Bexhill needs a voice

As Independent candidates at the council election in May we stressed our wish to see Bexhill have its own voice and believe that was a major factor in our election. We remain totally committed to that and are working to that end within the council.

There are various ways in which Bexhill could have a voice and a Town Council is one of them. But there are other possibilities too.

All possible solutions need to be carefully examined, not least in the context of the government’s Localism Bill which received royal assent this week, revised national planning guidance now nearing legislation and new government policy guidance on the devolution of services. The implications of all these are relevant but have still to be fully understood and evaluated.

In response to representations we made following our election, the need for Bexhill to have a voice was recognised as a “doorstep issue” within the council and subsequently incorporated into the work programme. It is now being addressed by an overall “Devolution” Working Group whose terms of reference include consideration of all future governance options for Bexhill. This is a politically balanced group on which we as Independent councillors are represented.

This is not something that can be accomplished quickly. There are many factors to be considered and genuine consultation has to be undertaken. We are confident however, from background discussions we have had within the council, that the council is genuinely committed to this exercise.

. It may very well be that a town council is the answer. But in our opinion an automatic assumption that a town council is the default solution for Bexhill’s governance problem should be avoided.

There is plenty of time for consideration, consultation and debate – after all only 57 members of the public attended the Town Forum out of a Bexhill population of 44,000. We certainly plan to involve our wards in the New Year.

Bexhill absolutely needs a voice. But it needs to be the effective voice of residents’ authority over Bexhill matters and not a token performance which actually sustains the current undemocratic arrangements. Let’s take time to make sure we get it right.

CLLR STUART EARL

CLLR TONY MANSI

CLLR JOHN LEE