My Plan for Midhurst
The Angel Hotel
The fire 3 years ago quite literally ripped the heart out of the centre of Midhurst. It has badly affected economic activity in the town, not least because the road was closed for several months. Whilst many have been seeking to resolve the situation there remains a tension between the private owners of the affected buildings, the wider community and heritage.
After 3 years it is now time for the interests of the community to take priority. That means it may be necessary to sacrifice some of the heritage elements of the site to achieve progress. This process is overseen by the South Downs National Park Authority, the Local Planning Authority. Whilst I’m pleased to see some recent progress my key priority will be to support any scheme that demonstrably moves things forward to resolution without impacting on the free flow of traffic in the town.
Infrastructure First
West Sussex County Council is responsible for roads and infrastructure in our area. It is a thankless task; it is the one key thing residents keep raising. Perception is our reality and the facts often play second fiddle. If we have a pothole outside our house that’s our impression of the whole network. However, just to put the facts on the table:
The county council will invest £60.7 million maintaining and improving highways in West Sussex over the coming year following the budget for 2026 to 2027 being agreed at the meeting of Full Council in February. Over the last five years WSCC have spent £273.6 million on improving and maintaining our highways. £150.9 million came from council funds, with the remaining £122.7 million provided by the Department for Transport (DfT). The majority of this, an average of 73.6% over the five years, was spent on preventative works such as surfacing, large scale patching and drainage works.
With over 2,500 miles of roads, the equivalent distance of driving from Chichester to Rome and back, there are many challenges, including extreme weather events which have contributed to recent wide-scale flooding across the highways.
A further £168 million in funding from the capital programme over the next five years will continue to make improvements to the highway network.
I consider roads and potholes to be a key area in which local residents see a daily impact on their lives. You can be assured it will be a key area for my focus, not least in seeking more efficient ways of preventing problems using AI related technologies, which I have seen in my commercial life.
Landscape-Led Planning
We live in a most beautiful part of England; in fact you could call it ‘Little England’ as it so quintessentially reflects a vision of this country over many centuries.
We are therefore all guardians of that beauty whilst having the joy and luck to live and work in this area.
By that I do not mean we must avoid any progress, but we have a duty to oversee a sympathetic and sensible approach to planning, whilst accepting the pressures for more housebuilding over time.
My approach is we should avoid building on green prime farmland at all times. On balance we should seek to increase the density of building in areas already developed, which should be closer to transport and other social hubs. By doing so we can improve non motorised travel, maintain the beauty of our green spaces for us to all enjoy, and ensure we maintain a legacy for future generations to be proud of.
I will support you in any planning matter that impacts upon those factors discussed above.
Clean Water & Sewage
It has been in the national press so we all know that water companies have not been doing as well as we should expect. I too support all efforts to improve the situation which is largely down to an aging water management system that has not managed to keep up with local development and not had sufficient investment.
There are many arguments to suggest there has been a level of mismanagement in terms of the private model and lack of controls, but that doesn’t solve the problem. All we can do is continue to put pressure on our local water company to continue improving things like limiting waste water discharge and I will do whatever is in my power to maintain that pressure.
Local Economy
Our local economy has been affected by the national and international situation like all others but, in the minds of our local situation, the damage to the Angel has provided a narrative which implies Midhurst has been particularly hard hit. Added to the well known troubles of the High Street, increased labour costs and a move to on line shopping, this has really impacted on many local businesses.
My key priority is to change this narrative, helping support anyone who wishes to improve the local situation. In that regard, I am very pleased to support specific initiatives such as the recently launched Midhurst Jazz, Food and Blues Festival, which is seeking to turn into an ongoing year round programme.
Such activities, along with other multiple event based things like Cowdray Polo and Madhurst, bring people into Midhurst and the surrounding area. Every visitor spends money in our local shops, stay in local accommodation and bring a buzz to the area which I will do my best to grow.
Policing
We all want to see more visible policing in our local area, but we must also acknowledge we are lucky to live in an area with less crime than many other places. Sadly this means we get less funds from central sources and therefore the local police are restricted in what they can do within the funds they have available.
I am aware of a local desire to reopen the front desk at the Midhurst Police station, but I am also aware of conflicting desires from local farmers, land owners and others for effective rural police coverage. I therefore support a desire for more visible policing wherever that is possible but not at the expense of reactive and sustainable support when it’s needed.
In that regard I have set up a meeting with the Police Crime Commissioner and senior police officers in our area to see how we can improve the situation.
Affordable Local Homes
I know that housing is not affordable for many in our area. In a free market economy it only shows the desire to live in this area. However, I will continue to support anything that can increase the chances of local people on less affluent incomes to continue living in our area.
In practical terms this means helping with a trend towards local Community Land Trusts, some of which have already been successful in our area. It also means working with local housing associations to ensure our local residents are looked after appropriately.
I will continue to work with both registered providers and local accommodation providers to give the best possible service to their tenants and leaseholders.
River Rother
The River Rother has a special place in the narrative of our local area. I know many are great supporters of its well being, whether it is monitoring any unexpected and unreasonable discharges into the river or helping maintain it by managing large infestations of Himalayan River Balsam.
Working with local volunteers including the Arun and Rother Valley Rivers trust (ARRT) I will continue to find ways to improve the quality and ecology of this vital element in our local community.
Efficiency and Value
Efficiency and value from public money is an area in which I think I can provide real value. The local Conservative administrations at both County and District level have had a good track record of efficient fiscal management.
Clearly there are opportunities to improve anything, not least with the advent of new technologies, and I will place myself at the heart of anything that can be innovative and more cost effective for my residents.
When your vote counts
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