Tony Dignum

Leader

Chichester District Council

Friday 28^th July 2018

Dear Mr Dignum

I was appalled at how you approached the “Build A Better A27” meeting organised by the County Council on Monday 24^th July.

This meeting was by invitation and included a wide range of community organisations who had taken a considerable time in developing a range of themes to advance how our area can benefit from a revised plan for the A27.

For you to highjack the meeting, promoting a plan you put forward at a private District Council meeting was unacceptable and as leader of the District Council you should know better.

At the meeting you claimed quite clearly that the Council had voted on it and the majority of Councillors attending supported it.  Quite understandably the meeting gained the idea that this “new” route was being formally promoted by the District Council; totally at odds with the work undertaken by the community groups and the County Council.

At the end of the meeting you clearly said to me in public that the people attending the meeting where in no way representative of the wider residents of the District and therefore intimated that you felt the “Build a Better A27” campaign was not worth supporting.

As a proud resident of the District and a local campaigner for many years I was very disappointed at how you dismissed local public opinion. It is the residents you represent.

I have taken the opportunity of speaking to a number of District Councillors who attended your private Council meeting to review your A27 proposals and they had no understanding that this would be the formal proposed plan from the District Council.

Like you I am very concerned about the current situation but I am committed to ensuring that the Leader of the County Council and our new MP are given enough time to see how they can progress ideas contained in the  “Build a Better A27” campaign.

Personally I am committed to making improvements to the A27 that benefit the entire community and ensure Chichester can continue to thrive as a successful tourist, business and entertainment destination.

We must ensure that the work done to the A27 is supported by as many people in the community as possible and certainly takes into account the concerns of the residents from  the Manhood Peninsular.

Your approach of dictating terms will do none of that and discredits the wonderful work undertaken by so many people over recent months including County and District Councillors and Officers.

Yours sincerely

Adrian Moss