Diary of a Councillor

I have had a huge number of emails over the past few days as everyone in Crowborough grapples with the news that broke last Tuesday that the Home Office had informed Wealden that they intended to use the MOD site at Crowborough to house up to 600 migrant males.  Many of you have emailed a […]

The news that the Home Office apparently intends to turn Crowborough Training Camp into a holding site for around 600 men has shocked residents. As Chair of Wealden’s Scrutiny and Performance Committee, I share resident concerns. This has been sprung on the community without consultation, explanation, or preparation. No member of a local authority, emergency

When the moment came to make a hard decision, Wealden District Council blinked. While every other council in East Sussex backed the “One East Sussex” plan for a single county-wide authority, Wealden alone walked away. This was not strength. It was weakness. It was not leadership. It was cowardice. One East Sussex: support everywhere else

Councillor Ben Cox, a Labour Councillor representing Uckfield New Town ward saw fit to post a video on social media, which, in my view demands a robust response. The video (which you can see below) is self-explanatory and deals with a motion proposed by Green Party Councillor Rachel Millward and debated during the full council

The Ultimate Irony: The Greens’ “Truth” Leaflet Is Full of Lies The Greens put out a leaflet titled “Horam and Punnetts Town Fact Checker” claiming they are “100% committed to clean campaigning and telling the truth.” The irony could not be sharper. The leaflet itself is packed with lies. They say they stopped development with

Over the past few days, certain councillors and activists have taken to social media and the press with a series of misleading and opportunistic claims about the formation of Wealden Partners, a new opposition grouping at Wealden District Council. Let’s be absolutely clear: Wealden Partners is not a merger. No one has changed political colours.

We all knew that a by election was something that would not be unlikely during a 4 year term. For some Wealden residents the upcoming by-election in Horam and Punnetts Town isn’t just about choosing a replacement for outgoing Green councillor Cornelie Usbourne, it’s about choosing a direction for your community. Do you want more

In a move that would make even a Downing Street comms director blush, Wealden District Council has hired a PR agency. Not to engage residents on council priorities. Not to communicate planning reform. No, it’s to “shine a light on positive local stories.” Apparently, the solution to failure is better photography. This announcement wasn’t made

Wealden District Council’s recent decision to reduce the size of its planning committees from 12 to 9 members is not just an administrative adjustment, it’s a cynical and calculated political manoeuvre that undermines the democratic process and raises significant concerns about transparency, accountability, and the centralisation of power. Moreover, the working party that was responsible

For an administration that claims to be open, honest, and transparent, Wealden District Council’s Alliance for Wealden is going to extraordinary lengths to avoid being open, honest, and transparent. They also commit to being “kinder” as part of their Council Strategy. In January 2025, I submitted what should have been a simple Freedom of Information