Articles for the past week:

Leader:  Teville Gate – it’s in the post      

News this past week:
1. Improved Car Sales Are Good News For The Environment
2. Worthing Borough IT Fails Again
3. Pledge To Keep Closer Check on Tree Diseases
4. Baroness To Speak At Annual Dinner
5. New Broadwater Surgery At Muldoons

WORTHING LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
                                       6TH TO 13TH JANUARY 2013

Lib Dems will keep Worthing’s services local

Lib Dems will get on with bringing our town into the 21st century – no more dither and delay

Lib Dems will ensure ‘We are all in it together’ – no more waste and high pay

Lib Dems are the only opposition in Worthing – Labour can’t win here

Lib Dems support 20 mph in Worthing’s residential roads

Leader:  Teville Gate – it’s in the post

December 2012 saw the release of the 8th Annual Monitoring Report from Worthing Borough Council’s Planning Department.  The key stated aim of the document is to share with the community what planning is doing and the difference it is making.   The document also seeks to monitor the effectiveness of the Worthing Core Strategy.  Development sites are divided into West Durrington and 12 areas of change (AOCs) – AOC 5 is Teville Gate.  The key objectives/opportunities for Teville Gate are “Opportunity to improve the entry into the town centre and to set high standards of design and development, through a mix of uses, including leisure, retail, and residential development, creating a landmark tall building in Worthing.”  The current position is stated as: “The landowner, (Hanson Capital Management Ltd.) has confirmed their
intention to bring the site forward for development as quickly as possible.”

The first Annual Monitoring Report issued in 2005 said for Teville Gate: “The new owner of the site has demolished the empty shops prior to redevelopment.”  Not much more has happened in seven years – only continued promises of development “as quickly as possible”.  Worthing Liberal Democrats believe Worthing residents deserve more – firstly to know what are the realistic possibilities of development, secondly for more “hands on” assistance from the Council and thirdly much more community involvement.

With that in mind we have put pen to paper and have written the following letter this week to Hanson:

Hanson Capital Management                                                             18 Woodlea Road

Office 8                                                                                                        Worthing

Constitution House                                                                               West Sussex   BN13 1BN

8A Station Road

Hinckley

Leicestershire   LE10 1AW                                                                            7th January 2013

Attention: John Desmond

Dear Sirs,

Re: Worthing Gateway Project – Teville Gate

One of the questions we are most often asked as Councillors is what is happening about Teville Gate as the Worthing Gateway project has been promised for some years now but little appears to be actually happening on the ground.

This project has the potential to give a much needed injection of new lifeblood into the town and it is fully in the interest of the residents to see a successful conclusion.  Worthing Liberal Democrats have a third of the places on Worthing Borough Council but being in the minority feel we are often left in the dark as are our residents.  There is little or no opportunity to give input or make suggestions to you as developers on how to take this forward.

We would like to rectify that situation by inviting you to a meeting with community groups, businesses and local government representatives to discuss the current status and possible resolutions.

To facilitate this event it would be helpful to know which date in late January to mid February would be convenient for your nominated representatives to attend this meeting.  On receipt of this information we will proceed with the relevant organisation and advise you of the venue.  We anticipate that a maximum of twenty-five community representatives will be present and the meeting would commence by 1000 hours and conclude no later than 1500 hours inclusive of light refreshments.

To discuss this initiative further please contact me by telephone, mobile or e-mail.

With thanks in advance,

Yours faithfully

Alan Rice

Leader of Worthing Borough Council Liberal Democrat Group

Telephone:  01903 603767

Mobile:        07951 165120

E-Mail:        a.rice83@ntlworld.com

Hopefully by next week we will be able to report the response.

Worthing Liberal Democrats  

NEWS FROM THE PAST WEEK

IMPROVED CAR SALES ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Monday 7th January – An acceleration in new car sales will reap green benefits, Catherine Bearder MEP has insisted today. Catherine has backed European Union legislation aimed at setting higher standards for the fuel efficiency of cars. And new figures show new car registrations jumped 5.3 per cent in the UK in 2012, as people traded in older cars for modern replacements. Targets for the next five years mean by 2020 drivers should be saving more than £400 per year, while contributing to a reduction in global warming.
Catherine said: “Over the last five years EU measures have required a 15 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and reduced carbon dioxide emissions for all new cars sold anywhere in the 27 member states. “It means a better deal for drivers and the environment. I regularly hear from constituents about the high cost of fuel is causing serious problems in their day-to-day lives. When people trade up to a newer car they want to see an immediate payback by filling their fuel tank less often for the same distance travelled. EU laws that force car manufacturers to up their game and produce cars that go further on less fuel will save commuters hundreds of pounds and cut down on carbon dioxide emissions at the same time. If Britain were to withdraw from the EU we would lose any chance of shaping the rules in future”  (Catherine Bearder – Press Release)

WORTHING IT FAILS AGAIN  

Tuesday 8th January – Worthing Borough Councillors and Officers lost their e-mail again this morning after another IT failure.  As happened before electronic diaries cannot be accessed, rooms cannot be booked and theatre bookings cannot be made. The e-mail service was intermittent yesterday and extremely slow when available.  Worthing Lib Dem Councillor Keith Sunderland has called for an Adur & Worthing Joint Overview & Scrutiny review of the continuing issue.  The request for the review will be put to the committee at their next meeting on Thursday January 31st.

