Your Letters - December 14

Pavilion costs

THE 500,000.00 funding from Rother District Council for the De La Pavilion costs council tax payers surprisingly little. The council have provided the following figures (per annum): Band A - 9.61, Band B - 11.21, Band C - 12.81, Band D - 14.41, Band E - 16.01, Band F - 20.81, Band G - 24.02, Band H - 28.82, with the actual charge to residents being approximately half that amount. Judging by the lack of response to the Observer survey (179 responses), the majority of council tax payers have no objection to the allocation of this proportion of tax, it is merely a few individuals who purport that a collective Rother wants to stop subsidising the Pavilion.

Like it or not, Rother's regeneration is dependent on the success of the De La Warr, and any discussion about local use of the building will largely be irrelevant if there is not sufficient subsidy to keep it going. I hope that Rother Council will sensibly decide not to reduce or stop the amount of local subsidy, as this is match funded by the Labour Government.

STEPHANIE WEBB

Collington Avenue

God's blessing

THANK you for your coverage of the storm flattening the Little Common Christmas tree (December 7, page 10). Our spirits were not dampened by the wind or the rain and we enjoyed the gathering in the Community Centre afterwards (so ably organised by the Little Common Business Association) and are now delighted to see the tree back up on the roundabout.

However, your paper missed another storm. For your article "Planners concerned over church hall appearance" (page 19) quoted the concerns of the Planning Department about the St Mark's Church hall project but went to press too early to record the wind of change in the Town Hall.

Having visited the site and seen the model (which planning officers called "a very good piece of work"), members of the committee (led by St Mark's ward councillors) said "the building looks wonderful and can only be a great improvement for the disabled and children" and that "this was a grand project and we should not stand in its way". Planning permission (delegated) was awarded unanimously.

May God grant us further winds to power us on!

JONATHAN FRAIS

Rector of St Mark's Parish Church

Coverdale Avenue

Heaven forbid that we should miss another storm. Last week's coverage referred to a planning application being heard as the Observer was going to press. The outcome is reported this week.- Ed.

No lockers

Re: "No Coats" letter, from Doreen Mills, Bexhill Observer, December 7

IN defence of the children of Bexhill High School, I would like to point out the reason why; when my last two boys were at the school I had many fights to get them to wear protective, warm clothing. They both told me, there are no cloakrooms and no lockers to leave personal items, books, equipment or clothing in.

The children are left trying to juggle back-packs full of text and writing, books, coats, jumpers, sportswear etc from classroom to classroom all day.

Great if it's dry, even worse if it's wet and dripping.

So what does a caring parent do, most ferry their children from home to school and vice versa, thereby keeping them dry, but clogging the roads around the school with heavy traffic. We just can't win can we?

P BALL (Mrs)

Glovers Lane

Open space

SO Mr King (Raw Deal, November 30) feels that Gullivers Action Group has been badly let down by Rother District Council. Surely it is 78% of Bexhill which has been let down by Rother '“ the percentage polled by the Bexhill Observer who disagreed with residential development on the Knole Road bowling greens.

Let's call on Rother to explain its actions with regard to the report it commissioned: 'Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study'. This report would not have come cheap '“ and is yet another example of our money being thrown away unless its findings and recommendations are not just adopted, but implemented.

That report identified eastern central Bexhill as having insufficient amenity green space. Our greenfield sites, not to mention outdoor sports facilities, are supposed to be protected by Government policies '“ why isn't Rother, on our behalf, ensuring that they are?

Jacquie Bouchard

Cantelupe Road

The 78 per cent refers to respondents to an Observer on-line vote.- Ed.

Waste not

SO, our ever cost-conscious council are proposing to 'dip into' its reserves to pay for West Parade improvements estimated at 1.1m, Rother's amount to be 600,000, as well as recently paying 16,000 for the blue illuminated abortions hanging on the front of the town hall, the contractors must be laughing all the way to the bank. What improvements are envisaged for West Parade? It seems to be quite alright as it is. If our esteemed council has so much money to fritter away, how about a council tax reduction next year ... fat chance.

J TOLLETT

Bidwell Avenue

Marina timing

BEFORE Bexhill Town Forum (Observer, November 30) gets carried away with its support for a harbour, hotel, retail complex and underground car parks they would be well advised first to note the requirement of the EU planning authority in accordance with the European Court of Justice ruling that the contract must first be put out to tender across Europe via the EU's official journal.

Once it has been advertised in the official journal, giving developers in Cyprus, Latvia and Finland a chance to bid for it, the project may be delayed for several more years.

Bob Abercromby

Little Common

Hoad's Mill 1

I WOULD like to thank Mr. Bennett for the 'courteous' reply to my previous letter (Hoad's Mill) and would like to point out that such facts contained therein were correct. What was false was my suppositions. These have now been corrected by his letter.

Mr Bennett's in his letter says that the management company has a legal obligation to maintain the windmill's remains and that maintenance has been carried out but that the maintenance has not stopped decay to the mill and that to stop the decay would be beyond the means of the people who have to foot the bill i.e. the residents of Old Mill Park.

