Support for classic car club?

The Bexhill 100 Motoring Club has raised more than 5,000 for local charities with its August Bank Holiday classic car shows in Polegrove, thanks to a three-year hire cost concession.

The club has now requested a five-year service level agreement giving them free use of Polegrove for the annual show and use of the De La Warr Parade lawn three times a year.

The hire charge for Polegrove would be 555 and use of the lawns three times a year 126.

Director of services Tony Leonard says the options are to reach a service level agreement for three or five years, refer the application to the cabinet's service level agreement review process as part of the budget preparation for 2008-2009 or offer no concession at all.

He says: "Bexhill has a long history associated with the motor car, having hosted the first motor race in 1902, an historic event celebrated in recent years by the Bexhill 100 Motor Show on May Bank Holiday. This event was last held in 2002.

"With effect from 2005, the Bexhill 100 Motoring Club has used the Polegrove and promenade lawns for motoring events in support of the town's motoring history under a three-year service level agreement.

"The concession was offered in order to give the organiser an opportunity for the event to become largely self-financing with any surplus donated to local charities."

The director says the classic car show and promenade displays would continue to link Bexhill with its motoring heritage and provide interest to locals and visitors alike.

However, the May cabinet meeting was told service level agreements - under which organisations receive Rother aid in return for agreed community work - would be aligned to a new three-year government grant settlement regime, except for extenuating circumstances.