Just days after the damaging bust-up between Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, the newly formed ‘Your Party’ hosted a public meeting at St John’s Hall on Brittany Road last Tuesday (30 September). The event was attended by approximately 150 people and featured a zoom call with Andrew Feinstein, the former African National Congress MP and associate of Nelson Mandela, who challenged Keir Starmer in the 2024 general election in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency.

The public meeting was organised by a coalition of local left-wing groups, including the Hastings IndependentsGroup, the Hastings People’s Party, the Hastings branch of the Socialist Workers Party, and the Hastings & District Trades Union Council. Their aim was to raise the profile of the new party ahead of a planned visit to Hastings by its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on 18 October.

Your Party has had a troubled launch. The initial joint-leader, Zarah Sultana, sent out a formal membership invitation by email to those who had expressed interest in the new party in September. This resulted in more than 22,000 people signing up. If all had paid the £55 annual membership, the new party could have raised over £1 million.

However, within hours Jeremy Corbyn disavowed the “unauthorised email”, and urged supporters to cancel payments. There followed a series of angry exchanges between the two, with Sultana alleging the party was becoming a “sexist boys’ club” and there were threats of legal action.

After days of dispute, mediation attempts paved the way for a re-launch of the party and a second membership drive with those who joined under Zarah Sultana given an assurance that their “data and membership is secure and will be migrated across”.

When Your Party was subsequently registered with the Electoral Commission, Mr Corbyn was listed as sole leader, and the new party declared assets of over £855,000.

In his video address, Mr Feinstein outlined the aims of the new party and its vision for a “grassroots-driven” political system. This movement is “not about Jeremy [Corbyn], but about each and every one of us,” he said.

Labour was the main focus of his attack. He called Keir Starmer’s Labour Conference speech delivered in Liverpool earlier that day “the longest resignation statement ever made”. He said the Labour Leader was as culpable as Benjamin Netanyahu for what was happening in Gaza and said he would like to see him in the Hague to be prosecuted.

Local councillors Paul Barnett, Andy Batsford, John Cannan, Nigel Sinden, Mike Turner and Simon Willis, who resigned from the Labour Party in December 2023 to form the Hastings Independent Group, announced that they would all join Your Party. Cllr Barnett told the meeting that they fully supported Your Party’s mission to build a fairer, more democratic and more inclusive politics across the UK.

Whilst the meeting was free to attend, people were encouraged to make a donation to the new political party. Those who had already sent in contributions before Your Party was formally launched were assured that their money would be switched over to the new party shortly.

Sometimes the world takes a while to catch up with you. Two years ago, eight of us – all Labour councillors in Hastings – did the unthinkable: we walked away from Cabinet posts, leadership of the Council was sacrificed and decades of party loyalty cast aside; not for ambition, but for principle.

We all had had enough. Enough of a party leadership that saw winning power as a race to the right. Enough of HQ strong-arming local voices purging dissenters,and treating lifelong members like troublesome relics. The Labour Party, we believed, had traded its soul for a red rosette and a seat at the grown-ups’ table.

And we ask, for what? To get over the electoral winning line against an opposition so chaotic it could barely tie its own shoelaces? And then reveal they had no vision, no moral spine, and no memory of the values Labour was built on. Compassion, equality, solidarity? Left behind somewhere between a focus group in Guildford and a Daily Mail op-ed.

Year one of this new Labour government has been a slow-motion pile-up. Politically timid, morally hollow, and forever dancing to the tune of Reform UK and the right-wing press, it’s managed to alienate the very people who once carried clipboards and knocked on doors for it in the rain.

So no, we were not shocked or surprised when hundreds of thousands responded to the call to register support for the Your Party movement grounded in social justice, peace, and unapologetic socialism. In the country and Hastings, the response has been electric.

The Hastings Independents Group haven’t just joined this new movement, we have attended meetings nationally to help shape it. Behind the scenes they’ve fought to ensure it listens to real communities, not London think tanks. This isn’t a vanity project or a power grab. We’re not asking to lead, they’re asking us to help build.

What we want is simple: a country where people are safe, secure, and heard. A party that doesn’t flinch when the tabloids growl. A home for those on the left who still believe politics can mean something better for us all.

In November 2021, I was the Cabinet lead for Housing at Hastings Borough Council when we unveiled an ambitious plan to tackle the town’s worsening housing crisis. The Labour-led council pledged to build 500 truly affordable homes, capped at Local Housing Allowance rates over a five-year period from 2022 to 2027. 

This bold initiative aimed to address the stark mismatch between housing supply and demand, with over 1,400 households on the Council Housing Register and a growing number of local families becoming homeless and reliant on temporary accommodation.

The strategy focused on working with developers to deliver high-quality, 100% affordable housing schemes, while also utilising council-owned land to lead by example. By demonstrating that such developments could be both feasible and beneficial, the council sought to challenge traditional housing models and address scepticism from developers and stakeholders. 

Despite initial doubts about the viability of 100% affordable housing estates, which was often criticised as unattractive or socially problematic, progress has been significant.

At the midway point of the initiative, Hastings has surpassed expectations, with over 515 affordable homes either completed, under construction, or soon to be on the market. Among these, 270 are “new council house” properties capped at LHA rate, marking a major achievement for the town and its residents. 

Key successes include the Harrow Lane and St Mary’s Holmeshurst sites, which collectively account for over 300 affordable homes. These projects materialised despite early setbacks, such as the bankruptcy of the original developer at Harrow Lane. The sale of the site to Orbit and the subsequent commitment of Southern Housing to St Mary’s Holmesdale underscore the importance of having strong political leadership and a bold vision in overcoming obstacles and driving housing policy forward.

However, challenges remain. We are all aware of the geography of our town, hemmed in by the sea on one side and the country parks on the other. This severely limits the availability of large sites, which are attractive to developers. The much smaller infill developments which are available rarely yield the volume or affordability needed. This poses the question, where are the next 500 affordable homes to come from?

There have been concerns raised about the ability of the Green-led HBC to sustain momentum. Critics argue that the Green leadership’s preference for community-led schemes may lack the decisiveness and scale required to address the housing crisis. High-profile developments like the Horntye site will test HBC’s resolve to prioritise affordable housing amidst opposition from some of their natural supporters.

To ensure continued progress, national government support is essential. This includes:

A fully funded council house- building program to close the funding gap that currently requires developers to cover 60% of costs;

Cost-neutral mechanisms for councils to reclaim the cost of CPO’s and repurpose empty homes, which remain a visible frustration in Hastings.

Revise the ridiculous Labour Government housing targets that do not account for the town’s geographical and economic challenges, giving local authorities greater control over development priorities.

Affordable housing remains Hastings’ most pressing issue. Without safe, secure, and affordable homes, the town’s families and children face instability and hardship. Achieving lasting solutions will require hardnosed, bold leadership, creative problem-solving, and collaboration at both local and national levels. The 500 homes initiative has demonstrated what is possible, but sustained action is critical to prevent future setbacks and to build a more equitable housing future for Hastings.

Andy Batsford has represented the St Helens ward on Hastings BC since 2012, for the Labour Party (2012-23) and for the Hastings Independent Group (2023-). He was the Cabinet lead for Housing between 2017-2021.

Residents of Ashford Way and Ashford Road in St Helens are pressing the town’s driving instructors to take their pupils elsewhere when they’re practising reverse parking, three-point turns and other manoeuvres. Ward councillor Andy Batsford has claimed that many cars and garden walls of local residents have been damaged with no responsibility taken, while on dark evenings intrusive headlights beam constantly into front rooms. 

“All residents understand that these roads are part of the driving test route,” Cllr Batsford said, “but just driving [students] around these roads not only causes the local residents distress and worry, but also teaches the students nothing about real-life driving situations and safety.”

Terry Cummins, chairman of the local branch of the Motor Schools Association which represents many Hastings instructors, says that there are several alternative test drive routes, only one of which involves the roads in question. He confirms that they are regarded as suitable for practice, but at a recent branch meeting both he and the Chief Test Examiner requested that members avoid excessive instruction on or around them.

Cllr Batsford has also posted a leaflet at the Ivyhouse Lane test centre asking instructors to think of alternative routes.

Clean-up for Oaktree Mews

Social housing provider Southern Housing (SH) has undertaken a comprehensive improvement programme in the neighbourhood of Oaktree Mews off Linley Drive.

Hastings Borough Council’s Community Safety Manager and Baird ward local councillors Mike Turner and Yunis Smith had identified problems of fly-tipping in the communal bin area, regular anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. They met with SH management earlier this summer to urge some action.

Following that meeting, SH have cut the hedge at the entrance to the alley to the Mews, removed flytips, had a street light repaired and further security lighting installed, and were getting an abandoned van removed.

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, who holds the council’s Community Wellbeing portfolio, said: “We want Oaktree Mews residents to feel proud of their neighbourhood and safe in their homes, that’s why it is important that we attend areas where issues have been raised to help identify appropriate improvements.” He thanked Southern Housing for their quick response.

Swinging in the Rain

The Adventure Golf park at Pelham Place on Hastings seafront is offering free rounds on all three of its courses for the next two weeks (up to 25 October) on any day when there’s more than 3ml of rain. The seafront office has fitted a ‘rain-o-meter’: when the gauge accumulates more than this aggregate rainfall for any day, and will send you an alert if you sign up to a computer app in advance so you can get down there to take advantage. 

