Hastings Town Deal Open Day tomorrow
 Come along to the Hastings Town Deal Open Day tomorrow (Saturday 27 January). Residents, businesses and visitors will be able to get updates on the £24.3m government funded Town Deal regeneration programme currently taking place in Hastings.
The programme consists of several projects run by the community, businesses, Hastings Borough Council, East Sussex County Council and the College. The aim is to rejuvenate and transform the town centre and make Hastings a healthy, vibrant, and quirky seaside town that people love to visit, live in and work in.
Some of these projects have already been successfully completed and are up and running. Updates on these will be available on the day.
There will be a central hub in the Priory Meadow Shopping Centre between 10am and 4pm. The day will include information about the many projects, with members of the Town Deal team and project leads available to talk to you and answer any questions.
There will also be opportunities to sign up to attend guided tours for some of the projects.
Holocaust Memorial Day service tomorrow
Hastings will host its annual Holocaust Memorial Day service at 11am tomorrow (Saturday 27 January).
The one-hour event will be held at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings, on Hastings seafront opposite the Pier. The service is organised by David Tasker - a local resident, with the support of Hastings Borough Council.
The theme for 2024's service will be 'Fragility of Freedom'. It will include contributions from pupils of Hastings Academy. The service will also feature the story of a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor Emma, who was born in the Netherlands in 1933. Miraculously both her parents and all three siblings survived.
The service is open to everyone, and admission is free.
The lights in Bottle Alley are purple to mark the day.
Have your say on public realm consultation
 Residents can now have their say on plans for improvements to the town centre through the public realm and green connections Town Deal project.
East Sussex County Council, Hastings Borough Council and the Hastings Garden Town Team are working on plans which include greener connections for walking and cycling through the town and improvements to public spaces.
The project aims to complement the heritage of Hastings, creating spaces of public realm encouraging people to spend time and promote wellbeing.
The public consultation on the proposed concept designs is open until 1 March. Full details including the project brochure, public events and how you can respond to plans can be viewed on the East Sussex County Council website.
The online survey must be completed by 11.59pm on 1 March.
Printed brochures including a paper copy of the survey and a freepost envelope and are available at Hastings Library, Summerfields Leisure Centre and the Common Room in Eagle House, Cambridge Road.
You can also find out more and speak to the project team at one of the public events:
- Town Deal Open Day - Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, Saturday 27 January 10am - 4pm
- Public consultation exhibition - Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, Tuesday 6 February 12noon - 5pm.
Apply for postal or proxy vote
 There are local and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in Hastings on Thursday 2 May. Do you want to vote by post or ask someone you trust to vote on your behalf? You now need to prove your identity including your signature when applying. Apply for a postal vote or apply for a proxy vote.
Elections staff needed
 We are looking for staff to help us at the various scheduled elections on Thursday 2 May 2024. Find out more about the different roles available and apply online.
Cornwallis Street hotel agreement
Hastings Borough Council’s new Cabinet is due to discuss and approve in principle a new agreement with Whitbread PLC which means the council will not be responsible for building a new hotel at Cornwallis Street.
Whitbread PLC is proposing to purchase the land from the council. The agreed purchase price will be not less than market value and Whitbread will entirely fund the build of the new Premier Inn hotel themselves. This means the council does not have to find the additional funding at a time when finances are already under pressure.
The legal agreement will also include a timeframe for the hotel to be built.
First meeting of new Cabinet
 Hastings Borough Council’s new Cabinet is meeting for the first time on Monday 29 January.
The new Cabinet, led by Cllr Julia Hilton, will be meeting to discuss a range of decisions at 6pm at Muriel Matters House. All residents are invited to come along to watch the meeting, and there will be half an hour for questions to cabinet members from the public at the start of the meeting. The questions do not have to be sent in advance.
Photo caption (from left): Cllr Glenn Haffenden, Cllr Simon Willis, Cllr Julia Hilton (leader of the council), Cllr Ali Roark, Cllr Paul Barnett.
|
