'Bognor needs to declare independence over Arun'

The many readers of the paper who have filled its columns with letters about the rejection of Asda's plans are wanted by the town's Civic Society.

Its meeting at 7.30pm next Tuesday at the Royal Norfolk Hotel is being devoted to finding a way to give Bognor greater independence.

Deputy chairman Hugh Coster said: "We want to know who is going to govern Bognor in Bognor's interests because Arun is not capable of doing that.

"We are going to instigate a debate on how Bognor, as the district's biggest town, can be put first and not run in the interests of someone based elsewhere.

"We have some ideas and we really want to spark a debate as to how to bring this about.

"We would like to issue a special invitation to all those who have written letters to the Observer about the Asda decision to come along.

"I didn't recognise any of the names as being Civic Society members but they are all clearly concerned, annoyed and upset about what has gone on."

The trigger for the debate has been Arun's rejection last month of Asda's plans for a 48,000sq ft store at Oldlands Farm off the A29 and the installation of services for a neighbouring business park.

However, the disaffection with the district council has echoes of the high-profile Out of Arun campaign which was based in Bognor in 1989-90.

This arose out of the anger at what was seen as Bognor's decline symbolised by the departure of Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer from the town centre.

The campaign lasted for a couple of years and staged some publicity-seeking stunts such as a series of town polls to seek the scrapping of Arun. It gained a lot of support around Bognor but failed in its ultimate objective.

Mr Coster said getting rid of the district council was one of the options which would be considered by the Civic Society.

Another more realistic proposal, would be to strengthen the powers of existing council arrangements such as the Joint Western Arun Area Committee, where parish, district and county councillors from the Bognor area sit together.

"It is a very good idea but it has no real teeth at the moment," he stated. "We think its role and influence could be extended.

"But, whatever happens, we want a situation where decisions about Bognor are being taken by councillors from the town.

"People are fed up with all the important matters which affect the town being decided by councillors from Littlehampton or even further afield. We saw that with the Asda vote, where nearly all those who voted against the plans came from outside Bognor.

"That vote was against the wishes of Bognor's residents and was a bad decision."

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