District Dispatch

Homelessness is an issue across the country — and the district is no different. As part of our housing priority to reduce homelessness in the district, we are working on several new projects to help address some of the issues that people have been experiencing in the private rented sector. One initiative is called ‘Call Before You Serve’ and aims to assist landlords who are considering serving eviction notices to their tenants. Eviction is often a last resort on the landlord’s part, and the aim of this initiative is to help resolve any tenancy issues and prevent eviction action needing to be taken.

The idea is to develop better relationships with local landlords in order to help bring on more properties that they may have in their portfolio. A number of councils have had success with this approach. The opportunity to intervene at the earliest stage helps to reduce homelessness and improves security for both tenant and landlord.

These schemes can offer a range of support from creating a personalised housing plan with the tenant; to resolving issues that may be impacting on their tenancy; to helping tenants to address financial difficulties that have led to getting into arrears with rent payments; through to support from housing benefit services, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), local government homelessness prevention funds, charities and money advice services.

We know from the research that we have carried out that schemes such as these can have a huge impact on helping private landlords stay in the market, knowing that they have support and advice. Unlike private letting agents, we can also support tenants who are struggling or experiencing issues and ensure that they stay in accommodation.

If you are a landlord and would like help and advice from our Private Rented Support Officer, please emailfyeates@chichester.gov.uk or call 01243 785166 and asked to speak to Fearn Yeates or Tom Polhill.

If you are a resident who is experiencing financial or housing problems, we have a range of support and advice available. Our housing advice can be found at:www.chichester.gov.uk/housingadvice, and includes help with homelessness, housing guidance, help with universal credit and mortgage advice.

We also have a dedicated Supporting You team, who are a team of trained advisors who work alongside our other council teams. Their role is to help people access a wide range of help, including maximising income; debt signposting; employment advice; budgeting support; food provision; help to pay bills; plus, signposting clients to our health and wellbeing team.

The team was established in 2022, in response to the cost-of-living crisis, to help those who were struggling. Since launching, they have helped thousands of people across the district with support and advice through their holistic approach. We’ve been able to help many people get back on an even keel and feel more in control of their financial situation. The team often look after cases where several different issues are resolved, resulting in a complex and often distressing situation for the resident. This could be a housing problem compounded by financial issues, which can then go on to have a huge impact on their general health and wellbeing.

The team can take an overview of their situation, helping with all different issues. Their role means that they have more time to really talk with a client and find out about what they are going through. Often people may not know the level of support that they are entitled to and it’s amazing how a few changes can transform someone’s life and their outlook.

To find out more about the service, please visit:www.chichester.gov.uk/supportingyouteam; emailsupportingyou@chichester.gov.uk; or by call 01243 534860.

Best Wishes,

Councillor Oona Hickson, Cabinet Member for Housing, Revenue and Benefits at Chichester District Council

Explore Goodwood Home Farm this Open Farm Sunday – Free Family Day Out!
Sunday 8 June 2025 | Booking Essential

Join us at Goodwood Home Farm – one of the UK’s largest lowland organic farms – for a rare behind-the-scenes look at our award-winning, self-sustaining estate.

What to expect:
Sheep shearing demos & sheepdog trials
Tractor rides & farm machinery displays
Woodland walks & family activities with the Goodwood Education Trust
Organic produce for sale – including our award-winning cheeses

See heritage breeds, discover how we care for the land, and meet the passionate people behind Goodwood’s farming story.

Free entry – but advance booking is required.
Book now at

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/goodwood-open-farm-sunday-tickets-1223172294259

Please see file attached.

Council starts to prepare for local government reorganisation

To ensure it is at the forefront of preparations for local government reorganisation, Chichester District Council has made some changes to the way its senior management team will work.

Its current Director of Corporate Services, John Ward, has been made Chief Operating Officer. He will take on the day-to-day management of the council to enable the Chief Executive, Diane Shepherd, to focus on preparing the council for local government reorganisation. Diane will continue to be responsible for the strategic overview of the council’s work, including preparing the council for the changes ahead and will remain the Chief Executive of the council.