PLEDGE TO KEEP CLOSER CHECK ON TREE DISEASES

Tuesday 8th January – A new Europe-wide surveillance regime is being considered to prevent spread of diseases such as Ash Tree Dieback, the European Commission has said. Catherine Bearder, an MEP for South East England, wrote to the commission after 100,000 trees were destroyed in the UK to stop the spread of the Chalara fraxinea fungus. A string of EU countries were also hit by the disease and Catherine asked if a new alert system could be introduced to trigger action when outbreaks occurred. The commission told Catherine the EU plant health regime was responsible for monitoring flora and fauna across member states, but only checked on a limited number of “regulated harmful organisms”. However, it said in an official response: “The commission is considering to propose an EU wide annual surveillance regime in all member states for all regulated harmful organisms and harmful organisms which are found for the first time in an area of the EU.” Catherine called for action after the Ash Tree Dieback outbreak in November.
Catherine said: “Protecting biodiversity is of paramount importance. We must do all we can to protect our trees and woodland, which are also home to a wide range of species. It is not something our environment can afford to lose and future diseases must be nipped in the bud before they can spread. I am glad the commission is looking to improve its monitoring procedures. I firmly believe the European Union is best placed to share information and to make sure the continent’s biodiversity is protected.”  (Catherine Bearder – Press Release)

BARONESS TO SPEAK AT ANNUAL DINNER  

Thursday 10th January – Baroness Sally Hamwee is to speak at this year’s Worthing West Lib Dems Annual Dinner. The Baroness is the Lib Dems lead spokesperson on Home Affairs in the House of Lords and  formerly shared the Chair of the London Assembly from its establishment in 2000 until the June 2004 GLA elections. The Annual Dinner is to be held at the Beechwood Hall Hotel on Thursday February 7th at
7.30 pm and booking is highly recommended.  Tickets at £30 each can be obtained from Jackie Cranefield – telephone: 01903 266143, mobile: 07973 961003 or e-mail: jackie@cranefield.freeserve.co.uk

NEW BROADWATER SURGERY AT MULDOONS  

Friday 11th January – Broadwater Lib Dem Borough Councillor Victoria Taylor is pleased to announce a new Lib Dem surgery will be held every first Saturday of the month at Muldoons Coffee Shop, Cricketers Parade, Broadwater from 3.00 to 4.00 pm.  Everyone is welcome – please drop by for a coffee and a chat whether you have a pressing problem or not.

DIARY
Tuesday 15th January – WSCC Planning Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Wednesday 16th January – WSCC Environmental and Community Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Wednesday 16th January – WBC Planning Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm
Wednesday 16th January – Lib Dem Northbrook/Durrington Ward Surgery – The Durrington Community Centre, New Road 7.30 to 8.30 pm
Thursday 17th January – WSCC Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Thursday 17th January – ADC & WBC Joint Governance & Audit Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.30 pm
Saturday 19th January – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – St Richards Church, Maybridge at 10.00 am to 10.30 am
Saturday 19th January – Lib Dem Selden Ward Surgery – Jason’s Cafe, Ham Road at 10.00 am to 11.00 am
and every second Saturday of the month
Saturday 19th January – Lib Dem Gaisford/Tarring Castle Wards Surgery – West Worthing Baptist Church, South Street, Tarring 10.30 am to 12.00 noon

FURTHER AHEAD
Monday 21st January – WSCC Governance Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm
Wedenesday 23rd January – WSCC Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Wednesday 23rd January – WBC Licensing Control B – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.00 pm
Thursday 24th January – WSCC Policy and Resources Select Committee – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Thursday 24th January – ADC & WBC Joint Strategic Committee – Council Chamber, Adur Civic Centre at 6.30 pm
Monday 28th January – WSCC Pensions Panel – County Hall, Chichester at 10.30 am
Wednesday 30th January – WSCC Worthing County Local Committee – Venue TBC at 7.00 pm
Thursday 31st January – WSCC Shadow West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board – County Hall, Chichester at 2.15 pm
Thursday 31st January – ADC & WBC Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee – Gordon Room, Town Hall at 6.30 pm
Saturday 2nd February – Lib Dem Castle Ward Surgery – The Strand Parade shops at 10.00 am to 11.00 am
and every first Saturday of the month
Saturday 2nd February – Lib Dem Central Ward Surgery – Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road 10.30 am to 12.00 noon
and every first Saturday of the month
Saturday 2nd February – Lib Dem Broadwater Ward Surgery – Muldoons Coffee Shop, Cricketers Parade, Broadwater 3.00 to 4.00 pm
and every first Saturday of the month
Thursday 7th February – Worthing West Lib Dems Annual Dinner with speaker Baroness Sally Hamwee – Beechwood Hall Hotel at 7.00 for 7.30 pm
Tickets at £30 each are avilable from Jackie Cranefield – telephone: 01903 266143, mobile: 07973 961003 or e-mail: jackie@cranefield.freeserve.co.uk
Saturday 9th February – Lib Dem Selden Ward Surgery – Jason’s Cafe, Ham Road at 10.00 am to 11.00 am
and every second Saturday of the month

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Published and promoted by Worthing Liberal Democrats, 18 Woodlea Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN13 1BN

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