Civil Enforcement Officers working for Horsham District Council will be patrolling Horsham town centre on Sundays in the lead up to Christmas.

With free parking offered to drivers in Horsham town centre on Sundays, as well as Thursday evenings in the lead up to Christmas and New Year, many drivers still choose to park within the Carfax area and the surrounding area.

There will be a minimum of two Civil Enforcement Officers working in the town centre on Sundays to combat reports that have been received in previous years regarding inconsiderate parkers within that area.

There is a need to clear this congestion and direct vehicles away from this area. As this is an additional enforcement measure, warning notices will be issued until the regulations are enforced from Sunday 2 December 2012.

Cllr Roger Paterson, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for the Local Economy, said:

“Horsham town centre will be making a big effort to attract residents and visitors this Christmas with special seasonal window displays and Christmas lights, supported with free parking for late night shopping and Sundays.

“It therefore seems only fair to ask everyone to park responsibly to avoid causing traffic hold ups or block much needed delivery areas.

“So please park legally so that we can all enjoy a very happy Christmas with no parking tickets to spoil the fun.”

To find out more about the Civil Enforcement Officers, call 01403 215077 or email parking@horsham.gov.uk

District Wardens working for Horsham District Council are taking a new approach to enforcement on the streets of the Horsham District.  The District Wardens who are patrolling the streets now have new powers which allow them to deal with a range of civil enforcement and environmental issues that used to be undertaken by separate teams.

Following on from a successful trial, the District Council now has a full team of District Wardens who can now deal with a number of issues, which could be anything from anti-social behaviour, dog fouling, littering, fly tipping investigation to parking enforcement.

This is in contrast to previous enforcement roles, which saw wardens deal with a particular type of enforcement activity separately.

In addition to this, patrol hours start at 8am and extend up to 10pm from Monday to Saturday, which assists with issues linked to evening parking control measures and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Sue Rogers, Horsham District Council’s Cabinet Member for a Safer and Healthier District, said:

“These new powers will allow the District Wardens to respond to a wider number of situations and address many of the issues that affect residents negatively and it represents excellent value for our residents.”

For more information on the District Wardens’ civil enforcement and parking duties, contact Horsham District Council by calling 01403 215077 or for environmental issues call 01403 733144.

Here are some suggestions from West Sussex County Council for the simple things you can do to help you and your family keep warm, healthy and safe through the cold weather – as well as saving money.

Protecting your home – Find out more on how to protect your home in advance of the winter weather:

• Order winter fuel
• Check pipes are lagged to prevent them bursting and know where to turn your water off
• Find out about the Warm Front Scheme
• Prepare an emergency bag in case you or your family have to move elsewhere at short notice due to weather
• Floods happen. Be prepared. Check if you are at risk from flooding and sign up for free flood warnings

Health and wellbeing – Steps you can take to protect your health this winter:

• Fight the flu this winter – get a flu jab
• Check NHS Choices for health guidance on winter ailments (flu, winter vomiting, cold temperatures)
• Wash your hands to prevent viruses spreading
• Check you have had your heating and cooking appliances serviced by an approved trader – carbon monoxide is a killer
• Have sufficient supplies including food, see WSCC Meals on Wheels service

Winter travel – Hints and tips on travelling safely during severe weather:

• Ensure you have shoes with good grip
• Follow GOV.UK’s advice about driving in adverse weather conditions
• Follow WSCC winter driving advice
• Check out the routes that will be gritted by West Sussex County Council and plan your route if you have to travel
• Keep up to date with the latest travel information around the county or around the UK
• Sign up for notifications of disruption to train services (email alerts are free and can be set for up to 12 weeks)

Helping your community – This guidance challenges misconceptions about health and safety laws getting in the way of action and volunteering.  We need the Big Society most in times of adversity, when communities have to pull together.  This guidance sets out how you can survive the ice and snow and help your neighbours to do the same:

• Check that any elderly or disabled neighbours are alright in the cold weather. If you’re worried about them, contact WSCC
• Check you know who might need help in your community by speaking to your local Parish Clerk.
• Sign up for UK weather warnings from the Met Office
• Help your community by volunteering