We stand with the people of Ukraine

Iwant to start by saying how deeply saddened and shocked we are by the situation in Ukraine. The scenes on the news reports are horrific and distressing. As a council, we stand with the people of Ukraine and want to offer our support. We have been in touch with local charities who have already started collecting donations, as well as food and clothing. I know how generous our residents are and many people have been asking how they can help. Children on the Edge (www.childrenontheedge. org); Sanctuary in Chichester (sanctuaryinchichester.org); and the

British Red Cross (www.redcross.org.uk) are just some of those who are involved in the response. We also know that some of our local businesses, such as The Village Shop & Team Room in Compton, have also been collecting items. Their goods were collected last Thursday by an incredible volunteer who was driving to Poland to drop off supplies for those affected. The government has also announced it will match pound for pound, up to £20million, donated by the public to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Find out more and make donations on the Disaster Emergency Committee website at www.dec.org.uk

As things stand, British nationals and Ukrainian people settled in the UK will be able to bring extended family members into the UK. The government is also looking to launch a scheme by which UK companies and citizens can sponsor individual Ukrainians to come to the UK. We are waiting to hear more regarding the government’s approach and are ready to offer our support. We will keep you updated on this. We will also support West Sussex County Council if a resettlement scheme is introduced. I have also asked our officers to purchase a Ukrainian flag for us to display outside our building to show our support for the Ukrainian people. I also know how difficult it must be trying to explain this situation to children and grandchildren when they see the devastating images on

TV. Save the Children has produced a really useful article, which you may help you with this, at www.savethechildren.org/us/ charity-stories/how-to-explain-conflictukraine-to-children

I’m pleased to tell you we are launching £71,000 worth of Enabling Grants from April for small businesses to help them grow and develop. Businesses will be able to apply for up to 50 per cent of the total cost of growth projects, up to a maximum of £2,000. Smaller grants up to £500 will be available for start-up businesses, without the need for match funding from the applicant. Further information of eligibility criteria will be available nearer the time and businesses are encouraged to sign up to the council’s E-biz newsletter to ensure they receive the launch announcements at www.chichester.gov.uk/business

The government has announced that most council tax payers living in properties in tax bands A to D will receive a one-off payment of £150 to support households with rising energy bills. Customers who pay their council tax by direct debit will get this support quicker and are likely to receive the rebate in their bank account in April. If you are not already paying your council tax by direct debit, you can set this up on our website here: https://www.chichester.gov. uk/myaccount. Local authorities are due to receive discretionary funding to help those who are not eligible for the rebate and who need help with their energy bills. We’re still waiting to hear more about this and will keep our web pages updated: https://www. chichester.gov.uk/energybillsrebate2022

Finally, this is my last chance to remind you that our Cross, Market & More event will be returning to Chichester on Sunday, March 13. The markets take place in North and East Street between 10am and 4pm. Our previous event in November was a huge success, with people filling the streets and supporting our local businesses. It is vital we all continue to support our businesses and choose local wherever we can. This is one of many ways we are showing our support.