People who protest can also speak - it is allowed in a democracy!

Just for people who don't quite understand the system, it is possible for people who have protested about things to then speak about them if they are elected to a town council.

A really good explanation of how this works is in today's supplement to The Guardian entitled "One track minds". I will give you some quotes from the article.

"How badly Labour performs, and whether the Conservatives can capitalise on public discontent, will the the national story of tomorrow's local elections. But in town across the country, the key battles will be local - ones that pit tiny grassroots independent parties fighting on single issues of local importance against established political parties of all hues .....

One of these is in Farnham ... local people up in arms against proposals to build a £100m retail, housing and cinema complex on the site of a grade 2 listed building ..... 18 local residents are standing tomorrow as independent councillors with the aim of saving the character of the Georgian town .....

In Lincolnshire the Boston Bypass Party will be fielding 32 local candidates and challenging every seat on the town council .....

In Middlesborough, the former Labour leader on the council has formed the Middlesborough Independents party in opposition to proposed redevelopment in the town's Gresham ward .....

Kidderminster .... the only such "protest party" with an MP, is fielding 16 candidates for the district council and 11 for the parish council. It already has 12 seats on the council......

[One of the people standing for election says]: [We] do not have a party line on anything but local issues. Having a party whip means that you are voting for a party pollicy, not for the interests of local people"....

[One of the Farnham people] states that governments like to talk about localism but ..... the Conservatives in 2003 [in Farnham] .... had a commercial confidentiality agreement with the developer Crest Nicholson/Sainsbury's which is being debated in secret and the people that make decisions are based ... 13 miles away. "

So, there you are - what's happening in Seaton is happening (and has happened) all over the country.

We WILL be speaking - often and loud - for Seaton and Standing Up for Seaton all the time. This obviously worries some people VERY much! We've even had hate mail and anonymous letters (no writers, we won't be acting on these letters - if you have something to say, put your name to it) so you can see just how worried some people must be.

Use your votes wisely.