Killer got what he deserved
ARE we supposed to feel sorry for Simon Watts who is on Suicide watch in prison after killing Sally Lofill?
I think if you took a straw poll in this town on this subject, most people would agree that he got what he deserved or should have got longer.
Of course he's remorseful and praying every day, most prisoners cynically are when it comes to appeal time.
Perhaps if he'd stopped after hitting Sally and called the emergency services instead of moving her body and attempting to destroy his car, people might pity him.
We saw Sally every day, it was hard not to.
She took every measure and then some to be highly visible and safe and it took one drunken idiot to take her away.
He's banned from driving for five years. I'm sure a lot of people don't realise that these bans run concurrently with jail sentences so the scary thing is that when he's released from jail, it won't be long until he's driving again.
Your "sensationalist" front page won't get him a sympathy vote around here.
SARAH SMITH
Udimore
East Sussex

Exit the EU
HASTINGS, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Councils are reported by John Plummer of the Third Sector as having reduced their voluntary sector spending.
Charities and voluntary groups may be viewed as an easy target for cutting costs that would otherwise add to the Council Tax burden.
Councillors do not always realise that a small grant to a voluntary group has the ability to ratchet up a far greater effect as even a small donation attracts a higher proportion of volunteers and the ability of the group to attract media coverage and further funds from elsewhere.
This is called the 'multiplier effect' and the Chief Executive of NAVCA (previously called the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Services), Kevin Curley, is deeply concerned that the current financial problems will tempt councillors to take an easy path against voluntary groups.
Authorities have until the end of February to finalise their '09/'10 budgets.
Most authorities now have a 'compact'; a compliance agreement which, if contravened could result in challenges leading to litigation.
The heart of the problem stems from central government. Not only were British gold reserves sold off in good times at ridiculously low prices but having baled out the banks with public funds they are thinking of "printing money"!
This paper money will not be backed by any reserves of gold; it is simply pieces of paper. It is incredible that financiers have been taken in by this "Emperors New Clothes" scenario.
"Here is a worthless piece of paper but I want you to imagine that it has value!" How daft can they get?
If Britain wasn't giving £65.6 billion gross, (£55.7 billion net) annually to belong to the EU our local authorities wouldn't be in this mess.
The net cost equates to £915 pa for every man, woman and child in the UK, or £1,799 for every taxpayer.
Yes, there is a simple answer which this government doesn't want to hear and that is to exit membership of the EU and go back to a trading relationship only.
Unfortunately for us and voluntary groups the government have tied Britain into a gorgon's knot by the EU-rope and are lost within its hanks of bureaucracy and interminable directives that stifle businesses and actuate redundancies.
TONY SMITH
Ashburnham
Battle

Not the only one
I DO not think Cllr Souster's letter in this week's Observer deserves a considered response, suffice to say that I was not the only member of the Public at the Council meetings referred to.
GEORGE SHACKLETON
Udimore Road

We're not arrogant
I AM not a horse rider but my daughter and her friends are (not in the Rye/Camber area).
I was interested to read your article about horse riders using the cycle path from Rye to Camber and causing the surface of the path to break up.
Has it been proved that the surface is being broken up by the horse's hooves? The surface of many local roads, after the recent weather, is breaking up.
Would it be possible for the path to be surfaced with something suitable for both cyclists and horse riders?
Steve Maxted says that because of the broken path cyclists 'have to go on the busy road where you take your life in your hands'.
Horse riders have to ride on the dangerous roads most of the time, there are very few bridleways in the area.
I'm sorry that Mr Maxted's experience of horse riders is that they are rude and arrogant. Please don't think all riders are like this.
LYNNE SUTTON
Sandyland
Winchelsea Beach

A safe riding route
ON what basis does Steve Maxted of Rye Wheelers ("Horse riders on rocky ground"- R & B Observer February 13) work out that cyclists should be protected more than horse riders?
Stones and horses' feet do not go together well either, but the horse riders probably think the risk of a bruised foot and tetchy cyclists is a better option than "taking your life in your hands" on the busy road.
It is a Cyclepath, BUT, it should perhaps have been designated a "Recreational Path" in the first place to afford everyone a safe refuge. Camber and Lydd offer a choice of Bridle paths but they can only be accessed from the busy road he mentions.
Bewl Water offers an excellent privately managed path, owned by Southern Water that provides 12.5 miles of safe riding for everyone, perhaps the Rye to Lydd Path should do the same?
JACQUELINE PARKINSON
Billingham Lane
Udimore

Post Office troubles
MAY I be allowed to repeat that the troubles being met at the Post Office are due to the fact that the E.U. has bagged all the profit making transactions, and left the Post Office with the mail, which does not make it sufficiently profitable for the owner to continue.
The solution is quite simple, we leave the E.U. Why have we not done so? Because there is too much money in it for certain important people one way and another.
CA STRAKER
U.K.I.P.
The Old Hop Garden
Peasmarsh