In Bloom money "well spent"

HAVING been born in Zachary Merton Hospital, I was very interested in the letter (Gazette, January 28) from David Beckingham, treasurer of the hospital's League of Friends, complaining about the lack of support from Rustington Parish Council.

I made a Freedom of Information request to Rustington Parish Council and found, to my surprise, that no organisation associated with the hospital has applied for a grant at all in the last 10 years.

Looking further into the wild accusations of Mr Beckingham, I discovered that the parish council, during 2008/09, spent 6,789.37 on the In Bloom competitions, 3,567.07 of which was raised through special events by volunteer groups and sponsors, helping to make Rustington the stunning village it is.

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Therefore, the parish council was spending only 3,222.30, or 0.59 per cent of the annual budget, on projects that involved various community groups, including schools, etc.

If I were a council tax payer in Rustington, I would deem that money very well spent. I am not sure if I would be so pleased if they spent similar amounts on a NHS facility that serves people from outside their community. Indeed, I suspect that the majority of patients at that hospital are not from Rustington.

The point of that discrimination is not to belittle the hospital, its staff, its volunteers or supporters, but to highlight the fact that the parish council's role is to support the council tax-paying community of its parish.

Public services, be they hospitals, roads, drains, police, fire service, etc., come under altogether different budgets and are outside the direct remit of any parish council. If Zachary Merton wants a grant from the parish council, apply for one!

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Rustington Parish Council probably doesn't hold grudges despite silly, thoughtless attacks in the paper. But don't forget to also apply to Littlehampton Town Council, Angmering Parish Council, East Preston, Arundel, Ford, etc., from where patients at the hospital also come.

Steve Harris

Tideway

Littlehampton

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