According to the latest Home Office figures Worthing is relatively crime free - and a nice place to live.

Try telling that to the young Brighton and Hove Albion apprentice footballer who was slashed across the throat outside Worthing station last week for saying hello to someone's girlfriend.

Or the inhabitants of an estate in Durrington who have their lives almost terrorised by gangs of unruly teenagers.

Yes, reported crime is down but there are still huge problems.

Until certain parents start taking responsibility for their children and the police are actually allowed to fight crime effectively rather than clamping untaxed cars and fining speeding motorists it is going to continue to get worse - regardless of what David Blunkett's figures say.

Although it is still more than ten months away, it looks like the "apathy party" could be in line for its best ever (non) showing at next year's council elections.

One of President Blair's think-tanks has come up with the idea that, just maybe, more than 35 per cent of the electorate will actually bother to vote if the poll is held on the same day as elections for the European parliament.

But considering how popular the Euro elections usually are, what odds on the turnout being even lower than usual?

Still no word from the town hall on my suggestion to mark the memory of legendary local band leader Roy Affleck by renaming the bar at the Assembly Hall after him.

Although initially verbally welcomed by senior members of the council, I've still had no official word that the proposal will be rubber-stamped.

Perhaps the council wants to get the potentially controversial appointment of the latest borough aldermen over and done with.

It appears that, of the four people proposed by the council, one former mayor is refusing to accept the honour because he doesn't think one of the other nominees has done enough to be given the title.

The ex-mayor in question said he wanted no part in the process if the respected title was given to someone who had allegedly brought the position of mayor into disrepute.

Blimey! It has been hot this week. So hot in fact that it is arousing distant memories of 1976 and the plagues of ladybirds that carpeted the country.

With the cordylines on the promenade and people sipping chardonnay on the balconies of the seafront hotels, who needs to go abroad?

The only real worry at the moment is the cast of seaweed on the beach.

Once the heat gets to work on the vegetation, be prepared to clench your nose firmly between finger and thumb.

But aside from that, let's enjoy the heatwave while it lasts because, within the blink of an eye, it will be winter again.