Pagham's newchairman, newname, new future

Jim France was elected to lead the Pagham and District Association at a special meeting of members.

As well as agreeing to Mr France's appointment, the few members present decided on the name change from the traditional Pagham and Nyetimber Residents' Association.

Secretary Ann Rowles said: 'We are definitely more confident about the future of the association than we were before the meeting.

'Now we have a chairman we can very much start looking to the future.

'One of the things we will be seeking to do is to increase the scope of our social activities.'

Pagham resident Mr France has belonged to the association for the past two-and-a-half years.

A change of personal plans meant he was unable to become chairman last year as he intended.

This led to stalwart committee member Denys Rowthorne taking on the position temporarily to enable the association to continue. He stood down from the role at the special meeting. The organisation was formed some 40 years ago as the Pagham and Nyetimber Residents' Association. One of its main activities is a regular minibus service which takes its members shopping in Bognor Regis and Chichester.

Total membership stands at some 3,000, but the number of active individuals has declined in recent years.

To counter this trend, the association's committee decided to seek a change in the name and constitution to encompass members who live outside the boundary of Pagham and Nyetimber.

This expansion was agreed at the special meeting to recognise the enlargement several years ago of the area's district council electoral ward to include Rose Green.

Making the change enables about 30 individuals who live in Rose Green to become full members and play an active role rather than be restricted to associate member status.

Another alteration agreed at the special meeting was to enable the annual meeting to be held on a date different from the traditional one in late April.