Delay the consultation

I SUGGEST Arun extend (or put back) the public consultation period for the Local Plan by a couple of weeks into September. It runs right over the school summer holidays, and this year it will be particularly difficult for families and grandparents with children to access any local public consultation events owing to pre-occupation with the Olympics, as well as family holidays and the usual juggling of work and childcare.

Parish councils do not usually meet in August so there will be no opportunity for public input through their meetings. It will be awkward for them to consult local people and organise their response in this timescale.

Councillors are unpaid volunteers and they are currently working on the Neighbourhood Plans which feed into the LDF, points which also need to be taken into account. I gather some information which will inform the consultation is not yet available (eg a road study) so an early start is not possible.

Previously there has been considerable interest in the local plan and it would be a shame to make it difficult for people when everyone should be encouraged to take active interest and the concerns about recent flooding.

Our district councillor kindly raised this with the council but had a very negative response, which is somewhat worrying.

I suggest more thought to the timetable.

Louise Beaton

Nyton Road,

Aldingbourne