Scheme launched for 'cleaner, greener' town centre

A new initiative has been launched with the aim of improving a West Sussex town centre for residents and visitors.

Worthing Borough Council (WBC) said that hundreds of thousands of pounds would be spent annually on the Pride in Worthing scheme, targeting littering, graffiti, vandalism and fly-tipping.

WBC teams will work with businesses and the community to improve the area and make it "cleaner, greener and better maintained" throughout the year, it said.

Council leader Carline Baxter said that she was "inspired by the drive and passion of our community to see our town thrive".

From this September and into 2029, a total of £875,000 of funding will be set aside in from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a tool which enables local authorities to raise funds for such projects.

An additional £310,000 will also be reallocated from the town's Lido regeneration project, as it is not needed on that until 2028.

However, the Lido remains a top priority for the council with £1.29m highlighted for the year while additional funding is sought, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"I want Worthing to be a town where people feel proud to live, where businesses have the confidence to invest and where public spaces are welcoming and accessible," Baxter said.

Additional bins, seating and lighting in busier areas are also possibilities, while West Sussex County Council agreed to increase graffiti removal and weeding on its own land.

Baxter added that she wanted the town centre to be a place where "young people can see opportunities for their future", and which visitors leave with "an even more positive impression" than before.

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