Diary of a Councillor

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

The recent mishandling of Council Tax and Business Rates direct debits by Wealden District Council is not just a regrettable administrative error; it is an outright failure of leadership, accountability, and communication. This fiasco, which saw over 17,500 residents and 324 businesses charged prematurely just days after Christmas, has caused unnecessary financial distress to many.

The self-styled “Alliance for Wealden” has descended into political chaos. The recent release of the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government has only added fuel to the fire. Overdevelopment was a central issue in the 2023 District Council elections, and it continues to be a pressing

If you watched the Full Council meeting on November 20th 2024 you might have noticed a question put by Councillor Kevin Benton to the Cabinet. If you care about your hard earned money being spent well by the Council then you’ll want to take a look. Don’t worry if you’re not quite sure what the

The end of another week and one that saw the November meeting of Planning Committee North (“PCN”) down in Hailsham. This 12 person committee deals with determining planning applications that are either outside the scheme of delegation (ie those that can be determined by planning officers without committee involvement) or those that have been identified

In the May 2023 District Council elections, one of the topics that was particularly relevant was that of property and house building in the District. Without a Local Plan there was what was widely perceived to be a developer free for all. Residents of Wealden lived with the constant threat that their community would be