A message from Sandra......

Many of you will know that I have now not only become a Town Councillor but also Mayor of the town for the next year. As a result of this, I am no longer able to take a part in the "Stand Up For Seaton" blog and nor are other councillors who used to take an active part in it, as it could compromise our position as councillors. There are some people who would make mischief if we were to be wearing "two hats" so we have to stick to the one where we think we can be most useful.

This does not mean that the blog will stop - far from it. It was never a "one person" effort and we are very lucky that several people who were "in the background" whilst we took an active part have agreed to take over the blog from now on.

As there is little that we know about the planning application at the moment (the District Council still will not give us a timetable for when the Liatris Planning Application will go to the Development Control Committee) the blog will, for the time being, also include general local information. However, when the "big story" breaks again (and I expect it to be soon) when community action is urgently needed it will spring into life again and continue to be the considerable force that it has been so far.

Rest assured that I will look at the blog EVERY day! And those of you who want to contribute continue to do so - you haven't been stopped and the more people who contribute the more seriously this blog will be taken!!! Perhaps you could bookmark the blog and check it at least once a week - or even once a day - as when the news does break the more
quickly people know about it the better.

One of my last acts before becoming a councillor was to be interviewed for two magazines on how blogging and campaigning has changed - ("Heyday" - an Age Concern magazine and "New Start" - a magazine which specialises in news about regeneration). A blog is a really important
tool in getting information out to the public and it must continue to perform that service.

Any of you who see any of us around Seaton, please feel free to approach us and let us know what your concerns are, what you think our priorities should be. As councillors we are hoping to have a regular newsletter to let people know what is going on - but we represent you and your views are the important ones.

May I conclude this (final) posting with a plea for EVERYONE in this town to work together. In the past there have been divisions and splits - this has done us no good and has meant that we have not been able to show a united front when it has been needed. Stand Up For Seaton has
changed all that - all our meetings, demonstrations and other events have brought together different sections of the town in a way never seen before. PLEASE let us keep this up - there is strength in unity and we know that this new show of unity has seriously worried those who thought that they could use "divide and rule" for their own ends. Whatever your political persuasion, whatever your particular group or interest just Stand Up For Seaton - wherever and whenever you can.

I was handed a postcard by one of our supporters:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever does" (Margaret Mead).

Let's show that this is indeed true.