Bench snub was rude

Neither my colleague Jane Wood, whose idea the bench was, and without whose involvement the project would never have been built, nor the designers, were told by Arun District Council about the award, or that a presentation was taking place, although the council appears to have placed the responsibility for completing the project on Ms Wood’s very broad shoulders.

Not only is this thoughtless and bad manners, but at a time when local authorities have no money for such projects, and need help from private individuals, it also seems a case of “biting the hand that feeds you”.

Roger Barker,

South Terrace,

Littlehampton

Editor’s note: We had several letters in the same vein and also pointing out that Gordon Roddick, who made a substantial donation to the bench in memory of his widow, Dame Anita, was also overlooked.

In an email, Arun’s cabinet member for regeneration, Norman Dingemans, points out that the invitations to the awards were not sent out by Arun but by the awards organisers, the Sussex Heritage Trust.