Over the next few days, we will be publishing statements by all of the candidates for the Wealden District Council elections that take place on the same day (May 7) as the General Election. We begin with Dianne Dear who is standing for the Conservative Party. Dianne is also the publisher of Bay Life.
Hello my name is Dianne Dear and I have been one of your local Conservative Wealden District Councillors for the last 12 years.
I will be out helping to campaign for our new Parliamentary candidate for Bexhill and Battle Huw Merriman, our M.P Gregg Barker has stood down this year.
Huw is very keen to meet his public and has been canvassing in Pevensey Bay.
Over the last 12 years I have tried to be available to all of the community and most locals will have been able to walk in to my Hair & Beauty business in Pevensey Bay whether for an appointment or just to ask for help within Wealden matters.
I will always do my best to steer people in the right direction about their concerns.
Five years ago I started my campaign to try to put our Pevensey Castle Heritage back on the map including the reopening of the Castle Tea rooms, as you all know English Heritage have totally ignored our wishes, allowing a perfectly good building to go to rack and ruin.
I walked through the Castle grounds on Easter Sunday a lovely sunny day, how disgusting and uncared for does our heritage look. I happen to overhear a man say to his two sons ‘ This used to be a very big and historical tourist site I used to enjoy coming here when I was your age, look at the state of it now’ I totally agree.
Have you heard the story of the Pevensey Whale?
As chairperson of the Pevensey Time Line Association we have only been going a year with the help of a small lottery fund and we are going from strength to strength ( have a look on the web site www.pevenseytimeline.co.uk)
We were approached by Cambridge University Museum of Zoology for help into research into the story of the Pevensey Fin Whale, this monster of the sea that was washed ashore after a storm in 1865.
Eventually the skeleton was sold to Cambridge University were it is still on display. This story and research will bring a lot of interest into Pevensey and Pevensey Bay area this year.
I have enjoyed helping Wealden District Council create a warm and friendly community and hope you will help support your Conservative Council this May
Councillor Dianne Dear
