Agenda item

Public Question Time

To receive questions from the public (for a period of up to 15 minutes)

Minutes:

The Chairman invited questions from members of the public who had submitted their questions in advance of the meeting in accordance with the rules of the Council’s Constitution. 

 

The Leader of the Council was asked a question which followed on from the urgent update that had been provided at the Cabinet meeting held on 10 February 2020 on the unprecedented flooding events experienced following storm Ciara at Climping.  Reference had been made to a meeting with the Environment Agency on 12 February 2020 and the questioner asked if he could be told what had happened at that meeting and if a new action plan had been agreed; if a new stakeholder group had been established to review the established strategy allowing the necessary changes to be made in light of events.  The questioner asked was it not clear that the erosion of the defences at Climping were damaging enough for Climping itself, but also impacted far beyond – all of this had been predicted many years ago – a solution needed to be found.

 

Councillor Dr Walsh responded stating that he had attended the meeting called by the Parish Council with the Environment Agency (EA) on 12 February 2020 with Officers of the Council.  The Council had encouraged the EA to publish its report for the future of the beach which had been due for some time.  The report was vital as it would make it easier for all to have a sensible and mature conversation over what should be the way forward. 

 

Councillor Dr Walsh confirmed that the Council remained committed to participating in the ongoing dialogue and fulfilling its role in an emergency if this became necessary.  However, it needed to be made clear that the EA was the responsible body for formulating plans for the future of Climping Beach, however, as a Council, Arun would not be taking direct action to prevent a further breach by the sea.

 

Finally, Councillor Dr Walsh stated that he would be providing a further update report on the impact of storms Ciara and Dennis under Urgent Business and that this would provide a follow-up from the question that had just been asked. 

 

The Chairman then invited the questioner to ask a supplementary question.

 

The questioner outlined that recent events had demonstrated, beyond doubt, that the sea breach threatened the future of Littlehampton’s maritime industry in its entirety and so without the Council’s intervention this could result in overtopping on the West Bank.  The questioner stated that the Strategy in place needed urgent review and that a sustainable plan for Climping and the West Bank needed to be implemented.  He asked the Leader of the Council to not close his mind and to consider entering into such a partnership project with the EA to deliver a scheme for Climping and the West Bank, in line with what the Council did for the flood defences at East Bank.

 

Councillor Dr Walsh responded stating that he agreed with the first part of the supplementary statement made.  This was why the publication of the EA report was so vital to see what they would be proposing.  Councillor Dr Walsh stated that responses to the second part of the supplementary would be covered in his urgent update.  He confirmed that he did not have a closed mind and agreed with the analogy made in relation to the East Bank.

 

The Chairman then drew Public Question Time to a close.