FITTLEWORTH PARISH NEWSLETTER
CORONAVIRUS/ PARISH UPDATE
County, District & Community updates
Issue Date: 29 April 2021

1.COVID 19  Updates

• Sussex/NHS COVID 19 Vaccination Update

2. Fittleworth Parish Council news

• May 2021 Parish Council meeting  update and Agenda
• Operation Watershed
• Temporary road Closures notification
• Felling of an Oak Tree – School Lane
• SDNPA Pilot Parishes – Road Calming scheme
• Anti Social Behaviour

3. Fittleworth Stores update

4. West Sussex County Council

•     Ash Dieback: essential tree felling works scheduled

Sussex/NHS COVID 19 Vaccination Update 

From Wednesday 28 April, people aged 42 and over have become eligible for their vaccination. Now anyone aged 42 and over, those clinically extremely vulnerable, those with an underlying health condition, and unpaid carers are all currently eligible. To book your vaccination, visit nhs.uk/covidvaccine, call 119, or wait to be contacted by your GP led local vaccination service. To date, more than 1.2 million vaccinations have been given across Sussex as the roll out continues, with thousands of first and second dose appointments taking place this week. >Find out more about who is currently eligible

Fittleworth Parish Council news

Parish Council Meetings We had hoped that rules, which are based on legislation that goes back to the  last century, would be relaxed, as a result of the Covid Pandemic, to enable us to decide when to have virtual or face to face meetings to enable us to better meet the needs of our Community and Councillors. Unfortunately, the case about this which went to the High Court on the 21st April voted AGAINST remote (virtual) meetings. This is obviously very disappointing and means that ALL Parish Council meetings will be held in person from the June meeting onwards.

The final date for holding any virtual meetings is the 6^th May and then due to government restrictions, we cannot hold any face to face meetings until after the 21^st June.  This means the May Parish Council meeting, provisionally arranged for Tuesday 4th May at 7pm via Microsoft Teams, will go ahead and the June Parish Council meeting will be able to be held as normal, but face to face at the Sports Pavilion, on Monday 21st June.

May Parish Council meeting – Agenda
The next  Parish Council meeting will take place on TUESDAY 4th MAY 2021 via Microsoft Teams. Please click here to view the agenda. If you would like to attend please contact the clerk.

Operation Watershed – Recreation Ground
Work has finally started on the Operation Watershed project on the Recreation Ground. The safety fencing around the culvert has now been installed. Please can we remind parents to not allow their children to play near the ditch or near the culvert.

The replacement trash screen will be installed in the next few weeks. It is expected that this will help the flow of water down the ditch on the side of the Recreation Ground during periods of heavy rain fall.

Drainage Survey
Following a tendering process, we have now agreed the firm that will be completing a drainage survey for us in the village and work will start on this very shortly and will be sent to CDC and the SDNP to consider as part of the planning process for the Limbourne Lane Development.

Temporary Road Closure Notifications
Coates Lane – 5th May 2021
Please be advised that the below road is due to be closed on the date and time specified. The closure is necessary to allow Balfour Beatty to undertake urgent carriageway pothole repairs on behalf of WSCC. Emergency vehicle, residential and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.  An alternative route for traffic will be signed on site.  Please note that these works are weather dependant,

• Coates Lane, Fittleworth from the junction with Tripp Hill to junction with Blue Doors Road
• 5th May 2021
• The Restriction will be in place off peak only between 09:30 to 15:00

B2138 Tripp Hill  – 19th & 20th May 2021
Please be advised that the below road is due to be closed on the dates and times specified for Road stud removal in advance of Surface Dressing. An alternative route for traffic will be signed on site.  Please note that these works are weather dependant,

• B2138_Tripp_Hill – (HFS *30/40mph 178LM north of Coates Lane to Waltham Park Road)
• 19^th & 20^th May 2021
• Nights 20:00 – 06:00

Felling of an Oak Tree – School Lane
The Parish Council wanted to let you know that unfortunately we have had to agree to the felling of the large Oak Tree in front of Three Chimneys along School Lane.  We are sad about this, as there was a TPO on the tree and it is one that we all know and love in a very central part of the village.   This came about following an application for some tree works which resulted in Chichester District Council Tree Officer, Henry Whitby, inspecting the tree and finding it to be dying/dangerous. He has therefore asked the applicant to withdraw their application so that it can be felled under a different (emergency) procedure because of the Health & Safety issues posed.

Our own Tree Warden has also inspected the tree and noted that the cambium layer (the bit which takes all the nutrients around the tree) has completely broken down and he therefore agrees with Henry Whitby’s conclusion that the tree needs to be felled for Health & Safety reasons, as it is dying. One of the conditions will be that a new Oak Tree needs planted, but this will obviously be a great deal smaller than the one that is there, now as younger trees ‘do’ much better than more mature ones on planting. I am sure, like us, you will be sad about this, but we hope you understand how we have had to come to this difficult decision.

SDNPA Pilot Parishes – Road Calming scheme

The Parish Council have been chasing the 2020 Consultants, who are the consultants appointed by SDNPA to lead on the Traffic Calming Pilot Scheme which Fittleworth have been selected for, to try and arrange a visit to discuss traffic calming issues throughout the parish.   This has been difficult, due to restrictions caused by the Pandemic, but are assured that this will now take place very shortly and will keep you posted as to next steps.

