‘Solid start’ for Littlehampton’s blueprint

The town council reports a “solid” start for the first three public consultations, for people living in the eastern part of River ward, for Brookfield ward residents and for town traders.

A spokeswoman for the council said the meetings had generated “interesting discussions on the town and its future”.

Councillor Jill Long, chairman of the town council’s planning and transportation committee, who is overseeing the neighbourhood plan, said: “Although we have not seen a huge turnout at our events yet, the people who have attended are very enthusastic about the town with lots of ideas emerging.

“It is important that people attend to let us know how they want their town to develop.”

The consultation meetings, which are continuing over the next few weeks (see below), will help to shape what the town council hopes will be a “people’s plan”, setting out how residents want Littlehampton to develop in the future, in line with the government’s localism agenda.

The plan will be published next year and a local referendum will be held giving residents the opportunity to vote on whether it should be accepted.

Already the council has used a questionnaire to seek out people’s views on issues ranging from jobs and homes to tourism, health care, education, public transport and the town centre.

The questionnaire was distributed to 11,500 homes across the town with the council’s Progress newsletter, with 230 returned.

Nikkie Enticknap, services manager for the town council, said: “We have had some very good responses from the questionnaires, especially from people we have never heard from before.

“People are very positive about the town and what they like about Littlehampton.

“They have come up with some very interesting ideas for the future and want to engage with us and take part in the debate.”

Further meetings are planned as follows:

November 22, Ham ward, 4-7pm at the Wickbourne Centre; November 28, River ward (west), 4-7pm, Arun Yacht Club, December 1, Wick with Toddington ward (north of the A259), 4-7pm, Wick Football Club; December 6, Beach ward, 4-7pm, Norfolk Gardens Café; December 10, town-wide event, 10am-1pm, New Millennium Chamber, Manor House, Church Street.

The town council will also be in attendance on Friday next week at the Christmas lights switch-on event in High Street, from 5-7pm.