Big challenges in 2024 5th January 2024 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Green View Column – January 2024 2024 presents big challenges but also opportunities for the council, our town and the whole country as we head for both local and general elections this year. At the last council meeting in December an outline budget was passed which commits the council to making radical changes and huge […] Read more »
Is your pension propping up fossil fuel? 5th January 2024 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton If you live in Hastings and work in the public sector – eg the local council, or the fire service – then your pension may be propping up fossil fuel companies. In April 2016, thanks to campaigning by Divest East Sussex Group, Hastings became the first council in East Sussex to call on our County […] Read more »
Hastings falls behind national average in Climate Emergency UK review. 5th January 2024 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton In February 2019 Hastings declared a climate emergency thanks in part to pressure from Hastings Green Party. Other councils have taken a similar step. Now an independent agency, appropriately called ‘Climate Emergency UK’ and funded by a variety of charitable bodies and private donations, has quizzed councils across England and Wales to assess their progress. […] Read more »
Hastings Green Party statement in response to Labour resignations. 15th December 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton The local Labour party has been riven by tensions for some time now with many former activists either being expelled or leaving as the party moves to the right. I am not surprised that half of the Labour councillors have finally decided to leave an increasingly autocratic Labour Party however their timing leaves much to […] Read more »
Today we have launched our Crowdfunder to raise £10,000 and win big in May 2024. 19th November 2023 / 20th March 2024 by juliahilton Today we have launched our Crowdfunder to raise £10,000 to win big in May 2024 and become the largest group on Hastings Borough Council. We’ve grown so fast in the last two years and now we want to go even further, aiming to go from five councillors to at least twelve in May 2024. To do that […] Read more »
Sharing learning around housing across councils. 20th October 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Before and after photos of infill sites for housing in Eastboune Last Friday my councillor colleague Glenn Haffenden, organised a research trip to Eastbourne for the cross party Hastings Housing Taskforce to visit some exciting examples of modern energy efficient council housing using awkward sites like car parks, old light industrial units and old garages. […] Read more »
Hastings Green Party has selected Becca Horn as their prospective parliamentary candidate for the next General Election 6th October 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Becca Horn will be the Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate for Hastings and Rye, offering a fresh and energetic alternative to the current two party race. Becca says “I am delighted and honoured to be selected to represent Hastings & Rye Green Party in the next General Election. I stood because I’m so disillusioned by […] Read more »
Hotel Costs Soar But Council “Committed”. 25th September 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Written by HUGH SULLIVAN for Hastings Independent. Original article : https://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/articles/news/hotel-costs-soar-but-council-committed/ 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 […] Read more »
What would true regeneration look like in Hastings? 25th September 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Observer article for September After the news this week of Owens shutting its doors for who knows how long due to health and safety concerns, and the fact that the council is seemingly locked in to a commitment to build a hotel for a huge international chain, whether it covers its long term costs or […] Read more »
Public infrastructure is at breaking point. 25th September 2023 / 19th March 2024 by juliahilton Across the country our public infrastructure is at breaking point. In Hastings one of the starkest indicators of that is our broken housing market which is about to break the council’s finances with a forecast spend this year of £5.6 million on temporary accommodation. It is surprising then that one of the council’s responses to […] Read more »