Each year our town council organises a town meeting, giving residents in Rye the opportunity to hear a review on what has happened over the previous year. Crucially, it is also an opportunity to question our council, along with representatives from Rother District Council and East Sussex County Council on critical issues that are of concern to us. This year, our member of parliament was also present. For local democracy, this is an important event, complementing formal local government meetings with an open forum for expressing issues or concerns important to Rye.
So what happened? For a start, not that many people turned up. Our council make an effort to engage with the whole town by alternating the meeting between the community centres in Rye and Tilling Green. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to result in high attendance.
And yes, important questions were raised on transport links, flooding in Military Road and the closed footpath off Landgate … but is this all we are concerned about as residents of Rye? Nobody even raised the endless nightmare of potholes! The only “strategic” issue raised concerned the impending reorganisation in local government, with updates to this important issue given by the mayor, Cllr McGurk and MP Helena Dollimore.
But don’t we care about other “big” issues? What about the impact of all the development now being considered at multiple sites across the town? What happened to the desperate need for social housing, the appalling state of our pavements and lack of dropped kerbs for mobility impaired residents and visitors? Are we OK about the potential loss of our creative centre and performing arts facility? Are there no law and order issues or concerns about the support infrastructure in Rye (medical, youth support, sewerage etc.).
Apparently, not really.
There are some big changes coming up for Rye. The potential of massive housing development, a complete change in local government structure and all the potential effect of external issues such as climate change. Other than a brief mention from the mayor of a potential formation of a community land trust (CLT), none of these issues were raised. Should we be “passive” as all this happens, or do we want an engaged local democracy that seeks to influence our future?
Full marks to our councillors and MP for creating the opportunity for discussion and turning up, but maybe as citizens we need to up our game?
Rye News will continue to try and inform our readership on important issues facing the town. Let’s complement this with strong community engagement, and a wide and vigorous debate to try and make our future the one we both want and need.
