Greater Brighton leaders welcome 'unique opportunity' to transform key port town

“A unique opportunity to create jobs and regenerate a whole town” - that’s the view of Greater Brighton leaders after meeting the people tasked with transforming Newhaven into a great place to live and work.

Home to one of just 44 Enterprise Zones in England, the port town is undergoing a period of rapid change which will see thousands of jobs created and millions invested into the local economy.

A year on from the Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) going live, Councillor Garry Wall, chairman of Greater Brighton, and Councillor Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District Council, were given an update on the progress by its programme director Corinne Day.

During a tour of the town, businesses and residents spoke about the impact of the investment so far, which has seen the creation of new business, jobs and workspaces.

Cllr Wall, who is also Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said: “My everlasting impression from my visit is that there's massive potential in Newhaven. This means there’s a considerable opportunity for businesses to invest in Newhaven; to get government agencies, such as Coast to Capital and Greater Brighton to help bring those investments forward; and for Newhaven to take its rightful place as a major contributor the regional economy.

“Greater Brighton needs to continue to grow, it needs to look at where it can make those growth points and Newhaven is clearly one of them. The opportunity here is unique - one that will create jobs and regenerate a whole town. It’s therefore vital that we do what we can to get the development right for residents and businesses.”

The NEZ was established as a three-way agreement between the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, Lewes District Council and Government, with the support of Greater Brighton.

Covering eight sites and 79 hectares in the town, the NEZ acts as a catalyst to deliver new economic development opportunities. The aim is that within 25 years it will create 55,000 square metres of new commercial floor space for employment to sustain around 2,000 jobs.

During the visit, the two council leaders saw progress on some of the £30 million that has already been invested in the area - with critical flood defences created, new business units built and key regeneration sites unlocked.

The tour also took in the the site of a new £23 million port access road, which received £10 million of government funding last month. This will provide direct access to the East Quay area of Newhaven Port unlocking 80,000 square metres of business space, generating up to 1,500 jobs and taking HGV traffic away from unsuitable roads in the town.

Another area visited was the town centre, which will be the focus of a £38 million mixed-use scheme to create hundreds of jobs in the construction, retail and hotel sectors, while generating an extra £100 million of inward investment into the local economy.

Cllr Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District Council, said: “What we’ve seen is that the Newhaven Enterprise Zone isn't just the public sector working together; this is about the private sector coming in and working with us. By far the most amount of money coming into the town is coming from the private pocket.

“We want to deliver 2,000 jobs but we also want to deliver improvements to people's lives. This will become a great income generator for the area and a great wealth generator for its local people."

The Greater Brighton delegation also heard that a key part of Enterprise Zones is business rates discounts worth up to £275,000 over five years while pre-planning fees on employment led schemes are also waived.

One of those taking advantage is ValetPRO, who provide vehicle cleaning products across Europe. The company relocated to Newhaven this year from Uckfield, doubling the size of its warehouse to 12,000 square metres.

Milton Watts, ValetPRO’s operating manager, said: “The business rate relief was a significant reason for moving here as it allowed us to use that money to invest in other parts of the business, such as warehouse facilities.”

Sara Williams, of local business The Patchwork Cat, which is a cafe and fabric shop, said: “Newhaven has got huge potential. I think by bringing new businesses to the town and people having faith in the town it will be back to where it was - a good thriving town.”

Corinne Day, NEZ programme director, said: “It was great to welcome two board members from Greater Brighton to see the ongoing work in the Enterprise Zone.

“We want to tidy this place up - not just beautify, but give it a real sense of place so when people come here they want to stay. We want Newhaven to be somewhere that’s known for what it's about.”

Rough sleeping funding boost for Worthing Council

Worthing Borough Council leaders have welcomed extra funding to support rough sleepers across our communities.

The government yesterday pledged more than £340,000 to the council which will ensure it can continue offering vital support until the spring of 2020.

As is the case with many places across the UK, rough sleeping in Worthing is on the rise. Council leaders said the cash boost would ensure it could continue to provide accessible alternatives to sleeping on the streets for those in need.

Councillor Heather Mercer, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Customer Services, said: “We very much welcome this announcement from the government. It allows us to continue our work supporting those who find themselves on the streets and people at risk of rough sleeping to ensure they can access the right support at the right time.”

Worthing was one of 84 council across the UK to benefit from funding which was announced by communities secretary James Brokenshire yesterday (September 5th, 2018).

