Your Questions Answered following the 2022 Annual Town Meeting held on 26 April 2022

1.  What is Selsey Town Council?

Selsey Town Council is the first and closest tier of local government to the town's residents. Its fourteen independent members are elected by the public and serve a four-year term. These Councillors are unpaid and freely give their time and expertise to ensure that the local area is represented, and its views made known to principal authorities.

2.  What is Selsey Vision?

Selsey Vision was started in 2018 by Selsey Town Council working in partnership with Chichester District Council as an initiative to encourage residents and local organisations to make suggestions to enhance Selsey.  It was also established to encourage collaboration throughout the community getting people together to make things happen.

The feedback from Selsey Vision community consultation helped to shape the aims and objectives set out in Selsey Town Council's Strategic Business Plan 2020-2024 and accompanying Appendix 1 Future Deliverables. Which continues to feed into Chichester District Council's own Infrastructure Business Plan. 

All projects delivered by Selsey Town Council are influenced by the community suggestions from the Selsey Vision.  Evidencing these suggestions assists in successful grant funding applications.

At the heart of the Selsey Vision is encouraging community collaboration to enable great results for Selsey - Selsey Town Council is passionate about partnership working to benefit Selsey!

3.  What is Selsey Town Council's Strategic Business Plan 2020-2024 and what is the timeframe for delivery?

Selsey Town Council's Strategic Business Plansets out the aims and objectives of the Council over a four years period.  It forms the foundation to inform decision making and future activities of the Council with the main objective to work towards enhancing Selsey for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors.

Appendix 1 Future Deliverables of the Strategic Business Plan 2020-2024 documents the projects which the Town Council work towards achieving over this period in addition to the Town Council's current commitments set out on pages 13-15 in the Strategic Business Plan.

The document is reviewed annually.

4.  Does the Town Council put on community events?

Selsey Town Council has neither an events budget nor the staff capacity to organise or manage public events in Selsey.

The Town Council has put in place bi-annual events grants to help fund and enable community groups to put on public events in Selsey.

5.  What Community Support is available through the Town Council now that SelseyWorks is no longer active?

Selsey Town Council Offices are open to visitors from 10am to 3pm with phones operating from 9:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Their friendly staff provide a one stop shop to assist with enquiries and signpost as appropriate registered and qualified support services.

In addition, Selsey Town Council continues to fund the fortnightly mobile tip, the Community Warden and CCTV.  The Town Council plays host to Selsey's Police Base and continuously liaises with Sussex Police.

Selsey Town Council manages and maintains 17 acres of publicly accessible open spaces, community buildings - The Selsey Centre, Town Hall Complex and play areas.  The Selsey Centre stages the fortnightly community Selsey Cinema and hosts many local community groups and well-being businesses to benefit the community. The Town Hall Complex is regularly utilised for Weddings and Civil Ceremonies.

Selsey Town Council through its biannual community and events grants encourages and enables local groups to make a difference for the community at grass roots level.

6.   How was the Selsey Seal Art Trail funded and why?

The Selsey Seal Art Trail was funded by a grant specifically to fund public art. Selsey Town Council put together a public arts project with a nod to the findings from the 2014 public arts consultation which included a seal trail.  The idea was enhanced to create functional public art - a seat, bike racks, bug hotel and working telescope- which referenced six unique aspects of Selsey- world famous seafood, diving, the role the community played in the First & Second World Wars, the Selsey Pavilion, Selsey's dark skies and Selsey's unique flora and fauna.

The project brought together members of the community, local businesses, local primary schools, and Chichester College ultimately giving local students, work experience opportunities to encourage further career prospects.  

7.  What is Destination Selsey and how was it funded?

www.destinationselsey.co.uk was funded by a grant that had specific parameters and was put together with support from local community groups, residents and businesses including but not limited to Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group, Arts Dream, and local historian Ruth Mariner and Mulberry Marine Experiences.  It was influenced by community responses to Selsey Vision which included a need for a heritage museum and wildlife centre, a local business directory, community information board through the insider section to help inform new residents of local services and amenities and a what's on section.  The site also highlights Selsey's attractions and showcases its intrinsic value on the world stage.

8.  Selsey Town Council has no direct control or authority over the following:

• Hospitals, Medical Centres and Dentists - NHS and Westminster
• Roads & Pedestrian Crossings - West Sussex County Council Highways
• Closure of the Child Support Centre and Marjorie Cobby - West Sussex County Council managed and their decision
• Banks, Businesses, privately owned land and premises - the owners
• Police- Sussex Police allocate resources according to reports via 101
• Privately owned public car parks
• Public toilets - at East Beach, Hillfield and Lifeboat - managed and maintained by Chichester District Council
• Planning Applications - the ultimate planning decision maker is Chichester District Council

Selsey Town Council is a statutory consultee on all planning applications in the Parish of Selsey, but the final decision is with Chichester District Council. With regards to NHS provision and roads, Selsey Town Council continues to lobby and participate in public consultations. Selsey Town Council meets with Sussex police on a quarterly basis. To assist with police provision, the Council asks that residents report any antisocial behaviour to 101.

9.  How does Selsey Town Council engage with Selsey's Young People?

Selsey Town Council consults and engages with young people on play areas, youth projects etc by visiting local schools, engaging face to face and asking youth groups for their opinions.  We supply matinee films for young people, community nursery, skatepark/BMX track at which a volunteer organises activities.  The Town Council has Councillor representatives on the Youth Information Project, Sports Dream and Youth Dream.  We encourage youth groups to apply for community and events grants.

10.  What is happening about enhancements to East Beach?

East Beach Green including the Kiosk, East Beach Pond and Car park area is owned by Chichester District Council.  Selsey Town Council continues to engage with and encourage Chichester District Council to invest in this area.