"Shameful" group

I, too, retired from the Royal Navy and settled in East Preston.

I have been an East Preston Parish councillor, Arun District councillor and school governor.

Like Capt Sherwin, I was horrified at the downright nastiness displayed by the so-called "Village Hall Action Group".

Prior to the vote, glossy pamphlets were distributed to households (paid for by whom?).

They concentrated solely on the cost of the project, but not a word on the benefits.

Finally, the action group provided the referendum question to be answered by a yes or no vote. It was unbelievably loaded, and was on a par with the question "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?"

The parish council commenced this scheme in May, 2007, in good faith. Various grants have been applied for and approved, from Arun, West Sussex County Council and lottery funding.

At every stage the public have been involved by means of discussions, perusal of drawings, plans, etc. Now the action group has achieved its objective of putting on hold a very worthy project. It has made the parish council potentially waste funds in the order of 50,000.

Even more shameful is the way the action group has caused the resignation of members of the village hall committee and of members of the parish council not standing for re-election. I presume that it is because of the mayhem it has caused that the action group has decided to disband.

My advice to the parish council is, notwithstanding the referendum, to go ahead with the project. We must remember that only 23 per cent of the electorate voted, and the Yes/No question was so unbelievably loaded that the whole referendum was a nonsense.

After all, we elected a parish council to make our decisions for us and this is one very worthwhile decision they should take – to go ahead!

Dick Booker,

Angmering Lane,

East Preston

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