Your letters - February 26

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Keep the windsurfers

I DO not have internet so I can never vote on issues, but I am writing.

Windsurfing should not be banned from Bexhill seafront.

Why is it banned? It is not dangerous or noisy. Wind is needed so the sea is usually too rough for swimmers, or for sitting on the beach, Many windsurfers work during the day and surf in the evenings.

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Some live on or near West Parade - how can they be expected to carry their wind sails and boards a long way before they can launch them?

Also they are an added attraction, especially for visitors, and for seafront flat dwellers like myself.

While writing I must point out how dangerous having terraces with seating on the area by the present putting green would be.

People running for balls or flying kites could easily fall down where the seating and terrace is, off the terrace.

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Also keep the crazy golf - it is very popular with residents and visitors.

I did see mention that Park Avenue as well as Marine Court Avenue would be made a 'shared area' for pedestrians and cars.

This would be much too dangerous.

Many cars use Park Avenue to get to or from West Parade and Egerton Road, as well as all the pedestrians walking to and from West Parade to the park, children's centre, museum and toilets.

Also flat owners who have no garage park their cars in the road.

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Both pavements are wide and so is the road, so what would be the point of making it shared space?

I look out onto the very attractive Clock Tower and the present shelter and dread to think what might replace this shelter.

My address is Park Avenue as our front doors are in Park Avenue, but about half our flats have windows facing or able to see the sea and West Parade.

RONA COOKE

Park Avenue

Bexhill-on-Sea

Works to play park

FOLLOWING the very successful upgrade of the Pebsham recreation play park last June, I am delighted to say from early March, work will start on improving the play equipment for younger children in the play park in Seabourne Road.

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The works will take around three weeks to complete, weather permitting.

This is the result of two years' planning between myself and Rebecca Owen, Rother's parks development officer, and the children of Pebsham.

Rothre District Council and myself are totally committed to continuing to improve recreation facilities for the young people in Pebsham.

I also wish to congratualate Jeannie Prince and Louise Quinland for their success in setting up the Pebsham Chill Zone, starting on Thursday February 25 at the Pebsham Community Centre.

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Despite many setbacks, it did not weaken their resolve to provide quality youth services for the many young people in Pebsham.

They know they will have my full support with the project.

CLLR CHARLIE CLARK

Bexhill St Michael's ward

Retail units concerns

REGARDING last week's front page and the rowing club's new clubhouse which is good news, I applaud and support Cllr Williams' doubts on whether the retail units will be taken up and I suspect other members of the council, including Conservatives, must also be gravely concerned.

As a chartered surveyor, I expressed this view in a letter to the chief executive in October 2008 and recently to the leader of the council.

A scale down of the present proposals is necessary and an upgraded cafe similar to the one that has just closed would be adequate.

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I would expect this to be supported by the ratepayers, especially since we are still in a recession.

We must all shudder to think of the total cost of carrying out the work just approved, more than 5million.

JOHN L WILSON

Elsted Road

Bexhill-on-Sea

Gauging reaction

IN reply to Roger Siggery's response to my letter looking for feedback to my proposal for a possible annual event to be staged in Bexhill, I would like to point out that it most certainly was not my intention to cause offence to the Bexhill 100 nor indeed any other motoring club or organisation that takes the considerable time and trouble to stage regular events.

If he would care to re-read the letter, he will see that I have actually made reference to the Bexhill 100 and acknowledge the 'excellent' events that they have staged over the years (and attended on many occasions and still do).

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Prior to sending the letter to the Observer, I had discussed my ideas with several people, including the Bexhill 100 who were quite enthusiastic to my initial proposal.

The purpose of my letter was to seek people's reaction to the possibility of creating an annual event and I thank Kim Freeman of the 1066 Cruisers Rod and Custom Car Club for taking the trouble to respond, I found your comments very useful.

It may well be that it is a non starter for countless logistical and financial reasons, that was the reason for my writing in the first place, to gauge public reaction and that, in the event that there are other likeminded people, we might join forces to see what could be achievable.

I am pleased to say that I have received further positive feedback from several people in response to the published letter. If anyone else has a view or would like to discuss the idea in further detail, I would be very pleased to hear from you.

