The move follows a fierce and heated debate at a council meeting last Monday (September 29).

The scheme has been branded 'a ludicrous waste of money'.

Rye mayor Sam Souster said: "It seems an awful lot of money which is being spent which means the other two towns in Rother will have to contribute.

"There are some things in Rye which have been very much neglected such as the cottages in Fishmarket Road which are an absolute disgrace."

Former mayor George Shackleton said at last week's meeting: "How can Rother justify such a ludicrous and outrageous expenditure in this current financial climate?

"The bulk of the money for this project (£3.5 million) is to come from Rother's reserves. That is the money they banked from the sale of council housing stock in the whole of the district, including Rye, and is vital when it comes to setting council tax.

"This is Rye tax payers money they are spending."

Cllr David Russell said parts of Bexhill's seafront were derelict and in bad need of a face-lift such as The Colonnade.

He said: "I voted for this to be taken to the next stage in the form of a public exhibition for Bexhill residents at the De La Warr Pavilion and for us to see if substantial outside funding would be available but at this stage no-one is close to writing a cheque.

"I think this is a very expensive scheme as it is at the moment."

Cllr Paul Osborne said: "Many areas of Bexhill seafront need improvement but whether this is a good way to spend a lot of money still needs a lot of convincing."

At last week's meeting opposition leader Cllr Sue Prochak and her Liberal Democrat colleagues, called for an amendment delaying any decision on funding until after public consultation and marketing exercises have been completed and scutinised but the amendment was lost.

Rother council leader Carl Maynard said he was committed to regeneration in all areas of Rother and decisions on the plan had been timetabled in such a way to allow the council to bid for external funding on the scheme, which will cost £5.1 million in total.