At Rye’s public services committee meeting on Monday a resident pointed out that of the seven councillors appointed to the committee only one was present – Gemma Blumire. Some apologies were recorded: Mary Smith was ill, Sam Souster was attending a meeting at Rother, and Heidi Foster had previously said she wouldn’t be there, but others had not notified their absence to the town clerk Richard Farhall. Anthony Kimber, who chaired the meeting in the absence of a councillor, asked the resident, Nick Taylor, if he wanted to propose a motion on this. Taylor declined but said he wanted his observation minuted and that he was disappointed to attend council meetings and regularly observe such poor attendance from councillors.