Trust lays down rules

The West Sussex NHS Primary Care Trust has arranged the session about its Fit for the Future proposals for September 13 at the Alexandra Theatre.

It insists on the following:

only 300 members of the public are admitted to the 364-seat capacity venue;

the meeting starts at 7pm sharp and ends at exactly 9pm with the panel members walking off the stage;

a complete absence of heckling. Any shouts from the audience will see the meeting suspended and cancelled;

three minutes only allowed for MPs to speak.

The details of the arrangements were revealed by the centre's manager, Adam Cunard, during Monday's meeting of Bognor Regis Town Council of which he is a member.

He said: "The PCT feel that 300 people is a good number to consult with. Over that and it becomes very difficult to discuss the issues and there are too many problems.

"It is not just an evening about St Richard's Hospital. The PCT hope to have a full and frank discussion about the document as a whole."

He told councillors he had refused the PCT's request that 64 seats in the theatre be left empty when potentially hundreds of people were outside trying to get in.

A compromise had been agreed in which the front two rows of seats would be reserved for civic representatives such as MPs and councillors.

"The public seats will be available on a first come, first served basis," said Cllr Cunard. "By the look of the other meetings, we will be vastly over-subscribed.

"Last time we had a hospital meeting at the theatre it was only open to residents of the four electoral wards of Bognor. This time, it will be open to the whole area.

"I am rather wary about the whole event. It will be a difficult evening."

He said security arrangements for the evening would be handled by the primary care trust. "I am working closely with the PCT to ensure the occasion goes as well as possible," he stated. "But I will need a lot of volunteers on the night."

Cllrs Paul Wells and Greg Burt offered to give up their seats to enable residents to take their places.

Cllr Burt said: "If the health service book a hall for 364 people, but there are another 500 who can't get in I will not take up my reserved seat.

"I will feel guilty about doing that. I will be outside with the people."

Cllr Wells said: "Clearly, there is going to be a lot of people around. I will be willing to give my seat up if anybody wants it.

"I will be in my place taking part in the protests outside the theatre."

But Cllr Cunard pointed out that any vacant reserved seats would be left unoccupied. The PCT would not allow them to simply be used by a member of the public.

He added that the theatre's four seats for disabled patrons would be kept for that purpose during the meeting in response to a question from Cllr Jason Passingham.