Former mayor put the case for the appointment of a town manager.

I am very surprised that Mr Buskin, a former town councillor, can say that he would rather see money being spent by the town council on extra policing rather than on a town manager.

Surely, he should be aware that the town council cannot pay police salaries from the precept - only the Chief Constable has the right to decide when and where his officers are deployed and how to fund them.

As for not needing a town manager, perhaps Mr Buskin should look towards Exmouth, which has had a town manager for several years, and where there are many initiatives almost every month to persuade people to stay in Exmouth and use local shops rather than going further afield or to the big supermarkets around the town.

It is largely due to the efforts of the Exmouth Chamber of Commerce, its town council and its town manager that these have been so successful.

Seaton’s small, independent shops are about to see the biggest threat to their existence ever known - they need all the help they can get.

Sandra Semple

East Walk

Seaton