Town council votes to continue to support Bognor's business warden

The vote took place at a policy and resources committee meeting on Thursday, December 16 as members tried to settle on a budget for the new year. Five of the eight committee members voted to keep the business warden service, which was introduced to help reduce crime in the town centre.

Most of the cost of the warden service is covered by the BID itself, via levies paid by member businesses. The rest is covered by a £10,000 contribution from Bognor Regis Town Council. In last week’s meeting, councillors agreed to increase their funding support by another £11,000.

By providing a uniformed presence five days a week in the town centre, the business warden is intended to act as a deterrent for would-be offenders, a point of contact for businesses, and a valued liaison for Sussex Police.

The town council’s continued support will ensure the service continues from September 2023, which is what previous funding rates would have provided for, until March 2024. The BID will go to ballot in February next year and, if it fails, their day to day management of the service will disappear and continued funding will be at the discretion of the town council.

Danny Dawes, director of Grandads Front Room, on High Street, attended the meeting to urge the town council to vote against the increased funding.

“Having spoken to a lot of businesses in the town centre and all of them on the east end (of High Street), we basically look after ourselves at the moment,” he said.

"It costs businesses £75 a quarter. That’s a lot of money to me, especially when it’s not being used properly. Given what we’re going through as a society at the moment, that money can be used in much more beneficial ways.”

Two other businesses emailed the town council to support the business warden service, and committee members eventually decided to approve the funding.

Cllr Matt Stanley said: “We represent residents, and as much as businesses are a part of that, we have to think what residents would want.”

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