To coincide with this, Diane will reduce her hours and will work three days a week from June. She will continue with this arrangement until 31 March 2027, when she will retire after 40 years of working in local government. Following this time, John Ward will then become the Head of Paid Service and will lead the council through the shadow year, before it joins the new unitary authority.

The changes will not increase costs and will result in a small saving to the council.

“We are really pleased that Diane will be leading the council through this transitional period. She is an exceptional leader, who is highly respected amongst our communities, and has she has made a significant contribution to the district and its success over the past 34 years,” says Cllr Adrian Moss, Leader of Chichester District Council.

“These changes will allow her to focus on preparing for this huge change, to ensure that we achieve the very best outcomes for our staff and communities.

“We also know that John will play a vital role in making sure that council services and projects continue to be delivered to a high standard, while the local government reorganisation work moves forward.”

“It has been a privilege to lead this council over the past 13 years and so I am really pleased that I have the opportunity to prepare the council for this next chapter,” says Diane Shepherd, Chief Executive at Chichester District Council. “My priority is to achieve the very best options and outcomes for our staff, councillors and communities under the new authority. It’s also fitting that after working at the council for 34 years, I have the opportunity to mark the end of my career here, at a place that has given me so many opportunities and memories.”

The government has stated that it wants all areas of the country to have unitary councils, with each serving an average of 500,000 residents. This is likely to result in the creation of one or two unitary councils within West Sussex. This would mean all of the existing councils moving into the new unitary councils. Each area has until 26 September this year to submit detailed proposals.

In Sussex, the timeline is for the unitary authorities to be ready in shadow form in 2027, and for the new councils to come into effect in 2028. People can find out more about devolution and local government reorganisation by visiting:www.chichester.gov.uk/devolution

Temporary Traffic Lights – Essential Gas Main Upgrade Lavant Road, Chichester

From 28 April for 10 weeks, SGN contractors I&G Contractors Limited will complete a programme of work to reinforce the gas network on Lavant Road in Chichester. These essential works are required to ensure we can continue to meet the increased demand for gas locally and deliver a safe and efficient gas supply.

Our engineers will be working on Lavant Road from the junction of Roman Field to the Junction of The Avenue. Due to the location of the excavations and gas pipes in the road, we will need to have four and three-way traffic lights in operation around our work area. To help maintain traffic flow, these lights will be manned 0630-1830 Monday to Friday

The bus service may incur delays caused by the traffic lights – we’d advise passengers to allow extra time for journeys.

Please can we reassure you; our engineers will be working as quickly and as safely as possible to complete this work without delay.

If you have any questions regarding these works, you can contact our customer service team at customer@sgn.co.uk or alternatively call them on 0800 912 1700, they will direct your enquiry to the team for a response.

We’re sorry for the inconvenience these essential works will cause and thank you for your patience and understanding.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Please see file attached. 

The first public consultation on the Local Plan Review (Regulation 18) runs until midnight on Monday 17 March.

The Local Plan Review will decide how and where development takes place in the National Park, as well as addressing important issues such as nature recovery, climate change, affordable housing and helping local communities thrive.

Well over 600 comments have been received from the public so far, including more than 400 through the online consultation platform and a further 200 via email or post. More than 800 people have attended consultation events at venues across Sussex and Hampshire throughout January and February.

Feedback from the public will shape the next version of the Local Plan, set for publication in 2026 ahead of its submission to an independent Inspector for examination. Once the new Local Plan is adopted in 2027, it will be used to help decide all planning applications in the National Park.

Responses to the consultation can be made in the following ways:

• Online: Using the consultation platform to view and give feedback on the draft revised Local Plan at https://sdnpalocalplanreview.commonplace.is/

• Email: planningpolicy@southdowns.gov.uk

• In writing: Planning Policy Team, South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH

The web hub for the Local Plan Review can be accessed here: www.southdowns.gov.uk/local-plan-review

We look forward to hearing your feedback.