Simon Tompkins, the park’s director said: “As an attraction that is open 364 days of the year, we know that no matter how bad the weather gets, people will always come out to play on our courses. That’s why we want to reward the hardiest of crazy golf fans for the month of October with this unique offer.”

Newcomers to Hastings Pier, Rum Shed, have been advertising a programme of electronic music to be staged this autumn and winter in the three-room, two-storey wooden reception building in the centre of the structure. The Rum Shed building will next Saturday (19 October) host a Spring Tides Family Rave between 2pm and 4.30pm compered by DJ Soulprovyder. It is to be followed by a High Tides “deep dirty electronic music” event on the same evening, featuring a number of nationally or locally known DJs strutting their stuff between 5pm and midnight. 

A promotional video posted on the High Tides facebook page features nostalgic references by a 90s DJ, Sequenci, to Ecstasy drug-taking and manufacturing.

Further similar techno/house gigs are promised for future weekends.

There is no apparent planning approval for these events, nor was there for the series of outdoor electronic dance music events promoted by Piertown, the trading name of companies Hastings Pier Limited and/or Slap That Sound Limited, over the past two summers.

Freehold owner Sheikh Abid Gulzar last month lodged a planning application with Hastings Borough Council to erect a new gold-domed pavilion building opposite the existing restaurant premises at the entrance to the pier (see page 3). However, the authorised use for the central reception building, granted by Hastings Borough Council (HBC) planning committee after a contested hearing in May 2019, remains as a ‘family amusement arcade’, limited to opening between the hours of 9am and 9pm. This time limitation was imposed by the council so as “to safeguard the amenity of adjoining and future residents”.

When the award-winning structure was bought in 2018 by Sheikh Abid Gulzar, he confirmed that access would remain open and free to all on a daily basis. It was noted by the council’s planning officer at the 2019 hearing as a point in favour of the applicants (Mr Gulzar himself through his agent Lord Brett Maclean) that the “ability to walk around the Pier will not be affected by this scheme”.

However, not only has the whole of the pier been subsequently closed for winter months; visitors have found unsightly fencing barring them from proceeding past the reception building for much of this summer. The fencing has not only cordoned off one third of the pier’s length so as to render it out of bounds during active events. It has been kept there in between events to protect Piertown’s ancillary equipment. That was still the case as this report was written, even though no more outdoor events are apparently planned in this area for the rest of the year.

An HBC spokesperson, asked last week whether the council has any concerns about the pier being used regularly for activities which appear to be in contravention of authorised planning use, responded: “Hastings Borough Council’s Planning Enforcement team are currently following their processes and are investigating the issues raised, we are therefore unable to provide further details at this time.” 

RUM SHED PROGRAMME

Teri Rollo, sole director of Rum Shed, has declined to comment on planning issues. She has, however, put forward a vigorous defence of her company’s programme. She aims to provide “a beautifully decorated inside and outdoor space”, including murals painted by local artists. “All décor has been designed to reflect Hastings history,” she says, “but modernised to be adaptable to cater for many different events”. 

As regards music events, she points to the pier’s historical heritage, having showcased acts such as the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Clash, etc. through the 1960s and 1970s. Piertown “have tried tirelessly to stage and re-establish the pier’s relationship with live music,” Ms Rollo says, while Rum Shed “are now able to reach out a bit more and offer our own services on a more localised level”. She refers to “fabulous local bands like Los Twangueros” and “very well-known classy DJs like DJ Soulprovyder and Sarah France”. 

On the other hand, she will also be offering a “well-stocked bar” that’s “dog-friendly”, and a wide range of community activities. She says that wedding and birthday parties were catered for over the summer, and that there’s an evening of ‘mediumship’ on Thursday next week (17 October) appealing to “spiritual enthusiasts”. She looks forward to offering alternative/wellbeing events (collaborating with Samphire Sauna), meetings of a local sea-swimming club, yoga and sound baths.

Slot machines, ‘teddy grabbers’ and other family arcade games will be retained and added to. She will be getting a pool table “and look to building a pool team that we want to be able to compete locally,” also a couple of darts boards. A “food element” will be provided by next year.

Will HBC seek to control any of these plans by enforcement action? We’ll have to wait and see.

LICENSING

On 2 September its licensing sub- committee chaired by Cllr Andy Batsford reviewed a range of breaches of licence conditions regarding the safety of the music events managed by Piertown where more than 1,000 people attended. The committee stripped leaseholder Max Wolf from his role as designated premises supervisor and imposed new safety stipulations. What they didn’t do is to consider whether these music events have any authorisation under planning law, or even whether the hours of trading allowed by the licence – between 10 am and midnight – were compatible with those restricted under the 2019 permission. 

The sub-committee minutes noted expressly that “Planning Permission representations were irrelevant to these proceedings and not taken into consideration when making our decision.” Cllr Batsford has admitted subsequently that, from a local resident’s perspective, a planning permission “shouldn’t be inconsistent with a licensing one (and vice versa),” but he commented that “the functions are different”.

On the Hastings Town Deal website, the project entitled Hastings Castle World Heritage Destination is still described as “our flagship signature project for the whole Hastings Town Investment Plan”. 

The stated aim remains to transform the castle from “a neglected, inaccessible ruin” into “a modern interpretative attraction” targeting 250,000 visitors a year compared to a pre-Covid average of 30,000.

In June 2021, the Department of Levelling Up (DLUHC), which is providing the funds and monitoring their allocation, confirmed the £24.3m Town Deal award to Hastings. Of this, £3.5m was allocated towards an originally estimated project cost of £5.65m for the castle. The balance of £2.15m was initially shown as being provided by “matched funds” from Historic England and other contributories.

A business case was subsequently formulated and approved – by the Town Deal Board’s Investment Panel in January 2023 and by DLUHC some weeks later. However, Historic England have denied that they ever agreed to match-fund development proposals. Their role is only to administer applications received for Scheduled Monument Consent, which would be required for any renovation work at the site. Nor have any other contributors of funds been identified as coming forward. 

WEST HILL CAFE

On the other hand, Hastings Borough Council (HBC) announced last October that it had repossessed the West Hill Café, adjacent to the castle site, and was calling for Expressions of Interest from “experienced developers and operators” to put forward ideas and proposals “to restore the West Hill Café to its full potential” as part of the Town Deal Castle project. On 22 November, HBC’s then Health and Culture portfolio holder Andy Batsford told a meeting of the full council that 25 bids from national and local businesses had already been received, including plans to transform the landmark site and link it with St Mary in the Castle at the bottom of the Castle cliff.

What happened to these bids? Cllr Batsford is no longer at the helm, and no explanation has been offered. Instead, on 25 March, HBC announced a new initiative in the form of a Request for Proposals: they seek “an experienced partner within the Cultural Assets sector” to redevelop and re-purpose the West Hill Café, which remains vacant. The aim, it’s said, is to provide a “quality food and beverage facility as well as a springboard for innovative education and experience telling the story of Hastings Castle”. 

HBC’s press release continued: “Proposals should also incorporate access improvements to Ladies Parlour, with improved setting and landscaping of the surrounding castle grounds, acknowledging and enhancing the existing biodiversity of the site.”

FUNDING POT REDUCED

A spokesperson for the council has explained subsequently that “the funding mix and levels for the project will be changing” in the wake of responses to the Request, which must be received by 3 June. It was admitted that the overall funding pot was likely to be less than the original business case, and that “there are no other sources of public funding to match against the £3.4m [sic] Town Fund monies for the project at present. Once a new delivery partner has been agreed, HBC will be submitting a project change request to DLUHC for approval. This will cover all financial changes in the project scope and delivery”.

This itself demands some explanation. In the spring of 2023, a scheme was put to the Town Deal Board to repurpose St Mary in the Castle as the main visitors’ entrance to the castle above, connected by a lift or escalator up the rock face. This was reported at a Board meeting as “considered” by its Investment Panel, but rejected on the ground that DLUHC would regard it as a “new project”, excluded from benefiting from the £24.3m overall award. So what is not “new” about the latest intended project changes?

Café Dereliction 

Hastings Borough Council has confirmed that the West Hill Café will remain vacant pending its likely demolition in the autumn as part of the Castle Project redevelopment.

It was repossessed from its previous tenant last October “in a terrible and dangerous state including rotting floors”, according to an HBC source. Apparently it would require so much work to make safe that even a pop-up café operating over the summer months would be wholly unviable.

HBC has declined to make any comment upon why and how its Estates Office, as landlord of the premises over several years, allowed them to fall into this condition. 

However, the Independents have announced that they will be fielding candidates in eight other wards as well – six currently held by Conservatives (Ashdown, Baird, Conquest, Maze Hill, St Helens, West St Leonards and Wishing Tree), two by Labour (Central St Leonards and Wishing Tree). 

Cllr Andy Batsford has admitted that, without any national party organisation to back them, they are heavily reliant upon local volunteers to provide logistical support, including social media messaging, for their relatively unknown candidates. One candidate, however, Peter Bailey in Baird, should be well known to local voters, having headed the opposition to redevelopment of the Pilot Field within the ward.

Labour and Green party canvassers have in the meantime been out in strength in the streets of several wards. Labour brochures appear designed to appeal on a broad front, preparing for a forthcoming national election as well as the local ones: they refer to their constituency candidate Helena Dollimore, championing her role in saving the Ridge Fire Station. Both parties take pains to ascribe pothole responsibility to East Sussex County Council (under a Conservative administration) while claiming that their candidates will make it their priority business to maximise reporting on incidents within their wards. 

