ESCC has provided a Calendar and Plan which could be a very useful tool providing information to the public about progress on the WMDF process - try looking at the calendar in both 'calendar' and 'plan' views

Unfortunately the very instrument ESCC are using to keep the public informed about detail surrounding WMDF only shows historic information for January 2010 and nothing about any future timetable - quite frankly we all know about the past and it is the future timetable that is important

Whilst this is probably not a deliberate attempt to deceive the public it does demonstrate the shear lack of foresight of ESCC in keeping the public informed about the process milestones.

One would think that in the light of the following criticisms about failure to keep the public informed

• Wealden District Council - '..E. Advise the County Council that their approach to this important consultation has led to confusion and low levels of awareness amongst key stakeholders such as Parish Councils ..'

• ESCC Meeting 09 December 2009 - 5.Question by Councillor Freeman to Councillor Lock '.. a) Would the Portfolio Holder explain why the consultation on the Waste and Minerals Core Strategy was so low profile that until very recently many of the Parish Councils and residents affected did not know either it was taking place or appreciate the full consequences of the proposals? ..'

• Comments by Norman Baker at the Hailsham meeting about '.. even the most diligent Parish Councillors being hard pushed to be aware of ESCC propsals ..'

ESCC would now be slightly more aware of potential public distrust and yet they seem to carry on in their old ways oblivious of any public concern!

So regrettably despite being aware of communication issues, ESCC simply does not seem to be learning from their historic mistakes and is doing very little to rectify the situtation

We all need to know the way forward and the next critical benchmarks in this WMDF process so why is ESCC keeping us in the dark when they have the means (this calendar) to show the relevant dates

We are aware of the timetable in ESCC WMDF July 2008 but a more up to date evolving timetable is necessary to keep the public informed

Could ESCC please arrange for their own calendar to be kept up to date