Your letters - February 26, 2010

A21 roadworks will not help industry

IT IS reassuring to know that improvements are to be made to the Marley Lane/A21 junction.

Marley Lane (together with Powdermill Lane) have become increasingly busy, to the most part by failure of the council to address the problem of the Bexhill/Hastings bypass over previous years.

Motorists (who know every pot hole) choose this route to avoid the endless traffic jams on the A259. I doubt whether the provision of the Hastings Link road will make any difference as it will only compound the problems on to The Ridge, Hastings.

I find it sad that the councillors and others go back to the usual theme that road improvements will enhance industrial development and will provide up to 380 jobs.

A glance at all three of the industrial sites in Lower Marley Lane will reveal that they all have further plots to be developed and visually all can be seen to have empty industrial units, a testimony to failed businesses.

It is the economy, not the road, that ensures whether the need for development takes place.

I believe the real reason why the junction is being improved is to facilitate the conditions required for the development of the Highfield Farm site, between Marley Lane and Starrs Mead.

This is a large building development for which the council gave planning permission despite it not seeming to comply with their own planning criteria!

C B HONE

Marwin Farm, Marley Lane, Battle

Religion is reason for Sunday closing

THE Jempson brothers' psycho babble (perhaps googled?) in last week's Observer does not fool most of the people.

We would respect their decision to close on a Sunday much more if they came clean and were honest about the reason.

We all know it's because of religion. A religion which views Sunday as day of rest. Simple as ABC.

Why don't the Jempson brothers admit this instead of pretending to be social commentators rather than the shopkeepers they are.

We may also be more inclined to accept Sunday closing (although I can think of no rational argument for this in the 21st century) if shopping in the Rye Jempsons Budgens was a pleasant experience Monday to Saturday. But it isn't.

The staff are nice but you walk into an entrance practically blocked with cheap goods piled high on your right and into a space which is crammed with DVDs, boxes, flowers with hardly any room to breathe, then into the main body of the shop which quite frankly is dark and dingy.

You constantly bump into piles of produce in the middle of the aisles.

OK so Jempsons will renovate the store but is it worth their while when it is clear another supermarket is probably planning it opening in Rye this year?

One that caters in every way for the discerning 21st century shopper and one that does not let religion dictate its opening hours.

JULIA FARRINGTON

New Winchelsea Road

Jempsons right to make stand

I AM not a religious person but I agree with nearly every word of the case made by the Jempson brothers in last week's paper, supporting their stand against Sunday trading.

However, I don't understand the inclusion of a photograph of them with the prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate.

Not a word from Ms Rudd appears in the article but the clear implication of including her in the picture is that she supports the Jempson's case. Does she? Or is it an indication of support for the Conservative party by Jempsons?

The Jempson brothers are perfectly right to point to the damaging social effects of the 24/7 culture, particularly on shop workers and their families.

They refer to the views of USDAW, the shop worker's union, and the fact that in reality people are now given no choice but to agree to work on Sundays, not just in retail but in other parts of the economy.

So perhaps Ms Rudd would explain why John Major's Conservative governmnet ignored the representations of shop workers and others, and, in the summer of 1994, changed the law to allow for what has become the public's expectation that it can shop anywhere seven days a week - and in some places 24 hours a day!

Does Ms Rudd support the arguments made last week by the Jempson brothers and if she does, can she say what steps a Conservative government will take to increase the rights of workers not to work on Sundays?

BILL WALSH

Chitcombe Road, Broad Oak, Brede

Older people can feel safe in Rye at night

WITH reference to Rosalind Collier's "Sell us back Lion Street for 1"( Observer, February 18) Having talked to someone who was involved in the taking over Lion Street by Hastings College, I have been led to believe that after much discussion and thought Lion Street was sold for 1 - as a direct result of Rye not being to maintain the upkeep of the building and provide classes at the time. Can Rye now do this?