Planning Policy Team

Local Plan Review

Public consultation open 20 January to 17 March 2025

South Downs National Park Authority
South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 9DH

Tel: 01730 814810

www.southdowns.gov.uk | facebook | SDNPA twitter | Ranger twitter | youtube

Singleton and Charlton Parish Council

Meeting Dates for 2025

Meetings are held in Singleton Village Hall at 7pm

Annual PC Meeting & Annual Parish Meeting

Held in Singleton Cricket Club at 7pm

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 20^th January 2025

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 17th March 2025

Full Annual Parish Council Meeting Monday 19th May 2025

And Annual Parish Meeting Singleton Cricket Club

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 21st July 2025

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 15th September 2025

Full Parish Council Meeting Monday 17^th November 2025

The Government has announced that devolution will bring huge opportunities, money and growth to our region – boosting people’s quality of life for generations to come, and it has confirmed that Sussex and Brighton are on the fast-track to benefit.

It has now launched a devolution consultation to create a new Strategic Combined Authority and a mayor for the wider region of West Sussex, East Sussex and Brighton. This runs for eight weeks, until 11:59pm on 13 April 2025 and can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/sussex-and-brighton-devolution

With the changes set to bring huge investment and extra powers from Government to Sussex and Brighton, we’re encouraging anyone who lives and works in the region to give their views – so please make sure that you have your say. As a district council, we will look at the detail of the proposals and provide feedback to the Government.

The Government has also published more details on its plans and next steps for Local Government Reorganisation. Local Government Reorganisation is separate to devolution, but it links with the government’s overall aims. The government wants all areas to have unitary councils across the country, with each serving a minimum of 500,000 residents. For the Sussex area, this is likely to mean the creation of three new unitary councils. This would mean all of the existing councils merging into the new unitary councils. All West Sussex councils have been asked to submit preliminary proposals by 21 March 2025. The March proposal is only an interim point, with final proposals required by the Government in September. The changes themselves may not be fully in place until 2028.

The proposed timeline for devolution for the creation of the combined authority and elected mayor is for 2026 and for the unitary authorities to be ready in shadow form in 2027.

We want to reassure you that regardless of what happens, our services will still be provided to you, and we will make the transition as smooth as we possibly can. There are still lots of unknowns in terms of the detail. However, we will ensure that you are kept up to date with the latest information as we move forward. We have also provided Q&As on our web pages on devolution and local government reorganisation that you may find useful, which can be found here: www.chichester.gov.uk/devolution

Best Wishes

Diane Shepherd, Chief Executive of Chichester District Council and Adrian Moss, Leader of Chichester District Council

Below is the link to a guide for riparian, although it refers to Norfolk rivers, the principle is the same for all rivers. Click on the link - Managing the Margins. Also attached are two other documents - A Survey of the River Lavant and a guide to Garden Riverbank Management.

Norfolk Rivers Trust | Managing the margins: a guide to riparian land

WSRT Film Night - 'Pure Clean Water'

Register Your Attendance!

Date: Tuesday 11th Feb 2025 7:00-9:00pm

Location:Memorial Hall, South Downs Centre, GU29 9DH https://w3w.co/hillsides.looked.torches, 11^th Feb 7-9pm.

Join us for an inspiring evening at WSRT's fourth Film Night - Pure Clean Water! Hear all about the importance and risks of our important Chalk Streams.

For 250 years a chalk stream, diverted into the town centre, provided Cambridge with drinking water. It was a hugely successful public health initiative, supported by both town and university.

Now, pumping from underground chalk aquifers brings potable water at great convenience. But in the process springs are drying up and precious chalk streams are disappearing.

Water companies, regulators, businesses, land owners, consumers and government have overseen a developing groundwater emergency. Can these groups come together to ensure that Cambridge has a reliable water supply without further damaging the environment?

Film Night Schedule

6:45pm- Arrivals

7:00 - 7:40 - 'Chalk Streams' Presentation by Western Sussex Rivers Trusts Chalk Stream Resilience Officer Sarah Hughes

7:40 - 8:40pm Pure Clean Water Film

8:50pm - Q&A with WSRTs Sarah Hughes

Register Your Attendance! - Spaces are limited!

