Let's work together for sake of our town

I really don’t want to see my campaign being an attack on the Civic Society – I believe if there is a democratic body wanting to encourage debate that this should be encouraged.

In this spirit I have attempted to join the Civic Society because you can’t just ‘grandstand’ unless you are prepared to engage.

Unfortunately, the society has taken exemption to my bid to join them stating in a letter that ‘membership should only be open to those actively furthering the purposes of the society’.

Hugh Coster thinks that all members should vote on this issue, which sounds very democratic until you understand what is really happening, we don’t know how many members Civic has, we don’t know what their constitution is and we don’t know how many people elected the current officers.

Is Civic a democratic society or a group of self-appointed cabal?

On the website for the Civic Society it states that it is the ‘voice of the people’ but until the Civic Society is transparent on their governance arrangements they can’t occupy the moral high ground and cannot claim to be the voice of the people above groups like BRighter Bognor or elected councillors.

So, I challenge members of Civic to allow me to join and other people who believe in democratic debate so we can join together for a better Bognor Regis.

Cllr Paul Dendle

Prospective Conservative Candidate for

Arun DC