Your letters - November 13

Trees are the answer

SO, MR doherty thinks we are in serious danger of being washed out to sea if we don't cut our so-called carbon footprint.

Could he perhaps explain how the English Channel was born which cut us off from mainland Europe, also that towns like Rye were at one time near to or on the coast?

Both of these happened before anyone knew what a carbon footprint was let alone had motors or heated homes etc.

What caused these changes in the rise and fall of sea water if not a non-carbon led global warming?

I believe it is a fact that the earth wobbles on its journey round the sun and it is this wobble which can bring us closer to the sun causing inevitable warming or further from it creating colder weather.

This could be what has caused succesive ice ages and warmer spells which have seen rises and falls in the height of the sea.

Instead of the suggestions he uses to achieve a 10 per cent reduction why not try one that will not only help the environment but will also enchance it?

This can be simply achieved by planting trees. If everyone planted 10 trees in their lifetime it would alleviate their so-called carbon footprint.

Aren't most of the problems he worries about caused by the indiscriminate felling of the rain forests which could be righted if we all planted trees and not chopped them down?

Why should I have to suffer while big business makes money by cutting down our very lifeblood in the way of depleted oxygen stocks?

If they and governments put their own houses in order then if it is needed I will act.

P M ADAMS

Hornbeam Avenue, Bexhill-on-Sea

. . . Thanks for Mr Doherty's letter with its helpful decarbontoxic suggestions.

Unfortunately, however, unlike many local authorities, Rother District Council has not yet committed to 10:10.

The actions of individual Bexhillians, as Jack Doherty notes, are also important. 10:10 is only the fruit from the lower branches. Rother District Council has a long way to go to be taken seriously.

Edward and Barbara Echlin

Thornbank Crescent, Bexhill-on-Sea

Police show example

I would like to write personally and thank Inspector Danny Russell and his team from our local police.

On Monday, November 2, they took the time and trouble to come and spend some time in Sidley.

They walked around the streets of Sidley to enable them to knock on the doors of local residents, so they could not only meet them personally, but also give people the chance to discuss any concerns, issues or problems that our local police could help with.

This was much appreciated by the local people and very beneficial to both sides, hopefully this will be the start of a positive and worthwhile relationship between our local Police and Sidley residents. Many thanks again to all those involved.

Cllr Jim Carroll

Ninfield

Wealth of advice here

IN this month's issue of Rother Views there was a picture of the new tourist information centre in Rye. Bexhill's version is a table in the corner of a sea front cafe, which is closed on weekdays, so tourist information is available only at weekends.

Behind the cafe is our splendid De La Warr Pavilion which is half-empty most of the time. This building is partly funded by us council tax payers.

Surely if the tourist section was in the Pavilion it would attract more visitors.

Incidentally, having lived in Bexhill all my life I did not realise that everyone in the town was an art lover.

In fact, I remember when we had square dancing and old time dancing and we even had traditional pantomines at Christmas.

I also read in the review that Rother is investing millions of pounds in attracting more visitors to the area.

I suggest that we scrap the Next Wave scheme, use the Devonshire Square balls to shore up our sea defences and build a modern railway station.

The money saved on the Next Wave should be spent on regenerating our town.

I do not expect Rother to reward me with milllions of pounds for this advice but if they want to slip 500 into my bank account I will not be offended.

R Sanderson Top Cross Road, Bexhill-on-Sea

Deleted from the map

I cannot help wondering how many of your readers are aware that within relatively few weeks from now Great Britain will be virtually a one political party state.

Now that the Irish citizens have been forced to vote again, in spite of having voted once in opposition to the European Constitution in the shape of the Lisbon treaty, that was the wrong answer. England was deleted from the map of Europe a few years ago and shortly, a legitimate British Government in Westminster will be replaced by an illegal European government in Brussels.

Whichever party would like to govern in England, not one will have the option because the transfer of power to foreigners is imminent, but of course our previously, freely elected Member of Parliament, Gregory Barker, will not have told his constituents because he will have been gagged by his party leader.

The French and the Dutch voted against the Lisbon Treaty also, but that was over-ruled by their respective governments, again because it was the wrong answer. For the overlords of the European Parliament it must be "ever closer union" and the word NO to the Lisbon Treaty will never be accepted.

Almost certainly, the word NO itself is likely to be forbidden in relation to Europe. There will be no future choice for the electorate, because the Commissioners of Europe are to be our unelected rulers forever.

The EU is a very dedicated organisation and it has taken it since just after the last war to bring its aims on governing and controlling Europe to fruition.

Once it has gained total control of practically all the countries of Europe by about December 31, 2009, you can be certain that there can never again be a route to democratic freedom again for any of us.

Anthony C Leeding

Collington Rise

Something for you all

The formation of a Friends Association had been well under way before the threat to demolish the church of St Barnabas was known in June.

The Friends were officially formed in August with the aim of raising funds for the restoration of the church and also provide help towards the maintenance of this town centre building.