The £34 million pot covers the 2019/20 financial year and is aimed at areas which have the highest numbers of rough sleepers in the country.

The funding comes on the back of £271,000 which was awarded to the Council in June for the current year.

Money is being used to fund a dedicated rough sleeper coordinator as well as outreach workers to provide greater support to those in need, particularly in remote locations.

Assessment beds for new rough sleepers and those discharged from hospital or mental health units will continue while two longer term temporary accommodation units have been established.

A dedicated employment and skills coach has also been hired to support individuals into work.

Other schemes will see the council work with voluntary and community sector organisations to run emergency night shelters in cold weather and offer support for those at risk of tenancies being ended.

The schemes will be well used, as recent figures showed the number of rough sleepers in Worthing increased from 24 in 2016 to 35 in 2017.

Cllr Mercer said: “There is no doubt that numbers of rough sleepers are on the rise in Worthing, as they are in other coastal towns across the UK. This is due to a ‘perfect storm’ of high rents, a limited supply of affordable housing and changes to the benefits system.

“We have also changed the way in which we are getting this data with an approach based on evidence rather than headcounts meaning we can reach more people, particularly those in remote locations.

“We remain committed to keep on working with our valued partners to do everything we can to support rough sleepers.”

Work underway on Shoreham Memorial site

Work to create a permanent memorial to those who died in the Shoreham Airshow Disaster has reached a significant milestone with work now underway on site.

Adur District Council has commissioned local artists David Parfitt and Jane Fordham to create a fitting tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic incident in August 2015.

The centrepiece will be 11 individually crafted arches, one for each of the victims, which will be positioned on the east bank of the River Adur near the iconic Shoreham Tollbridge.

Ahead of installation taking place in the autumn, contractors began preparatory work this week meaning the memorial is beginning to take shape.

Speaking on site about the work, David said: “We’ve reached a milestone moment with the memorial as the concrete base has been installed and a path created which will allow disabled access to the site.

“The surface of the concrete will be mosaic and constructed using a combination of pale natural stones, which will be one of the things will be working on next.

“We also hope to encourage the planting to naturally form around the site so it will nestle in nicely with its wider environment.”

The concept of an installation on the banks of the river was chosen by the families of the victims, who have been critical to the design process as the scheme has developed.

Jane and David have spent the past few weeks working with each of the victim’s families to ensure the design of each of the metal arches reflects the personality of their loved one.

Jane said: “We've been doing a lot of the behind the scenes work. Although we are on site now and there are foundations down, what we've been doing most of recently is meeting with the families and being in contact with everybody to begin making the designs for each arch.

“All the drawings are in now in process and we'll be sending them back to the families little by little. That will give us the information we need to build the profiles for the arches and then we can go into the production phase in the coming weeks.”

Each arch will be about four-metres high and positioned close together on a concrete base to create a framed view onto the tranquil riverbank.

A specially designed memorial bench is to be installed close by allowing people to sit and reflect.

On the west side of the river a series of small points of light, again numbering eleven, will hang on reed-like structures swaying gently in the wind.

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council's Executive Member for Environment, said:

“The Shoreham Airshow disaster had a profound effect not only on those families who lost loved ones but the wider community.

“Jane and David have created a wonderful piece of outdoor art which will not only be a fitting tribute to the victims but accessible to all when they visit this beautiful environment.”

The money for the sculptures was raised by officers of Adur District Council and included donations from the Council, Worthing Borough Council, West Sussex County Council, Brighton and Hove City Council and local businesses.

Good causes and community groups across Adur receive vital cash-boost

A wide range of local projects have been awarded funds under Adur District Council’s Community Grants scheme, recognising the vital part played by voluntary, community and social enterprises in the life of the district.

Over the past ten years, Adur Community Grants has given over £600,000 to around 200 groups, enabling them to try something new or continue a much-needed service locally.

Following a decision made earlier this month, eight groups have received funding as part of the 2018/19 Grants budget. The funds will help to reach the most vulnerable and in need of support across Adur.

Councillor David Simmons, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“Adur has a vibrant and diverse community and voluntary sector. Hundreds of charities and groups help our residents to prosper, thrive, and be healthy and happy. Many of these groups are running on no monetary income and are hugely dependent on the time and commitment of dedicated volunteers. Our Community Grants help to show just how much Adur Council values the sector, and we are proud to be supporting them in this way.”

