Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The cost to Worthing Borough Council of placing people in emergency or temporary accommodation is expected to be £274,000 more than planned, while for Adur District Council the overspend is likely to be £54,000.

The figures for the 2018-19 financial year were discussed at a joint strategic committee meeting in Worthing.

Members were told that the increased spending reflected a rising demand coupled with a lack of affordable housing.

The committee's budget monitoring report for the first quarter stated: "Across the South East there is competing demand between local authorities for both emergency and temporary accommodation, the latter often being leased private sector accommodation.

"Whilst Adur and Worthing have made significant progress in leasing more affordable units of temporary accommodation, competition does mean that prices in some areas are being pushed beyond the reach of the councils, and the supply of suitable emergency and temporary accommodation within the borough is reduced.

"The councils are still faced with placing some clients in costly budget accommodation hotel chains when no other suitable options are available."

Elsewhere in the budget, the money made from parking in Worthing was £50,000 higher than expected, thanks to an increase in charges at the multi-storey car parks in High Street, Grafton, and Buckingham Road.

The meeting was told that "excess income" would be used to improve car parks "in future years".

With central government slashing the funding to local authorities, Worthing and Adur, like councils up and down the country, have had to take a long look at how their services are funded.

The meeting was told that Adur had committed to saving £1.365m on its 2018-19 budget, while the figure for Worthing was £1.981m.

As things stand, Adur looks set to overspend by £23,000, while Worthing will underspend by £189,000.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

Thieves have made off with a 4x4 worth £50,000 from a railway station car park in Surrey.

Two men arrived at Ewell West around 16:30 BST on 21 August, driving a white and grey Fiesta.

Image source, Google

They forced open a Range Rover, started it up and drove away.

One was six feet, in his late 30s and with a dark beard, wearing a black baseball cap, black t-shirt and blue jeans.

Image source, Getty Images

The Argus, external: Albion winger Anthony Knockaert suffered depression after marriage break-up

Kent Online, external: 'Miracle baby' born after partner found she was pregnant days before he began chemotherapy

Get Surrey, external: Chris Evans reveals names of newborn twins after previously nicknaming them 'Ping and Pong'

Brighton and Hove News, external: Investigation into how seven homeless people died at single housing block in two years

Kent Live, external: A sex offender from New Romney who was shamed by paedophile hunters has been jailed

Eastbourne Herald, external: Bexhill Kaiser Chiefs gig is sell out success

Crawley and Horley Observer, external: Crawley College marks 'landmark' diamond anniversary

Worthing Herald, external: Brit winner Rag’n’Bone Man backs Worthing musical centre of excellence project

Mid Sussex Times:, external West Sussex County Council respond to Velo South cancellation

Chichester Observer, external: Detailed plans for 300 new homes for Westhampnett supported

West Sussex County Times, external: Major crackdown on fly tipping launched in Horsham

Sussex Express, external: Tunnel to close overnight for works

Bexhill Observer, external: Popular Bexhill record shop closes down

Brighton and Hove Independent, external: Patience and luck: The art of capturing our city on camera

Manager Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham "needed to feel victory again" after beating Brighton to end a run of three straight defeats.

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

Image source, Dover District Council

Plans for a new Aldi supermarket in Deal town centre have been rejected by councillors.

Dover District Council's planning committee voted 5-4 against the German discounter's proposal to demolish the existing Co-op store in Park Street and replace it with one of its own.

The main objections centred around the felling of 10 mature trees, with two petitions attracting a total of 250 signatures.

Although Aldi offered to replace them with 12 semi-mature trees - as well as contribute £15,000 towards planting elsewhere in Deal town centre - the majority of members were unconvinced.

Councillor Bill Gardner (Labour) said: "I have no objection to the building, and lots of people in Deal have got no objection to Aldi, but the major objection is the loss of these mature trees.

"Some of these trees have been on this site for at least 50 or more years."

Council officers had recommended the scheme be approved.

Concerns were also raised about the loss of flats and the design of the store impacting on the local conservation area.

Aldi property director Greg Wainer said only a "local minority" had objected to the loss of the trees.

"We've retained as many trees as possible across the site, including three of those which are covered by the existing tree protection order."

He added that up to 50 jobs would have been created had planning permission been granted.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

The jury at the inquest of a woman who died after accidentally drinking cleaning fluid in hospital has criticised the trust.

Joan Blaber, who was 85, died six days after drinking the fluid at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The jury highlighted confusion over the water jug system and a culture of not reporting incidents.

The Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust says lessons have been learned.

Somerset's County Championship match with Surrey is abandoned after damage to the wicket at Taunton caused by Storm Bronagh.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle which failed to stop at the scene.

A member of the public discovered the victim with serious injuries on a verge on the A22 at Hailsham about 04:38 BST.

The 73-year-old man was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton by ambulance, where he is in a critical condition.

A white Renault is believed to have been involved in the collision, and is likely to have damage to its front nearside bodywork and wing mirror, Sussex Police said.

Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter

Councillors have deferred an application to build a 225m stretch of bridleway opting to take a look at the site before making a decision.

David Jones applied to Chichester District Council for permission to divert the current bridleway, which cuts across his land west of Fitzlea Wood Road, East Lavington, so he can plan a new home for the site.

Officers advised members of the planning committee to refuse the application.

There was plenty of support for the application during a meeting of the committee on Wednesday, with comments being read out from a retired Metropolitan mounted police officer, who regularly uses the bridleway.

She said: "This is a well-used rat-run where people drive too fast, and riders must step out on a blind spot.

"On numerous occasions, I have been seen a little too late, resulting in near misses. In the interest of rider safety, this diversion would be very well-received."

It was agreed that a decision would be deferred until members had been able to visit the site.

The Care Quality Commission has taken action after an unannounced visit to The Laurels in June.

Brighton winger Anthony Knockaert says depression made it "mentally impossible" for him to perform well last season.

Organisers of this Sunday's Velo South cycling event in West Sussex say it has been cancelled because of the forecast bad weather.

The Met Office yellow weather warning for strong winds in the area during the hours of the event remains in place as more storms are due to cross the UK this weekend.

In a statement, the organisers said: "The entire Velo South team are devastated that the event will not take place on Sunday and we know this is extremely disappointing news for all of our cyclists, stakeholders and supporters but we hope you understand that the good old British weather has in reality left us with no alternatives."

Sarah Booker-Lewis
Local Democracy Reporter

Two tower blocks in Brighton are to have sprinkler systems installed.

St James House and Essex Place will have sprinklers fitted after funding was agreed by Brighton and Hove City Council and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.

They will pay £125,000 to £150,000 each after councillors approved the spending yesterday at a meeting of the council's Housing and New Homes Committee at Hove Town Hall.

Both buildings are among the tallest council blocks in Brighton and Hove, with people living in both blocks having been consulted about the plan to fit the sprinklers.

Caitlin Webb
Local Democracy Reporter

More than half of young people locked up last year were under the care of Kent County Council.

Eleven of the 20 teenagers from Kent who were sent to Cookham Wood young offenders' institution and Medway secure training centre, were in care.

All the defendants, who were male and aged 15 to 17, were handed sentences of four months to more than five years.

On top of that, for every five young people who were remanded in detention waiting for trial, three were under the care of the county council.

Corporate director for children, young people and education at Kent County Council, Matt Dunkley, told councillors these figures are improving.

He said: "There has been a dramatic reduction over the last ten years of the number of young people in custody who are detained.

"In the past, that number would be more like 80 to 100 kids.

"I want to emphasise that because of the big reduction the youngsters who end up in custody are the most complex young people in Kent."

He added the treatment of young delinquents has improved with "a lot of time and patience".

Head of Kent youth justice service, Louise Fisher, assured councillors that despite the poor track record of the centres for young offenders in Kent, there have been improvements.

At the corporate parenting panel on 19 September, she said: "Both of the places where young people in Kent find themselves have had a chequered history, with regard to their inspection reports, which has caused some concerns.

"What I can say at Medway and Cookham Wood, whilst they have had poor inspection reports, they have had more recent inspections and action plans so those establishments are much better in terms of care they provide children."

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

Developers behind two separate housing schemes on neighbouring plots of land have been urged to work together to avoid creating two new roads off the A20.

Ashford Borough Council's planning committee granted outline planning permission for Gladman Developments Limited's proposal for up to 135 homes on land rear of the Swan Hotel in Charing last night.

Members also supported Charing Motor Limited's outline plans for up to 17 homes on its site.

Concerns were raised about the prospect of building two new junctions onto Maidstone Road (A20) in such close proximity, although council officers suggested the two parties may work together on developing one access to serve both projects.

Joan Blaber, 85, died six days after drinking Flash from a water jug on her hospital bedside table.

A car was followed by police before it hit a tree, killing two women, the police watchdog says.