New Cabinet Posts at Hastings Borough Council
Following removal of the two Green party councillors, Julia Hilton and Glenn Haffenden, from his cabinet on apparent orders from the Labour party’s National Executive, Hastings Borough Council leader Paul Barnett has appointed Cllr Ali Roark as the new portfolio holder for Environment. This post combines the previous role of Cllr Hilton as lead for the Natural Environment with that of Cllr Haffenden for the Urban Environment.
Cllr Barnett has assumed for himself the Climate Change portfolio, also formerly held by Cllr Hilton. Cllr Roark’s position as Chair of the Charity Committee has been awarded to new cabinet member John Cannan, ward councillor for Wishing Tree.
Revised council cabinet absent Cllr Maya Evans
CREDIT: Hastings Borough Council
Cllr Paul Barnett, leader of the council, has given no explanation as to why the two former Environment portfolios have been combined. However, he issued a statement: “I am delighted to bring John [Cannan] into Cabinet; he is Hastings through and through and such a passionate believer in public services being delivered for the greater good of all the residents of Hastings. His incredible work at Seaview talks to his deep compassion to those who have fallen on hard times, and I can think of no person better to join us as we face a deep crisis this winter for our elderly and struggling families.”
Green party reaction
Cllr Hilton commented: “As Ali [Roark] is only just taking on the Natural Environment role, and from experience I know it takes a while to get your head round, I certainly wouldn’t want to challenge her personally. However, I do think it made sense to split these two roles, as Glenn [Haffenden] found that little attention had been paid to the ‘urban’ bit of this portfolio when they were amalgamated and he was beginning to change that.
“With grounds maintenance coming in house and the strategic opportunities that brings for greater partnership working as well as the greater focus on the biodiversity crisis, it was good to be able to focus on the Natural Environment and the many links with opportunities to tackle climate change, particularly through nature-based solutions. Time will be lost while the new cabinet lead builds the connections that I had started to make both through my work as lead on Natural Environment and through the wider Hastings as Garden Town vision, which of course I can and will still work on.”
Cllr Hilton went on to express concern that Cllr Barnett will have little time to focus on specific climate change solutions, given his already huge responsibilities as leader of the council and overseeing Regeneration. She said that she was had been in conversation with both local businesses and East Sussex College on how a town-wide forum could be built to share ideas on tackling the climate crisis. In her view, a cross-party working group is needed to focus on this.
Minority cabinet
She was also concerned that the new minority cabinet “can only draw on the skill set of less than half the councillors, and decisions will once again be made with little scrutiny and input from only the seven cabinet members”.
No major decision could be made through the council except with either Green or Conservative support, she argued. Why should this be forthcoming if they have not been closely involved in decision-making at an early stage?
The Green party group will therefore propose a move to a committee system of governance where all councillors have a role in making decisions and deciding the future direction of the council, particularly on key areas of the council’s work, including the budget, housing, the Town Deal, climate change and the environment. It’s far from clear, however, that Cllr Barnett – or his party’s National Executive – will allow this.
There is no full Council meeting scheduled for the month of November. The next will be held on 14 December. Cllr Hilton expects that there will be cross-party discussions prior to that date “to agree a way forward”.
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Those of us that live in the Borough that are frustrated at the lack of planning for the future will find little to get excited about with these changes. Cllr Julia Hilton is right to seek a more cooperative and inclusive way forward for what is ruling by a minority party. Can I ask for all councillors to forget their party and start thinking of the residents and businesses in our area instead? We need vision. We need decent governance. We need greater consultation with us ‘mere mortals’!