Emergency Plan Contact List – October 2024

Singleton and Charlton Parish Council

Please see attachment below.

Drones

Drone Classes and Subcategories

The UK drone legislation divides drones into three main classes: A1, A2, and A3. Each class has its own set of rules and regulations.

A1 Subcategory: Fly over people, but not over crowds. This subcategory includes drones with a flying weight of less than 250g.

A2 Subcategory: Fly close to people. This subcategory includes drones with a flying weight of 250g to 2kg.

A3 Subcategory: Fly far from people. This subcategory includes drones with a flying weight of less than 25kg.

Registration and Competency

To operate a drone in the UK, you need to register it with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and obtain a Competency Certificate (CofC).

Registration: You need to register your drone if it weighs between 250g and 25kg or has a camera. You can register your drone online through the CAA website.

Competency Certificate: You need to obtain a CofC if you want to fly a drone in the A2 or A3 subcategory. The CofC requires you to pass an online test and demonstrate your understanding of drone safety and regulations.

Operating Areas and Restrictions

There are certain areas where drone flying is restricted or prohibited. These areas include:

Airports: You cannot fly a drone within 5.5 kilometers of an airport or any area designated as a restricted airspace.

National Parks: You need to obtain permission from the park authority before flying a drone in a national park.

Military Areas: You need to obtain permission from the military authority before flying a drone in a military area.

Crowded Areas: You cannot fly a drone over crowded areas, such as sports events or festivals.

Safety Considerations

When flying a drone in the UK, you need to consider the following safety factors:

Height: You cannot fly a drone above 120 meters.

Distance: You need to maintain a minimum distance of 50 meters from people and buildings.

Speed: You cannot fly a drone at a speed greater than 50 knots (93 km/h).

Weather: You cannot fly a drone in bad weather conditions, such as strong winds or low visibility.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

If you fail to comply with the UK drone legislation, you may face penalties, including:

Fine: You may be fined up to £1,000 for flying a drone without permission.

Prison Sentence: You may be sentenced to up to 5 years in prison for flying a drone recklessly or negligently.

Drone Confiscation: Your drone may be confiscated if you are found to be flying it illegally.

The Drone and Model Aircraft Code - Attached below.

Please find attached Southern Water Presentations

Date of Release: 22 May 2024 Ref: 4330

Council agrees funding for vital river restoration projects in Chichester District

Projects aimed at restoring three of the Chichester District’s rare river habitats have received a boost after councillors agreed to help fund them.

At a Chichester District Council meeting on Tuesday 21 May, councillors agreed to invest £180,000 over the next three years, as part of two projects being led by the Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT), formerly known as theArun and Rother Rivers Trust (ARRT), to help restore the River Lavant and also the Ems and the Hambrook.

The money will part-fund two posts. One post will work on furthering a restoration plan for the Ems and the Hambrook. The other will begin work on a similar plan for the Lavant.

“We are delighted to be able to support the Western SussexRivers Trust in their critical work and help fund these key projects,” says Councillor Jonathan Brown, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Strategy at Chichester District Council. “The trust approached us for help, and we felt that it was crucial to support them in this way because our contribution will in turn help them to unlock further potential funding from other sources.

“Many people may not be aware but the rivers Ems, Hambrook and Lavant are among only 283 chalk streams and rivers in the world. These are globally significant but very rare habitats and are almost exclusively found in the south of England. None of these rivers has official protection but we are seeking to gain better protection for them through the Chichester Local Plan and its Strategic Wildlife Corridors policy.We appreciate that this isn’t enough on its own and that significant recovery work also needs to take place.

“Sadly, these rivers are now suffering from the effects of a number of activities including: pollution; habitat loss; drought; and, interruptions to their natural processes and flow. In addition, the River Ems is also suffering the effects of over-abstraction, a process where water is removed for domestic, industrial uses and agriculture.

“These chalk streams also feed into the internationally protected Chichester Harbour Special Protection Area and so it is absolutely vital that as a council we do all that we are able to do in order to support their protection and restoration for future generations. These projects will safeguard the future of three of the most significant rivers and streamsin our district which will then also have a positive effect on our harbour.

