Tough decision

I would like to assure any residents who may doubt my resolve to work and protect the interests of Angmering that I stand firm by my election pledges, in that I am completely against unsustainable development within the village and that my abstention at the Arun District Council’s local plan sub-committee was done with the best interests of the area at my heart.

I believe that this particular stance allows me to fight another day by continuing to work hard to ensure the very best for the village.

If I had voted against, it could have meant that I may be omitted from future meetings that related to any developments being proposed for Angmering and, I can once again assure you, I am not and never will be, in favour of unsustainable development.

The Arun area is between a rock and a hard place, with SHMA figures that have been reinforced by the latest study, with central Government’s housing agenda to ensure housing numbers are met and, of course, the developers who are besieging our area.

We all need Arun District Council to have a robust local plan, otherwise our area’s housing numbers will be dictated by developers who will try and build on every open piece of land they can find.

They could win on appeal, which would definitely mean unsustainable development, with no infrastructure, no schools and no benefit for the affected communities.

I want to assure you, once again, that I am representing the community who voted me in to office, to work hard on your behalf to ensure that whatever happens, moving forward, is the best for the area, with all the benefits its needs and deserves.

It is my intention to keep fighting for Angmering and, as I have said to many, on the

surface it may have seemed that I had sold out, but I certainly did not and would not.

I will continue to welcome the residents of Angmering to hold me to account and to ensure that I work hard on their behalf.

Andy Cooper

councillor for Angmering