There was very little honour on display at the board meeting last week, why would they start now?

There were three honourable exceptions (well two and a half). Dr Simon Eyre is the chairman of the Professional Executive Committee for the local PCT – and he spoke very much in favour of keeping core services at Eastbourne.

He particularly stressed the time situation – everyone agrees that you cannot get from Eastbourne to Hastings in the appropriate time during the event of an emergency, and he made this point very well.

For me, that is proof enough that the DGH should retain maternity, but it is in fact only one reason of the many.

It's quite disgusting that, in full knowledge that the distance is too far, that the majority of the board voted for the change anyway – they should be ashamed of themselves.

There are eight non-execs on the joint board, four representing our side of the county, and four the other, so you would certainly expect at least 'our' four to vote against this changes. Sadly, and disgracefully, that wasn't the case. Only Jack Barnes spoke sense, and very clearly voted in Eastbourne's favour – well done Jack.

One of the other non-execs, Rhainnon Barker spoke in favour of retaining the maternity at Eastboune – and got all our hopes up. Then, for some bizarre reason, she decided to vote the completely opposite way – quite astonishing!

There were two significant votes, the first on the principle of having a single site, and the second, that the site should be Hastings. Ms Barker voted against the first, and in favour of the second – totally illogical!

She, Peter Douglas and Rita Lewis, the other two non execs for our PCT did not represent local people, and outrageously voted to downgrade Eastbourne's health services (for the record, Rita voted for single siting, but thought it should have been at Eastbourne. However, this is still not consistent with the views of local people, who believe that both Eastbourne and Hastings deserve to have core services retained).

So Nigel is absolutely right to call for these people to resign – even though there's more chance of a White Christmas.

The whole event ended (after three hours) in farce, when the Bishop of Lewes, one of the planets most decent men, was effectively removed from the stage by a bouncer, for having the audacity to ask the chairman if he could be allowed to say a few words.

It was a quite sickening, gut wrenchingly dreadful decision for Eastbourne – and unlike the council if they screw up, they can be voted out – this lot are in for the duration. The whole lot of them who let Eastbourne down should be hanging their heads in shame.


Libdem leader

I don't think Nick Clegg got his leadership of Britain's third political party off to a very good start by confirming to the world he's an atheist on his second day in post.

He may have bought favour with his party who no doubt approve of that sort of thing, but saying it just a few days before Christmas, then backtracking to save face, then celebrating the very thing he doesn't believe in tells me all I need to know about him.

I know the local libdems were split on who they wanted as leader, and it's interesting that only 500 votes (out of 40,000) separated the two candidates.

He's going to have to show some strength now if he wants to rally his troops, otherwise the usual suspects will soon be plotting to see him gone, as they've done with both Charles Kennedy and Menzies Campbell.


Have a fantastic, enjoyable and peaceful Christmas!

Ian Lucas writes his own blog at www.iloveeastbourne.co.uk