It is unfortunate that once again Rye residents may not been involved in discussions about future plans effecting us.

As to the new building at Rye College - I know that many FE centres are based in local schools.

My school, Impington Village College, was established on Henry Morris's 1924 Memorandum of a 'community centre of the neighbourhood - the place where life is lived'.

I feel that this can only be a good thing as to bring together both older and younger people in the community (even if that is only sharing the same space).

While the situation is not ideal that daytime courses may not be on offer, the majority of Rye residents can not attend daytime courses due to being at work.

Of course a balance of both would be better. Maybe Rye College can provide space for some daytime courses or perhaps they could be held at the much under used Animate Centre, The Boys Club or at the not under used community centre?

By saying Rye is only safe in the daytime leads to placing unnecessary fear in the hearts and minds of older people.

I have attended many events in Rye in the evening Museum and FRAG talks and parties etc. These all seem to be well attended by older people.

I recently attended an event at the Battersea Arts Centre in London and had the great pleasure of sitting at the same table as a woman of 86 years - who had come from Chiswick on two buses. She left at 10.30pm to return by buses after doing the Hokey Cokey and Conga. She, like many of my older friends, are adamant it's still safe to go out at night and will not be scared by much-hyped media reports of crime against older people.

I acknowledge some people have a fear of going out at night - if classes are to be held in the evening maybe an arrangement could be put in place with Rye Community Transport.

Also, I'm not clear as what is meant by for many people Rye College means transport - for residents of Udimore Road, the Tilling Estate or of New and Military Road areas it is of little odds if the FE centre is based in Lion Street or Rye College. Rye is not just the town centre (Citadel).

Rye College would be able to provide easier access and better parking facilities. Once again if transport is an issue at Rye College maybe Rye Community Transport could help.

As to the community buying back Lion Street for 1 - where would the money come from to maintain the building and run classes. Rye struggles to keep going such note worthy organisations as the Museum and The Stormont Gallery.

I would suggest a new builiding may lead to a wonderful opportunities and a wider choice of courses facilities for all of Rye's residents.

JACK ASH

Udimore Road, Rye

Michael Foster will be getting my vote

LITTLE as I wish to get into electioneering, I cannot ignore last week's rash of anti-Foster letters, emotively headed 'A Vote for Foster is a Vote for Brown', 'Foster Can't Provide Total Committment (sic), etc.

I disagree with both implications. 100 per cent commitment is exactly what Michael Foster does give time after time, regardless of his manifold responsibilities.

Only today I received a reply to a recent concern: as ever, he's not only acted on it and enclosed the (long-winded!) governmental response, but provided his own admirably clear abstract. You can't tell me he lacks commitment!

As for the, technically correct, Vote for Foster/Vote for Brown argument, it's extremely unlikely that Labour will get back, unless of course every one of their MPs is as indispensable as Foster to their constituency.

Until we get proportional representation, Michael Foster unreservedly gets my vote.

CYNTHIA REAVELL

Friars Bank, Guestling

Fishing visit too little too late

I WAS interested to read your article about the imminent visit of the Fisheries Minister to our constituency.

Can any Observer readers tell me what is the equivalent fishing analogy for 'Closing the door after the horse has bolted'?

Answers on an email please to [email protected]

NICK PERRY

Parliamentary campaigner

Hastings and Rye Liberal Democrats

Blame Brown for state of the country

NONE should doubt the truth of Ms Hawksley's comment (February 16) that a vote for Foster is a vote for Gordon Brown.

Less obviously, but no less true, is the fact that a vote for Lib Dems may, in some circumstances, also result in a vote for Brown.

One may ask whether this is necessarily bad? Consider the record of the Brown/Blair administrations over the 13 years they have been in power.

Even leaving aside the fact that we are plunged into the deepest recession within the memory of most people alive today - for which Brown seeks to take much of the credit for solving notwithstanding he did little to avert it. He also begs the issue that his policies have left us in a poorer recovery position than most.

