Fight to keep day care centre

Cllr Simon McDougall said he wanted the Chestnuts to stay at its site in London Road.

The county council's social services department is carrying out a review about the future use of such centres.

Chichester is being used as a pilot with Bognor included as well because of the number of its residents who used facilities there.

Cllr McDougall said he and county councillor Francis Oppler attended a recent information evening at the Chestnuts about the proposals.

'I would fight tooth and nail as far as the Chestnuts centre is concerned,' he pledged.

'I believe there's a very big, big need for the Chestnuts to remain as it is,' he said.

Closing it would take away the quality of life of the centre's many users.

He stated: 'Most of them are on their own and do not get the chance to go out and remain socially active.

'In some cases, it can be the only time they see their friends.'

The Chestnuts was opened 17 years ago on county council land behind the town's library.

The fear was expressed by residents at the annual Bognor electors' meeting on Monday that any closure of the centre could be combined with the possible move of the library in the regeneration proposals to release a large package of land for new residential development.