Everyone should be able to speak

Well, Rother is the only council NOT to allow proposers and objectors to speak at planning committee meetings.

Although the matter has been raised many times in the past, Rother’s leaders and officers have steadfastly set their faces against what elsewhere is seen as a basic democratic right.

However, everyone now has a chance to tell Rother what they think about this lack of democracy.

Rother are currently consulting us, although they have not told most of us about this.

If you go to their website, http://www.rother.gov.uk/SCI you will see what they are suggesting they should do about improving the community’s involvement with planning policy and decisions.

Are they suggesting that Rother should change to what every other local council does, ie give members of the public the right to speak? Of course not.

If you think Rother ought to change its ways, then you have to tell them so.

But you have not got long – Rother started the consultation exercise on August 14 (holiday time for many!) and it ends on September 25.

So if planning is important to you, now and in the future, make your voice heard.