The Conservatives, who will be defending eight of the 16 ward seats in the borough, seem to have kept a lower profile. But Reform UK has established a new local constituency branch in Hastings & Rye following the selection of Lucian Fernando, who, as ward councillor for Silverhill on Hastings Borough Council, defected from the Conservative party to Reform last year, to contest the parliamentary seat in the next general election.

The launch event in the Laya restaurant in St Leonards last Thursday (22 March) was also attended by Cllr Abul Azad, who represents Bexhill North on the county council and is Reform’s candidate in the neighbouring constituency of Bexhill & Battle. Cllr Fernando said his party was “dedicated to fostering an inclusive and transparent political environment where every voice is heard, and every concern is addressed”. He promised to “work tirelessly to enact positive change and to build a brighter future for everyone in Hastings and Rye”.

Correction:

In HIP 247 we published an article Can you hear the election drums Fernando which stated that in June 2021 Cllr Fernando had been “arrested and charged with being drunk in charge of a car. He was later fined and disqualified from driving for a year.” He has told us that he was “detained” and not “arrested”, and that he was disqualified for six months, not a year.

A total of £20 million has been made available from their Swimming Pool Support Fund to compensate over 100 local authorities for the rise in energy prices and other inflationary costs. The share allocated for expenditure at Summerfields, managed by Freedom Leisure for Hastings Borough Council, is £98,475.

Cllr Andy Batsford, the council’s lead member for health and culture, said: “We are delighted to have received this funding for Summerfields. With ever-increasing costs, we have heard of many pools closing or being at risk of closure. This swimming pool is a much-loved community facility and provides an important place for people in Hastings of all ages to socialise and keep fit. For it to remain open for use is excellent news for our town’s health and wellbeing.”

The council has also applied for capital funding from Sports England to introduce environmental measures, which include rooftop solar, to combat climate change and reduce ongoing energy costs.

In the meantime, Hastings Seagull Swimming Club, for whom Summerfields is their home pool, celebrated notable success at the Sussex Winter Championships held at the K2 in Crawley. Of 16 swimming clubs from across the county contesting the short course competition, the 41-strong Seagull team collected 71 medals between them and finished second in the overall points table. 

Among many spectacular results, a trio of Hastings swimmers made the 100 IM age group finals. Harley Williams won the junior final; Tom Youdale came fifth and Lauren Crawford eighth in senior finals. 

Riley Wood, aged 11, finished overall points leader in his age group.

Club chairman Euan Youdale says: “It was fantastic to see all our swimmers achieving such enormous success at county level and walking away with so many PBs [personal bests] and medals. My thanks also go to the amazing coaches, team managers, officials, helpers and parents without whom none of this would be possible”.

The East Hill Lift, claimed to be the steepest funicular railway in the country, has reopened following the completion of refurbishment work.

The lift closed in October 2022 following an examination of the track. More extensive repairs were needed than originally expected, but it finally returned to full operation last week to catch the October half term break, and from now until next March will continue to open at weekends, 11am to 4pm.

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead for Culture at Hastings Borough Council, said: “We are delighted that this much-loved asset has been restored to its former glory, enabling passengers for years to come to enjoy the spectacular views from the top of the East Hill.”

A regular column to update readers on the damaging effects of the current management of water in Hastings, surrounding areas (and nationally) and what people are doing about it. If you have any information, please contact community@hastingsindependentpress.co.uk marked Clean Water Watch.   

“YOUR WATER MATTERS”

The day of the Southern Water (SW) drop-in at the Stade on Thursday 12 October dawned with an excellent 7.15am interview with Becca Horn of Clean Water Action on Allison Ferns’ BBC Sussex show. 

THE DROP-IN

SW had a strong presence even before the meeting began, with some heavy-looking security. The hall filled up quietly when doors opened at 11am and we were provided with a very slick ‘meet and greet’: diagrams, models, and hi-tech equipment were on display with engineers keen to explain what they were doing. The PR message was, ‘we acknowledge we’ve made mistakes but we’re here to listen’ with a subtext of ‘but look what we’re doing already’. 

SPEECHES AND INTERVIEWS

BBC South Today and ITV Meridian News were present with Cllr Andy Batsford being interviewed on one channel. XR led a ‘toilet protest’ outside the hall, while the crowd steadily grew. The police, primed for a disturbance, busied themselves moving the crowd around ‘for everyone’s safety’. Speeches began at 12pm.

Clean Water Action: Becca Horn gave a rousing speech, reminding the crowd why they were there, summarising problems and explaining what they wanted to achieve.

Parents for Future (Hastings & St Leonards): Jen Rouse lent the weight of this national organisation to the event, reminding us that this is about the future, not just the current mess.

Sewage Contamination Group: Myriam Lengliné, in black clothes and beret emphasising her fighting spirit, talked about the battle to bring the contamination of Old Roar Gill to the attention of SW and how they have been “dismissing and misleading residents’ concerns”.

Boycott Water Bills: Katy Colley gave an impassioned speech, reminding us, amongst other things, of how Hastings beaches had been off limits for 54% of the summer. Focussing on how ‘people power’ had got us this far, she finished with inspiring optimism.

Save Old Roar Gill: Anna Silvatica highlighted the importance of Alexandra Park, and the Old Roar Gill in particular, as a place for the community to enjoy for the future, reiterated concerns about being ignored by SW despite monitoring the water both visually and through water testing .

XR Hastings: Jane Ripley, a water pollution chemist, rounded off the impressive line-up, emphasising the importance of planning for the future security of our water system as an integral part of our planet’s future.

SUMMING UP

While the PR offensive was impressive, it could not hope to make up for the lack of communication over the last year or so. It was good to hear what SW were planning and see the resources they were bringing to bear such as the hi-tech portable testing system. But how did we get into this mess in the first place? The following extract is from a paper by the Royal Society of Chemistry on Combined Sewage Outflows (CSOs), a major cause of the sewage pollution we suffer in this town and elsewhere. It pins the blame squarely on the water industry. 

“Although, there is no doubt that everyone has a role to play to help reduce the frequency and duration of CSO events … the real power to solve this problem lies with the water industry and the need to invest to repair, replace, and extend our water infrastructure. From pumps to pipes, this infrastructure is often out of sight and out of mind. In fact, the frequent use of CSOs in England could simply be the symptom of an infrastructure deficit in need of funding and upgrading.”

Active Hastings, supported by both Hastings Borough Council and East Sussex County Council, are offering a range of free drop-in sport sessions running throughout next week, which is half term in all local schools.

On Monday 23 October there’s a Street Tennis session at Quantock Gardens on the Broomgrove Estate between 2pm and 3.30pm, open to children of all abilities aged 8 to 15  (activities will be split into age groups). All equipment will be provided.

On Tuesday 24 October the Active Hastings team move on to Farley Bank for a Street Football session between 4pm and 5.30pm, again for children aged 8 to 15.

On Wednesday 25 October, between 1pm and 3pm, children aged 6 to 16 have the opportunity to be coached in rugby skills in a ‘community taster day’ at Hastings & Bexhill Rugby Club on their ground above Ark Alexandra Academy. Under 8s should be accompanied by an adult. Children in year 4+ are encouraged to bring a gum shield with them, or new players can buy one on the day for £2.50.

On Thursday 26 October the sport is athletics. Children aged 8 to 16 are invited to bring their trainers to the running track at Ark Alexandra to participate in both track and field events from  1pm to 3pm.

For those preferring dance to organised sport, Active Hastings will be joining with DanceHub to offer two free Street Dance classes: on the Wednesday 4.30pm to 5.30pm at Hollington Youth Hub and the Friday, 2.30pm to 3.30pm at Broomgrove Community Centre. Children will be taught new dance moves by a team of young professional choreographers.

Cllr Andy Batsford, portfolio holder for Health and Culture at Hastings Borough Council, said, “I am delighted we are offering a wide range of free activities for local children this October half term. An active lifestyle has many positive effects on children. Not only is it a great way for children to develop their physical and mental wellbeing, but it also encourages teamwork and improves social skills.”

All Active Hastings October half term activities are drop-in, but all children will need to be registered before attending. This can be completed on the door or in advance at: activehastings.org.uk/registration

A regular column to update readers on the damaging effects of the current management of water in Hastings, surrounding areas (and nationally) and what people are doing about it. If you have any information, please contact community@hastingsindependentpress.co.uk marked Clean Water Watch.   

Save Old Roar Gill (SORG)

A second public meeting was called by SORG on 27 September and chaired by Cllr Andy Batsford. There was a useful discussion, although much was about continued evidence of leaks and the denials from Southern Water. Cllr Batsford accepted that the leaks must have been going on for years. There was also concern about flushing the gill from the ponds above, but this is apparently denied by SW. 

It is now clear that there are two citizens’ groups operating with their own Facebook pages, SORG and SCAPORG (Sewage Contamination in Alexandra Park & Old Roar Gill). There was a suggestion that these would benefit from becoming one official group by joining the Friends of Alexandra Park, Hastings (FoAP), who were represented at the meeting. This would give access to financial assets that could be used for testing and other expenses as well as providing more access to official representation with SW and EA. 

Cllr Batsford reported back on volunteer clearance in the gill, assuring the meeting that care was taken not to damage natural water management or habitat. There was a second workday on 30 September.

Clean Water Action Group (CWAG)

HAUL-OUT, the DIY community sound system (Instagram @haul_out), hosted a “banging night” at Oscar’s-on-the-Square on Saturday 22 September with She Choir in fine voice. The event helped raise £145 towards CWAG’s next season of winter water tests. 

