Question your local councillors

In response to Paul Lendon’s letter last week – this was my experience of seeking the views of my locally elected councillors.

On attending the public meeting at St Barnabas Church, I was very dismayed to learn that RDC had decided not to mail out information on the Community Governance Review to all Bexhill residents.

How can people make an informed decision if they are not given all the information?

As a result, I made an effort to find out who my two local councillors were, express my disappointment on RDC’s decision and seek their opinions.

One councillor replied that he was neutral on the four options and sent me the dates, times and venues of the consultation sessions RDC was organising.

He also encouraged me to come to one of the sessions he would be attending, which I found very acceptable.

The other councillor explained that he ‘had no interest in forming a Town Council’ and ‘that in his opinion; it would be a total waste of time and money’.

I responded to his email, as I felt that regardless of his personal opinion he had a responsibility to seek and represent the views of residents in his Ward.

In his final response, he ‘re-confirmed his personal view, that he had no interest what so ever in a Town Council’ and asked me ‘not to contact him again on the subject’.

Having listened to the views of Democracy4Bexhill, in my opinion, a Town Council would be an additional local resource that would encourage community development and participation.

Following the response I received from one of my elected councillors, I have lost a degree of confidence in my views being sought and represented to Rother District Council.

I, personally, will be voting for a Town Council for Bexhill and in the meantime, will be supporting Democracy4Bexhill with disseminating its information.

I urge more of you to question your local councillors regarding their views on this important issue.