Your Letters - August 3

Waste enquiry

IN your July 26 issue Mr Ross (Flat response) wrote that he wrote to us on June 29 about the rubbish problem he had.

He stated that he hadn't had a reply from Cllr Standring. Since Cllr Standring never received the message it is hardly surprising he didn't reply. If he had received it he would have replied, since both of us have earned a reputation for responding assiduously to approaches from residents of the Ward. Mr Ross went on to state that the reply from Cllr Williams was: "I am not sure what you expect me to say." He has taken this response totally out of context. This was Cllr Williams' second response to his problem. She contacted the relevant officers after his first e-mail and reported back to him - hence her reply. She felt she had already responded to his concern. We can't help feeling Mr Ross is being "mischievous" and rather political in his letter.

Keith Standring (Cllr)

Deirdre Williams (Cllr)

Sackville Ward.

Waste mix-up

MAY I add comment to the letters page regarding the recycle debate!

Contrary to the majority of recent letters printed within your paper. My family and I are keen supporters of recycling and, like the majority of people separate out our recyclables into the designated boxes, one for plastic and tins and one for paper etc.

Today (being Thursday) I duly placed my recycling boxes out at the designated spot for collection and as the refuse vehicle was close by, I thought that I would wait and when emptied, return the boxes to the house.

To my surprise and despite all my efforts of separating out the contents, both boxes were picked up and emptied into the same collection container before being further emptied into the refuse cart. The contents being all mixed up!

A couple of week ago I took some garden waste and general household rubbish to the Pebsham tip. Despite separating out all the material to assist in the recycling, I was told not to worry and to place everything (except metal and rubble) into the general rubbish pile for landfill, as things like wood, plastic etc could not be recycled due to there being nowhere to send the material for processing.

So my comments to the local council is that Bexhill residences are doing their bit to save the planet, when can we expect the council to do their bit and get the organisation and infrastructure right.

FRANK EVANS

Cooden Drive.

Rubbish fairies

"TO Whom It May Concern"

The bin on the corner of Eastwood Road is not for you all to put your household rubbish and garden rubbish in, it looked like a Christmas tree full of everybody's rubbish in it and hanging off of it.

I have been informed it is only cleared once a week so what people must have thought passing through on the main road seeing it all lying there. It was disgusting.

Haven't people any pride in where they live? Even if they haven't, I have.

Already the fairies have been late at night and put more garden rubbish in.

M OLIVER (Mrs)

Eastwood Road.

Still waiting

WE are at the end of our tether. We have not had our rubbish collected for five weeks and one day.

I keep e-mailing them and have been promised we were high priority and it would be collected early this week and it's still here.

Can anyone better that for length of time?

We have lived at the same address for 37 years and always had our bin emptied every week with no problem but this new system is rubbish. Can anyone beat that?

K. O'Brien (Mrs)

Bixlea Parade

Little Common.

Green illusion

I AM not green. I do not want to be green. So I resent the fact that I am being held personally responsible for global warming and carbon foot printing just because some bonehead politicians have decided that going green is the new fashionable crusade. I tend to leave those things to the likes of Al Gore and Bob Geldof, thank you very much. Sorry fellas, I really am not interested.

So now Rother has revised the recycling policy claiming "This is great news" in the latest leaflet distributed regarding our (the taxpayer's) responsibility to save the planet. At the moment, they urge us to take bottles to the overflowing bottle banks and leave them on the pavement below the full containers. A request at the moment, but surely bottles will be banned from the black wheelie bins before too long under the penalty of public ridicule and heavy fines.

I take it as a warning regarding their highlighting extra bags of refuse. So far they have taken bags outside and on top of wheelie bins. They now say they will not do this any longer, claiming that if we are good little citizens and separate everything properly "you should have no difficulty in getting all your weekly rubbish in the black wheelie bin".

I agree 100 per cent.

However, my dear councillors, we do not have weekly collections, they are fortnightly. The big green truck comes around every week, but we have to remember if it is box week or bin week. The only way I can remember which week it is, is by assuming that the containers that are overflowing the most are the ones due to be emptied that week. It gives me a glimpse of what Alzheimer's would be like by not knowing what day of the week it is.

And we are offered instruction as to where to actually place the bins.

There is no sign of the council offering a public service to help its overtaxed citizens dispose of our rubbish, but penalties if the old and the frail and the weak are unable to tip this heavy bin back and drag it uphill or down steps to put it in the exact position required. Thus the big strong bin man doesn't have to walk too far to collect it.