Southern Water

There is a drop-in day at the Stade Hall on Thursday 12 October from 11.00am-7.00pm. This might be a good opportunity to vent frustration, but be prepared with facts (see link to HBC report below) and be prepared to be stonewalled.

Local campaigns

A major Protest by SOS Whitstable on Saturday 23 September not only attracted around 1,000 protesters but also clean water campaigner and musician Feargal Sharkey, comedian and angler Paul Whitehouse, Cat Hobbs from We Own It , boxer Barry McGuigan, Green campaigner Jenny Jones, Whitstable boycotter Frankie Green, SOS organiser Ed Acteson and the Mermaids of Margate. Katy Colley of Boycott Water Bills went along to represent Hastings. 

Feargal Sharkey gave a rousing speech, telling Whitstable who have done so much to energise campaigning “You are on the cusp of success.” He called them “the most remarkable people in this country right now” as “you’ve finally decided you’ve had enough”. He ended by quoting a verse from The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney, of which the last four lines: “…once in a lifetime, the longed-for tidal wave of justice can rise up, and hope and history rhyme.” Stirring stuff mirrored in the success of the Good Law Project (see below).

Hasting Borough Council

A Council report, discussed at Cabinet on 2 October, clarifies that there has been a serious breakdown of trust between Southern Water, the council and local residents, as well as visitors to the town. The report contains a letter from Cllr Paul Barnet, leader of the council, written in very robust language. 

Talking about one issue in Alexandra Park, he writes: “… for the last two months we have been firefighting a series of environmental disasters in our very special Alexandra Park, starting with another sewage leak which polluted the nature reserve at Old Roar Ghyll. Since then, in a series of frankly confusing statements, we understand you have found and dealt with a dozen misconnections feeding into the main park stream and repaired other blocked sewage pipes. Only last week, residents alerted me to sewage below the reservoir. Your response was to quickly take measurements and say this wasn’t the case. But we have the pictures. It happened.”

You can see the full report here tinyurl.com/uhvjsd7d

News from the media

We mentioned West England Bylines was compiling a useful catalogue of information but omitted ‘west’ from the url. It should be as follows: westenglandbylines.co.uk/features/sewage-watch-focus.

On Thursday 28 September, Chris Packham led a group of more than 40 activist groups in a protest outside DEFRA to demand action on the environment. While organisations like the EA and OFWAT have been found toothless, it is hoped that DEFRA will finally take action over the degradation of the environment including holding water companies to account.

Ongoing

In Issue 233 we mentioned Good Law Project’s challenge of the Government’s inadequate plans to tackle sewage dumping. In an update on 25 September, Ends Report (endsreport.com) posted “In an update today, all coastal and estuary storm overflows are now included, and Marine Protected Areas and shellfish water protected areas have been added to the list of high priority sites. The amount of capital investment estimated to be needed over the next 25 years has increased from £56 billion to £60 billion.”

The construction of a Premier Inn hotel on the former Cornwallis Street car park site owned by Hastings Borough Council (HBC), politically controversial since it was first mooted in 2019, has run into major budgeting problems. A report to cabinet issued by the council’s Chief Executive Jane Hartnell has recommended that its capital programme budget be increased to over £13.6m to fund the development – almost double the budget initially considered, and around £4.6m above the figure suggested in February this year when the cabinet was previewing the programme for the financial year ahead.

After an interruption to negotiations during the onset of the Covid pandemic, HBC concluded an agreement with Whitbread, owners of the Premier Inn brand, in January 2021 under which the council would build the 80-bed hotel complex, then lease it to them for a term of 25 years. The financial details of the contract have never been revealed, the terms being classed as “commercially sensitive”. However, it is clear that the council took on the risk that the building costs might escalate 

According to Ms Hartnell, the then cabinet led by Cllr Kim Forward were warned that, once the deal was signed, they would be committed to delivering the hotel building no matter what extra costs might arise. She reports that external advice at the time was that “costs had not increased significantly”, though one might think it should have been apparent by January 2021that this was a likely economic repercussion of the pandemic.

In fact, the pandemic experience seems to have been a determinative factor. Efforts were required, Ms Hartnell recalls, “to ensure the rapid transformation of the town centre and enhancement of its sustainability…The post-pandemic environment made this even more important to do at pace”.

PLANNING AND TENDERING

Planning consent was self-granted in August 2022 against the opposition of both opposition politicians and some local residents. Two initial tender exercises were then undertaken. The first resulted in tenders in excess of the budget and were “not suitable”, according to Ms Hartnell. The second “identified a preferred contractor, with experience of developing to the hotel operator’s specification, but at a cost that exceeds the budget in the capital programme.”

Adding to the costs are updated building regulations, which now require the building to reduce its carbon emissions and incorporate low energy measures. 

Ms Hartnell reports that Whitbread have agreed an “improved offer”, including higher rent, a reduced rent-free period and an extension to the build end-date – but of course these don’t mitigate the increase in the council’s upfront costs to be reflected in its capital programme budget. In order to proceed with this, full council approval will need to be secured at its next meeting on 20 September.

POLITICAL OPPOSITION

There’s no doubt that the proposal to increase the budget will run into political flak on that occasion. Tory opposition leader Cllr Andy Patmore used his column in the Hastings Observer last week to castigate the Labour administration for indulging in a risky commercial undertaking rather than using the site and money to build residential homes. Cllr Matthew Beaver, fellow-Conservative, had argued already at the planning committee meeting that the preference for hotel rooms over permanent housing was “absurd”.

Green party leader Cllr Julia Hilton said this week: “Our councillors have spoken out against this hotel since 2021 when I was elected as the first Green councillor. We tried to get it removed from the Corporate Plan in 2022 but were told then that we were contractually obliged to build the hotel, whether it was profitable for the council or not. We have now been told that the council has to approve the additional cost or the council would be in breach of contract and liable to many millions of pounds of damages. This is not a project we feel is in the best interest of the people of the town but we are being pressured by the senior management team to vote for it due to penalties in the contract that they will not disclose and that only Labour are responsible for.”

She also pointed out that Ms Hartnell’s report failed to make any calculation of lost parking revenue “which has been around £100,000 per annum. If this is multiplied by the 25-year lease, that is £2.5 million in lost parking fees that need to be set against any potential income.

“So now the council is hunting round for assets to sell to reduce the borrowing requirement and is selling off two bits of housing land that could have provided 54 homes for social rent. We are told the council can’t afford to borrow the roughly £4 million that would be required to build the homes at Bexhill Road, yet we are committed to borrowing much more than that to build a hotel on a site that was also originally allocated for 20 units of housing including a pocket park and play area.”

CABINET ENTHUSIASM

At the cabinet meeting on Monday night, council leader Paul Barnett refused to be the least discouraged by the increased cost figures disclosed by Ms Hartnell. “I wish to express my delight that this report has come forward”, he said. “What’s changed since 2021 is buildings regulations, and that’s in a good way.” The specification, he argued, is now tougher on carbon emissions and conserves energy better. 

He was also pleased that Whitbread had responded positively by improving their offer.

Cllrs Andy Batsford and Maya Evans spoke with equal enthusiasm. Cllr Batsford said: “This about a large hotel chain wanting to be in Hastings – it’s a signal that this is a town to invest in”. Cllr Evans pointed out that the building of the hotel would coincide with the advent of the Garden Town development of adjacent streets as a key feature of the Town Deal investment. “In the next five years we’ll see the town centre dramatically transformed”, she said. 

The financial details were not, however, discussed in public session – nor was it clear to what extent they will be disclosed to the full council when the matter is put before them on 20 September.

Six hard courts in Alexandra Park have been renovated by Hastings Borough Council  (HBC) with funds from the Lawn Tennis Association, and will be officially reopened tomorrow (Saturday).

In celebration, Break Point tennis, an enterprise led by local coach Joe Adams, will be offering free tutorial sessions throughout the day, with games, competitions, and social events. Rackets and tennis balls will be provided, so anyone can come along and play.

Coaching sessions will be split across the day, including adult coaching, cardio tennis, family time, junior (11-16) and youth (5-10).

The future cost of playing on these courts has been set remarkably low. A household of up to five people can book them for up to two hours per day for 365 days a year at an annual cost of £36. This compares with an individual subscription of £147 per five-month year for a season ticket on the council’s bowling greens.

Asked why there is such a discrepancy, a council spokesperson said that ‘fine-turf’ maintenance of the greens is much more expensive than upkeep of hard tennis courts. “The prices for tennis were based on a combination of experience from other LTA-funded sites; they were set at the lower end of what is typically charged elsewhere. It was decided to make it as easy and affordable as possible for people to play tennis.”

Adams said: “It is with great excitement that we are partnering with Hastings Borough Council, the LTA, and Active Hastings to make tennis more accessible to the community of Hastings. There is no doubt that the quality of the courts and exceptional value of the membership will attract hundreds of new players to the sport. The full coaching programme will complement our existing activities at The Green and Amherst clubs, and at local schools.” 

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead councillor at HBC for health and culture, added: “We are delighted with the new courts at Alexandra Park and are looking forward to seeing lots of people at the opening. The refurbished courts are a fantastic addition to the sports facilities in our town, a big thank you to the LTA for funding the improvements. Tennis is a great way of getting out in the fresh air and it can be played with friends and family, so it’s a sociable activity too.”

