We want a debate

THE six-year funding agreement between Rother District Council and the De La Warr Pavilion (DLWP) provides an annual 'no strings' grant to the DLWP of Â£500,000 from local taxes, subject to review at the three-year point on March 31. A further 'incentive' grant is also payable if DLWP performance satisfies a sample of residents. But targets were barely reached in 2008 and not at all in 2009 or 2010.

On Monday, Rother’s scrutiny committee will consider: 1 Scrapping incentive payments; 2 Abandoning residents’ satisfaction surveys; 3 Transferring £25,000 budgeted for the incentive grant in 2010/11 to promoting the opening and launch of the Next Wave project.

By contrast, the Bexhill Alliance has submitted a petition signed by more than 1,700 residents asking for a debate by full council. We propose increasing the incentive grant to £120,000 to encourage greater regard for residents’ expectations of the DLWP, and cutting the core grant to £400,000. Thus, if the DLWP passes muster and better exploits its assets, it will keep its current funding. We feel a residents’ survey of DLWP performance is key, though current broad criteria should be sharpened. Any diminution of consultation is surely to be regretted.The inference of the recommendations to scrutiny committee is that it is just not possible to incentivise the DLWP to respond to those who pay for it, and that repeated failure to attain a positive result from validated resident surveys is an embarrassment. If one shoots the messenger there can be no bad news! Our petition should most certainly not be seen as anti-Pavilion. We completely recognise and value its importance to Bexhill. We just want expectations addressed and the DLWP’s assets entrepreneurially exploited to supplement its grant income from the taxpayer. May I thank sincerely the many hundreds who supported our petition. The spirit of Bexhill is clearly alive.

JOHN LEE

Chairman, Bexhill Alliance