John Ellis

West Parade

Bexhill-on-Sea

Link road vs potholes

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I WAS amazed to read East Sussex County Council Number Two newsletter still promoting the link road across the Combe Haven Valley, which half the year is underwater and frequently shrouded in fog (see youtube.com Combe Valley Fog).

How can ESCC spend more than 80 million on a road to nowhere when clearly they are unable to maintain the roads it has?

The potholes and cracks are now so severe they are dangerous. I challenge ESCC to find a single road which has a safe driving surface.

Come on ESCC, spend our money wisely.

JACKIE SUTHERLAND

Glenburn Close

Bexhill

What price freedom?

DID Bexhill see an example last week of what Shakespeare would call justice being shoved by?

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The council met on February 18 and agreed in principle to the kiosks at the Colonnade and yet residents could, or so the notices on the seafront told us, send in their objections to this scheme until February 23.

The committee report stated that objections received to the ammended plans would be reported to the meeting, - were they?

I gather at the meeting objections were not read out and discussed, but would appear to have been shoved by.

There was a public consultation about the shelters.

Firstly the council put out the wrong forms which held up and limited the process, but there was a very good response from the public as I know from being present when they emptied the box on one occasion.

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Where are these forms now? Another example of justice shoved by?

Why have the public not been shown the results of their efforts in this consultation? Given we have a Freedom of Information Act the council will surely have to publish the results well in advance of any meeting about the shelters.

One assumes if the results were what the coucil wanted to hear we would have heard already!

What price freedom? Is this an upstart council which someone needs to rid us of?

CAROLE WOODLAND

Cooden Drive

Bexhill-on-Sea

Can anyone help?

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I WONDER if any reader could be of assistance with the following:

My cousin who now lives in Australia has come across a name amongst his late parents' possessions and is wondering if anybody can supply any information on this lady.

She appeared to be a Bexhill resident and would have died in the early 90s.

Her name was Elisabeth West and my late uncle, Fred Harbour, was associated with Bexhill until the early 60s until moving to Hemel Hempstead.

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My late Aunty Amy was a Sidley girl and both of them had many freinds in the area.

My cousin Colin is just interested in tying up all ends and any help would be apprecaited.

I can be contacted on [email protected]

ROBERT CAREY

18 Eastwood Road

Bexhill-on-Sea

A big thank you

PLEASE could you put in your paper a big thank you to Darren Sutton from the Wiltshire Farm Foods Company, who gave a very interesting talk to the Sidley Friendship Club on Monday February 15. I think everyone enjoyed the talk and the food tasting afterwards.

We were all given a pen and a brochure so we could study it at our leisure.

SHIRLEY P COWAN

Preston Road

Sidley

Ode to De La Warr

YOUR welded steel frame

Seems to glide majestically-

Whispering your high class name

So far away at sea.

The 9th Earl's name you have took

In the year nineteen thirty-five

Would surely still revisit

To keep his soul alive.

Your visitors adorn your rooms

To the Theatre they flock-

Contemporary art and tea for two

And music such as rock.

Opposite the ocean waves

In summertime we'll be-

Deck chairs scattered people clap

Near the Bandstand gleefully.

The De La Warr Pavillion

A landmark so unique-

Glorifies it's magic

Each and every week.

SUSAN WIELAND

Sackville Road

Bexhill

Cycling has no age barrier

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THE Bexhill Observer's editorial comments show a good understanding of what the town wants. The February 12, 2010, leader Beach Must Be Welcoming, Not Restrictive, outlines two major problems with our town. There are many cases where residents would like to restrict the use of a facility, whether beach, promenade or access route. The councillors then have to make a judgement and often decide to make unnecessary and impractical restrictions. The issue is one of: is it the right decision, how long it takes to weigh up the facts and where did they get their guidance?

In the case of cycling facilities in Bexhill, Ron Storkey in his Next Wave debate asks for No Cycling to be enforced on an access route from Sackville Road roundabout to the Promenade. This is both wrong and impractical; the use of a Boulevard should be encouraged for shared space inclusive of all users. Cllr Starnes in sponsoring the Next Wave has done very well in co-ordinating a major project, keeping all special interest groups informed and listening to their views, by and large he has achieved that, so congratulations and thank you.