We may note as follows:

* UK's massive reserves of gas and oil have been almost frittered away to nothing

* Pension funds once over-funded and the envy of Europe have been eroded to defecit or near bancruptcy

* Power generation plants are nearing the end of their working lives and replacement postponed

* Gold reserves have been sold off at well below today's gold price

* Our currency stands at 2/3rds or less against many major currencies

* We have poured countless billions into the EU and without a vote cast or a shot fired have eroded our competetiveness and personal freedoms to an undreamed of degree

* Middle level education is producing young people whom employers claim are non numerate or semi illiterate and unfitted for employment

* Higher education is available at a price beyond children of middle income families unless prepared to go deeply into debt

* Wealth disparity is reported as wider than at any time since before WW1

* National Debt is at an all time high and Brown thinks he can borrow his way out of it or just print more money. Most right thinking people know better!

So yes. A vote for Foster, despite his personal charm, does matter.

ROBIN DENT

Peasmarsh

It should be your voice in Parliament

LABOUR, Lib-Dem and Tory policies are now so indistinguishable that this childish 'my party is better than yours' squabbling is truly pathetic.

Our MPs and the EU have shown they don't believe in democracy - they denied us our promised referendum on the Lisbon Treaty - so the sooner we get back to voting for a truly local MP who honestly reflects local needs and their constituents' wishes, through local referenda, and defies the Party Whip, the better. That is to what Mrs Brooker eluded, and was reinforced by Mr Stuart (Letters 20/2/10).

It is our democracy! MPs have no right to destroy it in our name, but what we have today is an elected dictatorship with an impotent Parliament subservient to the Party Whip and an unelected EU Commission.

We need a radical change of attitude to our General Election and voting system, but under Labour's 'A future fair for all' rally call, they have voted for a reformed system which, by default, greatly favours Labour!

Don't forget, Tony Blair's New Labour party got in on 25 per cent of the national vote, while 75 per cent of the electorate voted against him!

We actually need more smaller and more representative constituencies, not fewer unrepresentative MPs as we have in the European Parliament.

Hands up those who know who are the 10 MEPs who represent your voice in Europe? Oh OK, lets try naming just two? Quite!

If you truly believe in Democracy, vote for a local candidate who will restore full Sovereignty to our Parliament. Don't vote for those who denied us our promised Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, for such treaties matter greatly.

Take Austria. They democratically elected one Fascist MEP but under the Nice Treaty the EU barred Austria from voting on EU matters!

The EU signed Greece up to the Euro even though they were nowhere near ready - with disastrous results; it is now so perilously in debt and out of control that the EU will invoke Articles 126, 215 and 275 of the Lisbon Treaty to take control of Greece's economic policies and bar Greece from voting on EU matters!

So what? Well, even though we are not in the Eurozone, if, by April 2015, Britain's dire economy and Brown's spiralling national debt has not recovered to meet EU rules, we too will be directly controlled by the EU.

Don't forget, the EU will not allow British taxpayers to save the specialist steel blast-furnace at Redcar from closing, but the EU is using our taxes to improve the efficiency of steel mills in India and China, thereby increasing the loss of our manufacturing jobs. Labour and the Lib-Dems are in wholly favour of the Treaty, but only UKIP will restore our Sovereignty.

So, grill your MP for he or she will be representing 'your voice in Parliament' - but only if it accords with their Party Whip - and the EU!

BARRY M JONES

Heather Cottage

Beckley

Tesco would solve the problem in Rye

WITH regards to the ongoing Jempson saga covering many column inches over the last few weeks.

I feel there are two major issues that give rise for concern, both have been well documented but never linked together.

These issues are ;

1) Higher prices charged by the Rye Jempson/Budgen shop when compared to Jempsons at Peasmarsh.

2) Whether the Rye shop should open Sundays for the benefit of Rye people and tourists alike.

