Partnership working in Worthing town centre to be scrutinised
Released: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Businesses and residents are being invited to get involved in a review of partnership working in Worthing town centre.
At its next meeting, the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) will be speaking to a number of organisations involved with supporting the town centre to understand more about current partnership working initiatives as well as explore ways they can be improved.
JOSC comprises councillors from across Adur and Worthing and is responsible for holding decision-makers - both within and outside the councils - to account.
The committee will hear from Paul Brewer, the chief executive of Adur & Worthing Councils, officers from Worthing Borough Council and West Sussex County Council, and representatives from Worthing Business Improvement District, Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce, Hemiko, Worthing Town Centre Small Business Owners Network, Worthing Lions Club and Worthing Rotary Club.
The representative of each organisation will speak about their experiences of partnership working in Worthing, as well as detailing their recommendations for improvement, before answering questions from the committee.
Businesses and residents can take part by sending in questions for consideration by the committee as part of the public question time section.
JOSC aims to present any recommendations from the meeting to Adur & Worthing Councils’ Joint Strategic Committee for consideration.
The meeting takes place from 6.30pm on Wednesday 4th November at Worthing Town Hall. Questions can be submitted to the committee by emailing democratic.services@adur-worthing.gov.uk by midday on Friday 30th October.
Also up for discussion will be an update on the ongoing work of the JOSC Budget Scrutiny Working Group, which was set up to scrutinise the financial position of the councils.
Councillor Carl Walker, the Worthing chair of JOSC, said:
“Worthing town centre's success depends on strong partnerships between public services, businesses, community organisations and residents. Through this review, we want to take an innovative approach to scrutiny by bringing together a wide range of voices to understand what is working well, where barriers exist, and how collaboration can be strengthened. By looking beyond organisational boundaries and learning directly from those involved, we can maximise the positive impact we have on the town centre and help create a thriving, resilient and welcoming place for everyone. All are welcome to attend.”
Councillor Joss Loader, the Adur chair of JOSC, said:
“Public scrutiny plays a vital, pivotal role in our democratic process. It's essential that we give traders and local people a meaningful voice and we very much welcome public questions. Worthing town centre has undergone a number of challenges in recent years and we're keen to know how local people view the town and visualise its future."
Photo: Worthing town centre
(PR26-094)
Page last updated: 20 October 2026