Agenda item

Public Question Time

So as to provide the best opportunity for the Committee to provide the public with the fullest answer, questions from the public should be submitted by 12.00pm Tuesday 15 September

 

Where relevant notice of a question has not been given, the person presiding may either choose to give a response at the meeting or respond by undertaking to provide a written response within three working days.

 

Questions should be submitted to Democratic Services democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk

 

(Note: Public Question Time will operate for a maximum of 30 minutes.)

Minutes:

A Member of the public asked the following question: It has been clear for some years among residents that Worthing Town Centre is in decline. The empty shops and sparse social spaces suggest our current approach to regeneration is failing. Everyone can see this. Will we now see a move away from big ticket developments that lie in eternal limbo like Portland Road and Teville Gate toward supporting smaller regeneration projects to revamp a post-retail town centre? Members were told that the Council had been focusing on a number of initiatives to support the town centre. Outside of the major sites referenced there had been ongoing maintenance of our seafront and town centre which supports the overall look and feel. Not all of this was in the Council’s control as WSCC and the TCI also have a responsibility for the look and feel of our town centre spaces. The town centre delivery was complex as 99% of the commercial buildings in the town centre are privately owned, and therefore have the challenge of attracting new retail / uses with their commercial agents. The Council was stepping in and assisting in the process to stimulate the market - the new HISBE store in Portland Road is a good example whereby the Council have supported their move from Brighton. In terms of the major schemes, there was a focus on these as we believe these will create a step change for the  town centre. Portland Road public realm scheme, which was back on track and would be delivered in 2021, will create a step change in appearance.

 

A Member of the public asked the following question:  In the recent Which survey of people who had visited Worthing, we were rated 2/5 for attractions and we lay near the bottom of the table for national seaside towns. What regeneration is now in place to remedy visitor’s experience when they come to Worthing? The Exec Member told the committee that the survey was conducted over the winter 19/20. There had been other seaside towns that had a higher percentage because so few people had responded. The Exec Member asked people to ask themselves was Worthing a seaside town or a town by the sea, a holiday destination or a short staycation or day trip location. Worthing did not traditionally have a long two week vacation industry and whatever was put into the town needed to address the needs of the type of visitor who came. The traditional visitor base was from Guilford and south London area. One of the highest scores from the quoted survey was connected to the seafront which scored 4 out of 5 stars. The Council worked hard to enhance the seafront with such things as the observation wheel and the outside circus, along with concessions and accessibility. It was remarked that if compared with other West Sussex Coastal towns (in the survey) Worthing was only marginally behind other big seaside towns such as Brighton and ahead of Towns such as Bognor and littlehampton. It was acknowledged that there was a lot of work to be done but the Exec Member did not see the pessimistic outlook put by the questioner. 

 

A Member of the Public asked the following question: As education liaison what are your thoughts as the a27 route being deemed a safe route to walk to school from Shoreham to Lancing, as assessed by the West Sussex transport team?

We  believe that it is not safe due to speeding traffic, narrow pavements, high pollution levels, difficult crossings and lack of crash barriers, but that the risks have increased further due to additional works traffic for the Monks farm development, the difficulty of social distancing on narrow pavements and the increased risk of pollution on children’s health due to Covid 19.  What can you do to assist us with progressing this with WSCC officers? The Executive Member stated that he did not believe that the route was totally unsafe but there was no question that it could be made safer. With the Development of new monks farm there would be safer routes built. There were significant improvements being made to the road as part of the New Monks Farm Development and there were further plans associated with improvement if the A27 that would improve things further. The Councildid understand that improvements could be made and these matters were being taken up with the relevant authorities Highways England and West Sussex County Council.