You can find out more and book your free session and/or annual subscription on-line at clubspark.lta.org.uk/AlexandraParkHastings

Other cabinet positions remain unaltered: Cllr Andy Batsford leading on health and culture; Cllr Ali Roark on environment; Cllr Judy Rogers on planning and governance, community safety and disability access; and Cllr John Cannan as chair of the charity committee.

No explanation has been given for the changes save for a statement by Cllr Barnett that they “will refresh the cabinet for the challenging year ahead”.

Prime challenge is clearly in balancing the council’s revenue budget against mounting wage inflation and energy costs, and an ever-rising tide of expenditure on housing the homeless, as the numbers in need increase and rent levels likewise. A Financial Monitoring Outlook (FMO) Report for 2022/23, which the cabinet are due to consider at their meeting on Monday 3 July, contains a calculation that the overspend on homelessness last year was £2.385m, and that £1.290 of this had to be financed from reserves.

The only bright note in the accompanying Treasury Management Outlook Report, which will also be presented to cabinet at the meeting, is that rising interest rates more than doubled the projected returns received on council investments during the year (over £1.14m, exceeding the budget target by £638,000).

Given the financial squeeze, Cllr Evans’ task within the regeneration portfolio seems almost entirely dependent upon the council’s success in accessing external funds. 

The Town Deal projects which should be making major progress in the current year are largely beyond HBC’s remit, but a council spokesperson has confirmed that plans for a new health and leisure centre at Summerfield will form the basis of a proposal to be submitted in the next round of Levelling Up funding promised by DLUHC (the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities).

In the meantime: improvements to community facilities at Broomgrove are proceeding on the basis of funds provided by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund; discussions with Homes England are said to be “still on-going” with regard to support for “the wider regeneration interests in the town centre, including Station Plaza; while “technical and survey work is on-going by the developer” at West Marina.

Neither Cllr Evans nor anyone else at the council has responded to questions concerning its own development of hotel premises to be operated by Premier Inn on the former car park site off Cornwallis Street. Planning approval was given for the building in February 2022, and expenditure on the project during the 2022/23 financial year is noted in the TMO Report as £238,000, which doesn’t include a loss of £70,000 (and continuing) as a result of the car park closure. However, no building work seems to have been undertaken yet, save for a symbolic patchwork of surface drilling. 

Three separate “expressions of interest” to take a leasehold interest in St Mary in the Castle were submitted last month to Dyer & Hobbis, agents for Hastings Borough Council (HBC). Each bidder, according to HBC cabinet portfolio holder for Culture, Cllr Andy Batsford, is committed to retaining the building as a cultural venue as well as to undertaking the obligations of a full repairing lease without subsidy. 

Both councillors and council officers are now involved in a process to evaluate merits of the respective bids, including reviewing full business plans, with the aim of making a selection by the end of next month. 

As previously reported, there is also an application being considered by HBC to register St Mary as an asset of cultural value. Its communications department declined to state on enquiry last week when this application will be determined, but it’s understood that a decision should be made by the middle of April.

Cllr Batsford told HIP last week: “I can assure you that we don’t see St Mary as just bricks and mortar. We feel very positive about its cultural future. But the council has to move from its past role as funder to becoming an enabler.”

“NARROWER FOCUS”

He went on to explain that HBC, having recently pulled out of 1066 Country Marketing, its promotional partnership for the area in conjunction with Rother District and Wealden District Councils, now intends to focus more narrowly upon its own cultural assets.

HBC’s annual spend on the 1066 partnership in the current year was £130,000, according to Cllr Batsford, taking into account the time of seconded officers. “This was a bigger contribution than our partners in Rother and Wealden. We think we need to spend that sum in a more focussed way on Hastings itself, which has been transformed over the past decade.”

In line with this apparent change of direction, which coincides with the imminent retirement of Marketing and Major Projects Manager Kevin Boorman (who remains popularly associated with the 1066 brand), Council leader Paul Barnett has announced a restructured team of council officers. It includes the appointment of a new Head of Commercial Services and Development. The new post holder, Cllr Barnett said, “will lead many of the crucial regeneration projects as well as supporting our town’s amazing cultural offer to become more financially sustainable. They will also have responsibility for the Hastings Museum & Art Gallery which, with its National Portfolio status, brings really exciting opportunities.”

Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne took up their case, and put in a bid for funding to the Home Office under their Safer Streets programme. In March 2022, Hastings Borough Council (HBC) as owners of the park received a grant in excess of £200,000 to undertake safety improvements.

Now, a year on, according to HBC, cameras have been installed “throughout the park” and lights have been installed along a path running within it near the boundary with St Helens Road. Maintenance contractors Idverde have also conducted a large clearance of vegetation – trees, shrubs and undergrowth – within the vicinity of the path. And that has not been to everyone’s satisfaction.

Dave Smith, a local resident who last year led the successful opposition to the installation of a cycleway through the park (rejected by a vote of the council in December – see below), complains that this clearance has gone far beyond a seasonal cutback and has involved the grubbing out of numerous mature and healthy trees and shrubs. The greenery which used to be a barrier to noise, pollution and visual intrusion from the traffic on St Helens Road, has been stripped away – for no useful purpose, in Mr Smith’s opinion. “Not that there’s anything we can do about it now, sadly.”

Local ward councillor Andy Batsford doesn’t agree, however. In a social media post responding to Mr Smith, he explained that trees had been cut back to allow street lighting and better visibility. “The officers and parks staff work so hard to retain our beautiful parks award status and would do nothing to put that at risk. Nothing sinister going on apart from works agreed to make the park safe for all. Like all pruning, it looks harsh but it will grow back and look great.”

The Hastings Queer History Collective was formed in early 2020 to explore, document and illuminate the stories of LGBTQIA+ people in Hastings, enhancing on a more permanent basis the visibility of queer history within the museum.

The launch event for this trail is being held on 24 February 2023 at 6.30pm. This is a great opportunity for everyone to learn more about the objects in the museum by hearing their stories through the Collective’s researchers.

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead for Health and Culture at Hastings Borough Council, said:
“This trail will feature an array of museum objects selected by the Hastings Queer History Collective. These objects will take you on a journey through the struggles, triumphs, and contributions of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Hastings and in history, serving as a powerful reminder of the importance of learning about, preserving and sharing LGBTQIA+ history.”

Working collaboratively with E-J Scott (Founder of the Museum of Transology), Home Live Art and the Hastings Museum & Art Gallery Team, the Hastings Queer History Collective have produced the first ever queer history trail in Hastings Museum & Art Gallery. Supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund – delivered by the Museums Association.

Book a free ticket at www.hmag.org.uk and enjoy gaining a deeper understanding of Hastings’ LGBTQIA+ community and its place in history. Complementary refreshments will be provided at the launch event.

HBC cabinet member for health and culture, Cllr Andy Batsford has provided an open letter to accompany the marketing, in which he writes that, notwithstanding the financial challenge which will “take deep and sustainable finances and pockets”, the council is hoping to retain the building “as a key cultural asset for the town…We want to ensure this beautiful building is kept safe and invested in, so future generations of Hastings residents and visitors can come and enjoy, be inspired, and contribute to the creative legacy Hastings is building”. 

CREDIT: Dave Young

No explanation has been offered by HBC as to the valuation placed on the freehold or on its rental offer, and many commentators on social media have picked up on the discrepancy between Cllr Batsford’s stated aspirations to retain the building for community and/or “cultural “ purposes and its marketing as a commercial asset. In the latter case, potential future development as a casino has been mooted, though no specific operator is known to have come forward. It’s not clear how the council would react if one did.

As to the idea of a community buy-out, there have been plenty of digital voices in support, but no champion has emerged who might lead it. The recent bruising experience of crowd-funding the bid for Hastings in 2018 no doubt remains a factor – but, even more so, the idea of sustaining the upkeep of the building long term without assurance of ongoing public subsidies. Over the last two years St Mary received more than £87,000 as a Covid recovery grant, over £50,000 from Arts Council England and £18,000 from HBC. These sums were not enough to keep it going against the immense running costs of a building which suffers perennial damp problems inherent in its position beneath the castle cliff.

Opus closure

St Mary is renowned for its acoustics for classical (non-amplified) music performance. There was a double whammy for classical music enthusiasts last week, therefore, when a separate announcement was made that the Opus Theatre, housed within His Place church on Cambridge Road – another Grade-II listed building – had also been closed “with immediate effect”.

Founding director and promoter Paolo Piatti, who has run the Opus venture for the past five years as an adjunct to his career as a classical composer, indicated that the main reason for his decision to close is a personal one. His announcement was made “with a heavy heart”, but he went on to explain – “my activities and commitments as a composer have grown on an unprecedented scale, thereby making it impossible for me to continue to run the venue at the same time”. 

As with St Mary’s, the problem is succession. “To avoid a complete closure of the theatre and all it stands for, I tried to pass on the baton to several people who I believed would be able to carry on our ethos,” Piatti wrote, “but sadly in the end they all declined, mainly due to either lack of time or funding.”

Piatti enthused “on many fabulous events and the incredible international performers who agreed to perform in Hastings for the very first time…. I can proudly say that we created some truly magical moments and managed to build the best of reputations in the process”. He says that he will retain the Opus Theatre brand for potential promotion of future pop-up events – but not at the building.