Never mind the paper boxes, which with two weeks of national and local newspapers would give a young man a hernia lifting them, let alone carrying them to the kerbside. The council insists that we shall do half of their job in the fight against carbon foot printing. God Bless David Cameron. Next we will be asked to actually tip it in the back of the truck for them.

So Rother District Council, don't expect your subordinate taxpayers to be overjoyed just because we remembered to take the plastic tops off of our plastic bottles and place them in the black wheelie bin instead of the plastic recycling box (there must be some scientific, ozone saving reason for this) that the grass will stay greener for longer. On the contrary. I think to myself as I make extra journeys, propelled by heavily taxed petrol, on heavily congested roads, waiting in line for 30 minutes at the tip with the hundreds of other motorists, all of us idling our cars creating a carbon footprint the size of one of Cherie Blair's free long haul first class flights: Wouldn't it have been greener if the big green truck picked it all up on its trip through the neighbourhood?

R HARRIS

South Cliff.

Drains alert

Copy of letter to the Rother area highways manager, East Sussex County Council highways department.

IN the light of the disastrous floodings in areas of the country due to what I know is caused by rather abnormal weather, I still have great reservations as to how we could cope with such a situation in Bexhill.

As you may recall, I was in contact with you in the past as to the cleaning of roadside drains, back some two years ago. In that case it was the drain outside my home. This was cleared after my complaint to you - but since this time the drain has not been touched. On my tour of the area of Bexhill I have noticed the same situation of drains being so full that even weeds are growing out of them - namely in the area of Amherst Road, Mitten Road and New Park Avenue, also Wickham Avenue.

While I would be grateful to see these drains cleaned and cleared out so as to take the rain water, I would also be pleased to know how often the contractor is paid to clean the drains throughout Bexhill and Rother and who monitors this contract.

In the good old days before all these contracts, when East Sussex County Council undertook to clean the drains regularly each year we never had these problems.

While I know you do not wish to have residents monitoring the services carried out, I would be grateful to know from the public is they know of drains in the area which are blocked as this would help towards preventing flooding, so I will ask if the Bexhill Observer will print a copy of this letter.

Stuart Wood

Rother District councillor for Old Town Ward.

Spirit world

I FEEL I must reply to Mr Paul Minter (Observer letters, July 27) and his criticism of the mediums that attended the Bowling Centre. Has Mr Minter the Christian not heard of the quotation "judge not, that ye be not judged"; does he not believe that our brother Jesus rose from the so-called dead after three days; did he not raise Lazarus from the dead; did not Jesus say to the robbers who were crucified alongside him "today thou shalt be with me in Paradise" and do not the clergy at any funeral - cremation or burial - as the coffin is lowered or the curtains are closed, "we commit this body in the sure and certain hope of resurrection?" Surely this must put the lie that all dead are sleeping.

Mr Minter says mediums cannot communicate or see spirits; I wonder if he has ever tried to do this? As for the so-called Church may I point out that Spiritualism has been a recognised religion since the 1971 Act of Parliament. Is he also saying that if you cannot communicate with the dead how can Father Edwards do this?

PETER MORGAN

Harewood Close.

Missing link

AN official in attendance at the Link Road exhibition agreed that the development made possible by the Link Road would increase the volume of traffic using the A259 between the traffic lights at London Road and Eastbourne ie Little Common Road, Barnhorn Road etc. But the surprise was when he said that any problems caused by this increase were for the Highways Agency to deal with - not ESCC.

So how does the Agency intend to deal with the increased traffic along their stretch? And wouldn't it be irresponsible of the planning committee of ESCC not to consider these plans alongside those for the Link Road?

Furthermore, since it has now become clear that the reason for building the Link Road is to facilitate development, shouldn't the Committee be examining in detail the plans for housing estates and factories - after all should they be unsatisfactory and refused then there is no need for a Link Road!

Have those planning the development

(a) written assurances from all the utility companies that the extra demand for gas, electricity, water etc can be met;

(b) obtained promises from the Government to finance the building of the schools, hospitals etc which will be needed, and

(c) to increase the grant money up front so the support services can be in place when the newcomers take up residence - after all our services are already overstretched!

However, the big question (so far unanswered) is how is the development going to regenerate Bexhill?

D W WOOLLER

Collington Rise.

Fete thanks

I WOULD like to thank the traders, helpers and people of Sidley for all their help and generosity during the Sidley Village Fete.

Having postponed the event previously, due to the bad weather, the assistance given on the day by all, was wonderful. To be able to call on the Bexhill Carnival Queen and her party, not once but twice was much appreciated, to all those who responded to our call for help, my sincere thanks. The Sidley Sports and Social Club generously giving a helping hand, special thanks to Trevor the groundsman, Paul and his bar staff, the officers of the club and all those who manned the side shows. Special thanks to Keith and Helen Bridger (President) for opening the Fete, and helping when needed.

