Rye needs control of its allotments

Possession of the freehold would preserve the special statutory status that protects the land for future generations. It would stop it being concreted over to make yet another unwanted housing development.

Rother District Council refuses to do this obvious thing and only offers a sneaky 99 year lease that would simply take away their protection.

To add insult to injury, for years they have imposed whopping fees on top of our council tax to pay for their abysmal ‘administration’ of the allotments and the other property that they gained from us in 1976. Included in those fees is a sum for the maintenance of the building from which the Rother officers work!

For years, good people from all political parties and none have campaigned for the return of the allotment freeholds to Rye. A notable absentee from this illustrious group has been Cllr Sam Souster.

On 14th February, at the last Town Council meeting, our two Rother cabinet members strongly urged councillors to accept the lease offered by their masters. Well, they would, wouldn’t they? But who else urged us to accept? None other than Cllr Sam Souster!

Has he undergone a sudden and dramatic conversion to the cause in the last few days, like St Paul on the road to Damascus? Is it anything to do with all those letters he has started sending to us?

Councillor Mary Smith

Strand Court, Rye.