Bureacracygone mad?

FIRSTLY I would like to thank the Pestalozzi Village at Sedlescombe for allowing me to stage various gymkhana’s, showing shows and sponsored rides over the past two years on their land in order to raise much needed funds for both Kipling County Carriage Driving for the disabled and themselves.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Oct 2011, 08:00 BST

It came as a very big shock when I received notification that I was required to cancel my future forth coming events I had planned, this being necessary due to local outside objections namely local residents and the Sedlescombe Parish Council and Rother Council.

Pestalozzi said that if my events were educational or classed under the heading of agriculture I could then go ahead, this was due to them only being allowed a certain number of ‘events’ outside these categories and as I am an honest person and felt I could not hand on heart say I fell under those two headings.

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The gymkhanas etc that I hold could loosely be described as educational and community building, the participants not only have a fun time but they also learn riding skills and the fact it is not all about the winning.

On several occasions Sussex Police came and supported our events, primarily to do tack marking which aids in the fight against crime, but also on a community spirit so that the youngsters appreciated that the police are there for them and not as painted at times against them.

I understand that because it is not deemed fully ‘educational’ that children and adults alike are not allowed to have fun.

Equestrian pursuits are part of the country scene so I find it very petty-minded of councillors to put objections that led to Pestalozzi putting a block on our events.

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We only held five gymkhanas and two off road rides over the course of a year and we were only on the Pestalozzi grounds for a maximum of five hours for each event.

It also gave participants the opportunity to get off the roads and ride in safety.

If the parish council want to put up objections perhaps they could badger the Rother council on something a little more valid and that’s reducing the speed of the traffic using the lanes around the local vicinity or waging a war on fly tippers,

Do these people and councillors really have nothing better to do than to stop a few people enjoying themselves, many whom come from around the Sedlescombe area?

I think that we live in a very sad world and where bureaucracy has gone mad.

Margaret Grimes

Telham Lane, Battle

Related topics:Sussex Police