It was great to see last Sunday’s announcement of further new funding for Bosham to stop storm overflows.

This investment will be used to implement new nature-based solutions in the area, something I have campaigned on for some time. This includes creating a new wetland scheme around the wastewater treatment works and sealing private pipes to help reduce infiltration into the sewer network. 

Southern Water have also announced a further round of funding to reline and seal almost 10km of sewers in and around Funtington, with work starting this year.

My recent Chichester Water Conference was an opportunity for people living in Chichester to hear about these plans directly from stakeholders like Southern Water and the Environment Agency, as well as to ask the difficult questions about unacceptable levels of storm overflows to the senior managers responsible.

The conference also marked the launch of Chichester’s Plan for Water, a document that summarises the hard work and campaigns that I and others have led to clean up our waterways. This details £56 million of funding for our communities to stop sewage overflows and help to restore our environment. A full copy can be read via my website: www.gilliankeegan.com.

This week I’m looking forward to joining the residents of West Ashling alongside their Chichester District Council member, Roy Briscoe, for a community meeting to discuss matters including crime, planning and sewage. Do keep a look out for letters and leaflets coming through your door to let you know when I’ll next be in your area for a pub tour or local residents meeting.

Finally, a reminder to vote in next Thursday’s Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Elections. Police and Crime Commissioners, including our incumbent Commissioner Katy Bourne, play a vital role in our community when it comes to keeping us safe.

Katy has worked hard to ensure policing reflects the needs of our county through control of the police budget, setting the police and crime plans, and helping to recruit over 500 new officers since 2019. I’ve worked with her on numerous projects, including introducing the rural crime unit and working to crack down on dangerous driving.

Remember that you now also need to bring photo ID to vote. There are many different forms of valid voter ID, including your driving licence, blue badge, or bus pass. You can find out which forms of ID are accepted via the Electoral Commission’s website. .