“Working with our partners on projects such as these is key. Our role is to help facilitate other organisations who have the expertise to enable results that the council wouldn’t be able to achieve on its own.”

The projects are catchment-based plans, so not only would they look at the rivers and streams themselves, but also the whole landscape area that feeds into them.

The work will focus on restoring the natural function in the river channels; tackling invasive non-native species; andriver re-meandering. This is work that creates a new meandering course or reconnects cut-off meander. Thiscan slow down river flow and is also known to have a positive impact on sedimentation and biodiversity.

Alongside this work, the project officers will also work with landowners and the local community to carry out citizen science, which would include a range of activities such as monitoring water quality, biodiversity and encouraging people to report incidents.

Getting the public and local community involved is key to gathering good statistics in order to gain good outcomes. The officers will also run public events to build community engagement and understanding of the issues affecting the rivers — this will feed into finding potential solutions.

The Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT) isone of a national network of river trusts that aim to protect and restore our rivers and streams. The Trust’s area covers nearly all of Chichester and Arun Districts. The trust has been working on a series of catchment-based plans for the restoration of rivers and their tributary streams within Chichester District.

As part of the projects the council will meet regularly with WSRT to monitor progress

Please see attachment.

Priority Services Register

Please see attachment below.

Date of Release: 29 January 2024 Ref: 4321

Water regulator agrees to partnership working following criticisms in relation to Southern Water

The watchdog responsible for regulating the water and sewerage industry, Ofwat, has pledged to work more closely with local authorities across the south coast to hold Southern Water to account.

Ofwat — the Water Services Regulation Authority — pledged to better partnership working with local authorities at a meeting organised by the Southern Water Stakeholder Group on 19 January 2024.

The Southern Water Stakeholder group was set up to put pressure on Southern Water — which is responsible for wastewater across the region and for drinking water in other parts of the southeast —in light of pollution and flooding concerns.

Ofwat’s pledge follows criticisms by councils that the watchdog has not been effective in holding Southern Water to account.

During the meeting, which was attended by Southern Water, council officials said responses from the organisation have been continuously slow and unacceptable and the company failed to deliver promised upgrades. They asked Ofwat what local authorities could do to expedite complaints about Southern Water and how Ofwat carried out compliance checks against the company.

There were also criticisms that Ofwat is not monitoring Southern Water closely enough or ensuring that the water company is working efficiently. Council representatives explained that a much clearer understanding was needed of how councils can work with Ofwat to resolve problems and called on the water regulator to proactively help local authorities. They also asked for reassurance from Ofwat that water companies, such as Southern Water, are delivering on their promises to invest in infrastructure improvements.

Chichester District Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Jonathan Brown, and Cabinet Member for Planning, Cllr Bill Brisbane, also attended the meeting.

“Chichester District Council is one of 24 councils across the south east that have joined together to hold Southern Water to account over pollution and infrastructure failings,” says Cllr Brisbane.

“We have been challenging Southern Water in relation to their engagement with both the planning process and the environmental impacts of discharging sewage into Chichester Harbour for some time. This includes previously filing an official complaint about the company to the Ofwat.

“By joining forces with other local councils, we have been able to apply significant pressure on Southern Water. The Southern Water Stakeholder Groupwas set up in response to issues including flooding; sewage backing up into people’s homes, gardens and roads; the ongoing problem of discharges into rivers and waterways; and the inability to deal with additional development.

“These include the recent flooding and associated drain surcharging; sewage and subsequent discharges into the harbour and water courses affecting the water quality of Chichester Harbour; delays in upgrades to the sewerage network; and slow responses to planning applications.”

Cllr Brown adds: “Unfortunately, as a district council, we do not have the direct power to regulate Southern Water or require it to address its failings. But as local authorities working together, we can do more to apply pressure and seek the required action needed to resolve these issues.Our residents deserve better and we will continue to work in partnership with other stakeholders to hold Southern Water to account.