If we look at the first issue, the defence appears to be the agreement between both organisations that allows Budgens to continue to provide stock resulting in profit taking by both organisations passed on in higher costs to the Rye shopper.

This cannot be an acceptable way to treat customers in either the short or long term, let's have consistency of pricing across both shops.

Considering the second issue, an easy solution would be to allow competition and grant access to the dreaded Tesco to open in Rye.

At least that way we would solve problem number 2) at a stroke and keener pricing will no doubt address the first issue also.

It would then be interesting to see whether Jempsons continue to adopt the moral high ground against Sunday opening when a rival is chipping away at its customer base by doing just that.

ALAN READ

Rye Harbour

Donate don't waste - says Rye charity

MORE than 100 charities - including Sue Ryder Care in Rye - have joined together to raise awareness of the environmental benefits of giving unwanted items to charity shops.

Donate - Don't Waste is a four week campaign ending on March 22.

Donate -Don't Waste encourages people to take their unwanted clothes to charity shops - rather than dumping them in the bin.

If each household donated one extra black bin bag of clothing we could save 25 million bags from landfill and raise more than 740 million for charity.

Clothes which cannot be sold in store can be sold to textile merchants to raise money for good causes.

We are asking for everyone to please take your unwanted clothes to your local charity shop.

This campaign is supported by the Association of Charity Shops.

Sue Ryder Care in Rye

End of Punch and Judy politics

LETTERS from Mrs Brooker and Mr Meade were predictable. How long will we have the Punch and Judy of Labour and Conservative supporters? The facts are clear. Labour has let us down, and the Conservatives' offer of change is nothing more than skin-deep. I hope readers will consider voting for the Liberal Democrats - a party whose four election priorities of fairer education system, fairer taxes, greener economy and political reform demonstrate an understanding of the real change needed. As for local candidates, I don't think you could have a more energetic and committed option than Nick Perry.

KEITH PALMER

The Mint, Rye

Voters do have an alternative

IT IS possible, as Richard Meade says (letters, February 19) that a vote for sitting MP Michael Foster could return Gordon Brown and Labour to office at the General Election.

It is also possible - and this he doesn't mention - that a vote for his preference, the Tory candidate Amber Rudd, could deliver David Cameron and the Tories.

Fortunately this is not an either-or situation. Voting for Mary Varrall and Nick Perry, the Liberal Democrat candidates, could deliver the highly experienced and cosmopolitan Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, as well as that powerhouse and sage Vince Cable, who knocks spots off his counterparts Alistair Darling and George Osborne. Readers will recall that Vince came to Battle in May last year.

The bottom line is this: successive Tory and Labour governments have followed the so-called neoliberal economic model of privatisation, deregulation and outsourcing.

A model that had for decades been shown to have had disastrous consequences wherever it was implemented - South America was the lab test.

This didn't prevent them implementing it in our own country.

And now that the same disaster has hit us, Labour is scrabbling around for excuses and people to blame, whilst the Tories are trying to cover their tracks with a fake Damascene conversion to do-goodery.

Fortunately, there is an abundant public record of what both said and did freely available to those who wish to know.

And just one more thing: ponder of the fate of Cadbury and the Corus steel plant on Teesside.

STEPHEN JACKSON

Second Avenue, Bexhill

Current electoral system is unfair

THE recent letters on the relative merits of voting for Michael Foster or Amber Rudd, and whether this is really a vote for Brown or Cameron have highlighted the confusion and unfairness of our current electoral system, begging the question - who and what are we really voting for?

If you believe we are voting for a local MP to represent all constituents in Parliament then think again, all candidates from the mainstream parties are duty bound through the whipping system to follow the party line.

Furthermore consider that most MPs are elected with less than 50 per cent of the constituency votes (Michael Foster polled only 42 per cent at the last election), so their mandate to represent the local people is rather weak.

