A working group of councillors had already been created to look into this and other options for the devolution of decision-making powers to local people. Chief executive Derek Stevens has welcomed the opportunity for the Bexhill Town Forum and interested residents to give evidence when the working group discusses this matter. Rother District Council is, however, appealing that local people and groups should be well-informed before entering into the debate. They say residents should be absolutely clear about all the pros and cons of a town council. Rother leader Cllr Carl Maynard said: “Clearly there is a train of thought among some people that Bexhill should have its own town council and Rother wouldn’t be doing its job if we didn’t consider the opinions of these residents. “The debate does need to be balanced however. Although there have been some vocal pleas at the town forum meeting, we must also recognise there are others who will be happy with the status quo or, to put it bluntly, won’t care.” Cllr Maynard said it was crucial people were fully-armed with the facts before entering into the debate. He said he and other senior figures at the council were ‘disturbed’ by some of the comments reported at the town forum meeting last week. “Someone appealing for a town council is perfectly fair comment and we are willing to take that on board and debate it,” he said. “But it’s important the discussion is based on hard-facts and not half-truths that might seek to sway people’s thoughts. “A Bexhill Town Council would be an additional level of local government, like a parish council or the town councils in Rye or Battle, and it would not replace Rother. “We have been criticised about mentioning the cost of a town council to put people off the idea - the simple fact is that, until such time as the working group considers this issue, we have not produced any up-to-date costings and have at no time publicly mentioned costs. Put simply, while both the Town Forum and the council have considered this matter in the past, we will now look at it again and will produce up to date figures. It is however, a simple economic fact that the creation of a new town council for Bexhill will cost money. The debate should be about whether or not the benefits will outweigh the costs. “Personally I have gone on the record before to say I wouldn’t be in support of a town council, as have other councillor colleagues based in the town, but that doesn’t mean to say we’re not willing to re-examine the case for it and that is what we will do.” • The working group will begin discussions in the New Year. Bexhill Town Forum will be holding a special town council meeting in March.