Worthing Liberal Democrats Weekly Newsletter – 28th August to 3rd September 2011

Articles for the past week:

Leader: Expect delays

News this past week:

1. Fairtrade Fair in Guildbourne Centre

2. Local Tories Forget Worthing In Transport Funding Bid

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

28TH AUGUST TO 3RD SEPTEMBER 2011

Lib Dems will keep Worthing’s services local

Lib Dems will get on with bringing our town into the 21st century – no more dither and delay

Lib Dems will ensure ‘We are all in it together’ – no more waste and high pay

Lib Dems are the only opposition in Worthing – Labour can’t win here

Lib Dems support 20 mph in Worthing’s residential roads

Leader: Expect delays

West Sussex – A259 Mill Road, Worthing: 2-way temporary traffic lights near West Avenue for gas main work. Expect delays.

Road works active from Mon 08th Aug 2011 until Fri 09th Sep 2011.

Motorists and commuters by public transport alike learn to live with the inevitable warning “expect delays” – the above is an example from a cursory glance at today’s internet. West Avenue is close to West Worthing Station where this weekend there is a replacement bus service between West Worthing and Angmering. Expect delays.

Without inspecting the detail and background it may well be reasonable for Worthing’s residents to expect delays from vital works by the gas and rail companies but those same residents do not deserve to expect delays inflicted on them by the local Tory run councils – neither from West Sussex County Council nor Worthing Borough Council.

Expect delays on highways: Broadwater residents have been waiting at least two years for the completion of the School Safety Zone schemes at Bramber First and at Springfield First/St Andrews schools in Sackville Road. The Sackville Road scheme was linked with improvements to Garrick Road, Livesay Crescent and Northcourt Road to “speed” matters where residents have been awaiting a solution far longer. The last promise was these works would be completed in August during the summer school holidays but surprise, surprise nothing happened and the children are back at school this week. It’s not a case of money – Worthing Liberal Democrats unearthed the money months ago to reinstate the delayed schemes. Then West Sussex had a change of highways contractor and a reorganisation of the highways department causing more delays but both are now alledgedly in place. Not quite as we now understand the new highways contractor has failed to appoint a sub-contractor simply to paint the lines – causing a further hold-up. Bramber First is now scheduled for the October half-term and Sackville Road later this year. We are sure you can think of many examples of highways work where we can continue to expect delays.

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS NEWSLETTER EDITOR

Expect delays on regeneration: Despite newspaper reports work has started on the new pool these do seem a bit premature as at today the contracts for the construction have still not been signed – first promised in April. Just before the election – must be a coincidence. A sorry result of this delay was the loss of the much-loved paddling pool for the school Summer holidays – shame on Worthing’s Tory council for what has proved unnecessary. So when will the new pool be finished? The deadline was April 2013 but expect delays. Regeneration has been delayed in Worthing for at least thirty years – how long have Worthing’s residents waited for something to happen at Teville Gate, Union Place, the Guildbourne Centre, refurbishment of the leisure centre and a revitalised seafront? Expect delays.

Expect delays on lighting in the parks, fixing lamposts, removing weeds, fixing pot holes, installing disability bays, changing the age of transfer for school pupils, a new school, A27 improvements – in short where the Tories are running things expect delays.

Worthing Liberal Democrats

NEWS FROM THE PAST WEEK

FAIRTRADE FAIR IN GUILDBOURNE CENTRE

Sunday 28th August – Worthing Liberal Democrats are more than happy to support the Fairtrade Fair which is to be held in the Guildbourne Centre on Saturday September 17th from 11.00 am to 3 pm. There will be fair trade stalls with the opportunity to try fairtrade products, live music and live entertainment. The event is sponsored by the Co-op and organised by Worthing’s Fairtrade Steering Group. It was Worthing’s Liberal Democrats that made Worthing a fairtrade town when they were in power.

