Concerns at lack of Bognor Regis beach patrol officers a ‘storm in a teacup’

A foreshore team of around ten members usually patrols the beaches during the summer.

Last year, though, the service was reduced and this year no staff have yet been taken on because of the pandemic- a decision branded ‘dangerous’ by one of the Littlehampton foreshore team.

But during a meeting of the cabinet this week, Dr James Walsh stressed that there were no plans to alter the budget for the teams and that, if the situation was normal, the council would want to recruit staff.

He said: “The situation last year was that we only had beach inspectors for a very short time because they were all of an age – or with medical conditions – that required shielding and they were not available for beach patrol last year.

“We are still in the situation because of the Covid pandemic, they are not able to recruit for these posts at the current time.”

Dr Walsh added that recruiting would not start ‘unless and until the Covid-19 emergency is over and the decision is taken by officers and the cabinet to proceed’.

With people likely to concentrate on UK holidays this year, should the pandemic allow, the need for beach patrols will be high.

David Edwards (Con, Felpham East) suggested the council should start lining up staff now so there would be ‘something in place when it’s needed’.

Philippa Dart, director of services, told the meeting that the situation was ‘under review’, adding: “We have to be very careful in the middle of a pandemic and risk assess staff appropriately before recruiting and employing staff.”

Beach patrol officers are recruited on a temporary basis every year from April to September.

While lifeguards concentrate on the safety of people in the water, the patrol officers move along the beach to make sure the public are staying safe on the seafront.