I have every sympathy for them although they should have been made aware when they purchased their properties by their solicitors and agents that they would have to bear this cost for so long as they were owners of these houses.

Be that as it may, they have had to bear the cost of maintenance of what I consider to be as much a part of the town's heritage as the De La Warr Pavilion.

I further consider that the cost of any future maintenance and repair should be borne by the town at large.

If this is not possible through the Council Tax then the Management Company should consider turning itself into a Charitable Company if it is not already one and opening its membership to all and sundry. The way would then be open to apply for grants to help with or even pay for the whole of the cost of bringing the mill back to a safe and stable condition and making it an ornament to the town.

The town can ill afford to lose yet another link with its past; so much has already been destroyed.

Here is a building which probably ground the flour which was eaten as bread by the troops of the King's German Legion when in barracks on the Down before fighting under Wellington in the Peninsular War and also before Waterloo.

A. F. Beecher

Normandale

Hoad's Mill 2

I WRITE in reply to the letter from the Old Windmill Management Company (Observer, December 7) seeking to justify their application to demolish the historic local landmark of Hoad's Mill. I remain unconvinced.

Mr Bennett's complaints about the onerous responsibilities of the residents to maintain Old Mill Park seem to me completely irrelevant. Surely they were advised of these when they purchased their properties and willingly subscribed to them?

Likewise they presumably committed themselves to 'maintain and repair' the ruins of the old Down Mill with their eyes wide open. The responsibility is only (but crucially) different in that the site, however humble and decayed, is Listed and an integral part of Bexhill's heritage.

It is a reminder of the semi-rural background of the town and of emotional and nostalgic value to many residents. It is also considered aesthetic being the subject of a famous painting by L. S. Lowry.

The residents, it emerges, have spent only 7000 on the mill in the past seven years. This sum, between a dozen or so houses, would seemingly only amount to some 60-70 per house per annum. They perhaps then have got off rather lightly while their properties have considerably appreciated in value.

It is tempting to wonder - but who can say? - whether more spent earlier on the mill might have averted the present crisis.

Clearly now there is 'trouble at mill' and emergency patch-up repairs are necessary to make the structure safe. These, I understand, will cost some 2000 to 3000. The Company should surely simply carry out these repairs at their own expense without delay lest any accident happen for which they might be held liable.

These repairs will certainly not secure the long-term future of the mill remains, but I fail to understand why the company should misrepresent a report by its own expert to say that "the mill is now incapable of repair" and that "immediate steps need to be taken to take it down". This is nonsense and not at all what the excellent survey by Mr Vincent Pargeter says.

This prominent millwright rather clearly states that, while emergency repairs are necessary, "with suitable restoration the mill remains can be saved and even made to look more attractive, becoming an asset rather than a liability".

Mr Pargeter, in his report, understands the value of the remains "as a tangible connection with the old days of local windmilling and a site of architectural and historical interest".

He then gives a comprehensive plan for restoration over time, the main item being the renewing of the trestle in new wood costing some 17,000.

The Roundhouse might be repaired, alternatively it could be taken down "solving the problem of undesirable use by opening it to public view and making the remaining (restored) structure easier to maintain and indeed quite eye-catching".

The costs of restoration, perhaps amounting to some 30,000, would hardly seem "astronomical" as the Company so describes them. They might however well deserve a conservation grant, even some public fundraising, to assist. I agree with Bexhill Museum that all parties should come together to save the mill, and this must include the Old Mill Management Company, which surely cannot so easily wash their hands of their responsibilities.

NICK HOLLINGTON

Whydown

Jazz break

AT this traditional time of goodwill, something complimentary should be said about the De La Warr Pavilion. So, on behalf of jazz fans, I'd like to thank the management publicly for giving St Leonards' Mike Hatchard a break.

This remarkable pianist-singer-composer-arranger-violinist-comedian always had an impressive following at Hastings' St Mary-in-the-Castle during its arts centre days.

Now, at three Sunday morning concerts at the Pavilion this autumn, the maestro has performed with guests including renowned saxophonist Alan Barnes; a local ladies' elegant string quartet; and Hastings' amazing Terry (play-something-difficult) Hellyer and his fearless 18-piece big band.

And jazz fans should conscientiously mark Sunday, February 10, in their diaries as the date when concert master Hatchard reappears at the Pavilion with guests including the string quartet and Alan Barnes again.

If any art form needs such opportunities, it's jazz - apart from omnipresent trad. variety!

ALLAN BULA

Wickham Avenue

No gratitude

TWO weeks ago I found a wallet in the Sidley Community Centre car park. I took it to the office, had a look inside to see if I could find an address or telephone number which I failed to find.

There was a lot of money and about ten credit cards in the wallet.

To this present date she has not had the courtesy to say thank you for finding the wallet.

So does honesty really pay, I do not think so.

MICHAEL WOOD

Caretaker of Sidley Community Centre