Expenses issue rightly remains a hot potato

This time it is not MPs claiming for suspect items, but Rother district councillors ratifying their rise on what they can claim for the coming year.

Since the scandal of MPs' expenses broke last year, this hot potato rightly remains in the public consciousness as something to watch.

In the current economic times, it is more important than ever that personal claims on the public purse continue to be monitored.

A shame Cabinet voted through the increase - the original idea to freeze it by the scrutiny committee was altruistic and would have been applauded by the residents of Bexhill.

We are not saying councillors shouldn't have an expenses pocket at all - quite the contrary, as many give up their own time and resources to represent their respective wards.

But it will be interesting to see which elected members follow Councillor Charlie Clark in refusing to claim the extra, and which will continue to do so.

Link Road: it's all about votes

THE decision to delay the findings on the public inquiry into the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road until after the general election shows just how shaky the government is feeling.

After all the trouble and expense of holding the inquiry, this announcement must be of equal frustration to those both for and against.

Those for will chafe at any delay, while those against will wonder if the government's sudden case of cold feet means they have presented a strong case for seeing the scheme scrapped.

In an ideal world, such a political vote-preserving move would not be employed in any planning or highways issue, by any political party.