Your letters - April 9

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All lumped together

I FIND it mildly amusing that the Observer cast a vote as to whether young people deserve more respect.

Not just because you old people voted no, but because you lumped thousands of us into that term, and to the older generation the term young people evokes thoughts of mopeds, drugs and violence.

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What about those of us who work in the shops, the caffs and the restaurants to bring you food?

Oh, and those of us who work tirelessly, night and day, in the endless rest homes of Bexhill?

What about those of us who knuckle down with our education because we want to do something with our lives?

We don't all find spraying our nickname on the underpass amusing; neither do we all enjoy giving the town a bad name by playing that ever-popular game of stare at everyone until it becomes really uncomfortable.

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Or do you old people really think we all get together in the woods and have a massive crack cocaine/moped racing party when youre not looking?

LUKE BISHOP

Cambridge Road

Bexhill

Accessible polls?

ARE you disabled or know someone who is disabled and would like to vote in the General Election?

A total of 10.8 million disabled people are eligible to vote in the UK but not everyone is aware of how to do so. Leonard Cheshire Disability has a new website called My Vote My Say, which gives information on how to register to vote, the different ways to cast a ballot and how to become a volunteer.

Do you know how accessible your polling station or candidates constituency building is? Could this cause a problem on polling day?

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Leonard Cheshire Disability has found 44 per cent of disabled people had experienced discrimination or difficulties when accessing goods and services in the past 12 months.

By visiting the website you can send a letter to your local candidates asking them to sign up to Leonard Cheshire Disability's pledge to be an assessable MP.

Take a moment to think if any of these circumstances could affect your right to vote and visit www.lcdisability.org/myvotemysay for more information.

JOHN KNIGHT

Director of policy and campaigns

Leonard Cheshire Disability

London

Forum disappointment

WITH regard to the future location of the Bexhill Town Forum, we are disappointed to learn of the decision to base it at the De La Warr Pavilion and to discontinue its appearance in Sidley, Little Common etc.

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A lot of time and effort was spent in encouraging the council to hold these meetings in the satellite villages of Bexhill, which enabled folk from those areas to become involved in the happenings of their town.

In our view, the meetings should go to the people rather than the people going to the meetings if true democracy is to be upheld.

Gwyneth Ludkin

Chairman

Little Common Community Association

Shepherd's Close

Little Common

He's got my vote

I WAS so pleased to discover that we in Bexhill and Battle are to receive a choice, a real choice, of who we would like to represent us at the next Parliment.

Thanks to Stuart Wheeler stepping forward and running against corruption, I feel that I can actually vote for someone who isn't out just to see what they can get for themselves. Greg Barker played the expenses game for his own personal benefit, not out of a sense of duty serving the people of Bexhill and Battle.

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If Mr Wheeler's sole aim is to run against a corrupt politician, he had 646 seats to choose from. We are lucky he chose Bexhill.

I sincerely hope that the voters of Bexhill and Battle will send a message to Westminster that we are not as stupid as they like to believe we are. We have an opportunity to show David Cameron how angry we are by not returning Mr. Barker to the trough.

Not only that, I believe Mr Wheeler will do a good job. Mr Wheeler is a Conservative himself so we do not have to sacrifice conservative views, and better yet, from what I have read about him, he is not from the new breed of liberal Tories. He's got my vote.

R HARRIS

South Cliff

Bexhill

An honest politician

Ode To An Honest Politician

Politicians come and politicians go,

None remain forever.

Some are very good at the job,

Some are none too clever.

Some seem contented with their lot,

Others appear bored to death.

Some listen to the people,

Some pretend they are deaf.

Some say they are independent,

But each must tow that line.

Nearly all are political puppets,

It is easy to spot the sign.

Some appear willing and eager,

Keen to serve you well.

It isn't hard to sort them out,

A matter of time will tell.

Some are very decisive,

Their logic is hard to resisit.

They will promise you the earth,

Then forget that you exist.

