Council leader turns tables on Jubilee petitioners

In a letter to Linda Stevens who submitted the 600-name petition Cllr Graham Gubby has countered by asking what contributions the petitioners are making to the year.

He says: "Rother has a responsibility to all residents of Rother and whilst I accept that approximately 50 per cent of the residents actually reside in Bexhill it is often difficult to please everybody in trying to get the balance perfect when agreeing to allocate funds to support activities and projects.

"The Queen's Jubilee celebrations, throughout the country, were not focused solely on one weekend. The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family encouraged the nation to celebrate the Jubilee Year thereby spreading events over a longer period of time enabling her subjects to attend many events.

"2002 is also the year when Bexhill celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the awarding of the Borough Charter. Many events in Bexhill were planned, some have taken place, and some are still yet to happen.

"A number of organisers have combined their Jubilee celebrations together with our Charter Centenary celebrations.

"In the same edition of the Bexhill Observer that contained the article about your complaint and the petition there were eight items containing details of Jubilee celebrations."

He says Rother allocated over 13,000 for grants to help groups with their celebrations. "Applications far exceeded the amount allocated...

"Rother received national recognition, through the Cabinet Office of the Government, for its approach to road closure orders."

By offering to do the paperwork involved, the council saved each group 100, freeing this for use in the event.

"Currently there are in excess of fifty such events planned.

"Councillors and officers alike have worked with individuals and groups in the planning and organising of many activities in Bexhill and the district. The chairman and vice-chairman of the council, the leader of the council and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Bexhill have all made themselves freely available and continue to do so in support of the Jubilee celebrations.

"I am very aware of the many individuals, small in number, who have put on and for the rest of the year will continue to put on numerous events to mark fifty glorious years of our Queen's reign and it is a shame that all their efforts seem to go unsung against the voice of criticism.

"On reading the list of signatories I found myself posing a number of questions.

"How many of these six hundred:

l Met the Commonwealth Games Baton when it came through Bexhill?

l Are supporting the carnival celebrations, perhaps by sponsoring or joining a float?

l Contributed towards the Christmas lights?

l Are helping our young people achieve their dream of a skate park?

l Are supporting the efforts of the town centre and tourism action group and Bexhill in Bloom, trying to brighten up the streets with our new planters?

l Took up the offer of the Bexhill in Bloom Committee who invited traders either to buy or, where appropriate, to be given a free hanging basket?

l Joined us in the re-enactment celebrations?

"If these people really are genuinely keen to help those of us who are trying to make 'Bexhill Better' then I will be delighted to pass on their names and addresses to event organisers, to the Chamber of Commerce, to Rotary and Round Table and to the Town Centre and Tourism Action Group."