Alison Griffiths MP has launched a constituency-wide campaign inviting residents to propose and vote on 29 practical improvements for Bognor Regis ahead of the town’s centenary as a 'Regis' town in July 2029.
Public vote to create 29 priorities
The scheme, titled ‘29 for ’29’, asks local people to nominate straightforward, often small-scale measures they would like to see implemented by the centenary. Suggestions may cover the seafront, public spaces, transport, empty shops, facilities for young people or other local issues. The suggestions will be collated and put to a public vote to establish the 29 priorities the MP will champion.
The campaign deliberately emphasises modest, practical proposals rather than large infrastructure projects. The MP says the aim is to capture everyday frustrations as well as longer-term improvements, and to produce a clear public mandate to guide work between different organisations.
“I am not pretending that one MP can wave a wand and complete 29 projects single-handedly.”
The office of the MP has set out what it sees as the limits and responsibilities of the initiative. Some priorities may fall to the town, district or county council. Others could require involvement from local businesses, community groups or landowners, or need government support. The MP has pledged to use her role to bring the relevant organisations together, press for decisions and funding, track progress and keep residents updated.
Accountability and delivery
Griffiths has framed the exercise as a way of giving residents a say in shaping the town as it approaches its 100th anniversary of receiving the “Regis” title. She has invited nominations via her website and said the list of 29 will become a set of priorities she will actively pursue.
Key features of the campaign include:
- A public nomination process for ideas from residents and businesses;
- A final public vote to determine the 29 priorities;
- An ongoing role for the MP to co-ordinate stakeholders and monitor progress;
- A recognition that not every priority will be delivered by a single fixed date and that delivery may require multiple partners.
The approach aims to avoid “top-down” planning or external rankings and to focus instead on local knowledge and priorities. The MP said residents are proud of the town’s strengths but that pride should not prevent honest discussion about what needs attention.
Local partners and practical aims
Delivery will depend on the co-operation of a range of local actors. The MP’s office has signalled it will press for decisions and funding, and keep the public informed of progress, but it stopped short of promising that all 29 items would be delivered unilaterally.
Suggested topical areas listed by the campaign include:
| Area | Examples |
|---|---|
| Seafront | Public realm improvements |
| Public spaces | Parks, squares and everyday amenities |
| Transport | Local connectivity and accessibility |
| Empty shops | High-street vitality and reuse |
| Young people | Facilities and services aimed at youth |
The MP has invited residents to submit ideas via her website, saying: “The next chapter of Bognor Regis should be written by the people who know it best.”
As the town approaches its centenary, the campaign will test whether a locally driven manifesto of modest priorities can translate into cross-tier action. For constituents, the essential question will be whether the public mandate produced by a vote will prompt the co-ordination and funding needed to deliver practical changes before the 2029 anniversary.