Sometimes it is easy to listen to the voices that you want to hear, the public perception is that councillors give the elderly what they want. The elderly want to cycle in safety, cycling has no age barrier. At Bexhill Wheelers we have a group and supporters who want better cycling facilities and ask authorities to encourage cycling, not restrict it. It would be an asset to the town and encourage a healthy lifestyle for us and visitors. At present Bexhill is avoided as Hastings provide a safer seafront cycle facility. Bexhill Wheelers are now approaching ESCC to work with them for better cycle facilities in our area. If anyone has comments or would like to help please contact us through our website www.bexhillwheel ers.org.uk

Ian Hollidge

College Road

Bexhill

Come on, play the game!

I AM saddened by the comments and language of some of the Eastergate residents in objecting to Little Common FC.'s floodlight application.

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C Press's expression "cavalier attitude of Football Club being dominant in a publically owned area" shows to me the writer has no understanding of what a Football Club is, or sport in general (Observer letters, February 19).

This particular club runs countless teams of men, boys and girls down to under eight years of age.

No doubt it has more than 100 players within these teams and probably each of those younger players has mum, dad, brother or sister or whoever come to support from time to time.

Little Common FC wanted to meet and assure residents '“ some refuse to be assured. Of course football will dominate, it's the national sport, yet I have seen cricket and tennis played within that area. Sport helps to keep kids off the streets from a young age - better be in a team than a gang.

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Exercise is healthy, and winning or losing teaches competitors from a young age how to deal with both success and failure. I have only lived in Little Common for five-and-a-half years, I always read the Bexhill Observer, yet I do not recall the club bringing the area into any disrepute.

Come on, play the game!

L WOODLEY

Oakfield Way

Little Common

We're not ducking the issue

I MUST correct the misleading impression of BALI given by Neville Wright's letter of February 19.

He thinks waste is allocated for disposal by local area and that we (Bexhill/Rother) should be responsible for our own patch. Not a bad idea - but not how it works! The PSW is planning a landfill site for all East Sussex, including Brighton and Hove. Bexhill has contributed such sites for the last 60-odd years, the latest being Pebsham. Does it really have an obligation to continue to do so? We think not.

Moreover, we believe Ashdown Brickworks is unsuitable for landfill with all its pernicious consequences of methane production, dust/noise pollution, pests, waste traffic etc. The site has poor access to waste arisings and is too close to residential homes, community amenities (eg the new Bexhill High School) and valued environments such as the Highwoods SSSI. Most Bexhill residents share our view: they seek to protect their quality of life. In opposing an Ashdown landfill, do they really, as Mr Wright suggests, have to take on the whole burden of solving the county's waste problem? We think not.

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But BALI itself, contrary to what Mr Wright believes, has never "ducked the issue" of what to do with the county's waste or simply suggested "let someone else have it". We do, however, argue that all possible landfill sites in the county '“ and there are many '“ should be considered equally. At the moment Ashdown is the only landfill site named in the PSW. It has been surveyed by ESCC and discussions held with the site-owners regarding a planning application. Although the PSW 'maps' possible "areas of search" for landraise sites in the Low Weald, not one has yet been surveyed and any such site must be at least one kilometre from an urban area. Does this not show a prejudice for using Ashdown - and Bexhill again - for the county's landfill requirements? We think so. Throughout our more than seven years of existence, BALI has liaised with and often supported other action groups in opposing unsuitable waste facilities in their areas. To suggest that BALI supports further landraise at Pebsham and the scrapping of the planned Countryside Park is frankly ignorant and insulting. We have always supported PRAG and others in seeking the earliest termination of the Pebsham landraise and the implementation of the Countryside Park.

Mr Wright seems to have just woken up to the fact that 'all human activity produces waste' (Eureka!) and that we should concentrate our efforts on reducing and recycling waste. Welcome to the club, Mr Wright, but where have you been all these years? Throughout its existence BALI has been active in promoting such activity and the recovery of energy from waste using the many modern technologies available. Currently we are liaising with the action group opposing landraise in the Low Weald to call ESCC back to the drawing board to revise its PSW with more ambitious targets for waste reduction.

Waste in East Sussex is a complex issue which BALI is not afraid to tackle. It is ESCC, by simply insisting on dumping its waste in Bexhill yet again, at a totally unsuitable site, that is "ducking the issue".

NICK HOLLINGTON

Chairman, BALI