Petitioners urged to have their say on Bexhill governance review

Lead petitioner Fiona Todd’s letter urges them to respond to the community governance review consultation and comes with a guide on how to do it.

Non-partisan group Democracy4Bexhill (D4B) volunteers are undertaking the mammoth task of hand-delivering each letter after compiling a database of addresses.

Independent councillor Doug Oliver said: “It has been a huge effort to transcribe the 3,650 names and addresses on the petition to a database, insert the letter and response form into envelopes, apply address labels and hand deliver them.

“The team of volunteers who are undertaking this are of all political persuasions, clearly demonstrating that the desire for some form of local governance for Bexhill is driven by democratic ideals, not politics.”

The community governance review was initiated by Rother District Council last year after the petition was delivered to it in 2015.

An initial consultation on what change residents want to see and why has been open since January 9, and ends on March 31.

D4B was set up to encourage the widest possible informed participation in the consultation process.

Deliverers of the letter include volunteers from across the political spectrum, such as the Association of Independent Support Group, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Conservative Party, a Green Party member and some from Bexhill Alliance.

Fiona’s letter, funded with support from local businesses, is packaged with a response form and an addressed envelope.

D4B volunteers have assisted Fiona in undertaking data input of petitioners’ names and addresses into a database.

They’re currently undertaking envelope stuffing and deliveries to Bexhill residents’ homes as the council refused to do this in January because of costs.

The letter urges the petitioners to send their responses to Rother by the end of the first stage of the review, March 31.

The responses received by this date will be used by Rother to narrow the focus of the review for stage two of the review process.

Those who do not respond by March 31, may find their favoured option is not taken forward for further consultation.

The letter also reminds them comments can also be made online at www.rother.gov.uk/CommunityGovernanceReview where they will also find the responses already made to Rother.

Residents wanting more information or who wish to help D4B with their work can email [email protected], call 07917 845737 or write to D4B, 11 Brockley Road, Bexhill-on-Sea, TN39 2HA.

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