Opinions

The ongoing dispute between Rother council and Kris Hopkins, the Minister for Local Government, flared again on Wednesday, writes Tony Nunn. Hopkins sent a strong letter to Carl Maynard, Conservative leader of the council, which was headed "TRANSPARENCY: FAILINGS BY ROTHER COUNCIL". In January Maynard had replied to an earlier letter from Hopkins in which he defended his council's behaviour on such matters as not disclosing redundancy packages for senior managers. Those reasons are dismissed by Hopkins

Calling all painters and decorators! Rye needs a touch up - can you help? Lets do what we can to tidy up our town, writes John Lanigan

Rye residents should take responsibility for cleaning up the area immediately surrounding their homes. This would greatly help the new town steward, who has started well, but who needs the support of local people to maintain the beauty of our town

A former committee member of the Royal British Legion Club, now the Brewery Yard Club, which is up for sale, believes that proceeds from the sale should be used locally

The old school site in Tilling Green is being redeveloped, and the old building is now used as a community centre, run by the Rye Partnership. But current plans include 30 homes (in addition to the 161 in nearby Valley Park) plus a new centre, around a third smaller - and half of that will be taken over by the Partnership. John Wylie's Opinion is what is left is inadequate and unsustainable as a centre, and proposes that alternatives should be considered, and residents involved.

Fairtrade Fortnight is intended to help third world producers to get a fair price for their produce, but most local retailers didn't get the message.

Common sense has triumphed. The appointment of a local Town Steward to deal with local problems is working, writes Christopher Strangeways. What other local problems could be tackled, and dealt with efficiently in this manner?

Rye's Town Meeting is looming - this is your chance to find out what is going on and voice your opinions. It's an election year and town and district councillors will be looking for your vote as well as your MP candidates.

Years of neglect of Rye's Landgate tower ended last week with high-pressure blasts of water to dislodge pigeon waste. But was it the right course of action? Andy Stuart challenges the view that Rother councillors have protected this Grade 1 listed building. The clean-up, he claims, is an object lesson in how not to look after an historic monument

I can assure Richard Comotto that, whilst the photograph...

In response to Cllr Mary Smith's Opinions page article in last week's "Rye News" questioning the town council's spending, the town clerk explains the reasoning behind the council's actions, describes the powers it has retained - and invites applications for this year's election of councillors

Dear Editor I applaud the appointment of a town steward...