Ironically, the community church which owns the His Place building has recently been awarded a grant of nearly £250,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to undertake urgent repairs to its stonework and glass, as well as to underwrite a community-based music heritage project called Make a Joyful Noise. The closure of Opus will presumably not jeopardise that initiative. But it’s a second illustration that heritage assets of this kind need constant financial boosts if they are to keep serving the community.

Renewal is subject to the approval of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). After consultation with “local stakeholders” before the March lockdown this year, council officers came up with a slightly modified scheme and applied in April. They assumed that the Ministry’s delay in responding was caused by COVID-19 distractions, and, as is common when there is a bureaucratic blockage within government departments, the local MP Sally-Ann Hart was then requested to intervene.  But, according to Cllr Andy Batsford, lead councillor for housing and homelessness, she did not merely fail to persuade the Ministry to get on with it. He told the full council meeting on 21st  October: “The thing we’ve got here is somebody blocking the signing of this policy, and I am afraid to say that last week I was told it was our local MP Sally-Ann Hart”.

Council communications office issued a dignified statement last week that “the MHCLG have not completed their assessment of the council’s application and it has not yet been passed to the secretary of state for confirmation.

“Similar to many other local authorities across the country Hastings Borough Council believe Selective Licensing is an important tool in the regulation of the rapidly growing private rented sector; without a new licensing scheme we will lose a number of powers to protect vulnerable tenants and prevent rogue landlords moving into and operating in the town.”

Cllr Batsford is less temperate. “Sally Ann Hart is choosing to turn her back on all those who rent in Hastings. I don’t believe she has even read or understands the policy. The dismantling of this scheme will see the return of slum landlords and Grenfell-style deaths, it’s that serious.”

Composition of the new stadium, football pitches and other facilities at Tilekiln has been signalled in outline for some months – see the summary below.  The move will be financed to a large extent by the redevelopment of Pilot Field as a housing estate, the details of which have emerged publicly for the first time.

PICTURE: Scott White

The total site to be developed for housing, amounting to nearly eight acres (3.15 hectares), covers the current football stadium and surrounds plus the premises of the club’s sports and social club (former Post Office club) on the terraced area above. Permission to build a total of 86 dwellings is applied for: 56 houses and 30 flats or maisonettes, of which 22 (just over 25%) will be “affordable”, plus parking spaces for 152 vehicles.

Sport England have submitted a holding objection pending fuller investigation of whether the move would lead to an overall loss of playing field facilities, but (for reasons suggested below), it seems unlikely that they will persist in opposition. Questions are more likely to arise as to whether the local infrastructure in Baird ward can absorb this number of extra housing units in terms of pressure on local schools, medical facilities, shops etc.

In November 2018 when the plans were first mooted, Cllr Andy Batsford, then lead councillor on the borough council for housing and leisure, as well as representing St Helen’s ward just down the road, made supportive statements, but said that “the development of much-needed homes on the Pilot Field site needs to be done sympathetically, listening to the concerns and ideas of local residents”.

A local community grouping Pilot Field Area Residents Association was at that time aiming to keep the area’s “green spaces”, which also include The Firs area above, “for leisure use”. Whether serious opposition will be mounted to the current plans remains to be seen.

Tilekiln Application

There is nothing in the plans now lodged for the five-hectare (12.4 acres) Tilekiln site that has not been previously trailed. The proposed spectator capacity for the stadium is confirmed as 1,950, though there is potential for expansion of this maximum should the club’s ambitions to rise in the football pyramid make it desirable. There will be two additional 3G pitches, a MUGA, a sports hall, three petanque courts, changing facilities, and associated car and coach parking.

The application, put forward by PWA Planning on behalf of the club, argues that, despite the loss of existing playing fields at Tilekiln to make way, there will be “no net loss of facilities…The flexibility of use and availability for different users will, in our view, be of significant benefit to the development of sport within the Borough.” The artificial 3G pitches and an all-weather MUGA can be used much more intensively than traditional grass pitches, so there should be a clear gain for local teams playing in both adult and junior local leagues provided that costs are kept in check.

The aim is for the new stadium to be completed in time for the start of the 2022/23 season. 

The Next Steps Accommodation Programme, set to run until the end of March 2021, includes funding for short term measures to reduce the number of  rough sleepers, accommodated during the lockdown from returning to the streets; it also includes capital funding to increase the amount of accommodation available.

The government has confirmed an award of £964,300 and HBC is awaiting an announcement of their own share of the money. As a result, the Cabinet has approved the mobilisation of the Next Steps Accommodation Programme.

Cllr Andy Batsford experiencing an evening of homelessness

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead councillor for Housing and Homelessness, explained that the council responded effectively to the government’s ‘Everyone In’ instruction at the beginning of lockdown to get rough sleepers off the streets.As a result there are higher numbers in temporary accommodation and accessing the support than the council planned for. “As a council, we place huge importance on doing what we can to ensure everyone has a safe place to stay and have their needs met. This bid was due to the nimble efforts of officers and their hard work and determination to do all they can for those in our town who really need our help and support.” 

He went on to point out that this bid, “will go some way to assist us to continue to fund these placements and support, so the money is welcome.” He continued, “We must and will continue to make the most of any and all opportunities for funding in this and many other areas.”

Cllr Batsford confirmed that there are currently 39 former
rough sleepers in temporary accommodation in the town with around 15 people still rough sleeping. “Our successful bid for revenue funding will allow the council to continue to provide temporary accommodation and increase the support we offer to help people to find a longer-term home.” 

He explained that there will be a particular problem this winter as it won’t be possible to open night shelters due to Covid-19: “This money will also help us provide temporary accommodation for rough sleepers over these hard months.”

Work also continues in partnership with Public Health, the Clinical Commissioning Group and the voluntary sector to improve the physical and mental health of rough sleepers – as well as substance dependency support – through the Rough Sleeping Initiative. And longer term: “We have bid to create 30 new ‘Housing First’ units across East Sussex, 10 of which will be in Hastings. Housing First is an internationally recognised method of providing accommodation with a high level of ongoing support.”

The council consulted with local stakeholders before the March lockdown this year, and came up with a slightly modified scheme for renewal excluding Ore ward – click here. It then applied to the Ministry
of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) accordingly. But due to “delays caused by COVID-19”, the Ministry has not yet reviewed the council’s submission. 

Under the Housing Act 2004 any new licensing scheme can only begin at least three months after MHCLG approval is given – so, at earliest, that won’t be until some time in the new year.

Cllr Andy Batsford, lead councillor for housing and homelessness, said:  “It is regrettable that the Ministry have not been able to review the proposals for the new selective licensing scheme in sufficient time for the council to introduce our new scheme immediately following the end of the old scheme. This not only leaves tenants without the protection from rogue landlords that licensing provides, but also leaves the majority of landlords who provide good, safe secure, warm accommodation in Hastings in limbo.”

This …leaves tenants without the protection from rogue landlords that licensing provides

The council is nevertheless encouraging landlords to continue to  comply with the conditions on their existing licences while waiting for a response from the MHCLG. And, while there will presumably be a temporary loss of income resulting from the inability of the council to grant new licences during the period of practical suspension, a council spokesperson has denied that this will lead to a significant financial shortfall or to any shedding of jobs in its housing department. The business plan for the 2015 scheme allowed, he said, for staff to continue after the end of the scheme for six months to ‘finish’ it, including on-going enforcement activities and audits.

“We are still confident that the new scheme will be confirmed by the Secretary of State for commencement in 2021”, the spokesperson added. “If it is not confirmed, then the council will consider other necessary arrangements for the continued protection of vulnerable tenants in the private rented sector.”

By Emma Harwood

Hundreds of families and residents across the town will face pain, crisis and homelessness unless the government extends its ban on evictions, the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Homelessness has warned.

High rents, the end of the furlough scheme in October, a predicted economic downturn and subsequent job losses, will combine to create a ‘tsunami’ of people in real trouble if the current ban, set to be lifted on 23rd August, is not extended further, said Cllr. Andy Batsford this week.

Hastings Borough Council – like many other councils across the country – is already footing enormous bills to keep homeless families in emergency and temporary accommodation. 

In the last financial year, it paid just short of £1 million towards emergency accommodation – to make up a shortfall in government funding – for around 200 households. 

And these costs will continue to rise due to an acute shortage of affordable homes in the area if more families are made homeless this autumn and winter.

During the lockdown period HBC has been approached by an average of 16 people or households a week, at risk of being made homeless or struggling financially. This figure has increased to 25 as lockdown restrictions were eased.

But if the moratorium on evictions is lifted in August, councillors fear that the situation will escalate into a much bigger crisis.

Moratorium on evictions

The government first introduced emergency legislation to protect tenants likely to lose income due to coronavirus from eviction, in March. This was extended in June for another three months following pressure from the Local Government Association and charities such as Shelter. 

Alongside this was an extension of mortgage holidays for homeowners until 31st October but with the options of either further extending their mortgage holiday, paying just a proportion of their monthly payment or switching to an interest-only mortgage temporarily. 

“Coronavirus has seen this Government being very generous with those who own their homes, with mortgage holidays, allowing those families who were struggling to make ends meet not have to worry about putting their homes at risk – and of course we all welcomed that,” said the Labour councillor for St Helens ward. 

“But this important gift was not afforded to those renting their homes. 

“When you think that most families who rent pay a much higher monthly amount than those who own their own homes, you can start to understand the strain being put unnecessarily on our residents across the town.” 