JIM MUSSELWHITE

Chairman

Sidley Residents Association.

Secret loo

ANYONE desperate for toilets in Town Hall Square by Sainsbury's will be glad to know that there are some beautiful, well appointed public toilets opposite Sainsbury's, behind the Town Hall in the Community Help Point. I have spoken to the staff and they told me that anyone can walk in and use them. What a surprise! This has certainly been a well kept secret.

JACKIE BIALESKA

Marina.

Trade support

AS the Glyne Gap roundabout was primarily built to enable traffic to safely get to the Ravenside shops and leisure complex, surely the owners of Ravenside, and/or businesses, could easily afford the 25,000 p.a. to fund the project out of the profits obtained from the people who use the roundabout. To be renamed "Ravenside - Glyne Gap" would be an advertisement in itself. What about it Ravenside? and Tesco, McDonalds, Boots, Curry, Halfords, PC World,? Not forgetting the swimming and bowling centres!

B A LAMBERTH

Brookfield Road.

Grand parade

ONCE again as with 2006, I write to say well done Bexhill for yet another grand event on July 28, the Carnival Parade.

Not so hot this year, but at least dry and sunny - who did you speak to?

And once again those kind ladies in the Old Town with the soft drinks for all.

Shame that we missed out Sackville Road though. Nevertheless a good day was had by all I am sure. I know we did.

Robert E Morgan

Hastings.

Police disgrace

I BET Inspector Owen Poplett and Bexhill police cannot believe their luck. While your paper has spent the last month on saturation coverage of the teething problems of local waste recycling, you have let them off the hook over a problem of major national importance. They have also ignored letters in your paper asking for a response.

The current situation, which Mr Poplett and his force aid and abet, is that one half of the population have the liberty and freedom of the other half of the population, at their mercy. The "Hillside hoaxer" who Bexhill police let off scot free perfectly illustrates how no man in this country is safe under the current system of legislation. Any woman claiming rape or assault will be given such an unfair advantage as to almost make the person's guilt irrelevant. They will also retain their anonymity even when proven to have made a false claim. Any man merely accused will be named and shamed by your paper, a completely biased and one-sided situation.

This Government, in their pursuit of all things politically correct, have kowtowed as usual to the lunatic feminist fringe in this. These fanatics (check out their websites) use the five percent conviction rate of all rape claims to assert that five percent of ALL RAPES end in conviction. In other words, no rape claim in their eyes is ever false!

The Government, in their usual incompetent way, even tried to allow women who were drunk to claim they didn't know what they were doing, and therefore any man having consensual sex with a drunken woman was now guilty of rape.

That probably includes most adult males on the planet at one time or another! Of course, a drunken man couldn't use the same excuse as a defence. More one-sidedness in the anti-men agenda. The judiciary sensibly saw the unfairness of this ruse and I believe it doesn't apply in actuality. God forbid it ever should.

The police, under pressure to reach conviction targets will use any advantage they can and welcome such "dumbing down" of offence criteria - to them any conviction is a result, irrespective of the person's guilt. Their refusal to charge or even name the "Hillside hoaxer" clearly shows their position in this statistics game. How long before Bexhill police send an innocent man to trial on another person's word, where they face a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty. British legal history is awash with miscarriages of justice, let's hope common sense begins to prevail with this vicious crime and such mistakes are not repeated here.

P BENTLEY

Cooden Drive.

Our future

TO all of you out there, proud to love Bexhill, prepare to fight for what you hold dear; for our town is in danger of losing the very things that make it so special. You would be right to assume that strong planning policies have been put in place to protect our communities ensuring their sustainability. However, do not rely on Rother District Council to defend all policies equally, or even some at all.

Last October, the head of planning advised councillors that policies on affordable housing would have to be rigidly defended at appeal. Proposed housing on Gullivers greens would be the 'test-case' after the adoption of the Local Plan in July 2006. At the Public Inquiry last week, his officers did him proud, strongly supporting the District's need for affordable housing. Yet the significance of other policies, also being defended for the first time, was completely overlooked by Mr Rallings and his subordinates. As advocate for Gullivers Action Group at the Inquiry, I defended the policies they failed to.

