Mystery surrounds petition to split parish council between Eastbourne and Hailsham

Wealden District Council said it received a petition in the run-up to December’s General Election calling for a separate parish council for the communities of Stone Cross and Hankham – currently under Westham Parish Council.

But Mike Haffner, the chairman of Westham council, said he and fellow councillors knew nothing about the petition and Wealden is refusing to divulge who is behind calls for a separate authority.

Mr Haffner said, “It is irritating to find persons unknown obtained 483 signatures on a petition to form a separate Stone Cross Parish Council – without the knowledge of councillors. Wealden council officers consider this perfectly in order, without consulting or informing the legal representatives of this parish, not only to go ahead with conducting a report but also recommend carrying the issue forward and putting aside £5,000 for an external consultant. “Recommendations of Wealden council officers may have already cost £5,000 and the cost of a possible election is up to £12,000. There’s also the cost of having two separate parish councils when one will suffice at a time when other councils are combining to reduce overheads.”

A spokesperson at Wealden said the authority regretted it ‘had been unable to find the time’ to notify Westham council about the petition – as it was organising the General Election – but that it did not have a duty to do so. The spokesperson said, “No decisions have been made about the validity of what is being proposed in the petition. The appointment of a consultant and drawing up a timetable and consultation arrangements for a forthcoming Community Governance Review have been approved and part of that review will be to seek the views of Westham council as well as local residents.”