William Eichler 15 April 2016

Voters stay home during poll on district council’s future

There has been a record-low turnout in a poll on the future of a West Sussex district council, despite the vote costing the taxpayer £20,000.

435 voters - or 2.8% of the Bognor Regis electorate - took part in what the Chief Executive Nigel Lynn described as ‘the lowest ever recorded turnout in Arun's history’.

Those who took part in the non-binding referendum voted to abolish all district level councils in West Sussex, including Arun District Council.

The proposal would have seen their work being done by a Unitary West Sussex County Council working in conjunction with parish-level councils.

Cllr Jan Cosgrove, who proposed the poll, told the BBC that the turnout would have been higher had the campaign gone on longer.

A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: ‘The government is willing to listen to any proposals which deliver better local services, greater value for money and stronger local leadership.’

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