Rye Observer comment.

The success of Rye’s annual Scallop Festival and the Taste of Rye event, in which fish takes centre stage, have put the town on the nation’s food map, attracting people from all over the country and the attention of celebrity chefs.

But while diners sit down to enjoy fish dinners the fishermen who regularly put themselves at risk to land the catch are struggling to make a living.

Now at last it looks as though the Government in seeing sense on the blatant unfairness of the quota system, which puts a stranglehold on smaller boats like those fishing out of Rye.

The changes cannot come soon enough for Rye’s fishing fleet.

AN open door and a police station counter have always been an important bridge between the police and local community so it is bad news to see opening hours cut at Rye’s police station.

We are experiencing hard times when tough choices have to be made and shorter hours are still a preferable alternative to losing police officers.

Perhaps more worrying is the fact that Rye has no cells and those arrested have to be transported on a half hour journey to the custody suite at Hastings, taking valuable resources out of action.

It is also a concern, as reported earlier this year, that while cuts are being made, members of the Sussex Police Authority continue to claim thousands of pounds in allowances.

Seventeen members, all part-time appointees - between them collected £172,749 in 2009-10. This was not including expenses.