The election and all that door-knocking and leafleting is
now over. Obviously I am pleased with the increased majority on the council and
very proud to have been elected leader again at the council’s annual meeting.
At the meeting I outlined the programme of activity for the
next year which is programme was made up of the policies put before the people
of the town in the local elections and which gained their overwhelming
approval.
Hastings Borough Council will continue to be an
interventionist council. What’s different about us is we don’t just believe in
administering services, we believe in getting stuck in and trying to change the
town and improve it.
So our grotbuster squad will continue to get stuck in to
run-down and derelict properties around the town. We will continue our
programme of compulsory purchase of long-term empty homes with 27 more being
brought before our July cabinet meeting for action. In July we will also be
discussing licensing all privately-rented property at least in those parts of the
town where the private rented sector is particularly large.
I also announced some new initiatives like the setting up of
a confidential tenants hotline so those in living in poor conditions could feel
safe to report problems which will the council will then act on, the
installation of a solar array on the redundant Pebsham tip to generate
electricity and a guarantee of no badger culling on council land.
I promised a new visitor centre for the Country Park,
further improvements to the seafront especially the Pier and exciting new plans
for White Rock Baths and pledged that everything would be done to ensure our
bathing water meets EU standards.
But many people will want to know what can be done to make
our town more prosperous and to create more jobs for them and their families.
So I announced the appointment by the council of an anti-poverty co-ordinator
who will bring together all the activities of different organisations in the
town to tackle poverty.
And in addition the appointment of a cultural co-ordinator
whose job is to plan and raise the money for a national cultural festival in
2016 – the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings.
Promoting Hastings
as a cultural hub brings visitors and income but also is attracting creative
businesses and creative individuals to relocate here. But equally we want to
promote Hastings
as a centre for high-tech engineering based on the number of firms we already
have in this sector. And the council has secured European Assisted Area Status
which can offer financial support to businesses growing or moving to the town.
I concluded by reminding councillors of the serious
financial challenges facing the council with the loss of 50% of its government
grant to fund local services. I hope the people of the town will work with the
council to ensure those services they cherish the most and that could bring the
most benefit to the town are protected
and to let the council know their opinions as we make some difficult decisions.
