A question of priorities

ONE is the vital final element of a project which was necessary in order to meet a Government target. The other seeks to modernise what has been a much-loved feature since the town emerged as a seaside resort.

Both could involve Rother departing from a long-held financial principle and dipping into the capital reserve, the interest from which helps to keep down the yearly Council Tax rise.

Both are expensive. But while one involves an issue which has been the subject of much of the Observer's letters columns for more than a year the other seeks to address an issue which readers of this paper evidently don't see as such a pressing need. While one is expensive the other is vastly more so.

On Monday, members of a Rother council overview and scrutiny committee play their part in the democratic process which will lead to decisions being taken on both.

Of all the elements of Rother's kerbside recycling scheme, the issue of green wheelie bins for compostible garden waste has been the most appreciated '“ by those householders who have received the bins.

Others are still waiting, many with growing impatience.

To extend the scheme to all of those with gardens will involve taking 150,000 from a capital reserve which is largely the product of the sale of Rother's housing stock.

If Rother is unable to access European Union grant aid via the INTERREG fund '“ and officers are warning that this appears uncertain '“ the authority would have to take a whopping 3.5m out of its nest-egg for plug the seafront funding gap.

A question of priorities - July 25