Help choose 29 practical improvements for me to champion as Bognor Regis approaches the centenary of becoming “Regis” in 2029.
In July 2029, Bognor Regis will mark 100 years since King George V granted the town its royal suffix. That should be an opportunity to celebrate our history, our identity, and everything local people value about Bognor Regis. It should also focus attention on the practical improvements residents want to see as we approach that important anniversary. That is why I have launched 29 for ’29.
Recent headlines have not always reflected the Bognor Regis that those of us who live, work, and spend time here recognise. The town has a strong community, a distinctive seafront, excellent independent businesses, beautiful parks, and enormous potential. Defending Bognor Regis also means being honest about where improvements are needed. Arguing with an unflattering newspaper ranking will not repair a damaged sign, improve a poorly lit street, or make a neglected public space more welcoming. Practical action will.
Through 29 for ’29, I am asking residents to suggest the small, specific changes that would make a visible difference to the town. That could mean more bins or seating along the seafront, improved lighting, repaired street furniture, better signage, additional planting, cleaner public spaces, safer crossings, accessibility improvements, upgraded play equipment, or improvements to public toilets. It could be a persistent problem on one street or a simple idea that has been overlooked for years.
The emphasis is on realistic, achievable ambitions that can be pursued over the next three years. We are not seeking proposals for enormous developments requiring hundreds of millions of pounds or decades of planning. Suggestions should identify a clear improvement and, where possible, the location concerned. You do not need to know which council, agency, landowner, or business is responsible. My office will help establish who has the power to act.
Residents’ suggestions will be brought together, with duplicate ideas combined and proposals checked to ensure they are practical and within the campaign’s scope. Eligible ideas will then be placed before the public in a vote. The 29 receiving the strongest support will become the final 29 for ’29 and will shape where I focus my activity for Bognor Regis ahead of the centenary.
I will take those priorities to the Bognor Regis Town Centre Action Group, which I helped bring together, and propose that they form the basis of a shared programme for positive change. I will also work directly with the relevant councils, businesses, community organisations, landowners, agencies, and funding partners. Different projects will require different solutions, but the final list will give everyone a clear set of resident-backed ambitions around which to organise.
Delivery will often depend on decisions, funding, and cooperation from organisations beyond my direct control, so I cannot promise that every ambition will be completed in full by the centenary. I can promise to champion the priorities residents choose, bring the right people together, press for progress, and report openly on what has been achieved, what is under way, and where further work is needed.
What would you improve?
Please use the survey below to suggest one practical improvement that you would like to see in Bognor Regis. If you have several ideas, you are welcome to submit the form more than once.
Help me choose the 29 priorities that should shape Bognor Regis as it approaches 2029.