Welcome to the Local Alliance Blog

  Do you like a pub with a view? I enjoy a gentle drink in a beer garden on a nice day, letting the world pass by; in fact last Sunday Donna and I spent the afternoon in Ryde and we stopped for a drink before we sailed back. If you are looking for a local pub with a good view, this is one I’ve yet to try . If you wouldn’t mind bumping into a celebrity when you are out and about, there came a reminder this week that West Wittering has several in residence , one of whom learnt to drive with one of my instructors when I ran a driving school more years ago than I care to remember.  Our other coastal stretches have been benefiting from CDC’s Foreshores team who have been keeping the beaches at Bracklesham, Selsey and East Wittering safe and tidy. Foreshores tackle any issue that comes their way, whether that be beached whales, land disputes or washed-up military tanks...remember the washed up boat here in Selsey? To keep residents and visitors safe, they have created the Foresho...

Do you see yourself as a creature of habit or someone who likes to mix it up? Donna and I popped over to Cowes again last Sunday because it was a nice day, and as I mentioned last week, the Summer fell a bit short. We may do so again, if the weather in the next couple of weeks permits as the Met Office suggest it might. Let's be honest, before we know it, Summer will be a dim and distant memory.  If you might like the idea of trying something new, but not venturing far, this news story about the possible opening of  The Ivy restaurant in Chichester might interest you. It may also influence those people who don’t rate living in our area as highly as others of us do. From Monday, there are planned roadworks in Chichester City Centre that are likely to cause disruption. If you interested in our local economy, this is the latest from West Sussex on the impact of Covid-19 . CDC’s pop-up shop initiative continues as does the artisan pop-up shop in Selsey . On the subject...

  Last week I mentioned the lack of good weather over the Summer and expressed the hope that the forecasts for an improvement last weekend proved to be true: luckily they did and so Donna and I took a day trip on Sunday to, what for us, is a magical place, the Isle of Wight. We spent the afternoon at Osborne House where Queen Victoria spent many happy hours, and indulged in an ice cream on her private beach. It has been hot this week, so much so that Wigginholt, where my paternal grandparents are buried, met the Met Office’s thresholds for a heatwave . If you want to stay closer to home than we did last weekend, these 11 “magical” places in Sussex might interest you . If you like history, this final local news story explains when Sussex became divided between East and West . This week Donna had Planning at CDC and STC, whilst I joined the monthly briefing Senior Officers give the non-ruling political groups. Next week she has Full Selsey Town Council on Wednesday evening whilst ...

  It's over before it began - lots of people have been disappointed by the weather this Summer, and just as it's over we might be getting some of the sunniest days for nearly two months. If we do, and you fancy a nice walk, these might interest you . How good is your local history? Do you know how Sussex’s cities got their names ? If you are interested, don’t forget the West Sussex Records Office - here’s something from them on Chichester . A couple of other local interest items to share with you include West Wittering as one of the best beaches for meeting someone , our area has been once more recognised as one of the sunniest spots in the UK , and Natures Way are now one of the largest salad producers in Europe . Sadly, the pandemic has led to an increase in the number of working homeless . Homes featured at CDC in late July when we had a special Full Council devoted to the emerging Local Plan. We agreed next steps as it has become clear that a lack of external funding...

Summer is finally arriving so this will be our last regular blog for a while because, after over a year of Covid, we feel everyone, no matter what you  do, needs some time out. If there is something significant we will of course put it out, but in the meantime you may want to check the CDC and WSCC calendars linked as usual at the end, as well as your parish’s website to see what’s going on. There is a special full CDC on July 29th devoted entirely to the Local Plan as there have been some significant developments.  It is being held virtually so you can watch it here . The sea at West Wittering is being compared to that of a Greek island . This is quite appropriate because it has been found that walking on beaches has beneficial side effects . Meanwhile, Selsey has a new retail experience , Chichester has been named one of the UK’s best countryside spots and Petworth is recommended for a staycation or weekend break . Turning to entertainment, South Pacific is now open...

  If you have a driving licence, or know someone who has, the DVLA have issued an urgent warning about third party websites charging for their services when they are free or cheaper on their official website . In other motoring news, fans of Back to the Future may well be excited by the test flight of the AirCar ; this is not the first innovation foreseen by  sci-fi: robots appeared in early black and white films, as well as Lost in Space , the smart watch was in Thunderbirds and the smartphone in Star Trek . Some local news includes the visit of Brian May to help unveil Selsey's new public art , the vineyards featuring in a Stephen Fry and Brad Pitt movie , the South Downs National Park has launched a £100m renature campaign and the 32 places in Sussex where people can never pronounce the name . Council Meetings are intensifying ahead of August when things quieten down considerably: the next West Sussex is on Friday. Links to both CDC’s and WSCC’s calendars are a...