Residents voice calls for Bexhill to have its own council

Scores of residents voiced their wish to see a town council established in Bexhill at a meeting last Thursday (August 17).
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Aug 2017, 11:14 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 21:42 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Residents at the meetingResidents at the meeting
Residents at the meeting

More than 150 people packed into St Barnabas Church to air their views.

The second phase of a consultation into the future on how Bexhill is governed is due to start next week.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Rother District Council’s six-week consultation runs from next Friday (September 1) until Friday, October 13.

People will be provided with four choices: no change, a Bexhill Town Council, an area committee made up of Bexhill councillors with no executive decision-making ability, or four parish councils splitting Bexhill into North, South, East and West.

Last Thursday’s meeting heard from Trevor Leggo, chief executive of Sussex & Surrey Associations of Local Councils; Richard Farhall, town clerk for Rye Town Council; East Sussex county councillor Stuart Earl; Independent Rother councillor Doug Oliver; Bexhill resident Julia Penfold and other residents asking questions from the floor.

Bexhill is the only part of the Rother district not to have either a parish nor town council. A 4,000-strong petition from residents triggered the Community Governance Review.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Robin Patten, independent chairman of the review’s steering group, said: “We want to hear from as many people as possible, including those who haven’t taken part in the first phase of the consultation.

“Residents will play a vital role in the second phase by giving their views on the options.

“In order to keep costs to a minimum, we are encouraging those that can respond online to do so.

“For those who can’t, information and response postcards are available from the council’s Community Help Point in Bexhill or by contacting their local councillor.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “As well as being effective and providing value for money, any arrangements which are introduced must represent the identity and the interests of people in Bexhill.”

Campaign group, Democracy4Bexhill (D4B) was left annoyed after it said Rother refused an offer from the group to print and distribute the council’s own information on the consultation and returnable postcards for free.

Residents can find out more information about the review by visiting the council’s website at www.rother.gov.uk/CommunityGovernanceReview.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.bexhillobserver.net/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bexhillobserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @BexhillObs

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Bexhill Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.

Related topics:BexhillResidentsPeople