Your letters - October 8

Great news for cyclists

WHAT excellent news! I was delighted to read that we're finally going to get a cycle path between Glyne Gap and St Leonards.

My husband and I regularly cycle to Hastings and, while he trecks across the shingle, I take my life in my hands on the Bexhill Road, so this will be a welcome relief for us both. All we need now is a cycle path along Bexhill seafront.

A couple of Sundays ago, having cycled safely to and from Hastings, we were cycling along the road past Bexhill Sailing Club when a car passed me with centimetres to spare.

Before I had time to shout I was horrified to see the car clip my husband in front of me, sending him sprawling into the road.

The elderly driver did pull over and stop, but couldn't actually get out of her car '“ luckily my husband wasn't injured, and walked over to speak to her, although she would not give him her name.

As cyclists in Bexhill we are currently in a no-win situation '“ if we cycle on the promenade we are subject to abuse from pedestrians, and if we cycle on the road we are at the mercy of a minority of careless drivers.

Until we get our own cycle path, could I please ask Bexhill drivers to accept that we have to share the road and treat us with more consideration before someone is seriously injured.

SUE KLEIN

Cooden Drive

Bexhill-on-Sea

Speculative venture

AT the last meeting of the Town Forum Cllr Patten stated that "there couldn't be a better time to spend public money".

He and Councillor Maynard are key members of the Cabinet and joint holders of the Delivering Value For Money portfolio.

They haven't given much consideration to this with Bexhill's seafront.

I have always thought large sums of public money were only spent on projects that were absolutely vital and for which there was overwhelming public demand - not on speculative ventures like Bexhill's seafront and the Colonnade.

JACK SEABROOK

Richmond Avenue

Bexhill-on-Sea

Looking forward to it

I AM getting extremely fed up with the negative letters written every week complaining about the Next Wave development of the seafront. The individuals concerned seem to assume that we all have the same views and opinions.

I would like to state that we do not. A lot of us (possibly even the majority) are looking forward to the modern, up-beat prom.

So, 400 complainers protested at the Town Hall last week against the planned shelters. Those of us who are in favour of the new look were either at work, college or school!

Those Edwardians that people keep harping on about were "forward thinking" so lets be like them and move with the times.

J HARRIS

Kewhurst Avenue

Bexhill

A lovely precedent

ARE you having problems with a planning application for removing a garage and replacing with a summerhouse, or replacing wooden windows with like-for-like upvc, or perhaps providing a hardstanding (and many more similarly significant developments)?

Well, help is closer than you may think. Rother District Council appear to be setting a lovely precedent for you, as they are in the process of changing our seafront beyond recognition, erecting shelters/windtunnels, which differ substantially from the shelters formerly in place and yet all of this without any planning permission!

One wonders if they had chosen to put up a giant tomato with carefully co-ordinated yellow plastic seating, this would also have been considered "permitted development".

The new kiosk, which was an integral part of the scheme, would according to my sources definitely have required planning permission.

Strangely this has not been applied for. And now we hear the new kiosk will not now go ahead because of the financial position!

When I raised a question about this at the Bexhill Town Forum an answer was not forthcoming.

So, if someone you know is having problems with a planning application and comes to you to see if you know someone who can help them, you will of course say shh... but you'll know who!

Carole Woodland

Cooden Drive

Bexhill-on-Sea

Thanks for donation

WE would like to thank the unknown "Bexhill Pensioner" for her most generous donation to the Bexhill Rowing Club Boathouse Fund.

RODNEY REEVE

Vice President

Bexhill Rowing Club

They're trying to hide?

First of all I would like to thank all those who attended the town hall rally against the designs for the seafront shelters.

However, what a pity not even one of the three main protagonists in this current drama dared to come out and defend their pet designs.

Could that be because they know they would be attempting to defend the indefensible?

These three men lurking in the shadows, the ones who are shamelessly promoting these 'Heath Robinson' designs are council officer Tony Leonard, Councillor Maynard, and the sponsor Councillor Starnes. This triumverate appear to have carried out a programme of secrecy and deceit under a pretence of a policy of transparency, clarity and consultation. The cult of secrecy has become so bad that Tony Leonard is even upset that the seafront works are in full view, enabling the public to ask questions of the workmen. What are they trying to hide?

The other councillors have had no view of the shelter design for 10 months. They did not see them until we did. No wonder many of them are hopping mad. The excuse for this secrecy was that the designs were being modified. What a joke. All that has basically changed is that the metal has changed to wood, and what a clumsy use of wood.