Many times I have read in this paper and heard at planning committee meetings councillors express their worries concerning the regeneration of Bexhill, believing the age imbalance needs to be addressed first. Yet not one councillor asked to speak when the Inspector gave the opportunity. In October I heard councillors speak of protecting green open spaces, yet not one spoke up for this beautiful green open space. In fact, they voted on May 24 to remove the only refusal reason put in place specifically to protect the space. Only one voted against the withdrawal, being a Sackville Ward councillor, portfolio holder and the most passionate speaker last October. Sadly, she did not have the courage of her convictions to speak up last week, suggesting falsely that I had prevented her from doing so.

I understand Rother needs affordable housing and has targets to meet; but is it right that Bexhill should sacrifice its future to allow wealthy developers to offer money in lieu? Does Bexhill really need another sheltered housing development? Does Little Common really need another supermarket?

ANNE-MARIE LOADER

Knole Road.

EU views

Are we not right to insist that Gordon Brown redeems the promise his party made in the 2005 General Election to give us a referendum if the EU Constitution came back?

Only Blair and Brown are in denial about the new Treaty signed by Tony Blair on June 23this year. They say it is not the EU Constitution returned, everyone else in Euroland says it is. Indeed, continental Eurocrats are barefaced about it but still insist that the British should not be allowed a referendum.

his new Treaty is the last piece in the jigsaw, turning an association of Member States into a European Empire in its own right, with international legal personality, able to sign treaties in its own right on our behalf.

I think it really matters to Rother District residents, taxpayers and businesses whether we remain an independent nation, or become an offshore province of Mr. Barroso's Empire of Europe. Should not those who would like to sneak us into this subservient province be required to argue their case in public so that everyone in Britain is made aware of what is going on?

KEITH STANDRING (Cllr)

Bexhill Sackville Ward.

Underpass 1

Copy of a letter sent to the Mayor, Cllr Lendon., re: Underpass, King Offa Way

IN reply to Mrs Zo Smith's jolly good letter in the Observer, July 20, here are two paragraphs from a letter I received from InterRoute dated July 5 2007:-

"The reason the underpass is continuing to flood is because the rainwater that settles at the west side is not running through the channel to the central drain in the middle of the underpass properly. The installation of the pump will remove any excess water, that does not channel away properly and pump it out into the drainage on the A259.

At present I do not have any further information or dates as to when this is to be carried out, however, I have been advised that we aim to have this pump installed within this financial year".

I myself wonder if, when it is installed, this pump will keep the water clear as there is so much rubbish washed down into the gulley ie. dirt, grass cuttings, litter, grit which has been dumped, when it rains.

What a pity a bridge was not built in the first place, which would have saved all this bother and probably someone's life. There will be an accident one day.

MAVIS STUBBERFIELD (Mrs)

St David's Avenue.

Underpass 2

I WISH to reply to a letter in last week's Observer from Zoe Smith of Barrack Road about the condition of the pedestrian underpass under King Offa Way.

There are two issues that I have been taking an interest in about this underpass. One is the frequent flooding of the blocked drain, and secondly the excessive amount of graffiti on the walls of the underpass.

There have been a number of letters over the past months about this underpass, and I wanted to inform your readers that the condition has not gone unnoticed.

The matter has been addressed by the Safer Rother Partnerships, but I have discovered that the underpass is the responsibility of the Highways Agency. However, in discussion with the Highways Agency, and their maintenance contractor InterRoute, I have asked that these two issues are attended to.

The flooding of the underpass is caused by a serious blockage to the drain, and InterRoute have assured me that they will send a lorry to pump out the drain within 24 hours of being notified of a flood.

In addition I have been told that a sump pumping device is planned to be installed this October to automatically remove the excess rain water.

With regard to the graffiti, this is still having ongoing discussions on the best way to deal with it. If the underpass is just painted it may just attract more graffiti, so we need suggestions on ways to smarten up the underpass in a way that will be sustainable, and attractive.

Michael Ensor (Cllr)

Bin efficiency

WE must not blame the bin men for problems in the new system. They are doing a good job in all weathers.

On Friday, July 20 they emptied Royston Gardens rubbish, within minutes, in a clean and efficient manner. They are a hard working group of men, and cheerful. We have always had a good bin service, and I have lived here for 30 years, and have always had a good relationship with a hard working group of men.

D G FRANKLIN

Royston Gardens.

So generous

MAY we, via your newspaper, thank everyone who has generously made donations to The Battery Hen Welfare Trust. An incredible 609.07 has been raised so far! Additionally, 109.35 was raised for The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association from their collection at our shop at the end of June.

We are very pleased to announce that we are now personally and actively involved with Carla Lane and her `Animaline' wildlife sanctuary. Donations for this most needy cause can be made at The Cats Whiskers or at Edgars, both in Sackville Road, Bexhill.