One of the projects to receive funding is the Grace Eyre Foundation. The Foundation has been awarded £2,500 to continue its work to reduce social isolation for those with learning disabilities in the local area. Lynn Stevens, the Foundation’s Fundraising Manager, said:

“Grace Eyre’s vision is a society where people with learning disabilities are respected as equal citizens, are part of and contribute to their communities, and where people can fulfil their dreams and wishes. We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded this grant to help kick-start new friendship group for people with learning disabilities in Adur, and we look forward to working closely with Sustainable Sussex.”

Sustainable Sussex is another project to receive funding, which works with mixed needs groups on sustainable projects in Sompting and Worthing. It has been allocated £1,000 to help continue its work to provide meaningful real-work experience, education and employment to people who find access to the workplace difficult. Project Leader Keith Colin said:

“The Adur Community Grant will help us to engage more people on our projects locally, as we move our office to Sompting Estate.  As a grass-roots project, small funding pots like Adur Community Grants are essential to our success as we grow.  We have limited resources but with support like this we are able to grow our projects, the people who make them happen, and our connections in the community.”

The full list of those allocated funds is:

The Angling Trust Sussex Marine Region – awarded £1,000

International Neighbours – awarded £1,300

The Grace Eyre Foundation – awarded £2,500

Homestart Arun, Worthing and Adur – awarded £3,000

4sight Vision Support – awarded £2,000

The As You Are Centre – awarded £2,500

Adur and Access Mobility – awarded £1,000

Sustainable Sussex – awarded £1,000.

The Adur Community Grants are now open again. If you are a local voluntary, community or social enterprise in the district and would like to find out more, please visit: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/grants-and-funding/ 

Brooklands Lake revamp complete

After ten months of work, the long awaited makeover of Worthing’s much-loved Brooklands Lake is almost complete.

Worthing Borough Council commissioned Five Rivers to undertake a six-figure restoration of the landmark after locals became concerned about the build-up of silt in the eight-acre lake.

With six Olympic swimming pools worth of material shifted and a range of new wildlife-friendly environments created, the area has been transformed into a vibrant place for flora and fauna.

The centrepiece is a new 105-metre boardwalk which allows visitors to stroll along a reed-lined pathway and get closer to the vast array of wildlife already repopulating the lake.

Council leaders praised the contractors behind the work - and also confirmed that a masterplan for the wider transformation of the park would be revealed in a matter of weeks.

Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environment said: “The transformation of Brooklands Lake has been astonishing - it’s been a really important piece of work that was highlighted and done in consultation with residents.

“As a result of the investment, the water quality is much better, the habitat has been improved and we are really making Brooklands fighting fit for the future.

“Now this is complete we appreciate that people now want us to push on with transforming the rest of the park. Rest assured we have been working hard behind the scenes on the masterplan and hope to be able to reveal our exciting plans in the next month or so.”

Work began on the revamp in October when Five Rivers began draining the lake. Teams then used excavators to move more than 15,000 cubic metres of silt at the bottom to create new margins and an extra island to provide a habitat for birds and other wildlife.

To avoid similar problems in future Five Rivers have narrowed the Teville stream in Valley Gardens to increase water flow which means future sediment is deposited in the wider area in front of the café.

This ‘sediment trap’, along with the ramped access point from Western Road, will allow easy access when material needs to be removed from the bottom of the lake in future years.

Already the quantity and variety of wildlife is on the rise - with cormorants, heron, egrets and swans all happily enjoying their new surroundings. A turtle has also been spotted on one of the islands.

Five Rivers have spent the past couple of weeks finishing off the final sections of the project, which includes a boardwalk and duck house. While some planting and remedial works remain, the removal of the fencing in the coming days will mark the reopening of the lake to the general public.

Ben Sharp, project manager for Five Rivers, said: “We’ve really enjoyed being able to work on restoring Brooklands lake.

“It’s been a great project, even though much of it has seen us wading through mud during an extremely cold and wet winter. A particular highlight was finding a snapping turtle in the mud.

“We're literally just finishing the last few metres of the boardwalk now which means that this weekend we'll be finished here and the council and residents will have the lake back.”

Sussex passenger awareness campaign steps up ahead of nine-month Brighton Main Line Improvement Project

Passengers travelling on the Brighton Main Line over the next nine months are being urged to check if their journey will be affected by a major programme of improvement works designed to reduce delays and provide better journeys for passengers between the south coast and the capital.

A public awareness campaign has been launched by Network Rail, which will be carrying out the improvements, and train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (including Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express), to raise awareness of the dates when the line will be closed between Three Bridges and Brighton and between Three Bridges and Lewes.

