Planning starts for the rollout of faster broadband in East Sussex

East Sussex County Council has appointed BT as its delivery partner to help roll out faster broadband over the next 3 years. This is a complicated engineering project covering a large rural area and a lot of work needs to be done in gearing up for rollout itself.

East Sussex County Council is now working with Openreach on the first stages of planning the network to ensure that they get the job done in the best way and as quickly as possible.  Initial planning will take about three months.  This includes checking where planning permissions will be needed and also working with Highways to make sure there is as little disruption as possible, for example. This will be followed by site surveys which, again, will take about three months to complete. Openreach will go out and assess the condition of what is already there, e.g. in the way of current ducts which can be used to carry fibre.  This will inform the first phase of rollout. 

Until the results of the detailed planning and the site surveys are done it is not possible to say definitively where the rollout will start and when, but communities will be kept informed as planning develops.  Don’t forget to visit the ‘Go e-sussex’ website for more information and regular News updates (www.goesussex.co.uk). You can also subscribe to the ‘Go e-sussex’ e-newsletter (email your request to broadband@eastsussex.gov.uk). 

East Sussex Benefit Helpline – (0333 344 0681

New Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award in September

Shakespeare Hall and Wave Leisure Trust are delighted to be able to confirm that following the first successful Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Bronze Award, a new course will commence on Tuesday 17th September.

Doing their DofE can be a life-changing adventure for your child. On the way, they will do their own exciting and challenging programme of activities to help them reach their full potential. They’ll learn new skills, help others, have fun, make new friends and gain a great sense of achievement. Employers, colleges and universities really value Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards and know what it says about someone who’s an Award holder.

For young people, a DofE programme is a real adventure from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter who they are or where they’re from. They just need to be aged between 14 and 24 and realise there’s more to life than sitting on a sofa watching life pass them by.

To apply for the course please register online at www.waveleisure.co.uk. The full programme details are also available from www.waveleisure.co.uk.

If you would like to talk to someone about the Award, please email your details to info@waveleisure.co.uk or you can call Shakespeare Hall on 01273 510784.
 

2013 Seahaven Para Games confirmed a success again

Just 12 months ago the country was gearing up for what has now become known at the greatest Paralympic Games ever!  Held in London the 2012 games brought home a total of 120 medals and brought disability sports participation to the attention of the nation.

On Sunday 19th August the Downs Leisure Centre in Seaford played host to the third annual Seahaven Para Games, with participants coming from across East Sussex. 26 participants witted themselves against each other and took on the discipline of four events across the day, and challenged their supporters to join in too. 

Peter Crowley, Managing Director of Wave Leisure said: “We are honoured to be able to host the Seahaven Para Games for a third year at the Downs Leisure Centre. This is a continuing commitment to inspiring active lifestyles and brings physical activity to all corners of our community ensuring that participation happens in a fun and enjoyable way.”

The partners have already committed to holding the games again in 2014, and have set a provisional date of Sunday 10th August.  Anyone wishing to participate, volunteer on the day or sponsor the games should contact Wave Leisure on info@waveleisure.co.uk or call 01323 490011.

Waste sites sought in bid to drive up recycling rates

The drive to recycle more rubbish in East Sussex, Brighton & Hove and part of the South Downs National Park has led to a call for waste sites which could be used for recycling and recovery facilities.
Residents, landowners, public bodies and those representing the waste industry are being asked to suggest additional sites in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove that could be used to sort, recycle and recover waste produced in the area.

A 'green' plan for dealing with all waste was adopted by East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and South Downs National Park Authority in February 2013.

The ultimate aim is to divert nearly all of the area's waste from landfill by 2015/16 by reusing and recycling waste material into new products and recovering energy from materials that cannot be recycled.

Sites that will be considered include general industrial land, land used for employment, previously developed land and land already used for waste management. A shortlist of suitable sites will go out for public consultation next spring (2014)

The types of activities that will take place on selected sites include management of waste as well as the storage of waste, shredding, sorting and composting.

Further details on how to submit a site for consideration can be found on our website: consult.eastsussex.gov.uk.
Submissions are requested by the 15 September 2013. Submissions received after this date may also be considered.

Anyone can propose a site for waste management by contacting the authorities using the details below:
Email: wasteandmineralsdf@eastsussex.gov.uk

By post:
Economy, Transport & Environment,
East Sussex County Council,
C4 Waste and Minerals Policy (AP),
Freepost (LW43),
Lewes
 

Clinical Case for Change in respect of maternity and paediatric services in East Sussex.

The Clinical Case for Change is the result of a year-long Sussex-wide study lead by senior local doctors. It concludes that substantial changes are required to maternity services in East Sussex in order to sustainably meet safety and quality standards. The Case for Change suggests that paediatrics and gynaecology services should also be considered for change because of their co-dependency with maternity. The study is based on the way services were being delivered prior to the temporary changes introduced by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust in May 2013 on the grounds of safety. The executive summary of the Case for Change along with a four-page quick guide can be found on this website.

