Bognor people will have their say about how many is spent in the town

The pledge has been made by Arun District Council’s leader, Gillian Brown.

She said it was misinformed speculation the town’s views would be shunned when the projects to be backed were agreed in a process which involved the Bognor Regis Regeneration Board of public, private and voluntary sector members.

“The detailed processes for determining how to decide which projects should be funded and to what extent has yet to be drafted and agreed.

“At its meeting on December 13, cabinet will consider a framework from which a process can be developed based on a report delivered by the chief executive.

“The report proposes that the decision-making framework does include the Bognor Regis sub-committee, continuing to develop the relationship between it and the board, and which Arun has utilised.

“Therefore, the board recommendations would go to the sub-committee for its consideration and comment,” she said.

“This, in turn, will aid the cabinet member for regeneration, leisure and tourism – Cllr Norman Dingemans – in his capacity to approve any section 106 expenditure in the programme up to £50,000.

“This is in full accord with the process for the use of any S106 funding agreed by the council earlier this year.”

Cllr Mrs Brown said she hoped Bognor’s residents would be reassured about the openness of the process by which the money would be spent.

It was the district council’s intention ‘to provide all interested parties with the opportunity to voice their opinion and help to direct this exciting opportunity for the town’.

Cllr Mrs Brown said she was saddened by what she described as mostly speculation and criticism about how the decisions about spending money from the development of the former Lec site for a Sainsbury’s store would be made.

Sainsbury’s has agreed to pay £500,000 as part of its commitment to return to Bognor to help the town centre overcome any impact from its new store on Shripney Road.