Starting Monday, 13 August ‘drop-by’ sessions will be held at 34 stations across East and West Sussex advising passengers about their journey options during the line closures. A digital awareness campaign featuring a familiar Brighton seagull will see information appearing in passengers’ social media newsfeeds, while a dedicated website – www.BrightonMainLine.co.uk – will enable passengers to find out how the closures affect their journeys.  Other traditional advertising methods are also being used to make sure that the widest possible audience is reached.

From September this year through to May 2019, the railway will be closed for a total of 34 days to enable Network Rail engineers to carry out the first major overhaul of the southern end of the Brighton Main Line in more than thirty years. Most of these closures take place during weekends to minimise overall disruption to passengers, with the exception of an extended nine-day closure in February 2019, which includes the school half-term when passenger numbers are lower. This will enable engineers to complete the work without the need for significant further weekend closures and means passengers will benefit sooner from a more reliable railway.

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Chief Operating Officer for the South East route, said: “Passengers on the Brighton Main Line deserve a better, more reliable railway and our work over the next nine months will deliver that. We know that closing the railway to carry out improvement work has a big impact on passengers’ lives, which is why we’ve worked hard to plan the work in a way that minimises overall disruption as much as possible.

“We’re working closely with Govia Thameslink Railway, Transport Focus and passenger groups to make sure the travelling public get the best possible service during our improvement programme. We'll be out and about at stations across Sussex in the weeks and months ahead to talk directly to passengers and make sure everyone knows how to plan ahead.” 

Keith Jipps, Govia Thameslink Railway’s Infrastructure Director, said: “We want to minimise the disruption our customers will experience during the works so we’re informing passengers through our stations, trains, the media and social media to enable them to make the most informed decisions possible about their travel. Network Rail’s work is essential to give our passengers the reliable, punctual services that we all want on our route and my aim is make sure everyone benefits as quickly and painlessly as possible from that.” 

About the Brighton Main Line Improvement Project

Network Rail’s improvement work will focus on four Victorian-era tunnels – Balcombe, Clayton, Patcham and Haywards Heath – and the railway which runs through them. A major programme to stem leaks into the tunnels and provide reliable drainage away from the tracks will take place, while sections of the track, third rail power system and signalling will be replaced or upgraded. Elsewhere, track will be renewed, sets of points, which enable trains to switch between tracks, will be replaced and fencing will be improved to deter trespassers.

The £67m investment is part of a £300m government-funded programme to boost infrastructure resilience and reliability on the busiest routes in the south east. It will reduce delays on the line by around 15% when complete, meaning better and more reliable journeys for passengers.

Jumping Jazz, Fine Food and Exquisite Views: New Jazz Café season announced at Pavilion Café Bar
 
Worthing Theatres have announced their latest autumn/winter Jazz Café season at the Pavilion Café Bar, where customers can enjoy a Wednesday evening in the company of highly acclaimed jazz artists, whilst enjoying a range of drinks, and a selection of food ready to order from the menu, all accompanied with exquisite views overlooking Worthing seafront.

On 17 October the season opens with tenor saxophonist, Robert Fowler. A decade of international touring with The Pasadena Roof Orchestra honed Robert’s talent before he went on to work with many bands from the jazz scene including The Great British Jazz Band, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra, Redtenbacher’s Funkestra and The BBC Big Band. He played on a session for Roxy Music’s Bryan Ferry, for the album As Time Goes By which led to further touring and recording with Bryan, appearing on his albums Frantic, Avonmore, and the Jazz Age.
 
American born alto saxophonist Allison Neale plays the Jazz Café on 7 November. As a strong advocate of the melodic West Coast style she has performed alongside leading international artists such as Adelaide Hall and Bud Shank and features in both the John Dankworth Generations Band, Back to Basie Orchestra and the Two of a Mind Project with multi reed man Chris Biscoe. She frequently tours the UK with her current Quartet.
 
On 19 December the Café Bar welcomes guitarist Colin Oxley. Colin Studied at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1990. In the same year he was voted Best Soloist in the National Big Band Competition and has gone on to pursue a highly successful musical career. A long standing member of singer Stacey Kent’s group he now performs with many different groups including Andy Cleyndert’s Quartet, The Dave Newton Trio and BBC Big Band to name a few.
 
