No to a new site

However, I would like to remind her that last year Arun District Council did, in fact, ballot local residents regarding the future of the centre, the result being a unanimous vote in favour of retaining and investing in improving the existing premises.

Unfortunately, this so-called democratic ballot, in reality, turned out to be a complete and utter con, because, as we all now know, Arun has chosen to ignore the wishes of the local community and to waste time having endless meetings to eventually decide among themselves which option to go for.

However, it was refreshing to see that at least one of our councillors, Dr James Walsh, chairman of the leisure, tourism and infrastructure working group, had the courage to question the whole democratic process in Arun!

Even Arun cabinet member, councillor Paul Dendle admitted, in an email quoted in the Gazette (June 19) that ‘yet again, Arun’s cabinet has failed to listen to the will of the people. They are forever getting it wrong’.

He added that, in his opinion, the employment of private consultants was ‘a con’ and gave people ‘an unrealistic expectation’.

Here again, I agree with Mr Dendle, but for the additional reason that I think it is a complete waste of council tax payers’ money to employ outside consultants when Arun has its own planning department staffed by highly qualified people who are quite capable of doing the same job .

However, I profoundly disagree with his comments that the town needs a new leisure centre and that the current site could be redeveloped with a possible two or three-storey flat complex. Indeed, one might even be forgiven for thinking that Mr Dendle’s latter comment could well be the main reason why some of our councillors are supporting the option of relocating the leisure centre elsewhere.

Surely, though, as Rachael Howard suggests ‘the current site is ideal because you can use the facilities, visit the beach, go to Mewsbrook Park, ride the mini-railway, etc. and if the leisure centre is relocated to the other side of Lyminster crossing, how is that making it more accessible?’

I would add that the existing centre is on a regular bus route and has almost unlimited parking spaces.

John Kerry

Emmabrook Court

Rustington

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