WE HAVE TO OPPOSE THE BYLAW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
A local kitesurfer has just been round to see me. He went to the council offices today and was told by the legal department that it isn't the council that are trying to pass the bylaw but it is the golf club and the beachlands managment. The council don't want any hassle or bad publicity and apparently have never said that they want to ban kitesurfing on Hayling Island!
Beachlands managment have been offering another area for us to use which after having a good look at the site, seems pretty unsuitable as it is so close to the road. One mishap and they will ban it for good.
It may be the case that beachlands are offering the site to us to keep us quiet while they try to get the bylaw through. The lady at the council said that we all should phone her up and give our names and addresses so that we can be invited to the first meeting they have about the bylaw and make our opposal to the bylaw heard. (she told the guy who went to see her that she shouldn't really be telling him all of this!)
If we agreed to the new site and the bylaw gets passed the beachland managment could turn around at any time and say 'we've had complaint and are going to ban kitesurfing'
He is going back tomorrow to get her name and her phone number and as soon as I know it I will post it here. I am also going to arrange a petition that will be in Shore Watersports and Zero Gravity so that you can all sign it and give your details and then I will send it off to the council, that way we will have a copy rather than just relying on phone calls.
I hope all the relevant shops, businesses and importers will get involved with this because the council do not want business on the Island to suffer.
I will put up all relevant details as soon as I have them.
Cheers
Stu