February 3 2014.

Sam Adeniji replies to Cradle Hill Tip Campaign:

It is erroneous to claim that I caved in at the East Sussex County Council (ESCC) Cabinet meeting. ESCC advised us that the result of a debate at a Full Council meeting is not legally binding and that the final decision on the future of the Cradle Hill site will be made by the Cabinet Committee, because it is deemed as an ‘Executive decision’.

The honest reality is that a full council debate wouldn’t change anything, as the final decision rests with the Cabinet Committee. The Cabinet made its decision on the future of the site and there was nothing I could do to influence or change that decision.

Bob Downing knows full well that a debate at full Council wouldn’t achieve anything, as the ESCC full Council does not have the final say on the future of Cradle Hill. It rests solely with ESCC Cabinet Committee.

It is a shame that the Campaign to save Cradle Hill has been allowed to descend into petty politics, it is absurd to accuse me of yielding to Tory party pressure, because I have a proven record of defying, and in many cases publicly disagreeing with, my Conservative colleagues, in doing what I think is right and in standing up for Seaford.

I am committed to keeping the Cradle Hill site open 7 days a week and therefore exploring ways to get Veolia to allow a third-sector organisation to run the site on the remaining four days a week. I am also pressuring both ESCC and Lewes District Council to introduce door step green waste collections in Seaford

Sam Adeniji