Your Letters - June 6

Driving on stilts

A LETTER appeared in last week's Observer under the heading Drive on stilts.

A typographical error near the end of the letter from J. D. Edwards, of Cooden Drive, may have caused confusion. It should have read: "This solution could, to a degree, free the task from the tangled maze of problems associated with re-engineering the present A259 and much of the essential co-ordination with other surface projects. "Implementation would put us in favour with the EU and relieve East Sussex of having the most heavily polluting road in the country. All we need is the money."

Unfit A259

FOR the past 30 years we have been telling all those who care to listen that the A259 is not fit for purpose.

Unfortunately for this poor beleaguered town, the people with the power to do something about it fail to listen.

It does not need the latest national survey to tell us that this road (between Eastbourne and Hastings) has been voted the 9th hardest section of road to navigate in all of England. We did not need the survey to tell us that the A259 from King Offa Way to the end of Barnhorn Road is grid-locked, choked by traffic fumes and responsible for nine fatalities, 22 serious accidents and over 100 less serious accidents, in the past six years.

The proposed Link Road will do nothing but open up the northern reaches of Bexhill for more houses thus increasing our already creaking infrastructure, road congestion and traffic pollution.

If our politicians are serious about regenerating this dying town by attracting new jobs through new enterprises they must get a proper by-pass built which will go a long way to improve our present Third World communications network. Let's stop talking about the A259, let's act now and get our politicians to do something about this ever-festering problem.

Mike Rosner

Hillborough Close

Mayoral politics

AS someone who is A political (not committed to any political party), but who enjoys the privilege of voting on the merit of a particular candidate, may I attempt to correct one or two misapprehensions by your two contributors under the headings, Mayoral puzzle? Had it not been for an electoral defeat at the May election (which was presumably democratic), the Mayor for the past year would have been an Independent (formerly Labour) councillor, whilst the penultimate year's Mayor was also an Independent (formerly Liberal Dem). No political monopoly there then!)

Since the Charter trustees are also elected councillors including Lib. Dems, Independents and, until recently, Labour councillors, it isn't altogether correct to speak of monopoly. I am informed that at the current year's Mayoral ceremony, the Lib. Dems. were conspicuous by their absence. I suggest this was an act of discourtesy and pique.

I am glad I don't have to engage in party politics.

D. RINGER

Ninfield Road

Pavilion confusion

Copy of a letter to Derek Stevens, Rother District Council:

In response to Lynne Moore's letter, Private show, (Observer May 23), we are equally disappointed and somewhat confused as to her response to what was the start of a very successful weekend for Bexhill.

Our Saturday openings are always open to the general public and free of charge.

We do reserve the right to have a private function during the afternoon for funders and stakeholders, the artist and his or her guests as a thank you for their contribution to the exhibition.

Again, as with all our Saturday openings, we conducted the speeches in the public domain in the foyer, and the schedule of the day was published on our website and on the invitations which were available for anyone to pick up from our Information Desk, in advance and on the day. There was a great atmosphere all day, with fully-booked exhibition tours, restaurant and a concert from The Fall.

Although difficult to pinpoint local people (do they look different to anyone else?) we recognised many local friends and supporters in the building who enjoyed the work of artists Grayson Perry and Kate Adams, both of whom live and work in the region.

Over the opening weekend, their exhibitions attracted over 2,500 people into the Pavilion and Bexhill and, at the time of writing, 10,000 people have visited.

We look forward to welcoming Bexhill Observer readers into the Pavilion during the coming weeks.

Sally Ann Lycett

Head of communications

De La Warr Pavilion

Cooden dogs

Copy of a letter to Rother District Council

THIS morning I had a very interesting conversation with a very nice council employee who was cleaning up Cooden Beach. He told me that the caravans currently parked by the fishing huts at the end of Herbrand Walk are indeed occupied by the same travellers who were moved on from the beach huts.

Apparently there are five or six terriers plus a couple of lurchers and that the site is 'knee deep in dog poo'. He has complained to his boss about this and the aggressiveness of the dogs but has heard nothing since. I really do think this is something that has to be sorted out once and for all before the summer holidays begin. Please could you get your legal department to approach the owner of the land by the fishing huts to check if he/she has given permission for the site to be occupied. If not, then legal proceedings should ensure to move these people on.

I have to say that I think it's a pretty poor state of affairs that it is left to people like me to 'police' the area. It really should be up to both the council and the police to be more proactive and to look after the interests of the local people!

TONY HAMMOND

Gillham Wood Road

NHS salaries

REGARDING the article on five-month-old Finley Horne who suffers from plagiocephaly and torticollis conditions as well as other illnesses / conditions which appear regularly in the Observer, have you noticed that NHS executives never suffer as a result of the post code lottery.

