Annual meeting is for Rye residents

Mrs Ward lives outside the Rye parish but refuses to accept that she does not live in Rye – even though, by her own admission, she actually lives in the parish of Rye Foreign.

I have explained to her that, in law, members of the public are entitled to attend the Annual Town Meeting, but they have no statutory right to speak.

Last year the chairman of the meeting stated at the outset that he would, as usual, allow members of the public to speak but Rye local government electors would be given priority.

Despite there being Rye electors indicating they wished to speak, Mrs Ward persisted in speaking next because ‘she lived in Rye’.

The fact that Mrs Ward pays council tax to Rother District Council is irrelevant.

Assuming she is on the electoral register in Rye Foreign, Mrs Ward is entitled to speak and vote at her own parish’s annual meeting.

One wonders how Rye Foreign electors would feel about Rye residents attending their meeting and insisting on contributing?

Richard Farhall

Rye Town Clerk