After a vigorous campaign by members of the church, the local community and national organisations resulted in the threat of demolition being withdrawn and the church given a reprieve, the Friends were then able to publish a programme of events for the year ahead with includes concerts, afternoon talks, plant sales, coffee mornings and a summer fair.

The Friends have arranged this programme of events with as wide an appeal as possible so everyone in the community feels there is something here for them.

The Friends is an independent secular association with no affiliation to any other groups and who see their role not only as raising funds to help restore and maintain this significant Bexhill landmark but also to encourage the community to use the building for meetings, classes and, once the restoration work now planned for next year has been completed, as a venue for musical events.

It is too easy to assume that the church has been saved with nothing more to be done when in reality it has only been reprieved. We must continue to demonstrate that this building is really needed and used by the people of Bexhill in order to secure its future.

Anyone interested in using the building or in helping the Friends in their work to ensure the continuing survival of this magnificent building, please leave contact details with Mike at Best Sellers bookshop, St Leonard's Road, Bexhill.

Jenny Edgar

Chairman of The Friends of St Barnabas Church, De La Warr Road

'Busted flush'

SO, Jackie Bialeska has been at it again (Letters October 30) and it appears that she doesn't like Alan Haydon! At least he is not a self-anointed chairman.

The suggestion that Mr Haydon curates the exhibitions at the De La Warr is clearly ridiculous '“ about as ridiculous as the totally distorted and hopelessly out-of-scale 'paintings' of the Sea Change proposals in 2004 with which Ms Bialeska decorated her wagon and misled thousands of people in the street. I wouldn't think she has much of an eye for design.

Frankly her credibility is completely gone '“ she is the proverbial 'busted flush'.

Perhaps Ms Bialeska would be surprised to learn how many oldies are very adept at using a computer. A very large proportion of households have one, even in Bexhill, and at least an online exhibition is not confined to museum opening hours and can be viewed at any time by the working public as well as those who have time on their hands.

We look to our council for leadership and this time they and Riba should be commended for thinking ahead.

They are right to seize the opportunity to get rid of the tacky line of 1960s shelters on West Parade that probably originate from the period of Harold Wilson's austerity.

I have viewed the new designs, and while some of them are not very practical for Bexhill, at least two of them are worth further consideration.

E Potts

South Cliff, Bexhill-on-Sea

Many-headed Hydra

MARGARET Thatcher detested the railways but shied away from privatisation because she knew how unpopular that would be ("Rail commuters backed by Tories over services", November 6).

John Major, her successor, on the other hand, was enthusiastic, and, being an even more ardent privatiser, went ahead, his head filled with a nostalgic old world image along the lines of The Railway Children. And we've been paying the price ever since. Literally.

Billions of pounds of taxpayers' money has disappeared into the black hole that is privatised rail: and a fare cop to boot.

The job itself was extremely thorough. You would not believe the detail involved. If only Dear John had listened to Oscar Wilde: "Yet each man kills the thing he loves".

So, coming forward to your report, I find it a bit rich for the Tories to be laying into the many-headed Hydra they created.

Or are we about to behold another blinding Damascene conversion?

Are the Tories going to announce that if they win the coming General Election they will clean up the mess they left behind and renationalise the railways?

In your dreams. It will be business, as usual.

Stephen Jackson

Second Avenue

Bexhill

A top name '“ twice over

I WAS away for a few days and upon my return I read my Bexhill Observer as usual, dated October 23, which featured an article about the Marina fish and chip shop, called Minnie Bertha's.

The name of the shop made me smile, the reason being that if the owner Paul Curtis had used just one of the names I would have thought what a good name for his shop.

But you see my aunt was called Minnie Bertha and my grandmother was called Bertha Minnie.

I showed the article to my sons and they were surprised at the name when they read the article.

So from a family who has fond memories of the name, may we wish Mr Curtis continued success with his shop.

Audrey Wood

Havelock Road, Hastings

Rubbish must go somewhere

AS a local resident who received a leaflet from the BALI campaigners, I would like to say that I have no objections to a rubbish dump off Turkey Road.

Last year my family and I were living in Bexhill Road, and the back windows of our house looked out on to the rubbish dump.

We did have concerns before moving into the house but these soon faded and, to be honest, after a few weeks of living there we hardly gave the tip a second thought.

We all make rubbish '“ it has to go somewhere.

This sounds to me like Nimbyism. I hope those elected at all levels of government will take my position into account (as well as other local people who have no objections) when they speak on this matter. Thank you.

Paul Minter

Gunters Lane, Bexhill

. . . I was pleased to see so many people attended the BALI public meeting chaired by MP Greg Barker last Friday evening.

While it was regrettable that because of health and safety issues some people were not admitted to the venue, this clearly demonstrated the importance of the issue to so many residents of Bexhill.

The Ashdown Brickworks site was rejected by Rother District Council during the previous consultation for the countywide Waste Local Plan.

I very much hope that councillors of all political persuasions maintain this stance during the current consultation.