Performing on 13 February is trombonist Winston Rollins. Starting as a member of the Doncaster Jazz Orchestra, upon moving to London Winston attended Trinity College of Music where he met liked minded musicians and formed the Winston Rollins Big Band. As well as performing in many West End musicals, Winston is the lead trombone player of the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, runs the Trinity College Big Band and is also the deputy musical director of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
 
On 27 March Scottish musician Jo Fooks will be performing tenor saxophone. In 1992 she won The Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year and Jo went on to study saxophone at the Guildhall School of music in London and Berklee School of music in Boston. After recording her debut album Here and Now!, the legendary British trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton invited her to join his eight-piece band, with whom she toured and performed in some of the most well renowned theatres and venues in Britain.
 
To finish off the season in style Jazz vocalist Jacqui Hicks performs at the café bar on 24 April. Jacqui is an unparalleled exponent of the rare art of singing jazz ballads with poise elegance and beauty, as well as having a great feel for her beloved Soul and Funk. She was voted one of the top ten British vocalists in 1990 and in the same year released a solo vocal album featuring the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Jacqui has toured the world with Shakatak and had numerous TV appearances and sessions with Matt Bianco with whom she is featured on their last two albums.
 
Tickets for Jazz Café at the Pavilion Café Bar are available to purchase by calling the Worthing Theatres box office on 01903 206 206 and online at worthingtheatres.co.uk.

Facelift for Worthing’s Gospel Hall

A much-loved historic building in the heart of Worthing has received a facelift thanks to Worthing Borough Council.

The Gospel Hall has stood in Bedford Row for nearly 170 years and is a landmark building in one of the town’s oldest streets.

But, with the privately-owned building standing derelict for more than a decade, the property’s appearance severely deteriorated with chipped and cracked masonry, graffiti and rubbish dumped in the forecourt.

That was until the Council’s planning enforcement team stepped in and used various powers to encourage the owner to renovate the facade of the Victorian structure.

It forms part of a major push by the Council - in conjunction with the Worthing Society - to spruce up the South Street conservation area and ensure the town’s historic buildings stand tall for years to come.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “We take our role as guardians of the town’s heritage seriously which is why we are working with the Worthing Society to improve the whole of Bedford Row.

“The Gospel Hall is very much at the heart of this historic street. While it has been empty for many years, it remains a much-loved building which residents and visitors appreciate greatly.

“For that reason I want to praise the owner of the Gospel Hall for responding to our request. The transformation really is remarkable and it shows that by working together we can ensure our historic buildings remain preserved for future generations.”

Bedford Row is the focus of a pilot regeneration scheme by the Council’s planning enforcement team.

Built in the early 19th Century, it is one of three significant east-facing bow fronted terraces in the town centre alongside Montague Place and Liverpool Terrace.

But, over the years, the condition of the properties has deteriorated with the exteriors not of the standard with what is expected of a conservation area.

The Gospel Hall dating from 1850 is a prime example of this. Standing at the entrance to the row it is integral to the overall setting of this Grade II Listed Regency terrace.

To encourage the owner to carry out remedial works to improve the building’s appearance, the Council’s planning enforcement team sent a series of notifications to the owner. A Section 215 order which asks freeholders to undertake the work or risk the council carrying it out for them then claiming back the costs was prepared for the building. However, before it was served, the owner took steps to begin the work.

Within days scaffolding appeared, external facades were painted, doors replaced, and weeds and rubble were removed from the forecourt as the building was transformed back to its original grand state.

With other property owners in the street also agreeing to carry out improvements, the terrace is beginning to improve.

Combined with clean-up work led by the Worthing Society and Storm Ministries which cleaned up graffiti and weeds from the communal areas, the South Street Conservation Area is starting to sparkle again.

Susan Belton, chairman of the Worthing Society, said: “We are delighted and encouraged that the owner of The Gospel Hall has begun the renovation of this historic Victorian building which contributes so positively to the character of the area.

“We will also continue to work with the council and others on our campaign to upgrade other aspects of the South Street Conservation Area.”

The work feeds into two of the five areas - Our Social Economies and Leadership of our Places - featured in Platforms for our Places, Adur & Worthing Councils’ direction of travel.

Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week launch a new website and the programme for 2018

The organisers of Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week (WMHAW) now in its 6th year are thrilled to announce that they have a new website going ‘live’ today.                                                                                                                                         

It can be found at www.worthingmentalhealthweek.co.uk

A crowdfunding campaign whereby gifts in kind were recognised by the Worthing County Local Committee who then generously awarded a grant to cover the cost of the website. It is the first grant in the Worthing area to be awarded under West Sussex County Council's new funding scheme.

