Deputy mayor criticised over meetings

At Monday's environment and leisure committee meeting Cllr Alan Whittaker was taken to task by fellow councillors.

They accused him of getting involved in issues beyond the remit of his role and cutting across their attempts to deal with critical problems

like flooding and crime in the town.

Although they accepted his attempts were more to do with over-enthusiasm than deliberate subversion they insisted meetings he had set up with outside agencies should be cancelled.

Standing orders were set aside so district councillor Claire Dowling could say how concerned she was that Cllr Whittaker had decided to stage his own meeting after attending the last Uck Valley Flood Forum which she chairs.

She said prime movers like the Environment Agency, East Sussex County Council and local MPs were confused to receive an invitation.

They believe the forum was the main group which lobbied for cash and appropriate defences for the town.

Cllr Dowling said: 'The town council has representation on the committee.

'I am anxious to ensure no-one steps on toes - at the time forum members asked me "what's going on?" although I'm sure Cllr Whittaker was acting from mere over-enthusiasm.

'But he should know exactly where his brief finishes.'

Later in the meeting Cllr Whittaker was also criticised for meddling in crime prevention.

Town mayor Cllr Louise Eastwood described how he had attended a Local Action Team (LAT) meeting set up by police to address specific anti-social behaviour problems in and around Pudding Cake Lane.

As a result he had convened a meeting with police scheduled for November this year.

Cllr Jim Molesworth-Edwards told the Express this decision had annoyed police who believed their liaison with the council was through the LAT.

Members unanimously agreed to invoke Standing Order 40a which enabled them to set these two meetings aside.

Cllr Whittaker agreed with the decision.

After the meetin Cllr Dowling told the Express 'very positive' progress

is being made towards a flood defence river wall by Somerfield.

But she said the Government would never pay for defences upstream and she hoped a bid could be made for Interreg funding - as achieved by a

similar group in Norfolk.