August Sussex Local article

Interesting times at Arun District Council, we the 

Conservative opposition are setting the pace and 

challenging a number of bewildering decisions as 

well as holding the LibDem Cabinet’s feet to the fire.

I have met with the Green Councillors and am working 

closely on some shared objectives, cross party working 

is something new , but although we don’t agree on some 

fairly important things, we do agree on a lot and I’m 

pleased to work with them.

At a recent Overview Committee we were vigorous in 

asking questions and putting down recommendations. 

I managed to get the Recycling target increased from 

40% to 50% (This was passed unanimously) and the 

building target for Councils own  stock increased from

 25 homes per annum to 35 homes per annum. 

(This would have been unanimous Independents and 

Greens supported it but 3 Lib Dem councillors voted 

against this).

Lib Dem’s in the past have been notorious for not turning 

up to meetings, it has been discovered that some Cabinet 

members had not met with their officers a good month 

after taking up position, bearing in mind they are being 

paid a Special responsibility allowance to be Cabinet 

members and should be doing the job properly.

We have also heard some worrying things that may happen, 

there is the desire by the Lib Dem Cabinet to re-open the 

Local plan, this could cost between £1M-£2M and suck up 

valuable  officer time for the next 3-4years.

There was also a large scale consultation about to take 

place in Bognor Regis regarding The Sunken Gardens

redevelopment,  The LibDems want to cancel the 

consultation at a potential cost of £320k, my groups 

attitude is that the consultation should go ahead as there 

is nothing wrong with asking people want they want.

With the Cabinet system you should have collective 

responsibility where as the Cabinet speak with one voice, 

but the Lib Dem’s deputy leader Francis Oppler has voted 

against the leader in a  recent meeting giving the impression 

of a Cabinet in chaos. Francis Oppler has desires to be leader 

and appears to be undermining the Leader James Walsh 

for personal ambition.

The first real Full Council is on the 17th of July, I write this 

column around the 7th of the month, so I  will report the 

outcome of that meeting in next months article.

Until next month,  Paul Dendle is one of the Arundel & 

Walberton Ward members and is the spokesperson for the 

Conservative group on the economy. His email is 

cllr.paul.dendle@arun.gov.uk