They still receive vast increases in salary, receive "company" cars having their petrol paid for too. Who do the PCT (I have my own definition of these initials) think they are, playing around with our illnesses and medical needs as if we are puppets on a string.

Also, as I visit the hospital regularly, I witness hospitality trolleys being wheeled away from meetings with a plethora of uneaten sandwiches, quiches, dips, salad, sausage rolls, deep fried fish bites etc., which are thrown in the bin.

If these people HAVE to eat whilst at a meeting, why can't they purchase their own food from their fat salaries? Or if the organisers of meetings believe they have to feed the attendees, take orders from the individuals hopefully ensuring the sandwich / salad / quiche will be eaten, which is the practice in many companies.

This is just one hospital; multiply it by all the hospitals in the UK, several times each day, five days a week. You will soon realise why there is insufficient money to purchase medicines, machinery, beds. I have witnessed many other areas of waste too.

Reduce executive salaries; let them purchase their own cars and pay for the petrol they use. The NHS is not a profit making company.

The above applies equally to MPs, Prime Ministers, even perhaps local authorities. We might as well stand in the streets with our purses and wallets open allowing these people to help themselves because in effect that is exactly what they are doing. Who really cares about the legitimate working people and their plight?

I will now have a cup of tea and calm down.

MARCIA LINDEN

Martyns Way

Care costs

IS it really true that we are a nation of cheapskates? That we want everything on the cheap including our teachers, police, doctors, nurses, and so on? A recent unpublished survey suggests that only a third of us would increase taxes to improve services. So perhaps we are?

Certainly East Sussex County Council works on that basis. The Tory ruling group makes no secret of its determination to reduce council tax at any cost: "We know you want council tax to be kept as low as possible and we are in the third year of our four year plan to drive rises down" (Your County, Spring 2008) is just one of a number of arrogant and cynical statements in support of an arrogant and cynical political exercise to look good at next year's council elections.

This is why we have seen a big squeeze on services, the latest example of which you detail in your disturbing article "Fears over future of mental health centre" (Observer, May 23). Let's not beat about the bush. This is about privatisation, and not just in regard to the 73a Centre. Privatisation has failed abysmally in this country but it is a politically useful vehicle for government and councils to dump their responsibility to represent the electorate and fudge their duty of care. I hope every effort will be made to resist deterioration in care services. Because I don't believe we are the tight-fisted, self-centred people ESCC makes us out to be.

STEPHEN JACKSON

Second Avenue

Pipes success

WE would like to thank everyone who helped make the Bagpipe Fest such a success on Saturday, May 24, particularly Pat at the Gael who organised everything and then also played in the band.

At the end of the day she was truly exhausted but also very happy with the response from the Bexhill people.

The final account for the money has not yet been done as there are still sponsorship forms to be collected but it is well in excess of 1500.

Thank you everyone on behalf of SSAFA Forces Help, this will enable us to help more ex and serving military personnel and their families.

It is a little-known fact that we can also help lifeboatmen and their families and merchant seamen and fishermen as we act on behalf of their benevolent societies so if they are in need please do apply to us.

Gene Catton (Ms) for SSAFA Forces Help

Quick visit

I READ Jeff Eden's letter with interest. He is right to say that not every visitor to Bexhill will be excited by its motor racing history. While I write this, I am enjoying the tranquility away from the madness and chaos outside, which is the Isle of Man TT races; although to those who are interested, it is a great atmosphere.

I visited Bexhill Museum last summer, and although I only had a few hours to spend in the town, so was in a bit of a rush, I remember reading the information on the De La Warr Pavilion and also seeing a display in a glass case of various different-sized weevils. The reason this sticks in my mind is that I had recently found a similar type of creature on my kitchen floor, which was a bit disconcerting!

Next time I visit Bexhill and its new museum, I will certainly look forward to reading the smuggling information boards.

Jan Murray

Isle of Man

Clear address

DOES anyone else find entirely unhelpful the recent trend giving only the road address of businesses one might want to visit, instead of the village name? Such as an 'alternative post office' in "Peartree Lane", instead of Little Common (Peartree Lane is half in woodland).

Or premises in "Ninfield Road", instead of Sidley (Ninfield Road is miles long, mostly residential). Numbers are not usually visible.

I find it not only annoying, but mysterious!

BERYL SANDERS

Lunsford Cross

Teddy bears

WOULD the lady who put a letter about knitting teddy bears for poorly children abroad contact me?

I have a large bag of left-over wools that she is most welcome to. I can deliver if that helps.

Please phone 01424 219035 any evening.

G. Caxton (Mrs)

Watermill Close