I WAS rather surprised to read Cllr Weeks' letter (November 6) recording his inaccurate objections to the plan for a community shop and café in Exbourne, to which his fellow councillors on October 7 gave overwhelming support.

At that meeting the council officials present showed they had indeed carefully studied the Business Plan and associated documents, and provided detailed arguments refuting Cllr Weeks' points.

One of 15 local residents present at the meeting, many of whom had never been visited by their councillor, made the point that as a retired and experienced chief executive of several companies – one of the business people the councillor refers to in his letter — he had studied and been convinced by the case for the investment.

Cllr Weeks' ward covers a far wider area than just Exbourne, and he would realise if he came into the temporary shop that residents of other villages in the ward actually do come and support it. This was vividly shown by the attendance at the recent community market sponsored by the shop which had a turnover of £1,211, with both stallholders and visitors from across the area enjoying local produce and buying local craftwork.

Cllr Weeks believes the existing temporary facility in the village hall can meet local needs, but questions the long-term commitment of volunteers to the permanent facility.

Volunteers have been running the current temporary facility for over six years. It entails setting up the shop once or twice a week in the evenings (depending on whether the hall is needed for other purposes the following day) one of which is Sunday evening.

There are no chiller facilities, which severely restricts the range of produce the shop can sell. Because it is open only two mornings a week, its services are not available to those who work or are otherwise engaged during the day. It is not a sustainable long-term solution, and by advocating it the Cllr is recommending that many of his own constituents should continue to be excluded.

The permanent shop, on the other hand, because of its longer opening hours envisages a full-time manager and a paid part-time assistant. This will mean the load on volunteers is reduced.

Cllr Weeks does not represent the views of the many people across his ward who want this admirable venture to succeed and help regenerate the village of Exbourne.

Mrs Marie Winckler

Chair

Exbourne and Jacobstowe

Community Association Limited