CAMPAIGNERS say the multi-million pound sale of council-owned downland should be decided by referendum.

Conservative councillors on Eastbourne Borough Council will ask for a referendum on the sell-off at a meeting tonight. [Thursday]

The council has agreed to hold an informal public postal vote on plans to sell three-quarters of its downland portfolio.

But campaigners have described the vote as a sham - criticising the council for sending out a 12-page “propaganda” newsletter with voting forms.

Details of the plan are outlined in the latest edition of Eastbourne Review - which costs £7,000 to print and will cost an additional 39p for every vote received.

The authority estimates it will receive up to £30 million from the sale of 2,900 acres of farm land which will be invested into a new Sovereign Leisure Centre, the £44 million Devonshire Park Quarter refurbishment and £1 million put into the remaining 1,000 acres of downland the council.

Campaigners say the information sent to residents is one-sided and that funding for the projects could be found elsewhere.

Brenda Pollack from Friends of the Earth said: “It’s no good having ambitious plans if they need to rob Peter to pay Paul by selling off publicly owned downland farms.”

Simon Boyle, of Keep Our Downs Public, said: “This so called consultation has absolutely no legitimacy, it is frankly an embarrassment to the council.”

An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesman said: “The council strongly refutes the suggestion [that the vote is a sham].

“When a council proposes to make a decision on a matter of significant public interest, it is important to be able to demonstrate good consultative practice.”

A final decision on this matter will not be made until the summer.