strength
Build on bus improvements already delivered
The county reports installed stop improvements and continuing service support.
Existing routes can become more useful through reliability and connections.
What could help →West Sussex, in numbers
Issues and SWOT
West Sussex County Council area. Every figure carries its own date.
Strengths to build on. Pressures to address. Choices to make.
These assessments connect evidence with proposed responses. They are not ratings of council performance.
Strengths
strength
Bring support closer to people in poor health
4.5% of people reported bad or very bad health in West Sussex council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%.
This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.
What could help →Weaknesses
weakness
Close the Oaklands Way access gap
A new route is proposed between major Chichester destinations.
People need safe connected journeys to education and healthcare.
What could help →weakness
Make room for homes people can afford
The average home price is £374,000 (July 2026) in West Sussex council area. This is about £80,000 higher than the England average for the same month.
Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.
What could help →Opportunities
opportunity
Make Growth Deals visible at project level
Agreements identify investment across all seven districts.
Residents can compare local delivery when each scheme has clear outcomes.
What could help →opportunity
Plan homes and care around an older population
22.8% of people in West Sussex council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021).
Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.
What could help →opportunity
Connect local skills to local opportunities
32.7% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in West Sussex council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%.
Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.
What could help →opportunity
Target safety work where problems repeat
Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in West Sussex council area.
Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.
What could help →opportunity
Turn published plans into visible progress
3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.
A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.
What could help →Threats
threat
Avoid adding different project promises together
Growth Deals mix proposals and existing schemes across multiple councils.
Headline programme totals can obscure what is actually funded and usable.
What could help →| Evidence and response | Who could lead | Related published plans |
|---|---|---|
| Build on bus improvements already deliveredMarch 2026 grant and delivery update. | West Sussex County Council | |
| Close the Oaklands Way access gapOctober 2026 consultation design. | West Sussex County Council | |
| Make Growth Deals visible at project levelAugust 2026 refreshed agreements. | West Sussex County Council | |
| Avoid adding different project promises togetherSeparate scheme stages within refreshed agreements. | West Sussex County Council | |
| Make room for homes people can affordThe average home price is £374,000 (July 2026) in West Sussex council area. | The housing and planning authorities, housing associations and developers | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Plan homes and care around an older population22.8% aged 65 or over; 21 March 2021. | Adult social care, local health services, housing providers and transport authorities | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Bring support closer to people in poor health4.5% reporting bad or very bad health; 21 March 2021. | Local health services, public health teams, employers and community organisations | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Connect local skills to local opportunities32.7% with a degree or equivalent; 21 March 2021. | Employers, colleges, universities and the relevant skills authority | |
| Target safety work where problems repeatUse the dated, complete periods shown in Crime and safety; keep anti-social behaviour separate. | The local police force, council community safety team and relevant services |