Anger at Arun District Council refusal to join Olympic partnership

Bognor Regis councillors said the authority was wrong to decline to pay for membership to the West Sussex Ahead of the Game partnership '“ making it the only district and borough local authority in the county not to belong to the county council-led consortium.

Town councillors said the exclusion could cost Bognor dear as the build-up to the games gathered pace.

Paul Wells said: "It's an absolute scandal Arun are not paying into the partnership because this area could benefit so much from the Olympics.

"It shows how much Arun are out of touch. It really does sum up what they are all about.

"The spin-off from the Olympics is going to be phenomenal. We should use our website to generate interest in the 2012 Olympics. We have two-and-a-half years to plan for that.

"It's a golden opportunity for this community to get to grips with that and find some real chances to draw in some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are going to invade this country for the Olympics during those three or four weeks when they are taking place."

A district council spokeswoman explained the decision and said: "Arun District Council recognises the importance of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games and the potential benefits it could bring to the district.

"It is inevitable difficult funding choices have to be made when the council is faced with the impact of an economic recession and increased demands on its key services. Arun has, therefore, decided to focus its support for 2012 within the district."

This included setting up the Arun 2012 Partnership to keep local firms and groups informed of any Olympic-related opportunities in the run up to the games.

A special edition Arun 2012 brochure and online guide is being planned to celebrate the occasion and show visitors how much there is to do within the Arun district during the year, she added.

nArun is keen to expand the Arun 2012 Partnership and welcomes inquiries from individuals and organisations who would like to join in.

More information from Phil Graham in marketing and communications at [email protected] or on 01903 737858.

West Sussex '“ Ahead of the Game is working to achieve long-lasting benefits for the county from 2012 and ensure the county plays a full part in a successful celebration of the Olympics.

Its aims are to see:

*More people taking part in physical activity and sport

*More involvement in cultural activities

*Benefits for tourism, business and skills development

*More opportunities for young people

*Increased international links.

What do you think? Send a letter to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

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