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Welcome to this week’s blog - as always, thanks for having a read.
Last weekend Donna tried an interesting experience with our daughter: Le Petit Chef, in Brighton, whilst I got on with various things, including helping a fellow councillor with a computer issue. Le Petit Chef is an interactive 3D dinner show where a tiny animated chef is projected onto guests' plates to "prepare" each course before the real food is served. They both thoroughly enjoyed it, however, as a reminder that technology can sometimes falter, the card machine packed up and they had to queue in the bar to pay.
Monday was Chichester District Council’s six monthly All Parishes Meeting. Donna also had a meeting at West Sussex County Hall. Then on Wednesday, Mick, Val and Donna took part in CDC’s Planning training for parishes while in the evening Ali, Ian, Andrew, Donna and I had an STC Personnel Committee meeting looking at various policy documents. Next week on Wednesday Donna and Val have Chichester District Council’s Planning Committee. In the evening, Val, Mick, Ian and Andrew have Selsey Town Council’s Planning Committee.
You can watch meetings live: CDC and WSCC.
Ali was quite interested in the detail of the Centre for Cities Outlook 2026 Report we mentioned last week. It found that when comparing how much disposable incomes had increased between 2013 and 2023, 11 towns and cities rose twice as fast as the average 2.4%. Brighton came top with 8.1% and Worthing, who we expect to be in our Unitary Council, came second with 7.8%. If you pay an interest in wealth and poverty, you may find this interactive map interesting because it seems our part of the UK no longer has the lowest poverty rate: -
https://www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-statistics/geography
We promised to keep you informed about the precept increases that determine our Council Tax for the next financial year, namely from April. Donna posted this week that West Sussex County Council, who account for most of our Council Tax bills, seem likely to increase by 4.99’%. The minutes of Selsey Town Council’s December Meeting are on their website and confirm an increase of 1.57% for their part of Selsey's Council Tax, with no reduction to services.
Half Term is nearly here so don’t forget CDC is once again staging laser light shows in Chichester Canal Basin on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st February, 2026 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm, each lasting around 20 minutes. Those attending are being made aware that the shows contain strobe lighting.
If you enjoy collecting and sharing local human stories, you may be interested in Our Living Library led by CDC’s Culture Spark initiative. The event organisers are looking for a team of story collectors who would like to later become storytellers at a drop-in event on Saturday 28th March in the Old Court House at The Assembly Rooms in Chichester. Anyone interested in this opportunity can attend a special session aimed at helping them develop story gathering skills for the project, which will take place on Wednesday 11th February 2026 between 10am and 1pm in The Woolstaplers Room in The Novium Museum, Chichester. Places are free but limited so people are asked to email culturespark2022@gmail.com to secure a spot.
Finally: -
As always, from the whole Team, stay safe.
Tim
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