Child poverty is worse in Hastings than anywhere else in the south east of England and the problem is accelerating. According to a study conducted by the *End Child Poverty coalition and Loughborough University Hastings has the highest child poverty rate in the south east of England and it has increased more over the past […]
Like everyone else in town Hastings Borough Council’s new leader is missing contact with her family; her children and her grandchildren who she has only been able to see from a distance. Kim Forward became leader of the council in the middle of March and has had a huge amount to deal with in her […]
Local people are being encouraged to extend a hand of friendship and to welcome refugees fleeing Northern France. Between 6.30am and midday on Sunday four boats containing 72 refugees landed on local beaches. They were all brought to Hastings to be medically assessed before being transferred to immigration officials. Tony Eastaugh, Home Office Director for […]
A collection of ‘political, thought-provoking and humorous’ poems will hopefully raise a lot of cash for the local foodbank. Dee Howard, a St Leonards resident and regular contributor at monthly Sheer Poetry, has published a booklet containing 16 of her poems with all the profits going to Hastings Foodbank. The foreword was written in verse […]
Numbers of rough sleepers in Hastings has halved according to a report that will go before senior councillors next month. Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is now widely recognised as a leader in innovative practice for reducing homelessness through intervention and prevention, members of the authority’s cabinet will be told. The average number sleeping rough in […]
A national homeless crisis is pushing Hastings Borough Council’s (HBC) finances to breaking point, councillors will be told next week. Increasing demand has seen its homelessness budget rocket by £386,000 more than expected. The cost of keeping homeless households in temporary accommodation is now costing the council £2 million a year. And families are spending […]
A man who assaulted a woman while walking down a street in St Leonards has been jailed. John Larkin, 33, unemployed, of no fixed address, was seen by members of the public to grab, punch and headbutt a woman he was walking with on Marline Avenue, around 6.30pm on August 31st last year. The couple […]
Unless central government gives councils more cash then local government will not be viable. That’s the view of Peter Chowney, who will step down as leader of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) in March after five years in the job. One local Labour Party member told Hastings In Focus this week: “Peter should be remembered as […]
Four weeks to have your say Your borough council has launched a consultation on two of its key documents for the coming year. Members of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) wants to hear wat you have to say about its corporate plan that sets out the council’s vision for the year ahead by outlining what the […]