These designs were doomed from the start when the designers stated: "We are not seeking enclosed shelter... we want to be honest with the environment." Well, they got it wrong and now Leonard, Starnes and Maynard are trying to cover up the mistake.

These three conspirators should hang their heads in shame for trying to foist the horrendous so-called shelters on this delightful little town that we love and totally ignoring the opinions of the residents and even many councillors.

One mantra often used by Mr Leonard and his cohorts is - "of course, not everyone will like the designs". Well for once he got it right. You never said a truer word, Mr Leonard.

Jackie Bialeska

Vox Pop

Breaking my heart

AS a former councillor, town mayor, and chairman of several trade bodies, but more importantly a Bexhillian born and bred, it breaks my heart to watch our town slowly decay or be torn apart by those in authority.

I do not point the finger of blame at individuals; I myself should have done more during my time at the town hall to halt the decline.

From Brussels to Bexhill, the unelected pull the strings, and sadly, elected members either cannot object or are caught in political groups. So often the spirit of hard work and genuine passion to improve what we have is stifled because the group decides how the vote will go.

We, the electorate, are disenfranchised because our ward councillor has to toe the party line.

I am sure this administration will claim they have done huge amounts for regeneration, with the new Elva Business Park being the flagship, but why-oh-why do they keep telling us in such an arrogant way what is good for us?

I congratulate them for delivering this wonderful new site, as I am sure it will help the local economy and retain much needed employment. However, when it comes to wasting money and not punching their weight, just look at the De La Warr Pavilion.

More than 500,000 a year of taxpayers' money to support a closed shop of a few influential people and the Arts Council - not a lot for the majority of residents.

Then we have the seafront improvements. Right or wrong, here again the majority are being ignored and we are arrogantly being told what will be good for us.

We are rapidly approaching local elections, so regardless of party, ask your local candidates what they will personally try to do to improve our lives.

I have not written this letter to upset or annoy those currently doing their best, but to support them. However, I do feel we are quick to ridicule those whose views will never be heard because the current political group and cabinet voting system does not allow any form of dissent, free-thinking or democracy.

I love this town and our people - they have always been good to me personally and to my family business - and it saddens me when all we seem to hear is what is wrong.

We have a lot of untapped talent, great ideas to be explored and wonderful surroundings to enhance and preserve. Stop the madness, genuinely consult and give credible influence back to those who create the wealth and pay the bills - the residents and businesses of Bexhill.

STUART EARL

Former mayor

Great sense of dismay

IT is with a great sense of dismay that I I have been watching a gradual destruction of Bexhill's once lovely seafront, where I live.

When the idea of regeneration was put to

us, we were told there would be open discussions.

This turned out to be being told what was going to happen, despite most residents being against the plans, especially as it was going to cost us a lot of money.

Rother District Council's capital is our money.

I went to last Monday's protest gathering about the shelters - a misnomer for a start: has anyone looked up the meaning of shelter in a dictionary?

Apart from not being fit for purpose, they are so extremely ugly.

So now we will be having not only a badly-designed, trashy seafront, but these monstrosities. I cannot envisage what it will look like in five years' time.

I am a senior citizen, but these sorts of discussions cover all age groups, and not all youngsters favour these changes.

The councillors who reckon people are going to flock to our town to see this seafront are living in Cloud Cuckoo Land.

They did use to come, because they liked the seafront as it was.

I can only hope someone sees sense regarding the design of the shelters, but I suppose

it is a done deal and far too late to change anything.

And in any case, as it is not their money they are wasting, they don't care.

MRS PATRICIA CLEMENTS

West Parade

Bexhill-on-Sea

Well done seafront shelter protesters

CONGRATULATIONS to the team for organising yet another hugely successful demonstration giving residents the opportunity to air our grievences against the ongoing fiasco regarding the proposed "shelters" that are to be placed along West Parade.

I use the word "shelters" loosely as I, like countless others fail to see how these can possibly be considered fit for purpose. The new design should be refered to as an open sided "shed" which, I suppose, could be deemed within keeping when set alongside the other "sheds" that are placed on the beach area between the months of April and September.

That said, at least the beach huts do offer the occupant complete protection from the elements. Perhaps the council could have saved an awful amount of time and expense had they decided to produce four large "beach huts" and fitted them out with deckchairs or similar which would at least have given us the added bonus of back and arm rests!

I question as to how difficult it can be for a design team to continually fail in it's task