been vacant for more than a year a new lease of life. Owners can access up to £10,000, which would only need to be repaid if the property was sold within 10 years. If people are looking to refurbish a property that has been empty for two years or more, then they can buy most renovation materials at a reduced VAT rate of 5%. To access this, they can request a letter from CDC’s Revenues and Benefits team by emailing: taxation@chichester.gov.uk
To our regular update on progress with the work begun before Christmas helping the Manhood Classics. Without it being realised by CDC, they were using East Beach car park in Selsey for publicly advertised gatherings, at which they showed off their cars. Officers are working on a policy to address issues this has raised and have emailed the affected parishes to ask them whether
They would like to see car parks used for any events or activities and if so what type of events and activities?
There are any events or activities that they would have concerns about?
They have any further comments to add on events or activities in car parks?
The affected parishes have been asked to feedback by March 11th (the City, Bosham, Fernhurst, Petworth, Midhurst, East Wittering & Bracklesham and Selsey.) Selsey Town Council meet on Wednesday so, at my instigation, our Clerk asked, and was granted an extension to discuss it then.
Earlier this week, before the global Facebook and Instagram outage, Donna shared this article about rewilding along our coastline. The project spans 100 miles across Sussex and has just been awarded £100,000 from the Rewilding Challenge Fund. Something else happening in Sussex is a trial of new AI cameras that can catch drivers on their phone and not wearing a seatbelt
In our last blog we featured a story about a local pond that is going to have sewage pumped into it by Southern Water until 2030 at the earliest. Sadly sewage issues seem too literally be on the rise as a town on the opposite edge of our County to us is having to contend with it in their streets.
If you ever watched the early Bond films, you may remember Jane Seymour who in the years since she appeared in Live and Let Die with Roger Moore in 1973 has had other roles most recently as a retired academic turned sleuth in Harry Wild Investigates. Jane, now 73, has spoken out about feeling 'unseen' as she ages, something I would politely suggest my fellow males should read!
We recently shared an article about the benefits of drinking tea. I mentioned that Donna loves her cuppa (many times a day) but tea can make me feel slightly nauseous so I prefer coffee. I was therefore pleased to read this week that Professor Tim Spector has said that drinking coffee can stop heart attacks and reduce blood pressure.
Last week we shared something from Stephen Fry who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018 and has commented on King Charles’ diagnosis: -
“You never know how you’re going to react when you get that kind of news, and very sadly, it’s something 1 in 2 of us are going to go through. The King’s recent news shows this so clearly and I think he has done a real service to the country in being open and honest about such a personal experience. It’s got us all talking and thinking about cancer and wondering what we can do. Cancer is a verb – it moves and acts quickly – and so must we if we want to save our loved ones. Since 2020, 225,000 people have waited too long for cancer treatment, and these waits can be deadly. If, like me, you want to help, here’s what you can do. Join me and sign up, to the #CatchUpWithCancer campaign petition.”
National No Smoking Day takes place on Monday. Quitting smoking is one of the best things that you can do for your health, but many smokers who want to quit aren’t sure about the best way to go about it. It is worth reminding you there is support including tailored advice from CDC’s Wellbeing team. People are three times more likely to quit if they have professional support from an advisor so CDC provides a free one-to-one confidential service for 12 weeks, face-to-face or over the phone. They can also help you access free Nicotine Replacement Therapy or other options, to help you quit smoking if this is required.
Its almost Food Waste Action Week 2024. WSCC are marking it with a campaign to get us to “Choose What You’ll Use” and buy fruit and vegetables loose. Research from Love Food Hate Waste has shown that we could reduce food waste by 60,000 tonnes just by buying loose fruit and veg! Sometimes we are in the mood for a huge potato, and sometimes we just need one carrot for our spag bol. Why let the rest go to waste? WSCC has some tips here.
At their meeting on Tuesday, CDC’s Cabinet agreed that a business case should be submitted to the Environment Agency in regards to the Harbour. If successful, the money would help the council to develop an Investment and Adaptation Plan for the harbour up to the year 2100 and beyond which would help communities near the Harbour prepare for flooding and coastal change. The plan would also help to protect and restore the harbour’s habitats and ecosystems.
