From the end of October, West Sussex County Council will no longer include a free Senior Railcard as an alternative to the Older Person’s Bus Pass. People have until 31 October 2020 to apply for the free Senior Railcard option instead of the bus pass.

A county council spokesperson said: “If you currently hold a Senior Railcard provided by West Sussex County Council and decide not to renew it before the end of October, you can use the railcard until it expires. We will contact you about how to take up your free bus pass entitlement.

“There are no changes to the free Disabled Person’s Railcard alternative to the Disabled Person’s Bus Pass, which will remain as an option for anyone with a qualifying disability.”

Find out more at www.westsussex.gov.uk/buses

Please note: all railcards are available to purchase independently from rail stations and the National Rail website.

Mid Sussex District Council is running a six-week public consultation from 10 September to find out what local people think about dog control measures in Mid Sussex.

Mid Sussex has four Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) relating to dog control. The measures are in place to protect the local environment and deter irresponsible dog ownership. However, the current PSPOs expire later this year and Mid Sussex District Council will be required to extend them in order to keep them enforceable.

The Council is proposing a simple extension of the existing powers it has under the PSPOs.

Councillor Norman Webster, Cabinet Member for Community said:

“This is a key piece of work for the Council because, as a pet loving nation, it’s important that we have policies in place to protect dogs, their owners and other users of our open spaces.

“We have four PSPOs in Mid Sussex to deter dog fouling, to keep play and activity areas safe, to ensure people are able to control the number of dogs they have with them and to be able to request that a dog is put on a lead if that’s required.

“These measures are in place to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy our open spaces safely. Most dog owners in Mid Sussex are responsible, pick up their dog’s mess and keep them under proper control. However, there is a small minority who don’t, and this can create problems. The Public Space Protection Orders enable fixed penalty notices to be issued by an authorised officer when they see an offence occur. These are set at £75 or £50 if paid within 10 days.

“We’re keen to hear from everyone, so please use this consultation as an opportunity to let us know if you like the current arrangements or if there’s anything you would like to change.”

The proposed Public Space Protection Orders will cover:

•    Fouling of Land by Dogs

In order to reduce the amount of dog fouling in Mid Sussex, owners are required to clean up their dogs’ mess. This order is applied to any land which is open to the air and to which the public have access.

•    Dog Exclusion

To prevent people, or the dogs themselves, being injured as a result of sharing activity space, dogs should be excluded from all fenced children’s play areas and fenced recreational areas such as tennis courts, bowling greens and multi activity areas owned by Mid Sussex District Council.

•    Dogs on Lead by Direction

In order to stop a loose dog disrupting sporting or community events or disturbing local wildlife, dogs must be placed on a lead if requested to do so by an authorised officer. This order applies to Mid Sussex District Council owned land on which formal sports and community events regularly take place, and all designated nature reserves.

•    Dogs Specified Maximum Amount

The number of dogs one person, or one group, can take onto designated Council land is six. This applied to some Council owned nature reserves, adjoining land and several large reception grounds.

The consultation will be available to view at the Mid Sussex District Council website www.midsussex.gov.uk/dogcontrolconsultation for six weeks starting on Thursday 10 September.

Poynings Parish Council has a vacancy for Councillors and is looking to Co-Opt ASAP.
If you wish to express an interest, please contact me ASAP.
Kind regards
Colin Warburton
Clerk to the Council
6 Poynings Road
Poynings
West Sussex
BN45 7AP
Tel: 01273 857024
clerk@poyningsparishcouncil.com

The application for Pondtail Wood has been withdrawn so this frees up some time at the Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday 9th Sept on Zoom at 7pm.
Under “Any other Business” the above appraisal will be discussed,  any comments have to be in by 23rd September and all your comments will be welcome. If you would like to join the meeting let me know and I will send you login details.

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) has prepared a new Character Appraisal and Management Plan for Poynings Conservation Area.

These documents periodically review the continued need and purpose of conservation area designation, are recommended in Government guidance and have proved useful tools for effective development management.

Poynings Conservation Area has been designated since 1984 and has not been reviewed since.

A consultation draft is available for six weeks and they look forward to receiving your comments on it by the 23^rd September, 2020, however, if you feel strongly about anything it would be best to get any comments in earlier as it goes to committee in October.

The final draft will be reviewed to reflect public responses, which will be reported to the SDNPA Planning Committee in the Autumn.

If you wish to make any observations, please contact HistoricBuildings@southdowns.gov.uk  or write to South Downs Centre, North Street, Midhurst, GU29 9DH.

Residents of the Conservation Area will get a letter explaining later this week

If you would like a copy of the report but do not have a printer, let me know and I will get one to you.

I am writing to advise that A-one+, on behalf of Highways England will be carrying out works to replace the expansion joint to the northside of the A27 Overbridge between Dyke Road Avenue and Devils’ Dyke Road.

In order to carry out these works as efficiently and safely as possible, work will be carried out under overnight between 8pm and 5am utilising a full closure of the Overbridge from Monday 21 September 2020 to Friday 2 October 2020. No weekend working though these may be considered as a contingency and the works are weather dependent.

Diversions: Clearly signed diversions will be in place suitable for all types of vehicles.

Northbound Diversion: Vehicles wishing to travel north from Dyke Road Avenue to Devil’s Dyke Road will be diverted onto the A27 westbound to the next junction (Hangleton Interchange) where they can turn around, re-join the A27 eastbound back to the Overbridge to taking the off slip to join Devil’s Dyke Road.

Southbound Diversion: Vehicles wishing to travel south from Devil’s Dyke Road to Dyke Road Avenue will be diverted eastbound on the A27. Taking the 2^nd slip road to turn around at the roundabouts, re-join the A27 westbound back to the Overbridge, taking the off slip to join Dyke Road Avenue.

