Littlehampton town centre action group given green light

The Littlehampton Town Centre Action Group and Plan was approved by the council, despite concerns the proposals had been ‘cobbled together’ and were without clear direction.

The group will act as an advisory body to the council and will include representatives from Littlehampton Town Council, Arun District Council, West Sussex County Council, Sussex Police and local retailers.

The move comes amid heightened concerns over crime and anti-social behaviour in the town.

Arun District Council’s economy committee approved the group and plan at its meeting on October 5, after it was submitted for approval in July.

Businesses which sign up to the plan will need to work towards its ‘aspirations’ and ‘actions’, and ‘focus their budget and priorities accordingly’ to encourage investment and regeneration in the town centre.

Councillor Shaun Gunner (Con, Rustington East) said although the idea was an improvement on previous initiatives, it was still not where it should be.

Mr Gunner said: “It’s a random, cobbled-together wishlist with no sense of urgency, coherency, priority. I’ve got no idea what it’s trying to achieve.

“I appreciate there clearly are ways we can all co-ordinate our actions in Littlehampton and I’ve got no doubt that this action group will be a way to do that, I think [this version] is not a good way to do that.”

Mike Northeast (Lab, Courtwick with Toddington) said the group needed to be ‘reduced down’ to prevent it becoming a ‘talking shop’ where nothing got done, saying this should be done once passed by the committee.

He added: “Yes, it is a wishlist, and you always start off with a wishlist. It will be whittled down into priorities and then into action.”

Members also raised the idea of establishing similar action groups for other towns and parishes in Arun.

Committee chair Roger Nash (Lab, Pevensey) said the plans were a ‘really good solid foundation to work from’, noting the group could change over time once passed.

Councillors James Walsh (LDem, Brookfield) and Christine Wiltshire (Lab, River) will be Arun District Council’s representatives on the board.