As part of this, we shall be talking to them about what we can do along the Fleet as part of the new access to the Limbourne Lane Development as the Developers have pledged £3000 to help us calm traffic on this busy road.
Anti Social Behaviour
 Bin area by the Village Hall being used as a Toilet
We have received reports of some parents allowing their children to use the bin area by the village hall as toilet.

This really is not acceptable and we would ask ALL parents to either take advantage of the toilet in the shop, if it is open, or else make sure their children go to the bathroom before they visit the Rec or the Playground, so they are not taken short.

Dog fouling on the Rec:
A lot of you use the Rec to walk your dogs, which is great, but unfortunately there is a small minority who are allowing their dogs to do their business on the grass and don’t clear it up and also letting them urinate on the furniture around the perimeter.

Apart from being a Health hazard, this really is not very nice – this wonderful area right in the centre of our village is used by everyone for sport and general recreation, but particularly children and we need to keep it clean and safe.

Please, please can I ask all dog owners not to use this area as a ‘dog toilet’ and if they do have an accident make sure you have a bag with you so you can clear up the mess and take it home with you. Unfortunately, if the Parish Council cannot put a stop to this then we shall have to take the drastic step of banning all dogs from the Rec, which we really do not want to do!!

Fittleworth Stores

Bank Holiday Weekend
Our opening hours this bank holiday weekend are as follows:
Saturday 1 May: 9am – 4pm (Post Office closes at 1pm)
Sunday 2 May: 9am – 2pm (Post Office closed)
Monday 3 May: 9am – 2pm (Post Office closed)

Longer Opening Hours
We are currently open as follows:
Mondays – Fridays: 8.30am – 4pm (Post Office closes at 3.30pm)
Saturdays: 9am – 4pm (Post Office closes at 1pm)
Sundays 9am – 2pm (Post Office closed)

Our kitchen stops serving prepared foods 30 minutes before closing time although takeaway drinks and counter items continue to be available during this time.

You will see in particular that we are now open for much longer on Sundays.

We are pleased to announce that from 17 May we hope to be able to return to our full pre-COVID opening hours, open until 5.30pm on weekdays and until 5pm on Saturdays.

Volunteers 
We are pleased to be welcoming back our volunteers to the team.  We already have a small  group back in and will welcome back more over May.

We are also looking for new volunteers.  We use volunteers in all sorts of ways so there is a role for everyone.  Some of our volunteers like to man the till or the coffee machine but there are plenty of others who are happier behind the scenes, whether that is washing up in the kitchen, coming in before the shop opens to help put away the morning deliveries or assisting with putting stock out or helping with our big weekly stock delivery.  We are also keen to welcome those who might like to give a hand with keeping our outside space neat and tidy (sweeping up the terraces, litter picking around the tables, watering the plants etc). A typical shift in the shop is 2 – 2.5 hours although some come in for more or less time each week and for those who help with deliveries before the shop opens a shift is typically only 30 – 60 minutes.

If you might be interested or would like some more information please do get in touch – email us at fsvolunteers@outlook.com.  Volunteers are what the Stores is all about.  We wouldn’t be the same without them and we really do value everyone that helps out!

Proposed Cafe Extension Project – fundraising underway!
We have reached the £60,0000 mark and have received an exciting offer of a donation dependent on us sourcing further match funding.  Thanks to everyone who has purchased more shares – and many of you have.  Please do keep those share applications and donations coming – we would love to be able to get the extension built ready for winter.
Share forms available in the shop or on our website (www.fittleworthstores.co.uk) or there is a box in store for your donations, all of which are greatly appreciated or, if you wish to donate a more substantial sum please contact Alison Welterveden on 01798 865650 or Mick Foote on 01798 865156

Please be aware that under our Rules an individual’s total shareholding is capped at £1500.  So, if you would like to contribute towards our extension and already hold £1500 worth of shares or if your proposed contribution would take you in excess of this amount then you will need to donate direct to Fittleworth Stores for any sums in excess of the maximum shareholding.

Food Angels
Food Angels supports local families and individuals in need with free weekly food boxes.  It is funded by grants and donations and is independent from support families or individuals may receive from other local foodbanks or government agencies.  It was set up with the aim of supporting our local community through the worst of the COVID crisis.  We have been able to support a number of families over the past 12 months, many on a long term basis.  We have changed the focus of Food Angels, moving away from long term support to the provision of boxes on an emergency or short term basis.

If you would benefit from a free food box or if you would like to recommend others for the scheme please do get in touch.

Shop and Eat Local!
We understand that now restrictions are being eased everyone is keen to get out and about again to make the most of our new found freedom.  Please do remember to keep doing some of your shopping and eating with us.  This past year has been tough for all businesses, including ours.  We are hoping for a bumper summer to make up for the many months the café has been closed over the past year.

Fittleworth Stores Management and Committee

Winner of the “Village Store” category, Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2020

                                   

West Sussex County Council

Ash Dieback: essential tree felling works scheduled

• 26 to 30 April:  A24 Northbound from Hop Oast Roundabout
• 4 to 5 May: A286 Binderton Lane to Church Lane, West Dean
• 6 to 7 May: A29 Fairmile Bottom at Madehurst

• 10 to 11 May, a lane will be closed and temporary traffic lights in place for work on the A29 Northbound at Slindon.