LETTER: They could not afford a traffic warden any way

As the ex-mayor and leader of Polegate Town Council up until May 2015, when he failed to get re-elected, Mr Clewett should know better than most that the town’s parking problems have been at the top of Polegate Town Councils’ agendas for many years.

Successive councils, including Mr Clewett’s, have failed to get any changes made all the while Wealden District Council refuse to decriminalise parking and the police refuse to act on illegal parking.

After intense pressure on Wealden and on the Police by the current council it is hoped a statement will be made by them shortly which will clarify the up-to-date position on parking. Councillors Watts, Falkner and Dunbar have worked tirelessly on behalf of local residents to get some real results on this very important issue.

Mr Clewett also suggests the town council could pay for a traffic warden out of ‘the loads of money stored in their coffers after their ludicrous hike of over seven per cent in the precept’.

Apart from the fact it would be illegal under Wealden’s current parking rules for them to employ a traffic warden, they could not afford to pay one (along with all the associated costs of administering and collecting the parking ticket fines) on the annual precept they receive from households in Polegate. Currently (as from April 2016) this is £104 per household per year or £2 per week for a Band D property. Last year the precept was £96.98 per household per year so a rise of £7.02 per year or 13.5 pence per week.

Wendy Alexander

Old Drive

Polegate