Controversy over third parish council consultation over footlights

Icklesham Parish Council decided, at its meeting in July, to go ahead with a third consultation on whether the footlights in Winchelsea should be turned off at midnight, having decided to ignore the results of both previous consultations. The council is proceeding despite the fact that Cllr Comotto has convened a Parish Meeting on 23^rd August which will see a Parish Poll called on the same issue.
Cllr Comotto is proposing a Parish Poll because of accusations of electoral impropriety against Cllr Comotto, and criticism of the competence of the parish clerk in the conduct of the first consultation, by a Winchelsea resident, Mr John Spencer. Cllr Comotto argues that Mr Spencer’s accusations are likely to have undermined public confidence in the ability of the council to conduct a fair poll, as have attempts by Mr Spencer to view and check the questionnaires from the original consultation so that he could confirm his allegations against Cllr Comotto. Despite the assurances from the parish clerk that these allegations were untrue, Mr Spencer served a Freedom of Information request on the parish council seeking access to the returned questionnaires. A Parish Poll, which will be conducted by the District Council, will ensure that no mud can be thrown at the conduct of the next consultation and that there will be no breach of voting confidentiality.
The parish council’s third attempt at consultation has been called for 30^th August, with a ballot box at the Court Hall between 4:00pm and 9:00pm (originally 5:00pm to 9:00pm).
However, Cllr Chishick of Winchelsea, who is an opponent of the proposal to turn off the footlights at midnight, has criticised the parish council’s new consultation for the very short notice, the shortness of the period for which the voting station will be open and for not allowing postal votes by absent residents.
It is also unclear whether the parish council will once again retrospectively impose a threshold for turnout. On the first consultation, they decided that a turnout of almost 30% was inadequate, even though it exceed the 9-13% turnouts accepted in most LAP consultations.
Cllr Comotto has asked that the Parish Poll be conducted at the same time as the election of the Police and Crime Commissioner, on 15^th November, in order to reduce costs.

Cllr Comotto