The website was designed by Worthing website creator Stacey Church from Lime Pixel https://limepixel.co.uk who has worked tirelessly in order to get the website up and running in time for the annual Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week which coincides with World Mental Health Day (10^th Oct).

for this year's Worthing Mental Health Awareness Week (8th - 13th October at Offington Park Methodist Church, South Farm Road by Broadwater Green) will be updated on the website, on Facebook and via #WMHAW on Twitter.

The aim of the Week is to challenge the stigma around mental health and to provide good quality information in a safe and non-judgemental environment.

Most of the events are free and are open to all. Local charities, organisations and groups will have displays in the 'Information Centre' and there will be a variety of workshops and talks designed to promote positive mental health throughout the week.

The week will be launched on Monday 8th October at 10am by the Mayor of Worthing Cllr Paul Baker followed by the Mayor’s Chaplain lighting a Peace Candle with co-founder Bob Smytherman acting as Master of Ceremonies.

The key note presentation this year will be by representatives of the local branch of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).

Organiser Carol Barber said she was "delighted that SSAFA had agreed to talk to WMHAW about the ways mental health impacted on those in the Armed Services, Veterans and their families."

In the evening there will be a special Meeting of Worthing Rethink Mental Health Carers group run by Mark Hughes with a guest speaker from Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Tuesday 9th will focus on keeping well in later life and include an open meeting of Dementia Friendly Worthing at 4pm.

On Wednesday 10th October which is World Mental Health Day. The organisers have asked Grassroots (a local suicide prevention charity) to deliver their SafeTALK (suicide alertness) training.

This will start at 10am and last for three and a half hours. This is the only event in the Week for which there is a small charge.

This training event is subsidised courtesy of the grant from the County Council at just £35 per person and includes a ploughman’s lunch provided by Offington Church places are limited and must be booked in advance by contacting Carol Barber.

Thursday's and Friday's activities include ways of promoting self-care and emotional resilience, and also the opportunity to paint pebbles as part of Coastal West Sussex MIND's anti stigma campaign called 'West Sussex Rocks'.

For more information https://www.coastalwestsussexmind.org/get-involved/anti-stigma-and-awareness-raising

A film will be shown on the Thursday night.

On the Friday evening the week will conclude with a free concert, with a retiring collection for Coastal West Sussex MIND.

The concert is co-ordinated by Karen Simporis and compared by Guild Care Trustee Mr Percy Nowell

Hundreds attend grand opening of new Worthing playground

Youngsters were all smiles as the ribbon was cut on their brand new playground

Worthing Borough Council has spent £90,000 on revamping a children's playground in West Park, Shaftesbury Avenue, Worthing.

After hundreds of people had input on what the new playground would look like, contractors have been busy installing a mixture of swings, slides, and other fun-filled apparatus.

The playground was officially opened on Friday (17 August 2018), as youngsters queued up eager to try out the new kit. The grand unveiling also included bunting, balloons and a face painter for the little ones.

Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council's Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, cut the ribbon in front of an audience of over 200 people. He said:“This is the culmination of over a year’s hard work between the local residents, the friends of group, local members and the council. It’s great to see all of the children and families here today to support the opening – it shows how valued it is to the community.”

The refurbishment has been made possible utilising Worthing Borough Council’s s106 developer contributions.

It’s part of a widespread investment that the Council is making in its open spaces, with improvements made after a period of widespread consultation with local communities.

One of the youngsters who rushed to try new equipment was Isla Wilson. She said:“The zip wire is my favourite – I like how fast it goes! It’s a lot better than what was here before. There’s lots more things to go on instead of just the swings. We come here a lot of times after school and I'm looking forward to coming back!"

Abby Barras, a parent who attended the opening, explained what the new playground means to her: “We live locally and we’ve been living here about nine years, so we’ve been coming to this park for a long time. It’s lovely to see some regeneration and the community coming back together. A big thank you to everyone who’s been involved in putting it together.”

Andy Edwards, Head of Environmental Services at Adur & Worthing Councils, explained:“These improvements are part of a rolling programme demonstrating our commitment to investing in play equipment for the future. Next we will be holding a public consultation on the installation of fitness equipment at West Park, and we look forward to hearing local residents’ ideas and suggestions.”

Anyone interested in contributing to the public consultation on fitness equipment can email parksandforeshore@adur-worthing.gov.uk.