If you take the other view that we are really electing a national government and Prime Minister, then our 'first past the post' voting system is totally unrepresentative resulting in the current Labour government being elected with only 35 per cent of the national vote.

This is nothing for Conservative supporters to crow about, their last Government received only 42 per cent of the national vote and Cameron will be lucky to get over 40 per cent this time round.

So this is the sorry state of our democracy - we vote locally to elect an MP, based largely on national issues and end up with a Government that two thirds of us don't want.

Surely it's time for electoral reform to make sure that 'We the People' are properly represented!

CLIVE BISHOP

Battle

Major road traffic takes precedence

I SINCERELY hope that these 'improvements' at Marley Lane/A21 will not be as dangerous as the 'improvements' have been at the junction with the B2244 (Sedlescombe) and the A21. This junction now encourages drivers turning right onto the A21 to pull across in front of drivers turning right onto the B2244 even if the main road is not clear of traffic. This effectively blocks drivers' view of traffic travelling towards Hastings.

When I took my driving test, the rule was and probably still is that traffic on the major road takes precedence over that on the minor road.

This junction is apparently being monitored but it will take the inevitable major accident for any change to be implemented.

As I use this junction twice daily 365 days a year, I hope I am not the major accident.

LYNN SCOONES

Balcombe Green, Sedlescombe

No consultation with the public?

WHILE I welcome the news Rother has obtained outside funding towards building the new sports zone in Egerton Park in Bexhill, I do not understand why Rother has again failed to consult with the public over it.

Recently my small parish council was alerted to the possibility of funding for an older childrens' play area.

In the short time available, a brief informal consultation was carried out on the grounds that it was hoped the village would win the funds. The good news is that it did and the new playground is in place and proving extremely popular.

Rother would have known about the Adizone project some time ago and could have announced their intentions of bidding for the funding at least through your newspaper.

Instead it would appear that a high handed decision has been made by officers and those councillors 'in the know'. Clearly not even all of the cabinet knew of the matter and voiced misgivings at last weeks meeting.

This appears to be yet another example of Rother's style of democracy.

We have seen it in high profile with the Bexhill seafront proposals.

Councillors are elected to carry out the wishes of those they represent, but when ratepayer's money is also being spent to attract outside funding the district council should be really sure that it is what the electorate want.

MARY VARRALL

Bexhill and Battle Liberal Democrats

Parliamentary Spokesman

Airport would damage local leisure industry

THE news article (Airport decision day looms large, February 20) was right to point out Rye Town Council is opposed to the planning applications for the expansion of Lydd Airport.

It is opposed by many of the town councils in Kent too though, sadly, not by Rother District Council or East Sussex County Council who seem to take the view that any increase in air traffic must be of itself a good thing.

Jonathan Gordan's view (to which the news item gives several column inches) that 'The economic facts are simple - the local economy needs a successful airport at Lydd...' is somewhat too simple. He takes no account of the damage that it would cause to the struggling leisure industry from Folkestone to Hastings.

Meanwhile the damage to the unique environment of the Dungeness with its Special Areas of Conservation and Sites of Special Scientific interest would be catastrophic.

I'm pleased to advise that Shepway District planning officer's report has, for the second time, recommended that both applications be refused on the grounds that Lydd Airport have failed to demonstrate that they would not adversely affect these nationally and internationally important habitats.

The full report and appendices may be found at http://www.shepway.gov.uk/webapp/cads/index.php?committee=council

I urge people to write to Shepway District Councillors recommending that they accept their Planning officer's report and refuse the applications.

JOHN HARRISON

Iden

Stop knocking Rye's new library

I HAVE read with despair and disbelief that arguments are still going on about the new Rye Library. May I suggest those who are now objecting take a visit to the Tenterden Gateway and see what an imaginative council has done with space much smaller than the former Woolworth site. In addition to a library, there is an internet caf, information desk and wonder of wonders - a Post Office! And it is quiet.

MICHAEL MILLER

Rye