Some are very artful,

Devious and quite cunning.

Controlling inflation and statistics,

With results that are truly stunning.

All proclaim they are the ones,

To improve our way of life.

By easing financial worry

And eliminating strife.

Some have outside interests,

Inducements to keep them sweet.

Why is this permitted?

Such opportunities to cheat.

Cash for asking questions?

Money for constituency fees.

Once we called it corruption,

Now it's trivialised to sleaze.

Some have indiscretions,

Their morals are a scandal.

In such a chosen profession,

One should always set an example.

Sponsored by a Union,

Or financed for deceitful gain?

There is no point splitting hairs,

The reasons are the same.

So put your house in order,

You are in the electors' sight.

If you wish to stay in office,

Your credentials must be white.

A spoonful of medicine,

Not too difficult to swallow.

Lead by good example,

The elecorate soon will follow.

Remember everything is changeable

But unlike our seasonal weather,

Whilst politicians come and politicians go,

Honesty should remain forever.

Alan Pitches

De La Warr Road

Bexhill

Shame about benches

IT will be a shame if the three memorial benches in Cantelupe Road and the six in the small public garden at the back of St Barnabas' Church, Bexhill, have to be destroyed through lack of maintenance.

They are now down to bare wood.

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Two of the benches are at the crossroads with Brassey Road, and therefore visible to some of the visitors to the seafront.

However, visitors will realise that we in Bexhill are getting on in years and cannot afford a handyman to pick up a brush to apply some varnish. Our resources are needed for projects such as the new shelters and developments at the Colonnade.

Doubtless, the officials of Rother District Council will provide comfort if we become too embarrrased by the state of the benches.

JOHN LEWIS

De La Warr Parade

Bexhill

Old system was better

I AND several other people living in the Rother district would like to know whose idea it was to have to place a bid with the housing authorities to maybe have a chance of obtaining a property?

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I am nearly 70 and I was told that I may eventually be housed, or I may not. This was what a very abrupt council lady said to me.

This system is very bad, as you may bid but then never know if your bid has even been received. The old system was so much better. I am all for progress, but this is a joke.

M ROBERTS

Parkhurst Road

Bexhill

Appalled by comments

IN all honesty I was appalled by the Trust Party's advertisement and comments.

This was just an excuse to say uncalled for things about our hard-working MP Greg Barker.

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Mr. Wheeler even admitted that he had never met or even spoken to Mr. Barker, so I am wondering how he can make comments about someone he has does not know. Actually the advertisement said nothing about the Trust Party at all.

The comments that Mr Wheeler made about MPs' expenses were not correct. I have heard Mr Barker many times explain his circumstances with reference to his expenses, on which he has been given a clean bill of health.

I know that Mr. Barker is a very approachable person and I am sure that if Mr Wheeler had taken the time and trouble to speak to him instead of making comments in his advertisement, he would have been pleased to explain the situation to him.

This advert does not say anything about this fledgling party or its aims. In my opinion voting for a party that has no known record or proper political mandate is a wasted vote.

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They will not have the weight to change things in Parliament '“ and that is what we need most at the moment - a change of Government, a change of prospective, a change for the better.

I might add, it is also interesting that Mr Wheeler donated a large amount of money to UKIP and the Conservatives '“ now he is starting his own party.

It would appear that the poor chap just can't make up his mind which camp he is really in. Indecisiveness in not a good thing for a party leader!

B GEBBIE

Old Mill Park

Bexhill

Link Road delay: the "bad" news should be welcomed

RE: your recent article 'Election result may put link road in doubt', what Michael Foster MP would call 'bad news' (cancellation of the link road) should be welcomed as common sense and maybe a shift towards proper use of public funds.

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I welcome the position of the Lib Dem parliamentary candidates Nick Perryin for Hastings and Rye and Mary Varrall for Bexhill and Battle for their commitment to use the funds for a range of sustainable transport measures for all.