A ‘Band-Aid’ for housing rough sleepers

At the start of the crisis the Government provided funding to help councils place all rough sleepers into temporary accommodation. HBC received £85,000 but this has already been spent on providing emergency accommodations for 51 rough sleepers, and now predicts a shortfall of £643,000 to keep them in safe accommodation until the end of this financial year.

MP for Hastings and Rye, Sally-Ann Hart, cites eradicating homelessness and rough sleeping in the town as one of her ‘key pledges’. 

“As we look to winter, it will not be possible to build enough social housing within the timeframe required to ensure that people are able to stay off the streets, and many options will need to be considered: for example, social lettings agencies could be established to deal with private rental procurement for vulnerable people and homeless people to access accommodation,” she noted in the Commons on Monday 20th July.

In response, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick told her that £105m would be made available for local areas across the country to tackle the issues she’d raised. 

It is not clear, however, how much of this figure will reach Hastings and any sum is unlikely to cover the council’s full costs for emergency accommodation this financial year.

A further ‘un-ring-fenced’ capital grant of £500m has also been announced for councils to invest in housing and infrastructure and HBC is hopeful the town will be in line for around £1m. 

Every-Day Families

It is not just the entrenched homeless with complex issues who will place pressure on council services come the autumn, however.

“Whilst all the headline-grabbing announcements of cash injections to address rough sleeping are welcome, they will be eclipsed by those every-day families crashing out of the rental and housing market,” said Cllr. Batsford.

“This I fear will be the true tragedy of Covid-19 on Hastings, we have been incredibly fortunate with the numbers of deaths and infections during lockdown, but the loss of jobs and huge pressures on family budgets will be the real crisis that will hit our town.” 

“We must demand the Government reverse their decision to lift the suspensions of household evictions in August, otherwise I fear the pressure on the councils services will be like a tsunami, causing pain, crisis and homelessness for hundreds of local families and residents.”

On Thursday 26th March, every council leader in England received a letter from Luke Hall MP, the Under Secretary of State for Local Government and Homelessness. It asked their councils to house all rough sleepers “by the end of the week” to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Before that, the deadline was 2025 – which shows what can be done when there’s a bit of urgency and money is deployed to help local councils to get on with the job.

So what’s happening in Hastings? At the end of February, comparative figures for rough sleeping were issued by central government: it turned out that Hastings was already doing well with a 56% reduction since 2018 (one of the top ten reductions in the country). As Cllr Andy Batsford said at the time: “Against the background of short term funding for rough sleeping from central government, the disaster of Universal Credit for the vulnerable, and cuts to mental health and welfare services, the officers at Hastings Borough Council [HBC] and our voluntary partners have done an incredible job in supporting and addressing the biggest homelessness crisis we have seen in generations.”

The government edict less than a month later was therefore less of a shock to HBC than it might have been, although the extra funding was very welcome.

According to Cllr Batsford there are now only two known rough sleepers – who are both refusing to be housed. 

As there is a lot of talk about rough sleeping being far worse than the official figures, how can we know there are currently only two rough sleepers in this area? According to Cllr Batsford, the council has a good handle on the ever-changing situation. Not only are there four council officers out every day checking on numbers, and on the wellbeing of rough sleepers, they also receive information from their voluntary partners, particularly Seaview Project, who are commissioned by the council to give regular updates. However, there may always be some off the radar – in woods or otherwise well hidden – who don’t access services. Self-isolation is their life, and they are unlikely to accept the restrictions inherent in the provision of formal temporary accommodation.

The public perception of rough sleeping is coloured by the fact that there are many more people without income who beg on the streets or gather for companionship. These are part of what is termed ‘the street community’. Although some might be homeless, most are not, technically. On the other hand, there is a far greater invisible army of those who sofa-surf around and those already housed in temporary accommodation waiting to move on to somewhere permanent.

As Cllr Batsford says, it hasn’t been an easy predicament to deal with: “Traditionally Hastings is a low-wage economy and there have always been mental health issues. But at least there was cheap housing.”

Unfortunately, that started changing 20 years ago, and rental values have jumped within the last five to ten years. The rental on a one-bed flat used to be just over the housing benefit rate, but now it is 40% higher. “The numbers of homeless took off after austerity started to bite”, Cllr Batsford confirms. “But once Universal Credit kicked in there was an explosion. It’s all about breakdowns, and money being stopped. Before, someone could help, but no longer: it’s a draconian regime.”

People often give to the street community thinking they are homeless. But having somewhere to live is only the start. Being without a proper income is a problem even when housed and, for those used to living on the streets, even being housed can create its own issues of loneliness. We are in a new landscape which affects us all. Compassion for others is perhaps one of the few gifts this new reality brings.  

By David Dennis 

Should we site solar panel farms on greenfield sites?  Certainly Hastings Borough Council (HBC) thinks we should. Councillor Andy Batsford has confirmed that there are active proposals to site solar panels at Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, Upper Wilting Farm at Crowhurst, in several fields above Filsham Reed Beds SSSI, and in fields either side of ancient woodland at Lower Wilting. Furthermore, when the Combe Haven tip has ‘settled’ in a few years’ time, then panels will be set on the south face of that giant hill of historically unregulated rubbish set in the middle of beautiful Combe Valley Countryside Park with its 3,000 identified wildlife species. This tip, it has been discovered from DEFRA documents, also butts up against the Combe Haven winter floodplain area called ‘Tier 1’ – the green field recreation ground proposed as the site of 190 homes on Bexhill Road near Bulverhythe.

The BBC reports that: “In 2018, the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] reported that emissions of carbon dioxide need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 to keep the rise in global temperatures under 1.5C. Getting to that point requires a rapid decarbonisation of the energy sector. The UK has committed to Net Zero emissions by 2050 which will require the deployment of wind and solar on a massive scale.”

Councillor Maya Evans, the ecology spokesperson for HBC, wrote an article last month in HIP 138 setting out the reasons for its drive towards solar energy, but also setting ‘red lines’ to highlight some of dangers of installation. The Chair of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve has rebutted her ideas and her ‘red lines’ in an Open Letter to the council – see the abridged version below.

Each of the sites chosen imposes an element of disruption to nature and loss of landscape. For example, the fields chosen at Lower Wilting will make the area into a glass forest either side of an area being actively protected by the Woodland Trust. The fields selected at Upper Wilting have the main gas pipelines for this part of East Sussex running through them. The recent solar panel farm at Catsfield used pile driving to form anchors for the panels. Having seen the gas main maps, I am sure that pile driving over gas mains is not a good idea. A truly colossal explosion would result. British Gas officials already inspect those fields every two months, concerned that even tree-planting or digging of drainage ditches could damage the mains. Maybe concrete plinths would have to be used instead? This in turn would remove nature carbon-absorbing soils, thus lessening the benefit from the panels. It is understood that the solar units are on wheeled trolleys and have a ten-year life. In the case of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, the protest letters sent to Amber Rudd by 1,500 people and her own campaign to stop the solar development appear to have come to nothing. Solar everywhere seems to be the battle cry.

Cllr Batsford tells me: “We are in the middle of a real climate emergency and we must as a town look to use all means to reduce its carbon footprint. This may involve using our parks in a temporary way to make a real difference to this challenge.”

The trouble is that we are also in the middle of a wildlife emergency which includes the mass death of pollinating bees. We know that the housing crisis is causing councils to use up pollinator-rich greenfield sites across UK at a rapid rate. Now the drive for solar panels is doing the same. What do we do as a nation? Can we ever have a total ban on the use of greenfield sites? Certainly a petition was raised in parliament to that end – to ban the use of greenfield sites forever. I signed it. But the government has just written individually to those who signed petition 267197 telling them it is not just suspended but totally cancelled and will not be re-opened, because of the General Election – see my report on page 3. In the end it is down to the Brexit-frayed and wearied British public to tell their politicians what they really want – and hope to be listened to.

ALL PICTURES: David Dennis

But councillor calls for “ideas and creativity”

Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is about to complete the grant of a long lease of the former bathing pool site at West Marina to developers County Gate. Council leader Peter Chowney told the full council meeting on 23rd October, in response to a question raised by local ward councillor Karl Beaney, that the lease would be signed “in the next fortnight”. 

County Gate have been the preferred bidder for the site for more than a year, and the council passed a resolution approving disposal for development in April this year for a mix of housing and leisure use in accordance with the Local Plan. There was talk of proposals to build upwards of 150 housing units on the site, which seemed to leave rather little space for unspecified leisure facilities (apart from a slipway for boats to reach the beach). No details of the developers’ plans nor of the terms of the intended lease have been released by either side since then. Is all now about to be revealed?

Andy Batsford, lead councillor not only for housing and leisure but
also a new cabinet portfolio of ‘community engagement’, has told HIP that the signing of the lease will “kick-start” a process of consultation “that HBC and the development company have been waiting for since the tendering process was completed… The process of such a complex and detailed lease arrangements had to be done correctly so that HBC protects its assets for the town and ensures that we deliver the quality leisure and residential development that has been promised for such a long time”.

He dismissed the objections of those local residents “that do not want any development at all”. 

As far as he is concerned, “that public consultation happened over seven years ago during the development of the local plan”. 

However, he said that the new leaseholders were “very keen to establish a full timetable of engagement and consultation”, and that he would be making sure that all information and dates would be made available on an open website.

Cllr Batsford is determinedly enthusiastic about future local engagement: “I am encouraging all residents close to the proposed development and the wider Hastings population to get involved with the design process, bring their ideas and creativity, and find a receptive response. We have promised a leisure destination for the whole of the town, and to encourage investment and regeneration for West St Leonards. This is our best hope in delivering this, finally pulling both tourists and locals down to the west of the town….As the next phase of development starts, a high quality community engagement will step up”.