All the animals and birds are directly and greatly benefiting from these much needed funds and thanks again to everyone for their continuing generosity in supporting these vital animal charities.

HAYLEY ATKINS AND LORRAINE GILL

The Cats Whiskers

Sackville Road.

Scouts' story

ON July 20, 1940, 852 children from Bexhill were evacuated to Hertfordshire, St Albans, Letchworth and Stevenage were their final destinations.

Many boys who went to St Albans had been scouts in troops in Bexhill and within two weeks troop leader David Williamson was forming them into a new troop.

Permission was given to form a troop and it became the 4th St Albans (Evacuation) Troop. By the end of 1940 there were over 25 boys at each meeting. Bexhill boys who were not scouts when evacuated swelled the members, in July 1941 J. Brown, C. Dendifield, D. Hartman, M. Staines and G. Viner were invested bringing the number to 35.

One task carried out by senior boys for their national service was firewatching at St Albans Abbey.

In 1942 an Air Scout patrol was formed for those interested in the ATC; Summer Camp was organised all under the excellent leadership of David Williamson.

In late 1942 the boys returned to Bexhill and in January 1943 under the now Scoutmaster Williamson the 10th Bexhill was formed.

If you were part of the 4th St Albans or 10th Bexhill or your father or even grandfather I would like to hear from you so your memories can be recorded in the District Archive. Please contact

Barry Wilkinson

Tel 01424 844027

GSL 2nd Bexhill Scout Group.

Passing strangers

I ENJOYED watching a very good Bexhill Carnival on Saturday afternoon at Sidley but the whole exercise to raise funds for charity seemed to be lost on those with collection boxes.

They seemed hell bent on staying with floats and going down the road as fast as possible with no apparent interest in getting among the spectators to get the donations.

In fact the people including myself standing outside Lidl's had to almost beg collectors to come onto the pavement to take our money. A pity because no doubt cash was lost.

V CHALCRAFT

Aldborough Road

St Leonards.

War children

I AM researching a BBC documentary on the experience of children who had fathers who fought in the First World War. Many never saw them again after they marched off to war. Half a million fathers died, the greatest loss suffered by any generation in British history.

I am interested in memories of fathers coming home from war, gassed, injured or disabled and the effect this had on family life. I'm also looking for childhood memories of happy reunions with dads who survived the war unscathed. If you are in your 90's or 100's and have a moving personal story to tell about your father in the First World War please contact me.

LIZI COSSLETT

Testimony Films

12 Great George Street

Bristol BS1 5RH.

Tel. 0117 925 8589,

email: [email protected]

Top care

I HAVE recently had surgery at the Conquest Hospital, Hastings. I'm back home now feeling really well.

There has been a lot of bad press about the Conquest but I have only got praise for them.

Firstly, I fell down stairs from top to bottom (five years ago), I broke my nose, my lip was hanging off and I had a crushed vertibrae. We had very good service. The ambulance came in about five minutes. I was put on a special board in case I had broken my neck.

When I arrived at the hospital I got first class service and was allowed home with my husband and sons a few hours later.

I had my surgery on June 14 this year and left two days later. The staff were all wonderful, caring and friendly.

Although I have already written to the Conquest and Mirrlees Ward plus Miss Sinha and team, I would again like to express my thanks through the media.

J A BASSETT (Mrs)

Watergate.

Don't worry

I HAVE just had a minor operation in the Conquest Hospital, everything went according to plan. I wish to thank all the staff in the Cardiology Ward, also in the Richard Ticehurst Ward. They were all wonderful and caring.

Anyone having doubts about going in the Conquest Hospital, don't worry, one could not be looked after better even if you were in the Ritz Hotel.

A GRATEFUL O.A.P.

Charity quiz

ON Saturday, July 21 the Bexhill Conservative Club held a charity quiz night on behalf of the 9th Bexhill Scouts regeneration fund, during which we raised 322. I would like to thank all the club members who attended, representatives from the scouts and two teams from the Town Crier and all the other individuals not connected to the club who made this club night so successful. My thanks also go to Beth Sinteff, who organised the huge raffle.

A great night was had by all thank you.

B RANDALL

Cantelupe Road.

Soccer thanks

THE football tournament held on the weekend of July 14/15 at Gunters Lane was a huge success with nearly 800 children taking part.

The committee would like to thank all the referees who helped and all the parents who gave up their time to help.

Also we would like to thank the children for playing the game in the right spirit and their parents for supporting Bexhill Town and we hope to see as many as possible next year. We also congratulate all the winners.

PAUL WENHAM

Club Secretary

Bexhill Town Youth FC.