Elections 2001

 
Election Results

WORTHING WEST Turnout 59.67%

EAST WORTHING AND SHOREHAM Turnout 59.9%

West Sussex County Council State of the Parties

GORING-BY-SEA Turnout 65.4%

MAYBRIDGE Turnout 56.41%

In Rustington West David Marchant came a close second to Dr Walsh who had a majority of just 52 votes

 
Election Day Thursday 7 June 2001
County council, and general elections were on Thursday 7 June.

LAW and order has soared to the top of the political agenda in Worthing following a spate of armed robberies and murders which have threatened its sleepy and sedate reputation. There have been 21 armed raids in the town and 11 murders within the Highdown division since 1999. As a result, residents are concerned about crime and crime prevention. Graffiti and vandalism have spread in Durrington and people are becoming worried about venturing out at night.

Development is another area of concern. The Teville Gate area around the station is a shoddy eyesore, though plans for a multiplex cinema are back on the agenda.

The Guildbourne Centre, on the other hand, is having something of a renaissance. The new Wilkinson store and plans for a fitness centre have given the place a new heart.

There are also groans at the length of waiting lists for consultants at Worthing Hospital.

Frequent congestion on the A27, exacerbated by constant roadworks, has fuelled demands for a masterplan.

 
The Constituency
The seat of West Worthing was created in 1997 when the eastern part of the constituency was added to Shoreham. The last time it was not Conservative was when it was part of the Sussex Western constituency and won by Liberal Lord John Lennox in 1837.

LAST TIME - Elected Peter Bottomley (C) 23,733.
Not elected Christopher Hare (LD) 16,020,
John Adams (L) 8,347,
Nicholas John (Referendum) 2,313
Timothy Cross (Independent) 1,029

For Member of Parliament - Worthing West

	Peter Bottomley (Conservative) Name: Peter Bottomley (Sitting MP) Party: Conservative Born: Newport, Shropshire 1944 Marital Status: Married to Virginia Bottomley Occupation: MP Lives: Worthing Political Career: MP for Worthing West (1997-2001), MP since 1975 Non Political Career: Industrial relations Interests: Has been chairman of the Church of England's Children's Society, trustee of Christian Aid, now chairman of the Chichester Diocese Racial Justice Working Group, sailing. Statement: "The role of the MP includes representing the interests now and in the future of people of every age in the West Worthing consituency. Locally and at Westminster, in Parliament and in broadcasting studios I have to reflect the reality of life for everyone including the retired, the person at work and the student. I enjoy serving in that role."
	Alan Butcher (Labour) Name: Alan Butcher Party: Labour Born: 1971 Marital Status: Single Occupation: Accounts administrator for Cega Air Ambulance Ltd, Goodwood Airfield. Lives: Littlehampton Political Career: Councillor Non Political Career: Accounts administrator Interests: Littlehampton town councillor, languages, literature, member of Fabian Society. Statement: "I first represented people ten years ago at college and independently represented colleagues while working at the Body Shop. I am now chair of the main policy committee on Littlehampton Town Council. Representing someone is the best thing I can imagine doing and so, simply, I should like to do that for people in Worthing West, an area I know well."
	Dr James Walsh (Liberal Democrat) Name: Dr James Walsh Party: Lib Dem Born: Nairobi, Kenya 1943 Marital Status: Divorced with three children Occupation: GP Lives: Rustington Non Political Career: Councillor Non Political Career: GP Interests: Councillor -West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council, Littlehampton Town Council, on European Union Committee of the Regions representing South East of England, opera, skiing and gardening Statement: "MPs should be local. I have lived and worked in this constituency as a GP for 28 years. I have served 25 years on Arun District and 16 years on the County Council. I know and have daily experience of our local problems. Our Tory MP is a non-resident outsider. I really want to be a local champion for our area at Westminster."
	Tim Cross (UK Independence) Name: Tim Cross Party: UK Independence Born: Spratton, Northamptonshire 1953 Marital Status: Married Occupation: Property developer Lives: Tismans Common Non Political Career: Property developer Interests: Rugby, coach at Cranleigh mini rugby club, golf, keeping fit. Statement: "We have been conned by the European Union project by successive governments. If we come out of the EU we will have a dividend payable to everyone in this country of £18.5 billion which means we would be able to give pensioners more money, get a better health service, better education and more police on the beat and we could be a lot better off."

West Sussex County Council

County Council
Current political make-up:
Conservative 38
Liberal Democrat 23
Labour 9
Independent 1

West Sussex County Council has a budget of over £541 million this year. The full county council has 71 councillors and is the ultimate decision-making body. In April 2000, a new single decision-making Cabinet replaced the old-style committees responsible for each council service. It proposes the key policy decisions of the Council, which are subject to agreement by the full county council. The Cabinet has seven members, all from the Conservative majority.

To Represent Goring-by-Sea on WSCC

	Brian Gill (Labour) of Gordon Road, Worthing retired as a local government officer and is now a consultant on public service development. He had a long career as manager with a local authority social services department and his special interest is in developing services for children, families and young people.
	Bob Smytherman (Lib) of The Strand, has lived in the ward for nine years and is a well- known campaigner. He started the Goring Chase Neighbourhood Watch in 1994 and has been resident's association chairman for five years. Locally born, Bob runs his own cafe and is especially interested in leisure provision.
	Steven Waight (Con) has lived in the Goring county division with his wife and family since 1986. He is 46 and works as an independent financial adviser, with many clients locally. His experience as a councillor at borough and county level would be used to help solve problems that affect our everyday lives.

 
To Represent Maybridge on WSCC

	Antony Bignell (Lab) of Birkdale Road, Worthing, is a 56-year- old university lecturer. He has worked in education all his life, having been an English teacher for 31 years at three different schools in Worthing. He is delighted with the lbillion extra money the government is spending on education.
	Andrew Garrett (Cons) 38, of Arundel Road, having grown up in Worthing and then worked in the town for 20 years, the chance to make a difference to its future was very important. A borough councillor for four years for Maybridge area, he said this year gave him the chance to take residents' views to County
	Robin Rogers (LibDem) of Tarring High Street, has lived in Worthing most of his life and is married with two sons. He is involved in the community, having been founder and first chairman of his local resident's association. He is particularly inter- ested in environmental issues, education and traffic flow problems.
	Philippa Banks (Lab) of Hormare Crescent, Storrington, could not provide us with a photo and profile

To represent Rustington West on WSCC

We note that David Marchant, a local JP, Chairman of the Goring Gap Preservation Trust, and Goring correspondent for the Parish Pump in the Worthing Herald is Conservative candidate for Rustington West. We wish him well.

Here is what the principal parties are saying at the moment:

Conservative Party
http://www.conservatives.com

Labour Party
http://www.labour.org.uk/ Emphasing the success stories.

Liberal Democrat Party
http://www.libdems.org.uk/ With emphasis on news stories

UK Independence Party
http://www.ukip.org

Scottish National Party
http://www.snp.org.uk

Green Party
http://www.greenparty.org.uk/ With news items of Green concern

Monster Raving Looney Party
http://freespace.virgin.net/raving.loony/

Other Election Websites

Goring Local Elections 6 May 1999

Population Statistics for election wards

http://www.politicos.co.uk A more general website

http://www.timloughton.com Tim Loughton is MP for East Worthing and Shoreham

http://www.amielectableornot.com/ An alternative election website

http://www.panlogic.co.uk/splat_the_MP.html A fun game