Welcome to the July 2025 edition of our Residents’ eNewsletter, featuring the latest news and updates from your county council.

Make the most of summer in West Sussex

The school summer holidays are almost here!

If you are looking for things to do and places to go with your children or grandchildren then take a look at Experience Sussex where you’ll find inspiration and ideas to make the most of the warm summer days and nights.

Whatever you do and wherever you go, make sure you stay safe and well.

On the link below you’ll find useful information on your health, fire and water safety, travel and more.

Bookmark the date of this year’s Summer Reading Challenge!

Children of all ages can combine reading with nature and the great outdoors at West Sussex libraries when taking part in Story Garden, the 2025 Summer Reading Challenge.

The annual initiative aims to encourage kids to keep reading over the school holidays with rewards available for completing the challenge, including a special medal and certificate. The free activity runs right across the summer and children aged 4 to 11 can join in anytime from Saturday 12 July to Saturday 13 September.

Meanwhile, little ones aged four and under can join the Story Garden Mini Challenge and collect stickers as they share library books over the summer, before receiving a special gold sticker and certificate when they finish. Find volunteering opportunities to help run the challenge in some of our libraries.

Driving towards a greener future as new electric vehicle chargepoint sites are agreed

The West Sussex Chargepoints Network is set to continue to grow as an additional 30 on-street sites are confirmed following a countywide consultation. The latest chargepoints will be installed alongside additional underground wiring making it easier to expand the network further in the future.

The network's continuing growth will support the county’s move to electric vehicles ahead of the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales. It’s estimated that the number of EVs in West Sussex could increase tenfold over the next decade.

No changes to existing parking arrangements are proposed at this time; other vehicles can continue to park as usual, but we do encourage considerate parking to ensure EV drivers have access to charging points. Any future changes to parking restrictions would, of course, be subject to the normal consultation process.

Have you ever stopped to think about how your work may impact your alcohol intake?

Longer hours and more stress can lead to the blurring of the lines between work and home.

This Alcohol Awareness Week we’re encouraging people to reflect on their drinking and to take the online DrinkCoach test to find out if their drinking is putting them at risk.

For both men and women, it is recommended to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 days or more. That's around 6 medium (175ml) glasses of wine, or 6 pints of 4% beer.

Take control now and visit Call the Shots on Alcohol to take the test, view our new animation ‘7 steps to take control of your drinking’ and find out about free local support from West Sussex Wellbeing.

Could you be there for a child in care?

We need more local people to befriend children in care by becoming an Independent Visitor.

They are volunteers who are matched with a child aged between 8 and 17 who are looked after by the county council and will not be returning home.

The emphasis is on having fun and building up a friendship, doing things together that the young person enjoys, like going for a bike ride, having a chat over a hot chocolate, watching a film together, or visiting a museum - whatever the child is interested in and wants to do.

We have two online information sessions coming up where you can find out more on

• Monday 28 July from 12.30pm to 1.30pm via Microsoft Teams.
• Tuesday 29 July from 7.00pm to 8.00pm via Microsoft Teams.

We will be starting our next training programme in August along with an in-person Training Day on Saturday 27 September.

If you can’t make either of these sessions but would like to find out more, click on the link below for more information or email Independent.Visitors@westsussex.gov.uk.

Public consultation launched on Community Risk Management Plan proposals

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has launched a public consultation on its proposals for its next Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP).

The CRMP is the fire service’s business plan setting out how it will keep the communities of West Sussex safe over the next four years, building on the priorities laid down in the service’s CRMP 2022 to 2026.

Last year the service launched a community questionnaire to ask people about the risks in West Sussex that concerned them the most. This feedback, together with a strategic assessment of the risks that exist within the county, has informed the plans proposed in this public consultation.

The service is now asking people for their views on the plans it proposes to put in place from April 2026 to make West Sussex a safer place to live, work and visit.

If you are passionate about our local environment and climate change and want to know more then take a look at our latest Environment and Climate Change eNewsletter here.

This month's edition includes the latest approved locations of our electric vehicle chargepoints, advice on how to protect the countryside during hot weather, our libraries' nature themed Summer Reading Challenge, Plastic Free July and much more.

Head to our Newsroom to find all the latest news.

• LISTEN BACK: Council leader Cllr Paul Marshall was interviewed live on BBC Radio Sussex’s ‘hot seat’ feature this morning (Thursday 10 July). He answered questions from listeners and the presenter, speaking about a range of issues affecting communities across West Sussex. The interview was broadcast between 9am and 10am and you can listen back on BBC Sounds.

• READ: Council leader Cllr Paul Marshall talks about the ongoing work shaping the vision for the future of local in West Sussex as local government reorganisation progresses.

• Do you have family or know someone that uses funding to help pay for their childcare? Our Early Years Team wants to hear the experiences of those who have accessed the ‘2 year old Early Years Funded Entitlement for Working Families’ (introduced in April 2024) and/or the ‘9 months plus Early Years Funded Entitlement for Working Families’ (introduced in September 2024). Please encourage anyone you know to complete our survey. The closing date is Tuesday 22 July at 5pm.
  
  

• Our Trading Standards team are tackling the sale of illegal vapes, especially sales to children by rogue businesses.

• In partnership with Biffa, we have awarded funding to ten community groups as part of the Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund.

• A property director has been ordered to pay over £3,000 after being found guiltyof significantly breaching a fire safety order.

• The next full county council meeting will take place on Friday 18 July and you can watch the proceedings live, or view them afterwards.

• Cervical cancer screening is free, quick and easy - and most importantly it saves lives. It's a simple procedure, sometimes called a smear test, that is carried out at your GP surgery. It checks the health of your cervix and is effective in detecting abnormal changes (which rarely cause symptoms) before they can turn into cancer. If you think you may have missed your cervical screening invitation, it’s not too late, you can still book an appointment with your GP practice. Screening saves lives. Please don’t wait.

• Do you or someone you know use a telecare alarm? Landline phones are switching to digital, which could stop telecare alarms working. The switchover is already happening, so you need to act now. If you or someone you know uses a telecare alarm, call the landline provider now for support. Visit the Digital Phone Switchover website to find out more.

• A recent report outlines our continued commitment and investment in the county’s highways along with detailing our preventative approach to highways maintenance.

It's our Library Service's 100th birthday this year! If you're not already a member, it's free and easy to join if you live, work or study in West Sussex.

Discover some of the fun and free activities you can take part in during the year,including the Library of Possibilities and Wonder interactive virtual reality headsets.

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