'Dear All' email 19th October 2012
We alert you to the next chance to “raise our collective voices” to help keep the Windmill Theatre and Cinema, and the Swimming and Sport Centre where they are.
A meeting of the full ARUN DISTRICT COUNCIL is to be held this coming Wednesday, 24 October 2012 at 6: 00 pm in the Council Chamber at the Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton.
It is the last full Council Meeting before Arun District Cabinet is scheduled to take its decision in late November - less than 6 weeks time - on the draft Leisure Strategy proposals to permanently close the Windmill, and sell off and relocate part, or all of the Leisure Centre.
While this Council Meeting is not specifically about the Leisure Strategy, it is a good opportunity to remind Council Members of your concerns.
There is a 15 minute Public Question Time at the beginning.
- Council requests those who want to ask a question, to kindly send an email with their question in advance to [email protected] . We suggest you also copy [email protected] to ensure the Community Working Group gets a copy.
- Otherwise, if you wish a member of the Community Working Group to ask a question on your behalf, email it to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]
It would be helpful if you and friends could come for the Question Time at the start of the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there.
The full Council Meeting agenda is at http://www.arun.gov.uk/main.cfm?
We note further:
1. Thirty-five people attended public Question Time at the Littlehampton Town Committee meeting on planning and transport Monday 15 October. We again thank all who were able to attend.
There was considerable interaction between the Committee Members and Public on what the new Localism Act may offer on this issue, including the two new Community Rights that came into effect July and September of this year.
- One outcome was Committee will recommend that Littlehampton Town Council nominates the land and buildings of the Windmill and Leisure Centre as “assets of community value”, as provided under the Localism Act. Committee Members encouraged qualifying community organisations to also consider nominating them.
- Council cautioned it is not necessarily a solution. This is one path the Community may consider in response to the draft proposals to sell these community assets to build flats and a hotel on the seafront, should District Council decide to take that course. There is a Moratorium of 6 months during which time the assets cannot be sold, if the Community Rights are exercised.
- In parallel, contact was initiated with the Department of Communities and Local Government to seek guidance on these and other measures.
2. The Community Working Group consisting of user group representatives and area residents set up by the Public Meeting October 2 has its formation meeting next week. The role of the Working Group is noted in the Report on the Public Meeting. The East Beach Residents Association (EBRA) will hand over to the Community / User Working Group as it becomes fully functional, including this email-alert role.
3. The Hon. Nick Gibb MP for Bognor and Littlehampton has agreed to meet with the EBRA Committee members next week to better understand how the proposals in the draft Leisure Strategy would affect Littlehampton and area residents.
While the 19-day period that Arun District Council allowed for formal public consultation (17 Sept to 5 October) is over, do not forget that you, your family members, friends and members of your organisation can write to give your views about the Windmill and Leisure Centre – at any time.
For your convenience, we include email contact addresses from previous Alert messages (below).
This email is sent to user groups of the Windmill and Leisure Centres, interested parties and residents of Littlehampton and area. Please feel free to circulate this message more widely within your community and to members of your organisation - and our apologies for any cross-posting.
We alert you to the next chance to “raise our collective voices” to help keep the Windmill Theatre and Cinema, and the Swimming and Sport Centre where they are.
A meeting of the full ARUN DISTRICT COUNCIL is to be held this coming Wednesday, 24 October 2012 at 6: 00 pm in the Council Chamber at the Arun Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton.
It is the last full Council Meeting before Arun District Cabinet is scheduled to take its decision in late November - less than 6 weeks time - on the draft Leisure Strategy proposals to permanently close the Windmill, and sell off and relocate part, or all of the Leisure Centre.
While this Council Meeting is not specifically about the Leisure Strategy, it is a good opportunity to remind Council Members of your concerns.
There is a 15 minute Public Question Time at the beginning.
- Council requests those who want to ask a question, to kindly send an email with their question in advance to [email protected] . We suggest you also copy [email protected] to ensure the Community Working Group gets a copy.
- Otherwise, if you wish a member of the Community Working Group to ask a question on your behalf, email it to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]
It would be helpful if you and friends could come for the Question Time at the start of the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there.
The full Council Meeting agenda is at http://www.arun.gov.uk/main.cfm?
We note further:
1. Thirty-five people attended public Question Time at the Littlehampton Town Committee meeting on planning and transport Monday 15 October. We again thank all who were able to attend.
There was considerable interaction between the Committee Members and Public on what the new Localism Act may offer on this issue, including the two new Community Rights that came into effect July and September of this year.
- One outcome was Committee will recommend that Littlehampton Town Council nominates the land and buildings of the Windmill and Leisure Centre as “assets of community value”, as provided under the Localism Act. Committee Members encouraged qualifying community organisations to also consider nominating them.
- Council cautioned it is not necessarily a solution. This is one path the Community may consider in response to the draft proposals to sell these community assets to build flats and a hotel on the seafront, should District Council decide to take that course. There is a Moratorium of 6 months during which time the assets cannot be sold, if the Community Rights are exercised.
- In parallel, contact was initiated with the Department of Communities and Local Government to seek guidance on these and other measures.
2. The Community Working Group consisting of user group representatives and area residents set up by the Public Meeting October 2 has its formation meeting next week. The role of the Working Group is noted in the Report on the Public Meeting. The East Beach Residents Association (EBRA) will hand over to the Community / User Working Group as it becomes fully functional, including this email-alert role.
3. The Hon. Nick Gibb MP for Bognor and Littlehampton has agreed to meet with the EBRA Committee members next week to better understand how the proposals in the draft Leisure Strategy would affect Littlehampton and area residents.
While the 19-day period that Arun District Council allowed for formal public consultation (17 Sept to 5 October) is over, do not forget that you, your family members, friends and members of your organisation can write to give your views about the Windmill and Leisure Centre – at any time.
For your convenience, we include email contact addresses from previous Alert messages (below).
This email is sent to user groups of the Windmill and Leisure Centres, interested parties and residents of Littlehampton and area. Please feel free to circulate this message more widely within your community and to members of your organisation - and our apologies for any cross-posting.