Delivering a new Town Forum

Now Paul is hoping to deliver something entirely different as newly elected chairman of Bexhill Town Forum.

He was voted in at Little Common Community Centre and replaces Ken Hutchinson as chairman, while Sean O'Brien of Bexhill Youth Forum is the new vice-chairman.

Paul said: "I am excited about the challenges ahead, as I consider the Forum has been very stale recently.

"It needs to be re-invigorated and opened up to new areas in the Bexhill community.

"There are whole groups of diverse communities in Bexhill that still haven't got a voice.

"I am hoping the forum can act as a conduit regarding matters in the town. And I am hoping, with Sean on board, that we will appeal to the younger people in Bexhill to get actively involved.

"Sean like me was elected because there was a vacuum...we have filled that vacuum and hopefully will change things for the good."

It's his aim to draw newcomers to the Forum and stir up fresh enthusiasm and interest.

"It had become stale. Various people want to get involved but then think - I don't want to because it is not going anywhere."

He initially became involved in Bexhill Town Forum as a representative of the Communication Workers Union who felt local members should have this way of having their views heard.

The Forum is open to anyone who wants to attend but voting is done by those who represent various groups or local organisations, such as churches or trades unions.

"Something I would like to do is encourage more trades union reps from the town to come and participate in the Forum as well. If there is any representative from say the fire service union, or the health service union, they could come along - I would say please step forward, and bring your members views with you.

"The Forum has immense potential. It is the way you can publicly hold the council to account on certain issues, which is evident from the activities of the SOS campaign."

He sees it as a strength of the Forum that anyone can turn up and talk for five minutes on an issue of concern in the town and perhaps have immediate response from Rother District Council or a council official, or a representative from an outside agency.

He is also looking forward to working alongside the Local Action Plans which are soon being started by Rother Voluntary Action to act on any needs or concerns within the local community.

He added: "If anyone in Bexhill has any strong views on how the Forum could be run or how the forum could better itself, I suggest they turn up at the next forum and present those views to the audience.

"We will take everything on board."

Paul, 44, has lived and worked as a postman in Bexhill for seven years. He is married with five children, and has enjoyed lifelong connection with the area having spent holidays at Kloofs caravan site as a child.

He made the decision to become more involved in local life when his father died three years ago.

"I suddenly realised there I was in my 40's and I ought to do something, I ought to get on and do things rather than sit back and wait for other people to do it. It spurred me on to get stuck in."