Dangerous vandalism jeopardises safety in country park
A recent spate of vandalism at Hastings Country Park is potentially putting lives at risk says the council.
Emergency signs on wooden bollards around the park have been deliberately removed and signs vandalised. Located throughout the park the signs are designed to help people contact the emergency services if they have an accident. Each bollard has a unique number which allows the emergency services to locate the emergency quickly and efficiently, potentially savings lives.
The rangers are finding the vandalised signs when they patrol the park.
The vandalised bollards.
Councillor Colin Fitzgerald, Lead Member for Environment and Equalities and Chair of the Hastings Country Park Management Forum says: ‘This is mindless vandalism which could potentially put someone’s life at risk. There have been a number of incidents over the years where people have either been lost, been taken ill or fallen and broken bones. Our numbered bollard system has meant the emergency services have always been able to locate people quickly.
“I cannot believe someone would be so stupid as to deliberately jeopardise people’s safety by deliberately removing these signs. It will cost at least £1,000 to replace them.
“This is criminal damage and has been reported to the police. I am asking all members of the public who use Hastings Country Park to be vigilant. If you see someone vandalising our signs please report it to the police.”
It seems very bizarre that councillor Fitzgerald is happy to comment on dangerous vandalism in the country Park when he is supporting plans for industrial level solar farms decimating the heart of the country park.
Surely the council themselves are guilty of wanting to commit the most dangerous act of vandalism the country Park has even seen!!!
HBC ask that if you see anybody vandalising bollards then report it to the police.
Let’s hope that the police are more responsive to damage reports than HBC who have persistently failed to act upon all reports of breaches of planning and licencing conditions, unauthorised developments , breaches of TPO regulations and wholesale removal of trees that have affected our Country Park.
Pleased that the HBC wardens managed to spot the vandalised bollards. The wardens powers of observation have clearly improved in the last few years. Pity they were unable unable to spot large scale tree removals and unauthorised infrastructural developments at Rocklands that took place between 2005 and 2013 which have caused irreparable harm to the Country Park.
As HastingsResident points out – this pales into insignificance as an act of vandalism when compared with an industrial solar plant in the heart of the Country Park. Slight whiff of hypocrisy? The number of rangers for the whole town has recently been reduced (yet again) from three to two – if Cllr Fitzgerald is serious in his concern for the safety of the public he might like to reflect that this lack of personnel is likely to have far more impact than a couple of vandalised bollards.
If you really want to see acts of vandalism on our Country Park have a look at planning application HS/TP/18/00769 where you will find an application to fell trees without let or hindrance from the planning committee because the council has decreed that works to trees protected or otherwise will be decided via the delegated decision route – to those who are not familiar with this jargon this means behind closed doors with no planning committee members making any decisions. The destruction of a couple of bollards pales into insignificance when you discover the unrelenting progress of the commercial caravan park proprietors to hack away unrestrained at these protected trees which provide a modicum of screening from the hideous bunker building they have erected. And it is interesting to note there is no mention of the badger setts or other wildlife in the vicinity. It is very concerning to see that one very valid objection has been redacted with some vigour by the planning department – what is going on here?