‘Pride in Worthing’ initiative launched to revitalise town centre

The Pride in Worthing initiative will see the council working with the community to make the town centre ‘cleaner, greener and better maintained’.

Discussions will be held this summer and autumn to develop a priority list of work to be done, including the creation of a more concentrated regular cleansing routine, according to Worthing Borough Council (WBC).

The authority said early priorities could include adding extra bins at the busiest locations, the installation of more seating, improved lighting and a greater focus on working with volunteers to tackle litter, graffiti, vandalism, weeding or fly-tipping more swiftly.

West Sussex County Council has also agreed to increase its work to tackle weeding and graffiti removal on its land, WBC said.

Alongside that, work will begin this week on a ‘masterplan’ for Worthing, to set out what Worthing needs, where the opportunities are and how the council will co-ordinate with partners to seek investment and deliver long-term growth for the borough.

Councillor Caroline Baxter, WBC leader, said: “I've been struck by just how much people care about Worthing.

"Everywhere I go, residents, businesses and community groups tell me they want to see a cleaner, greener and better-maintained town centre.

“Pride in Worthing is about bringing everyone together to make that happen and backing it with long-term investment and action. I’m inspired by the drive and passion of our community to see our town thrive and am committed to doing everything I can do to support that.”

Between September and March 2027, WBC will invest £175,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding – money paid by developers when they complete projects – into the work. A further £200,000 of CIL funding is earmarked to be spent in the town centre in 2027/28, along with £500,000 in 2028/29, according to the authority.

The funding includes £310,000 that was previously set aside for the lido regeneration project, which ‘will not be needed for the lido work before 2028’, according to WBC.

However, Worthing Green and Independents Alliance councillors said they feel the decision to divert funds away from the Lido reflects ‘a failure to develop a credible long-term funding strategy for one of Worthing's most important heritage assets’.

A spokesperson for the opposition group said: “While the council insists the overall Lido programme remains unchanged, the decision has raised concerns that political pressure for visible short-term projects is being prioritised over the sustained investment required to secure the future of the Grade II listed structure.”

A WBC spokesperson added: “The council remains committed to restoring the lido, with £1.29 million already highlighted for the project this year, while it continues to pursue the significant external funding needed to deliver the scheme.”

Separately, WBC is reviewing ‘whether other funding streams could deliver greater benefits for residents if they were spent on town centre projects rather than other work’. So far, £50,000 of such funding has been identified for town centre work this financial year.

The authority said ‘Pride in Worthing’ builds on last year’s commitment of funding to make the seafront and town centre more attractive to visitors and residents, including repairing and repainting benches, railings and bins across the town centre, as well as the refurbishment of some seafront shelters and the introduction of new wayfinding monoliths at key sites.