Sam to leave council

Sam has served on Rye Town Council for 16 years, including two years as the town’s Mayor.

In a resignation letter to Rye Town Clerk Richard Farhall, he wrote: “I have decided to resign from the Town Council and all my other community activities.

“It has been an honour and privilege to serve the people of Rye to the best of my ability for eight years on the District Council and on the Town Council for sixteen years, with similar service in the Midlands previously.

“I wish the new Council well as the neighbourhood Plan nears maturity, and this will give the town more opportunities to determine its future.”

Commenting on his Rother defeat Sam said: “I was swept away on the National Trend, which, along with the high turnout was devastating for Labour.

“I hope a new generation will follow having the one simple conviction, and that is to ensure equality of opportunity and fairness for all.”

As a councillor Sam was involved in many local groups and committees and was the first chairman of the Rye Partnership, from which he has also resigned.

Sam sat on the Harbour of Rye Advisory Committee and, fro Rother Council, was part of the Rye Sports Centre Liaison Committee.

At times he was a fierce critic of the Rother Council he served on.

He told the Rye Observer: “I have played my part over the years.

I would like to think that I was a good community councillor.

“My workload in looking after people was incredible yet I got more pleasure from that than in sitting on committees.

“I will miss the planning committee as there are always interesting planning applications in Rye.

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