Local Lib Dem Councillors and MPs have been watching the rising number of cases of the new coronavirus variant with increasing concern since before Christmas.

On Saturday James Walsh, the Lib Dem Leader on West Sussex County Council, a former GP, and the Education Spokesperson Cllr Kirsty Lord, wrote to the WSCC Cabinet Member for Schools expressing their concern about the increasing numbers of local cases, particularly amongst young people, and the implications for opening schools on Monday. They asked for assurances that West Sussex Schools were safe to open this week for teachers, children and their families, and that primary school reopening would not cause an increase in cases in the county.

Arun Lib Dem and District Council Leader Cllr Dr James Walsh provides an update on the council's progress over the last 12-18 months.

Arun District Council became much more representative of its communities in May 2019, and is something we are rightly proud of. Prospective Lib Dem members with a wide variety of life experience and backgrounds were selected to stand as Lib Dems and duly elected. Having a diverse set of representatives enables a more diverse range of views and priorities to be shared.

Elected to the current council were three wheelchair users and several with young children in pushchairs, giving a key insight into accessibility challenges across the District. Arun District Council have now pledged funding to achieve a Bognor Regis beach access ramp from next year's Budget.

Following the passing of Chris Blanchard-Cooper, Liberal Democrat Arun District Councillor for Brookfield Ward and Littlehampton Town Councillor for Beach Ward, his husband Billy Blanchard-Cooper has unveiled these beautiful sculptures of teddy bears having a picnic in Mewsbrook Park Littlehampton on 29th September, which would have marked Chris’ 46th Birthday. 

The Government's planning reforms are threatening to increase the demand for housing requirements in Arun by 52%, to over 2,000 dwellings a year, leaving us 'drowning in houses'. Local Conservative MPs are blaming it on "another mutant algorithm". 

Cllr Amanda Worne was elected to the role of Chair of Arun District Council on 20th May, in a landmark (and long) meeting undertaken virtually.

Amanda is the second Lib Dem Chair of the Council since the Conservatives lost overall control of the council in May 2019. Arun District Council News Page

In a video message to the District, Amanda introduces herself and sets out her hopes for the year, given the unique circumstances in which she finds herself in the role.

Two Liberal Democrat councillors have expressed their pleasure at being involved in an award winning community consultation for a local development. 'The Landings' at Ford has just been shortlisted for a nationwide planning award, in the stakeholder engagement category.

Our Lib Dem District councillors worked with the residents of Ford, the Ford Neighbourhood Plan Group and Ford Parish Council. Together with the developers, including Redrow Homes and Wates, they helped shape the way the scheme would sit alongside the existing local communities.

Arun District Council is set to vote for its second, and last, Liberal Democrat cabinet on 20th May. The council will move to a more democratic and inclusive committee system from May 2021. The scrapping of the limited-member Cabinet system follows a council decision taken in January 2020 and was implemented as a Liberal Democrat commitment, to ensure more involvement of all community ward councillors regardless of their party alignment.

Conservative-led West Sussex County Council (WSCC) has finally arranged a limited opening of the county's waste recycling sites, under pressure from Liberal Democrats and the community. The sites have been closed for over a month, with a limited reopening only planned from 11th May.