What practical improvement would you like to see in Bognor Regis? Submit your idea and help choose the 29 local ambitions I should champion as the town approaches its royal centenary in July 2029.
On 26 July 2029, Bognor Regis will mark 100 years since King George V granted the town the royal suffix “Regis”. That anniversary should be a moment to celebrate our history, our identity, and everything that makes Bognor Regis such a distinctive place to live, work, and visit. It also gives us an opportunity to focus attention on practical improvements that people would notice and value. That is why I am launching 29 for ’29.
Recent newspaper coverage of the Which? seaside town survey once again placed Bognor Regis at the bottom of the rankings. I do not accept that this narrow verdict captures the Bognor Regis I know. It overlooks the warmth of our community, the character of our seafront, our independent businesses, our parks, our heritage, and the enormous potential of the town. However, defending Bognor Regis also means being honest about the things that could be better. Arguing with a headline will not repair a damaged sign, improve a dark corner, provide another bench, or clean up a neglected space. Practical action will.
Through 29 for ’29, I am asking residents to suggest the small, specific changes they would most like us to pursue ahead of the centenary. I want realistic ideas capable of making a visible difference to daily life. That could mean better street lighting, more bins or seating along the seafront, improved signage, cleaner public spaces, additional planting, repaired street furniture, safer crossings, better accessibility, improved public toilets, cycle parking, play equipment, murals, or measures to make the town centre feel safer and more welcoming. It could be a problem on one street that has been overlooked for years or a simple idea that would improve an area used by thousands of people.
This campaign is deliberately focused on achievable ambitions. We are not seeking proposals for enormous developments that would require hundreds of millions of pounds, major national infrastructure decisions, or decades of planning. Suggestions should identify a clear improvement, a particular place where possible, and a result that could realistically be pursued over the next three years. You do not need to know which council, agency, landowner, or business would be responsible. Part of my job will be to establish who has the power to act, bring the right organisations together, and press them to take each idea forward.
This work will build on the Bognor Regis Town Centre Action Group, which I helped bring together following the meeting between local businesses, councils, Sussex Police, and community partners in May 2025. The group has already created a forum through which organisations can work together on community safety, the appearance of the town centre, and the experience of residents, businesses, and visitors. Once the final 29 ambitions have been chosen, I will take the list to the Action Group and propose that it forms the basis of a shared programme for positive change. Some will require councils to act. Others may need support from local businesses, community organisations, charities, landowners, or funding partners.
Nominations will remain open throughout the summer and will close on 31 August 2026. I will then group together duplicate suggestions, check that each proposal meets the campaign criteria, and identify the organisations likely to be responsible. Eligible ideas will be placed before residents in a public vote on my website during September. The 29 projects receiving the strongest public support will become the final 29 for ’29, which I will publish on 1 October 2026. The feasibility check will not be used to select personal favourites. Its purpose is to ensure that the vote contains clear, practical proposals that can credibly be pursued.
Publication of the final list will be the beginning of the work. These 29 ambitions will help determine where I focus my activity for Bognor Regis ahead of the centenary. For each one, I will identify who needs to act, seek commitments, explore possible funding, and work with the Town Centre Action Group and other partners to make progress. I cannot promise that every ambition will be delivered in full by 26 July 2029. Decisions, funding, and delivery will often rest with other organisations. What I can promise is that the residents’ priorities will be taken seriously, pursued consistently, and reported on publicly, so people can see what has been achieved, what is under way, and where further pressure is needed.
Find out more, including how to complete the survey, here.
