Dear Editor,

Re: Hawkinge Parish Councillor threatens to resign over 7 o'clock meetings

Hawkinge is fortunate to have a diverse group of elected, volunteer parish councillors who give up their own time to try to make the village a better place.

Some councillors are retired, some are in part-time employment and some are self-employed.

Personally I am in full-time employment and like many others I sometimes have to work long hours on particular projects.

If council meetings were moved forward from 7.30pm where they have been for decades, then it is likely that I would miss the start of most meetings and I felt I should give way to someone who could guarantee to be present at 7.00pm.

This was not a ‘resign on principle’ issue – just an acknowledgement of the reality that many people who need to earn a living have to deal with.

This relatively trivial matter should not distract from the much more important issue of the Council’s response to Shepway Core Strategy, which was the main subject for discussion and which I urge Hawkinge villagers to view here http://consult.shepway.gov.uk/portal/core_strategy [4].

Yours sincerely

Nick Hilditch
Hawkinge Parish Councillor

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©