It is important to stress that no decisions on the long-term configuration of these services have been made. The three East Sussex CCGs are now undertaking a period of widespread public and stakeholder engagement in order to inform potential options for future service provision. Any recommendations for change are likely to be subject to a period of formal public consultation later this year.
At this stage we are asking the public to read the Case for Change and complete a short online survey giving their views, which can be access via our websites:
www.hastingsandrotherccg.nhs.uk
www.eastbournehailshamandseafordccg.nhs.uk

The closing date for this survey is the 9th September 2013.

Our Work: Your Life. Win up to £100 by completing this survey!

Hastings Borough Council and its Partners are keen to get your views. Complete our short, online survey for the chance to win a £100 shopping voucher.*

We want to hear about life in the town, in particular how it feels to live in your neighbourhood.

Whether you live, work or study in Hastings and St. Leonards, your response will help us understand how well things are working and highlight where we need to improve services.

Please click on the link below to have your say. Results of the survey will be published here at the end of September.
http://www.nwaresearch.co.uk/surveys/hbc/place.htm

* Shopping voucher valid in Priory Meadow
First Prize       £100
Second Prize   £50
Third Prize      £25
 

Have your save on your local water environment

The Environment Agency launched the Challenges and Choices consultation in June. The consultation is asking for views on how the water environment should be protected and improved, as we work towards developing the new South East River Basin Management Plan.

The consultation documents and supporting information are available on the Environment Agency website at the following link http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/33252.aspx.

The closing date is Sunday 22 December 2013.

Don’t miss out on the celebrations

There will be walks, talks, crafts and quizzes aplenty during September and October as East Sussex celebrates Older People’s Day 2013.
The national event is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and aspirations that later life can bring, and once again there is a jam packed 2013 Events Programme for the over 50s.

There’s lots of choice, from musical events to health and well-being taster sessions, social club open mornings, information events, tours and outings.  Many of the events are free, or include lunch or refreshments in the ticket price, and most organisers can offer advice – or even help – on transport options.

The theme this year is ‘Joining In’ so come along, bring a friend - or meet some new ones - and enjoy the wide range of activities on offer.  You can pick up an Events Programme from your local library or you can read or download a copy from East Sussex County Council’s website: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/olderpeoplesday. 

East Sussex Assembly Annual Conference

3VA and Volunteer Centre East Sussex Training

Please follow the links to book onto any of the courses below: 

Volunteer Centre Masterclasses are bite sized courses that can be attended as a series or as a stand-alone course. All of the masterclasses are delivered by experienced advisers working within the Volunteer Centre and only £35 for 3VA/HVA/RVA members:

3VA Masterclasses are bite sized courses that can be attended as a series or as a stand-alone course. All of the 3VA masterclasses are delivered by experienced advisors and are only £20 for 3VA members:

East Sussex Strategic Partnership Board Meetings

To view papers and minutes of previous ESSP Board mettings, see the meetings page of the ESSP website. 

Older People’s Partnership Board: Update for ESSP E-News

• Healthwatch East Sussex has a new public phone line telephone: 0333 101 4007, text - 07826 021 114.
• Progress on joint working between Health and Social Care; ESCC and local health partner organisations have submitted a bid to the Department of Health to gain Pioneer status for providing integrated care services.
• On 05 July 2013, Cabinet approved a review of and consultation regarding the option to close Mount Denys in Hastings. A report on the outcomes of the review and consultation will be submitted to Cabinet in November 2013.
• Also approved by Cabinet on 05 July was a review of older people's directly provided day services across the county and consultation on a range of options for the future. A report on the outcomes of the review and consultation will be submitted to Cabinet in December 2013.
• Monitoring the impact of the revised ASC Offer; impact will be closely and regularly monitored over a range of indicators.
• A case study was presented on integrated health and social care. Two key outcomes of integration are: promoting faster recovery from illness, and providing choice and control for people, with more accessible, responsive and flexible services.
  

East Sussex in Figures (ESiF) is the local information system (LIS) for the county.  It’s a website that provides access to essential data, information and analysis.

Latest publications:

There are over 200 publications on ESiF, here are some extracts from the most recent publications.

Population estimates - The East Sussex population grew by almost 8% since 2001, to 531,200 in mid-2012. Migration remains the key driver behind population growth which increased over the last three years, while the negative natural change continues to fall.

Population projections - The East Sussex population is projected to age and the number of one person households is set to increase. Households and dwellings are projected to grow at a faster rate than the population, as household size decreases.

Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) - The number of people in East Sussex who are unemployed and claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) fell in June 2013, in line with regional and national trends. The number and rate are at their lowest since December 2008.

New datasets

There are over 500 datasets on ESiF, here are a few headlines

• There are 42,800 families benefiting from tax credits in the county

• 33,580 people in the county claim out of work benefits

• The current employment rate in the county is 70.9

• The median household income in the county is £27,198 

Please contact the Research and Information team if you have any specific data or information enquiries.