LOCAL TORIES FORGET WORTHING IN LOCAL TRANSPORT FUNDING BID

Worthing Lib Dems urge them not to waste second chance

Monday 29th August – Worthing was forgotten when the West Sussex Tory administration applied for funding from the £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund announced by the Coalition government in January. Under the title West Sussex Sustainable Travel Towns the county council bid for £5 million for improvements to Crawley, Chichester and Horsham – no mention of Worthing. The bid failed to make the first tranche but West Sussex has been given the opportunity to make an improved bid in the second tranche. Worthing Liberal Democrats are urging Worthing Borough Council to work with West Sussex to make certain Worthing is included this time and gets its fair share. The West Sussex bid was to ‘increase sustainable travel to places of work and education through a targeted package of behaviour change initiatives and infrastructure improvements’ with the primary objectives of improving local economic performance and cutting carbon generation. All seem excellent ideas for Worthing so why was Worthing forgotten? Lib Dem West Sussex County Councillor Bob Smytherman asked that very question at a County Council meeting earlier this year and we suspect Bob’s question prompted West Sussex to consider including Worthing in their second chance. But are they working with Worthing Borough Council and are the views of the people of Worthing being taken on board? Those questions remain answered.
Bob Smytherman, Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Well-Being said: “Worthing Liberal Democrats are always looking out for opportunities for funding to improve the well-being of our town. Worthing Tories do not appear to be as sharp-eyed and pull up their West Sussex colleagues when Worthing is forgotten. Residents can rest assured the Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for Worthing.”

Victoria Taylor, Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, added: “Since being newly elected in May I have been increasingly astonished by the inertia exhibited by Worthing’s Tory administration. No wonder we are still waiting for Teville Gate, the new pool and any real sign of regeneration.” (Bob Smytherman – Press Release)

DIARY

Wednesday 7th September – WBC Development Control Sub-Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Wednesday 7th September – Lib Dem Northbrook/Durrington Ward Surgery – “The North Star”, Littlehampton Road 7.30 to 8.30 pm

Thursday 8th September – WBC Licensing and Control Sub-Committee B Hearing (Quality Food Cash & Carry) – Council Chamber, Town Hall at 10.00 am

Saturday 10th September – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – St Richards, Collingwood Road, Goring 10.00 to 10.30 am

Saturday 10th September – Lib Dem Tarring/Gaisford Ward Surgery – West Worthing Baptist Church 10.30 am to 12.00 noon

FURTHER AHEAD

Monday 12th September – WSCC Governance Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm

Tuesday 13th September – WBC & ADC Joint Planning Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.30 pm

Wednesday 14th September – WBC Licensing and Control Sub-Committee B Hearing – (The RAFA Club & The Downview) – Council Chamber, Town Hall at 10.00 am

Wedenesday 14th September – WSCC Community Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 15th September – WSCC Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 15th September – WBC & ADC Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee – Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Shoreham at 6.30 pm

Saturday 17th September – Fairtrade Fair – Guildbourne Centre 11.00 am to 3.00 pm

Monday 19th September – WBC Standards Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Tuesday 20th September – Lib Dem Durrington Surgery – New Life Church, Durrington 7.00 to 8.00 pm

and every third Tuesday of the month

Wednesday 21st September – WSCC Strategic Environmental Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Wednesday 21st September – WBC Development Control Sub-Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Thursday 22nd September – WSCC Adults’ Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Monday 26th September – WSCC Regulation, Audit and Accounts Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm

Monday 26th September – WBC Licensing and Control Committee B – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Tuesday 27th September – WBC & ADC Joint Strategic Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.30 pm

Tuesday 27th September – WSCC Planning Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Wednesday 28th September – WSCC Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 29th September – WSCC Policy and Resources Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 29th September – WBC & ADC Joint Governance and Audit Committee – Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Shoreham at 6.30 pm

Saturday 1st October – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – St Pauls Centre, Chapel Road 10.30 am to 12.00 noon

and every first Saturday of the month

Saturday 1st October – Lib Dem Broadwater Surgery – The Community House, Dominion Road 2.00 to 4.00 pm

and every first Saturday of the month

Worthing Liberal Democrat Councillors

Worthing Liberal Democrats Weekly Newsletter – 28th August to 3rd September 2011

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