Leader: Bench mark

News this past week:

1. Housing Forum – No Thanks

2. Fracking in Worthing?

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS NEWSLETTER 4TH TO 10TH AUGUST 2013

Lib Dems will keep County services local where ever possible

Lib Dems will devolve more money to be spent locally and allow residents to decide how it’s spent

Lib Dems will ensure vulnerable people are safeguarded and support 20 mph in Worthing’s residential roads

Leader: Bench mark

Age UK in their ‘Pride of Place’ report issued in 2011 says “councillors need to find out from older people if seating is adequate in their neighbourhood and find innovative ways of meeting this need”. With Worthing’s demographics including the number of elderly people who have chosen the town for their retirement, and also elderly tourists and visitors, it is even more important. Yet one of the common complaints Worthing Liberal Democrats receive is the lack of benches in Worthing.

Our understanding is benches that have fallen into disrepair have not been replaced to discourage street drinkers but the majority affected by the removal are our elderly. We know how the elderly feel but we asked this week what others felt through the Worthing Urban Gardeners (WUG) page on Facebook. Everyone agreed that more benches were needed and suggestions for their positioning flowed in. WUG also pointed out ones which are currently in need of repair and kindly volunteered to do the repairs necessary if money for the materials was forthcoming from the Council. Leader of the Council Paul Yallop promised to see if funds could be made available from the Community Engagement Task Force. So far so good.

The offer by Worthing Urban Gardeners chimes in with the ‘Pride of Place’ report which says: “Public seating does not have to be expensive, and in some instances could be provided or renovated by local volunteers or community groups.” We are encouraged by the initial moves and will watch with interest how the initiative progresses.

As Age UK says: “For older people who are becoming frail and less mobile, public seating can make the difference between living a full life and feeling cut off and isolated. Many older people cannot walk for more than ten minutes without a rest. Going to the supermarket, queuing at the post office or waiting at the bus stop can become impossible for many if there is nowhere to sit down. Walking is a good physical activity for older people. Benches or other places to sit down will encourage those older people who are becoming less mobile to continue getting out of the house and taking exercise, and so will reduce the likelihood of these people becoming housebound and isolated.”

Let’s find that money to stop our elderly from becoming housebound and isolated – Worthing Liberal Democrats will do whatever they can to assist.

Let’s get those benches – we feel a petition coming on,

And then there’s public toilets but that’s another story ……

Worthing Liberal Democrats

 NEWS FROM THE PAST WEEK

HOUSING FORUM – NO THANKS

Wednesday 7th August – Worthing Lib Dem Councillor David Chapman prompted by the lack of new homes and the housing crisis in Worthing suggested Worthing Borough Council reactivated the Housing Forum which was held in the past. The forum would bring together the Council, registered social landlords (RSLs), Housing Associations, private developers and homeless charities to discuss and plan a way forward. But the Tory Cabinet Member responsible for housing Cllr Mary Lermitte has rejected the idea saying she is not convinced a forum is the answer. Cllr Lermitte goes on to say our major housing problems are lack of land and finance. But when Worthing Liberal Democrats suggest parcels of land (e.g. the seven acre site at Centenary House) and methods of financing (e.g. borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board) the Tories fail to even consider the ideas.

David Chapman said: “We need a housing forum to explore these needs and serious talks with Housing Associations to see what projects can be put together. It may be that this needs to pressure Planning to schedule more land for housing. I can only restate that we do have a housing crisis at the moment, and if we are going to provide for the 32% growth in households over the next 20 years, we need to start work now.”

FRACKING IN WORTHING?

Wednesday 7th August – There has been Facebook comment this week about the possibility of fracking on Worthing Downland with a map showing the whole of Worthing coloured in. Our investigations discovered the nearest licence which has been granted for onshore oil drilling is Storrington and no permission has been given as yet for fracking in West Sussex including at Balcombe. Specific permission to frack has to be granted by the Department of Energy & Climate Change. The map may be areas where the government is inviting bids to explore – we are checking. And we are keeping a watchful eye should things change – we are closely following the debate. We shall keep Worthing residents informed.

DIARY

Wednesday 14th August – WBC Licensing Control Committee B Sub Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 10.00 am

Strand Local, Strand Parade

Thursday 15th August – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 to 11.30 am

and every third Thursday in the month

Saturday 10th August – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – St Richards Church, Maybridge 10.00 am to 10.30 am

Saturday 10th August – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – The Strand Parade shops 10.00 am to 11.00 am

Saturday 10th August – Lib Dem Gaisford/Tarring Wards Surgery – West Worthing Baptist Church 10.30 am to noon

FURTHER AHEAD

Tuesday 3rd September – ADC & WBC Joint Strategic Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.30 pm

Wednesday September 4th – WBC Planning Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Saturday 7th September – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 am to noon

and every first Saturday in the month

Saturday 7th September – Lib Dem Broadwater Surgery – Muldoons Coffee Shop, Cricketers Parade, Broadwater 3.00 to 4.00 pm

and every first Saturday in the month

Monday 9th September – WSCC Governance Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm

Thursday 12th September – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Christ Church Hall. Grafton Road 3.00 to 4.00 pm

and every second Thursday in the month

Thursday 12th September – ADC & WBC Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Shoreham by Sea at 6.30 pm

Saturday 14th September – Lib Dem Selden Ward Surgery – Jason’s Cafe, Ham Road at 10.00 am to 11.00 am

and every second Saturday in the month

Tuesday 17th September – WBC Licensing Control Committee A – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm

Thursday 19th September – WSCC Planning Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 19th September – WSCC Health and Wellbeing Board – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm

Tuesday 24th September – WSCC Cabinet – County Hall, Chichester at 11.00 am

Tuesday 24th September – ADC & WBC Joint Planning Committee – Gordon Room , Town Hall at 6.30 pm

Wednesday 25th September – WSCC Environmental and Community Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 26th September – ADC & WBC Joint CenSus Committee – Horsham District Council at 10.00 am

Thursday 26th September – WSCC Children and Young People’s Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am

Thursday 26th September – ADC 7WBC Joint Governance & Audit Committee – Council Chamber, Civic Centre, Shoreham at 6.30 pm

Friday 27th September – WSCC Regulation, Audit and Accounts Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm

Printed (dispatched) by Virgin Media, Communications House, Bartley Wood Business Park, Bartley Way, Hook, Hampshire RG27 9UP

Published and promoted by Worthing Liberal Democrats, 18 Woodlea Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1BN

   Leave a comment