Escorted pedestrian access will be available throughout the works.

If you have any questions or if you’d like to know about the work taking place, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Phone: 01732 446800

Post: 10, Kings Hill Avenue,

Kings Hill,

Kent

ME19 4AR

Email: area4enquiries@aone.uk.com

info@highwaysengland.co.uk

Web: www.highwaysengland.co.uk

Although these works have been carefully programmed they are subject to change. If you would like to be kept up to date with any changes to the programme please send your email address to area4enquiries@aone.uk.com

Every effort has been made to ensure disruption to nearby residents is kept to a minimum, but there will inevitably be some noise and disruption generated by these works and for that we apologise in advance.

Our road workers frequently work in situations which are both unpleasant and dangerous and we would kindly ask that you treat them with the respect you would wish to be treated with while they are working in your area.  If you do have any issues with the work taking place, our road workers will always try to help you if they can.

The next meeting of Poynings Parish Council is to be held online using Zoom software on Wednesday 9^th Sept 2020 at 7pm.

Please contact the clerk for login details.

Agenda

1. Apologies for absence
2. Minutes
3. Matters Arising
4. MSDC and WSDC
5. Public Participation
6. Expenditure for June 2020 and July 2020
7. Planning applications
   a. Pondtail Wood Muddleswood Road.
   Planning application for the erection of an agricultural building. The agricultural building is required to assist with the management of the surrounding woodland.
   SDNP/20/01731/FUL
   https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=Q9LQ4ZTUMXT00&activeTab=summary&fbclid=IwAR1WYZfyHM5HQAykiKCC4OqD3P95OF2mNnzu0YvWmU9D-9y15L-kLzPCyiA
   b. Downmere Farm Mill Lane Poynings- (Pre Planning)
   To become an Equine Assisted Learning Centre for Sussex
   SDNP/20/03099/PRE
   https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QE4Q54TU0OQ00&activeTab=summary&fbclid=IwAR256vJTsd51A93yXtFZGCNRlvxwxcgXMK5GRV4cK3k1PW7wIeSDVzU_5WM
   c. Punnyngs Folly. The Street Poynings
   Side Dormers and Conversion
   SDNP/20/03125/HOUS
   https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QE6KURTUHIT00&activeTab=summary
   d. Wilton House The Street Poynings – (Non-Material Amendment)  Removal of the 300x300mm corner column to the patio doors which access onto the upper terrace
   SDNP/20/03137/NMA https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QE803ATUHJP00&activeTab=summary&fbclid=IwAR13xbZE3MxqMrC7QCanJxNGLT_pK0081Nbbj67I6YPHarx9pt1zO9mCeg0
   e. Shepherds Hey The Street Poynings
   Portuguese Laurel – Fell
   SDNP/20/03346/TCA
   https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=QEUCC8TU0OQ00&activeTab=summary
   f. The Royal Oak Inn, The Street, Poynings
   33% reduction on 1 no. Norwegian Maple (T1) and reduce the height by 1.8m on T2 (Ash and Sycamore), T3 (Norwegian Maple) and T4 (Sycamores).
   SDNP/20/02494/TCA https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
8. Fireworks night
9. Letter to planning
10. Ash dieback
11. Memorial bench in Cemetery
12. New residents welcome pack
13. Community fibre project
14. Item’s for next month’ s Agenda
15. Dates of Next month’s Meeting

Clerk to the Council
Mr Colin Warburton

Hideaway Cottage
6 Poynings Road
Poynings
BN45 7AP
Tel: 01273 857024

The number of cases across the county has been increasing over the past few weeks. In the 14 day period of 10 to 23 August 88 people across the county tested positive, compared to 51 people in the period 4 to 17 August.

The overall rate per 100,000 population across the county remains below the England rate.

• Over a 7-day period (to 23 August) the West Sussex rate was 6.4 cases per 100,000 compared with a rate of 10.5 per 100,000 across England overall.
  
• Over a 14-day period (to August 23) the West Sussex rate was 10.2 cases per 100,000 compared with 22.5 per 100,000 across England overall.
  

A weekly update report
with local data is available on our website.

As schools are set to welcome students, we have put together useful resources on our website to help parents and pupils feel more confident at the start of the new school year. More information is available below. 

Our cycleway scheme is now underway with Chichester’s being the first to open with more to come. We want your views on the scheme and there is a survey to take part in which is below. 

Looking after your mental health while we remain in lockdown is still very important and if you, or someone you know is struggling they can find information and resources on the NHS Every Mind Matters website. 

Hope you have a lovely Bank Holiday Weekend.

A special Council meeting took place on Wednesday 19 August to formally approve the new operating arrangements to ensure the leisure centres could re-open as soon as possible.

Testing – We still need everyone to play their part in preventing the spread of COVID-19. One of the key elements to understanding where the virus is in the county, is to make sure that if you develop any symptoms you get tested. Testing is FREE and simple to organise. Visit NHS Coronavirus (COVID-19) or call 119.

Businesses – Running a business that’s open to the public? You may find our template to record contact details useful. Download our printable version from our website here
or a digital version here.

Back to school with confidence. – A new webpage has been created to help West Sussex parents and children feel ready and confident to get back to school. It has videos guidance and key information on the changes put in place to keep all pupils and staff safe, including information on ‘bubbles’, transport, mealtimes and emotional wellbeing.

Support with results – Help is available from our careers advice service, with trained careers advisors on hand to talk through their options. Young people can call 0330 222 2700 or email careersadvice@westsussex.gov.uk .