Bexhill has endured much over the years at Pebsham; we do not deserve another site within our town.

Enough is enough!

Cllr Gillian Wheeler

Conservative, Collington ward

Full consultation is needed

AS one of 'all the people who moaned last time' (that is, a local resident opposed to the development of the beach) I will be attending Mr Hall's public relations exhibition on November 14 at Hamilton Hall, Eastwood Road, between 10am and 5pm.

Mr Hall says that all he wants is kayaking '“ this takes place already without the need for any beach development. I often see them being taken down the slopes from South Cliff.

Mr Hall did intend to employ a jet-ski instructor last time around so some of us obviously thought an increase in jet-ski use was a likely outcome if the development was approved.

However, now he just wants to check the insurance of jet-ski users and their date tags. And to apply for a licence for commercial jet-skiing, no doubt.

It is a shame that the exhibition has been arranged at a time of year when the beach hut owners aren't in town so are unable to have their say. There were 200 letters of opposition last time, many citing noise nuisance as a factor (as far inland as Little Common, the sound travels over a huge distance).

Mr Hall and Herbrand Walk Developments cannot give any assurance to these objectors/moaners that their legal right to the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of their properties will not be destroyed by the development. They obviously don't care '“ 'moaners' is what we are.

I attended the planning meeting, and although the councillors spoke up regarding the terrible noise that residents faced if the scheme went ahead, it was not one of the reasons for rejecting the planning application at that time.

I trust that this time the council will hold a full public consultation exercise as so many people are affected by these plans, particularly as our council tax helps to fund the sea defences at Herbrand Walk.

I will be writing to my councillor '“ there is an election coming up so I may be listened to. I would urge all readers too as well. Once a scheme is approved, there is no going back.

Name and address supplied

. . . The planning authorities should stand firm in refusing permission for Mr Hall to develop in any way the remaining accessible strip of unspoilt beach that he has purchased along Herbrand Walk.

However, I believe that a water sports facility could be created if sited further away at the far end of Herbrand Walk close to the level crossing.

If Mr Hall could find a financial partner to assist him in acquiring the former fishing enterprise, together with the area of potential car/boat parking on the other side of the road, then a successful local outdoor amenity might be established.

All the existing unsightly buildings on the beach could then be demolished and replaced with a modern water sports centre similar to the one on Eastbourne seafront opposite Princes Park.

Bexhill could do with some new attractions; they just need to be carefully sited in the right place.

P J Watson

Cooden Sea Road

Good '“ but could do better

IT was so good to see such an excellent turnout this year on a chilly and bleak morning for the remembrance service at the war memorial, with especially a fine mix of young people represented.

I nevertheless wish that everyone would take part in the hymn singing and the national anthem. From where we were standing there was hardly anyone singing and you could hear a pin drop.

Surely the ministers could help by encouraging this? There were plenty of service sheets available, so there was no reason for the virtual silence. Next year let's all do better!

David Evans

South Cliff, Bexhill

Mothers' Sons

Why does there have to be a war?

What in heaven's name is it all for?

All those mothers' sons, with their guns,

Why does there have to be a war?

Mr Politician, do you really care?

It could be your own son, dying over there.

Don't let yourself be blinded to reality,

Listen to the voices of parents just like me.

Why do we have to go to war?

What in heaven's name is it all for?

All those mothers' sons, shooting guns,

Why does there have to be a war?

Look at all the crowded cemeteries,

Full of young men, rotting in the ground,

Killed in the name of peace and freedom.

God! How familiar those words sound.

I've a medal on a ribbon from the MD, d'you know,

It's payment for my young son's life, just 19 years old.

They said he died a hero and I should be really proud,

But all I really want to do is cry out loud.

Why did they send him to the war?

What is going to be the final score

Of mothers' sons killed by guns?

Dear God! Let's not have any more.

J TOLLETT

Bidwell Avenue

Proclaim our heritage pride!

READING Dave Walsh's letter re John Logie Baird in last week's Observer, I do agree that it is important to retain signs of Bexhill's history in later developments.

Let's hope the developers of Egerton Court are just waiting for the new name board to arrive before putting both it and the blue plaque in place.

Both the developers of the old police station and magistrates' court in Cantelupe Road, and of Nazareth House near Bexhill College, managed to keep the architectural essence alive in their designs.

It is our local heritage; the things which have shaped our present and which will, in time, shape our future. Let us be proud of it and proclaim it!

Chris Cox

Arthur Road, Bexhill-on-Sea

Unit staff were wonderful

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to every member of staff at Woodlands Psychiatric Unit during the time of its closure.

As a patient, I would not be the happy, healthy person I am without the total commitment and support of all the nurses and carers and occupational department.

They all worked to their very best efforts to supply care and consideration, in my opinion above the call of duty, at a time of crisis and individual need of each patient.

I know many share my view and thankfulness in the hope that you, our local Observer, will publish my thoughts and thanks to each of those members of staff personally through you, our local newspaper,

Johanna Lester

Bexhill