The doubts cast on the scheme are founded in publicly available evidence and expose the spin put on the (very shaky) case for the scheme by its promoters who pull all sorts of assertions off the shelf which have usually gone unchallenged.

All of the following weaknesses in the case for BHLR can be substantiated:

'¢ Time savings - more than 70 per cent of these are under two minutes

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'¢ Jobs - 80 per cent of jobs claimed as being newly created will in fact be existing jobs but relocated

'¢ Alternatives - viable alternative transport measures have always been available to develop (pedestrian, cycle, bus and rail) but have been parked in the slow lane for years. The far from small matter of the Climate Change Act of 2008 has a bearing on BHLR too.

The High Court ruling that the Heathrow third runway proposal must be re-examined in the light of the Act are surely relevant to this scheme.

East Sussex County Council have failed to offer any meaningful information on what it proposes to do to offset the large increases in carbon dioxide emissions that will immediately follow the opening of the road and continue for decades to come.

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A figure of 76.8 per cent of the rising transport sector contribution to carbon dioxide emissions comes from cars - undoubtedly due to the type of 'car based' developments that would accompany BHLR.

By comparison, emissions from buses are three per cent and rail 2.2 per cent. Walking or cycling to the bus stop or railway station emit nothing and improve health.

A transport strategy should help us on a pleasant journey to a low carbon and more localised economy. The massively expensive BHLR has no place in such a strategy.

KEVIN CARIAS

Marina

St Leonards

Thanks to councillor

My grateful thanks to Councillor Paul Lendon who put me in touch with the Highways who made a wonderful job of the pavement outside my home.

Thank you Paul.

Esther Rowsell

Woodsgate Park

Bexhill

Enthusiasm - then nothing

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BEXHILL in the 50s was a nice place in which to grow up: elderly, staid and kind. Inefficient, rude and dishonest were not words you would associate with it.

How things change! Three years ago I offered to give the town a seat for walkers weary after the climb up Dorset Road to De La Warr Road.

"Yes" they said and did nothing. E-mails were briefly exchanged and then ignored.

A year later I drove over and met the official in question.

A show of enthusiasm and bustle were not convincing. Nothing further transpired. Another year, more ignored emails, I wrote to the Mayor.

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A colourful page promised things would get moving. An apology was e-mailed and then, you guessed, nothing has happened. Amenities for the residents are obviously not on the agenda.

Why did Bexhill not simply say "Push off we don't want your gift" in the first place? The pretend gratitude and good intentions are just plain rude.

MARY TELFORD (nee Starkey)

Canterbury

Kent

Know your blood pressure

MEMBERS of the Bexhill Rowing Club's Oarsome Foursome, who a year ago won the Trans-Indian Ocean rowing race, will be out and about in Bexhill on Saturday April 17, between 9am and 12noon promoting the campaign that the Stroke Association and Rotary are carrying out jointly to encourage people to have their blood pressure taken.

The Stroke Association is the main charity that the rowers support for whom they raised more than 16,000.

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60,000 of the 150,000 strokes suffered by people in the UK each year could be prevented by controlling blood pressure.

St John Ambulance personnel will be at the Bexhill Sailing Club and will be carrying out the short, painless and simple procedure to check volunteers' blood pressure and give advice in the event that they are considered to be risk.

Last year the Know Your Blood Pressure campaign saw more than 13,000 people across the UK take up the chance to have their blood pressure taken. As a result, nearly 3,000 were advised to see their GP for more tests and a further 200 were urged to seek medical advice immediately.

Everyone is welcome.

ROGER HEYES

Bexhill Rotary Club

Still waiting for the police...

IT is Bank Holiday Saturday and lovely and sunny outside - could have been a really nice day to do something out and about in the area, but instead I am sitting indoors.

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Why, I hear you ask? Well that would be because I am waiting for Bexhill Police to come and visit due to the mindless vandalisim that was done to my car last night (Friday).