Because they represent Sidlesham at CDC, Donna and Val are more involved with riparian responsibilities. WSCC is encouraging all householders and landowners, particularly those in more rural areas, to check if they have a responsibility to keep local watercourses free flowing and to help prevent vulnerable areas of the county from flooding. If a watercourse, ditch, stream, river or culvert runs adjacent to, through or under your land or property (even if it does not fall within your property boundary as set out by your Title Deeds) then you are likely to be what is known as a “riparian owner”. In short, you are responsible for the maintenance of the watercourse to ensure that water is able to flow freely into and along it, so that it doesn’t pose a flood risk. The legal responsibilities of a riparian owner are to:
ensure the flow of water is not obstructed or polluted
maintain the bottom and sides of the watercourse (including managing any trees and vegetation growing on the banks)
remove any obstructions, such as rubbish, fallen branches or garden waste
maintain any structures (such as rubbish screens, culverts, weirs and mill gates).
You are more likely to have a responsibility if you live in a rural area due to there not being as widespread a drainage system as in urban areas, particularly alongside roads. Rural roads are especially affected when groundwater levels are high and surface water runs off neighbouring land and property onto them. It is essential that roadside ditches in these areas are kept clear for the water to flow into before it reaches the road and causes surface flooding or even damages the road surface.
To further help reduce flooding incidents across the network, WSCC plans to deliver £1.9m of drainage works this year. They have also doubled their number of jetting vehicles in response to extreme weather and have four vehicles available to attend affected sites to clear flooding or investigate issues. Their drainage gangs continue to work proactively to clear gullies and a ditch clearance programme is operating at sites identified as having an impact on the highway. They also have approximately £500,000 of small-scale drainage schemes on schedule to be delivered by the end of this month. To find out more about the responsibilities of a riparian owner and WSCC’s flood prevention works take a look at their FAQ document: Riparian Ownership: Frequently Asked Questions .
Before we close, Selsey Pavillion Trust has a press release, you may have spotted:
A new era dawns for the beloved Selsey Pavilion, a landmark Art Deco theatre hall that’s graced Selsey’s High Street since 1913. After years of careful planning and considerable fundraising, the Selsey Pavilion Trust has finally taken ownership, marking 50 years since its closure.
“This is the first step in the restoration and revival of Selsey’sremarkable Art Deco landmark,” said SPT’s Chairman, Christian Skelton. “We have long dreamt about bringing live entertainment, cinema and local heritage together in Selsey. Now that we have the keys, that dream is becoming a reality. We have a long way to go, but owning the Pavilion brings us closer to making it the beating heart of Selsey’s High Street again, benefiting the community and local businesses.”
The Board of Trustees are incredibly grateful for the vital financial support from The Community Ownership Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, Garfield Weston, Swire Group, Selsey Town Council, Chichester District Council, and the Architectural Heritage Fund. This crucial funding has ensured Selsey Pavilion’s long-term future as a multi-purpose arts and heritage centrefor the whole of Selsey’s community and visitors to enjoy.
Fifty years ago, the cinema doors closed, but the Pavilion’s enduring presence reflects the community’s unwavering ambition to see it thrive again. Organisations are breathing new life into many historic buildings across the UK, turning them into thriving centres for the arts and entertainment in towns, and now it is Selsey’s turn.
Chaplin’s Coffee House will continue to serve the community and play a vital role in the Selsey Pavilion’s future. The Trust will work with the proprietors to enhance the overall experience, including modernising the toilet facilities and implementing energy-saving measures, reflecting our shared commitment to accessibility and sustainability.
“The purchase has been seven years in the making,” said Keith Batchelor, Vice Chair of the SPT. “The tremendous support and unwavering commitment from the Selsey community, the Town Council, District Council, and our MP have been instrumental, and we are eager to continue working hand-in-hand with the community as we embark on the crucial restoration phase.”
In 2022, we appointed the award-winning architectural practice Foster Wilson Size to help us develop RIBA Stage Two plans for the building’s long-term restoration. While this work is ongoing, we have exciting plans for the future, which we will share soon. In the short term, we have secured a modest amount of funding for essential repairs and maintenance to ensure the building is safe, secure, and weatherproof.
As the restoration plans progress, we will seek volunteers to assist us in this next critical stage of the Selsey Pavilion’s future. Please stay tuned for opportunities for future community engagement. But for now, let’s celebrate the bright future of the Selsey Pavilion!
Finally: -
As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.
Tim
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