“We are also involved in a Three Harbours Summit, whichinvolves Southern Water and representatives from the council and other local authorities, along with relevant agencies such as Natural England, the Environment Agency, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, Langstone Harbour Board and Sussex Wildlife Trust. This is a positive step towards working together to help improve the harbour for future years to come. The aim is that this group will have a positive impact on Southern Water’s five-year investment plan.”

In the meeting on 19 January, Ofwat’s representative explained that the body’s fundamental duty is to ensure that customer and environment interests are met but that it was keen as a growing organisation to have evidence in advance of concerns so it could hear from the water companies how those issues could be addressed.

Chair of the Southern Water Stakeholder group, Wealden Councillor Rachel Millward, said: “It was once again very useful for all the local authorities across the southeast to express their concerns and raise the local issues their residents face.

“However, the disappointing reality is that Ofwat effectively allows Southern Water to mark its own homework, with no monitoring to ensure that promised improvements are made. Ofwat issues permits with conditions of upgrades to the system, but then fails to check that those happen. Ofwat effectively waits until the system breaks down and sewage pollution is a major problem, instead of taking preventative action of checking that required works are done. This clearly isn’t good enough for the national regulatory body.”

Councils have called for greater accountability and much clearer routes to improving the situation for residents.The next meeting of the Southern Water Stakeholder Group will be held in the spring.

NEWS FLASH - Scheduled Dates - 06/01/25 - 14-02-25

Singleton & Charlton Community Highways Scheme – update on progress

Our original proposal back in July 2022 was a ‘wish-list’ of improvements for the roads in Singleton and Charlton, ranging from crossings to school-parking and lower speed limits. We were up against numerous other communities applying for the same funding, so we were very lucky to be selected. However, due to budget constraints, what was on offer was a slimmed down version of our proposal. Then came the feasibility and road safety checks, which knocked a few more things out.

What we’ve been promised is a huge step in the right direction:

· 20mph speed limit throughout Singleton: on the A286 from near the cricket pitch, right through to the village gateways on the Midhurst side, then on all minor roads to the east of this, out to include Bankside.

· Changes to the bus stop: improved access and paving on the northbound side, narrowing the road slightly to slow the traffic, with a courtesy crossing between northbound and southbound.

· Changes to the Town Lane junction to slow traffic down as it takes the corner heading south.

· A courtesy crossing by the cricket pitch and another outside Little Drove Mews on Budd’s Hill. The crossings will consist of a dropped kerb either side with tactile paving and bollards. The cricket pitch crossing will link on both sides via new sections of footpath.

· Replacement of the crash-barrier at Cobblers Corner with a wood-clad version, to improve the appearance.

· Reinstatement of the red road markings on the A286 each side of the village.

· Improvements to the crossing outside the museum.

In addition to all this, we already have the requested 30mph limit up Town Lane as far as the museum entrance.

What we didn’t get and why:

· Removal of centre lines: Highways feel that these are needed until the traffic gets used to the new road layout – we’ve been promised that once we’ve got evidence of slower speeds, this will be reviewed.

· School parking: while this would – and will yet – improve safety outside the school, the costs would have pushed the total budget above the amount that could be allocated for the Community Highways Scheme. The Parish Council is therefore pursuing other sources of funding for this.

· Charlton proposals: These consisted of village gateways and a 20mph limit throughout the village. However, in order to focus on the essential improvements to the A286 – and so increase our chances of being selected for funding – we were advised to withdraw these from the CHS application and pursue them separately. We currently have a TRO application under way for the speed limit reduction and the gateways are at the design and funding stage.

· Changes to Cobblers Corner: The proposals here depended on removing most of the white lines and requiring drivers to slow down and work out for themselves how to get round the bend. We’d also like to get rid of the big yellow chevron signs by the former café. However, all this is currently a step too far for Highways, who fear that it would cause accidents – so the plan is to keep traffic speeds under review and revisit this when we apply (later) to have the white centre lines removed.

All in all, we are very pleased with what’s on offer. Construction is scheduled for 2024/25, so we expect to see activity later this year.

Please see attachment below.

See PDF Below

Please see attachment below. Submitted to SDNP on 7/11/23.

Please see attached information.

Please see attached document.