We live in All Saints Lane in Sidley, And this morning myself and my neighbours left our houses to find our cars minus their passenger side wing-mirrors. There was myself and five other neighbours who have had this damage done, one of which was a brand new car.

This is not the first time this has happened as I already have my other vehicle off the road due to vandalisim and to find this further damage this morning is very annoying.

It is obviously youths in Sidley who have commited this damage not understanding the cost and trouble they cause when they have finished their bit of fun. I am not just blaming the youths of Sidley without proof, I myself have seen the damage they commit first hand.

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As if the damage to the cars was not enough, when reporting the incidents to the police (on the non-emergancy number) both myself and neighbours were told the more people who report the crime the more will be done to solve it, and they may check CCTV if there is a need.

I was then told as we found the wing-mirror that it may have fingerprints on they could use, so I should wait in for them to send a scenes of crime officer to check it.

This was at 11.30am this morning, it is now 4.15pm the whole day is gone and wasted, but there is still no sign of the police. And then they ask why we don't call them!

NAME SUPPLIED

All Saints Lane

Sidley

Unfortunate choice of word

REGARDING Homophobic Rant (Observer letters April 2):

It is most unfortunate that the word homophobe is commonly taken to refer to a person who hates homosexual people.

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Some of us, perhaps the majority, make a distinction between hating the act and hating the homosexual person. Unfortunately there seems to be no English word for them.

"Christian" perhaps?

Ralph Hill

Willow Drive

Little Common

Road local issue, not national

REGARDING the delayed decision on the link road and Freedom of Information:

Our local MPs and councillors are so afraid of losing their seats at the coming election that they are being told to keep quiet about information that they should be telling their constituents.

Surely it is time that national politics were removed from local government.

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They should be elected to represent their constituents and not their political affiliations.

By the way, I would like to congratulate Charlie Clark and other members of the council who voted against a rise in their expenses.

R SANDERSON

Top Cross Road

Bexhill

My little bit of Sussex

LIVING in the countryside - I just couldn't ask for more.

When I discovered I had a little wood next door,

Thought I was Tarzan - all those trees to climb,

Until I fell in some nettles - collecting elderberries for wine,

There was lots of wild birds - in this little wood,

Flowers like violets, celendine, milkmaids and bluebells so good,

When going to nearby Highwoods - meant so much to me,

There was lots more wild birds - and flowers to see,

Often watch'd wood ants (may nip you) building a nest,

and also a greenwood pecker - with headache doing his best,

Camping in the wood to the nightjar's weird noise at night,

In the morning the birds dawn chorus - was a delight,

Then I discovered a gem of Sussex - the South Downs,

With lovely walks - away from the hustle of busy towns,

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Lots of different wild flowers - and a little blue butterfly,

A flock of peewits - a skylark singing in the sky,

With my wife we walk'd miles - on this beautiful land,

How fortunate we are to have lovely Sussex so grand.

Old Jack Braiden

Buckholt Lane

Sidley

A tongue-in-cheek request

COULD the Bexhill Carnival organising committee or your readers, shed any light on persistent and growing rumours circulating in the town that Bexhill's current Member of Parliament, Gregory Barker, is expected to be invited to appear as TV fishy icon Flipper the Dolphin in this year's Carnival, should he be re-elected for the seat in the forthcoming general election?

The so far unconfirmed rumours have it that this charming gesture would be to underline in attention- grabbing form, Mr.Barker's often voiced deep concern for the environment, especially maritime pollution matters, and would of course be totally unrelated to his property dealing and alleged "flipping" profit-making operations, which he has quite rightly angrily denied.

MICHAEL GREEN

Marina Arcade

Bexhill

Details of last year's expenses?

DOES our MP, Gregory Barker, have any plans to share details of his last year's expenses, available to him now, but not to members of the electorate until after the forthcoming General Election?

DEREK DULY

Newlands Avenue

Bexhill-on-Sea.

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