However, a residents’ forum, the West Marina Group (WM), has been less impressed. “Andy Batsford engaged well in the early stages”, says WM treasurer Robert Sorrenti, “but not at all in recent months. The council has had County Gate’s plans, but wouldn’t release them because the company ‘has copyright’”.

Another member of WM, Graham Wilkins, is more scathing. “We represent over 500 local people who are frustrated and angry. I like Andy personally, he has attended meetings, and we think his heart is in the right place, but we’ve seen no evidence that he has gained a hearing for any of our concerns.”

WM have argued that no development plans should be finalised at the bathing pool site until the future of other neighbouring sites, the former premises of Stamco and vacant land owned by the Ministry of Defence, has been determined. Mr Sorrenti says that WM want to develop a formal neighbourhood plan that encompasses these, and he is due to meet with the HBC planning department next week with a view to getting their commitment to engage with WM on it. However, it seems that the terms of the lease to County Gate may be finalised by then. 

What room will that leave for genuine future consultation between the developers and the public? We wait to see. Mr Wilkins says that Cllr Batsford told him at the beginning of the process: “There’s no point in putting anything here that people don’t want”. Which people did he mean?

The council, which owns the land, has indicated that 76 of these homes (40%) will be made available as ‘affordable housing’, providing local residents with the opportunity to buy a home through shared ownership or to rent through a registered provider at an affordable price. Affordable rent will be based on the Hastings Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate.

Cllrs Cox and Batsford take a walk in Combe Valley
PICTURE: David Dennis

A planning application will be made in due course to Rother District Council. The land lies within Rother’s jurisdiction, even though owned by HBC. Before that, there was due to be a further public consultation event yesterday (31st October), and HBC will share “emerging proposals” followed by a Pre-Application Forum at a later date. Further information can be found at www.hastings.gov.uk/new-homes.

Local opposition to these plans has concentrated on their location on land that has regularly flooded in the past. Local ecologist and recently appointed steward at the country park, David Dennis, believes that the whole ecology of the park may be put at risk if the Tier 1 site is effectively removed from the flood plain – see his impassioned article below.

Cllrs Cox and Batsford take a walk in Combe Valley along with Friends treasurer William Ackroyd
PICTURE: David Dennis

Mr Dennis recently took the council’s lead member for housing, Andy Batsford, and fellow councillor Ruby Cox, who is chair of the Combe Valley Countryside Park community interest company, on a two-and-a-half hour ramble through the park to demonstrate the value of its existing role in sustaining local wildlife. It seems that he succeeded in this, but not in persuading either of them that the Tier 1 development should not proceed – see Cllr Batsford’s equally passionate article alongside. 

Past flooding on Lower Tier, Bexhill Road
PICTURE: David Dennis

This land was originally set to be part of a larger programme for the construction by Keepmoat Homes of 400 residential units alongside a new “sports village” at Combe Valley. Keepmoat pulled out of this project last year, but HBC had by that stage applied for a grant from the government agency Homes England (HE) to fund a flood remediation scheme for the area. As it became apparent that a grant of almost £7m would be forthcoming under HE’s Local Authority Accelerated Construction, HBC has taken the opportunity to pursue this part of the development itself – or rather as a joint venture with a locally operating housing association, probably Optivo.

According to Council leader Peter Chowney, the aim will be to sign up construction contracts within the next twelve months. Stage 1, the flood remediation works, is required under the grant terms to be carried out by March 2021. Stage 2, the construction, is estimated to cost around £27m over the following two years. HBC as a 50% stakeholder will need to raise over £11m from capital borrowing, repayable as completed homes are sold off; the balance of its contribution will be as landowner, with the building plot ascribed a current value of £4.45m. 

It is intended that 40% of the homes to be constructed will be classed as ‘affordable’, defined as bearing 80% or less of market rents. In this case the housing association homes would be at or below the local housing allowance, which means housing benefit would always cover the rent. In addition, the current budgetary calculations forecast an overall profit of £8m. If that is achieved, HBC would, according to Cllr Chowney, apply at least a proportion of its 50% share to buy back some of the homes into a housing company formed by the council for letting purposes. This company will not be subject to the ‘right to buy’ legislation. 

Cllr Andy Batsford, HBC’s portfolio holder for Housing, Leisure and Community Engagement, is enthused by the proposals, which include provision for sports, leisure and play facilities. “We hope the site will act as an exemplar for local development and maximise social value.”

However, there is plenty of local opposition too. In cabinet the Conservative members voted against the proposals. Local ward councillor Karl Beaney complained of the loss of green space and additional traffic influx; lead Tory member Cllr Rob Lee argued that the local infrastructure was wholly inadequate for this level of development. 

More fundamental objections are being raised by environmental campaigners – see the objections set out in our article here.

Cllr Chowney had not seen these objections prior to our publication, but commented: “At the moment, the area is mown grassland, which has low ecological value and not much biodiversity. Domestic gardens are far more biodiverse – one study recently showed UK domestic gardens to be amongst the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. There are some species that like mown grass, but there’s lots more mown grass in the sports pitches adjacent to the site. The flood mitigation ponds and wetlands will also create new habitats and add to biodiversity.”

He told his cabinet: “Almost all the sites we will be putting forward for development are going to be controversial, but we have to do that in order to meet the housing numbers that are going to be required.”

Andy Batsford, lead councillor for leisure said: “Money, childcare, activities, and even food, are serious anxieties for low-income working families, and this can become even more difficult in the school holidays. Thanks to funding from Big Local North East Hastings, Hastings Opportunity Area, Optivo, Orbit Housing and the Safer Hastings Partnership, Active Hastings are aiming to reduce the pressure by providing a whole host of free activities within their own neighbourhoods.”

• The full programme of activities can be downloaded at hastings.gov.uk/activehastings

Council votes funds for feasibility study

The Labour-controlled cabinet of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) voted on Monday evening to pursue a feasibility study for the development of a combined sporting and cultural centre in the White Rock area off Bohemia Road. The long term idea is to develop the area, branded as the Bohemia Quarter, as a distinct leisure and cultural ‘destination’. It is to be surrounded by new housing, one or more hotels and ‘revitalised’ gardens and other public spaces, but with a large leisure facility and performance venue at its heart. The first stage will be to spend up to £100,000 in commissioning feasibility studies that will determine its viability. 

The council’s Marketing and Major Projects Manager, Kevin Boorman, told cabinet members that both the Arts Council and Sport England were enthusiastic in their support.  The Arts Council has already offered a £10,000 grant towards this first stage and is “keen to become a partner in the project”. Officers of Sport England are “exploring external funding opportunities to contribute towards the cost”. HBC has budgeted up to £19,000 in the forthcoming year 2018/19 for an “approved growth item”. It would look for other external funders to cover at least part of the remaining shortfall, but in the alternative would implement cuts elsewhere in order to pursue this project.

Councillors in the Labour majority spoke in rhapsodic terms of the development potential. Cllr Kim Forward told her colleagues that it was “ a really exciting opportunity to think in creative terms”. Cllr Judy Rogers wanted to “integrate leisure with arts and music” in a way that would engage people of all ages “in an area of high deprivation…A small investment would bring massive return”. Cllr Andy Batsford claimed that Hastings already has a good track record in providing leisure facilities, now it could be “super-charged”.  

Leader of the council Peter Chowney endorsed the vision of a “combined multi-cultural performance venue and leisure centre”.  Summerfields and the White Rock Theatre were “not going to see us through much longer”. Doing nothing about it was not an option.

Conservative opposition councillor Rob Lee agreed that the council officers had put forward “an exciting piece of work’’ that could “transform” the local and neighbouring wards of the town. He also admitted that existing leisure facilities were “coming to the end of their best years”. But in his view the council simply could not afford it. There was no money in next year’s budget to raise the balance of the £100,000 required, and no immediate prospect of finding it. What about combining with Rother District Council council to develop a mutually serviceable leisure centre?

Cllr Chowney chided Cllr Lee’s objection as “short-sighted” Actually he had floated the idea of a combined leisure centre with Rother previously. “They weren’t interested”. But “…spend this money now, and we’ll get it back in the future”, he declared. “The idea is that it will be self-financing, with the potential to develop an income stream in the future”.

The motion to proceed with the feasibility study was duly carried, with the Labour majority outvoting Tory councillors Lee and Andy Patmore. A consultant should be appointed within the next two months, to report with a proposal and outline business case for the centre by September.

West Marina
Earlier in the evening the cabinet had debated a petition submitted by the West Marina group of residents in response to the council’s notice of intended disposal of the former bathing pool site there (see HIP Issue 120). The council chamber was packed with around 70 of the group’s supporters, and their chair Virginia Vilela was given five minutes to address the councillors with their objections – principally that the council was disposing of the site to private developers without any proper consultation with the local community, and that the process had not been open or transparent.

In response Cllr Chowney insisted that development of the site was in accordance with the local plan, adopted in 2015, that earmarked it “for housing and leisure use”.  The intention is to make it a ‘destination’ point (clearly the buzzword of the evening) “spreading tourists and visitors along the seafront”. The precise terms of the deal had to be kept confidential until the approved developers County Gate/Sunley had signed up to a leasehold purchase. There would be a wide consultation at the planning stage.

The council then voted to proceed, only Cllr Patmore opposing.