Rother Conservatives defend their stance on Bexhill town council

Last week, Brian Cope, of Pages Lane, said he was ‘appalled’ to read on the Conservative candidate’s election leaflet for the forthcoming Collington ward by-election that the Conservatives would ‘not waste thousands of pounds’ towards a town council.

He said: “How can it be that even before the Community Governance Review (CGR) has commenced or the consultation with the residents of Bexhill has started that the Conservatives, the ruling party on Rother District Council, can publicly broadcast that they reject one of the possible outcomes of the CRG process?”

Similarly, Diane Smith, of Northcliffe, branded the review a ‘farce’. She said: “This Tory-run Rother District Council is determined to prevent the people of Bexhill making its own decisions about the future of our town, the way that the people of Battle and Rye can.”

Councillor Carl Maynard, council leader, said: “Before the governance review was convened, we made ourselves very clear value for money for residents is one of the key issues. Part of the review will be to look at various options, such as the Bexhill Charter of Trustees, the town forum and so on. The town council is absolutely not the only option.

“We have been very clear, even before the governance review was announced, that the Conservatives would be opposed to a town council.

“At the present time when district and county councils are having to save hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, it’s a choice between focusing on the core services versus paying hundreds of thousands of pounds to supporting a town council. I’m sure we’ll be able to make a very good argument.”

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