News In Brief
Conned out of Housing
The number of people being homeless after leaving prison in Sussex, Kent, and Surrey has seen a dramatic rise of 97% according to recent Ministry of Justice data. The region has experienced the third biggest spike in England and Wales with 700 people released from prison into homelessness in the past year – that’s more than two people per day. “Leaving prison without a home is the terrible consequence of a broken system.” said Campbell Robb, Chief Executive at the prisoners’ resettlement organisation, NACRO, He went on: “The need for a secure place to live will become even greater, as more people are likely to serve more of their sentences in the community under proposed sentencing reforms. It is incredibly difficult for ex-offenders to move on with their lives if they have nowhere to live.”
Food without Fear
According to the council (HBC) Hastings has been named as one of the best places in the UK for food hygiene, with more highly rated food premises than any other place in the South East.
The government’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme run in partnership with local authorities, gives businesses a score from zero to five. It is designed to help consumers choose where to eat out or shop for food, by providing clear information about hygiene standards.
Last year HBC’s Environmental Health team carried out 384 inspections. Council leader Glenn Haffenden said: “We are pleased to see Hastings’ food outlets scoring so highly and would like to thank all the local businesses who have worked hard with the council to ensure they are maintaining high standards of hygiene”.
Ten premises have been told a ‘major improvement’ is necessary having scored either 1 or 2 out of 5. Seventeen were rated ‘generally satisfactory’ with a score of 3, while the remainder scored 4 or 5 which is deemed either ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
To check your local food business rating visit: hastings.gov.uk/environmentalhealth/food_safety/consumers/hygiene_rating/
Hearing Rural Voices
A cross-party group of MPs has launched a parliamentary inquiry into the Rural Economy, to ensure the countryside benefits from the shift of power from Westminster to Local Communities such as those surrounding the Hastings conurbation. They say that with the introduction of the English Devolution Bill in July 2025, there is now a unique opportunity to shape the future of devolution to ensure that it properly represents countryside communities, and they are encouraging ‘stakeholders’ to submit evidence on topics including skills, economic growth and housing.
Horsham MP John Milne, who is chairing the group, says his goal is to ensure that rural voices are properly heard in decision-making as devolution reshapes how policies are made across England.
Submissions to [email protected] by 13 October
Lukewarm Response to Crab Cruelty
A 9 year-old Hastings girl is asking for support for her petition against boiling live crabs and crustaceans. Cassia Rozen has formed a group called Nature Protection Society (NPS) and is hoping for 10,000 signatures to force the government to respond to her petition. With fewer than 100 people signed up so far, she has appealed to HIP to publicise her cause. Her petition says simply: “Ban the boiling or cooking in any form of live crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans. Imagine being boiled alive with no escape. I believe it is savage.”
The petition runs until February 2026 and you can sign by going to petition.parliament.uk/petitions/733855
Practice Getting Old
Hastings Borough Council has announced plans to ‘embed healthy ageing practices’ with the appointment of an Age Friendly Officer. Cllr Natalie Gaimster, lead councillor for Engagement, Equality and Opportunity, said: “This officer will aid the development and implementation of a Heathy Ageing strategy and work towards the embedding of healthy ageing practices in collaboration with our fantastic and hard-working teams in the voluntary sector, including Hastings Voluntary Action”.
She said that they have persuaded cash-strapped East Sussex County Council to fund the appointment which will “ensure that we reach out and engage with our older residents, to ensure that they have a voice in the decisions the council makes.”
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