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Thursday, 2nd September 2010

VOTE: Findon protests ignored by West Sussex County Council

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"More matters are now being dealt with at county level, and decisions are being made by people more remote from local issues"
Maggie Winter, Findon Valley Residents' Assoc
Published Date:
02 July 2009
COUNTY HALL planners are "too remote" to make a right decision on many local issues.
That was the angry response from one of the objectors to the county council's go-ahead for a children and family centre in the grounds of the Vale School in Findon Valley.

West Sussex County Council planning committee approved the scheme on Tuesday, June 30.

Maggie Winter, planning spokesperson for Findon Valley Residents' Association, told the Herald the committee had not had all the relevant information.

Too remote

"More matters are now being dealt with at county level, and decisions are being made by people more remote from local issues," she said.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tim Loughton said: "This whole application has been a shambles.

"The county council have acted with breathtaking incompetence and, having been rumbled, have now voted themselves permission for this ill-judged project."

Protest meeting

A packed public meeting at Findon Valley Free Church on Friday, June 26 overwhelmingly rejected the plans as ill thought-out and in the wrong place.

Mr Loughton said no traffic studies had been conducted and lots of questions were left unanswered about who would use the new centre, how many and how often.

Vale School head Tony Lovatt promised to go back and review the application with his staff and governors.

Have your say

Do you think that County Hall planners are too remote to decide on controversial local issues?

The vote result was 85 per cent yes and 15 per cent no.

What do you think?

What problems would you foresee once the centre is built?

How do you think the planning process can be made easier?

Share your views, comment below, email the Herald or write in to Readers' Letters, Worthing Herald series, Cannon House, Chatsworth Road, Worthing, BN11 1NA.

A full name and address is required if letters are to be considered for publication.


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  • Last Updated: 18 August 2009 11:40 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Littlehampton
 
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1

Barry A Winter,

47 Hillview Road Findon Valley 03/07/2009 09:52:27
In my opinion this has been farcical from start to finish. At no time was there any intention of WSCC or the school to consult with the local community on this project. They is even contention as to who made the first approach, both parties accusing each other. How can the local community expect fair play with orgonisations such as this? A financial was struck and this has been admitted by the head teacher and chairman of the board of govenors in open meeting. Is there more to be said?
2

Barry A Winter,

03/07/2009 14:22:55
*Please enter your comment*
3

I only speak the truth,

Worthing 06/07/2009 12:45:00
There's a lack of flexibility when decisions are made. It does seem at times that council officials are so focused on the minutiae they fail to see the bigger picture.
4

Steve Norton,

06/07/2009 14:44:24
I still don't see any answers to the questions posed by The Herald (What problems would you foresee once the centre is built?
How do you think the planning process can be made easier?)

It's all very well to slag off the WSCC, but why exactly?

5

Findon Valley Resident ,

Worthing 11/08/2009 11:56:12
Your last writer is correct - WSCC may have not posted as many planning notices as everyone would have liked, but they acted lawfully. The residents have understandably raised concerns about additional traffic, noise, opening hours, user group, they have suggested alternatives sites, all of which have been explored and discounted as more unsuitable than the school site.
So what do the residents and local politcians want the services driven out of the Valley, parents travelling across town to other venues, because that is what will happen.

There are nearly a 1,000 under 5's in this area who need access to these services, they and their families must come first and whilst important the residents a close second.

Are our local members willing to see themselves associated with the loss of services, it's about time coucillors Reg Green and Clem Stevens looked further than listening to the loudest voices and our MP upheld democracy.

This application has been endorsed as acceptable by Worthing Councillors and approved by West Sussex Councillors at planning - are we to ignore these elected members - what does that say about democracy ?


Lets move on and ensure our families and children are well supported.
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