About Magazine Issue 15

Neighbourhood Renewal

Residents in five wards in the town took part in a the first stage of a ground breaking consultation scheme during January, to let them have a say in how their neighbourhoods should be improved.

Gensing, Hollington, Central St Leonards, Castle and Broomgrove were the first wards in the town to benefit from this new approach.

The first stage in this process concentrated on national Neighbourhood Renewal priorities to improve housing, education and health services, cut crime rates and improve job skills.

Over 400 local people attended the events and shared their views on suggestions put forward for improving safety, health and education where they live.

Following the meetings, Neighbourhood Forums have been set up, made up of residents and other local representatives.

These are a sample of priority needs and issues that were raised by residents during the consultations in each ward.

Castle

Education

• Truancy should be dealt with from an early age (Primary School).
• There is very little for children to do out of school hours in the Castle area. Out of hours activities clubs should be supported.

Community safety

• Derelict buildings, landlords must be traced.
• Help given to residents to secure premises with locks via Moat Care and Repair.

Health

• Older residents have a mobility problem in getting to the shops.
• Can Sexual health workers be available after 6pm in the evening?

Hollington

Education

• What is being provided for adult learning and lifelong education?
• What methods are being used to reintroduce people back into Education?

Community safety

• More anti-social behaviour orders to be served
• Vandalism is a major issue

Health

• Affordable access to healthy eating & fresh fruit
• Sexual health project to include boys, girls and parents

Gensing & Central St Leonards

Education

• More out of hours youth clubs are needed
• More resources should be put into dealing with truancy

Community Safety

• What are the diversionary activities for young people and how will local residents know where they are going on?
• Vehicles improperly parked make the area unsafe and inaccessible for emergency vehicles.

Health

• Affordable access to healthy eating & fresh fruit

Broomgrove

At the time of going to press, these priorities were not yet available.

Councillor John Humphries, Cabinet Member responsible for Neighbourhood Renewal said:

"The whole neighbourhood renewal approach is about local people having a far greater say in the work being done to improve the areas in which we all live."

"We will now work with the Forums to move these ideas forward and support new ways of working with local communities."

Neighbourhood Renewal in a nutshell

Hastings is just one of 88 towns to be awarded money from the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, which was set up to help deprived wards regenerate and improve.

The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) was set up in November 2001 and one of its aims is to set up Neighbourhood Forums in 2002. Each Forum will drive change and implement new initiatives in each ward, helped and supported by local agencies and organisations.

The LSP is made up of key agencies including Hastings Borough Council, East Sussex County Council, representatives from the voluntary sector, health, education, local businesses and the police.

For more information please contact the Neighbourhood Coordinator on 781445 or e-mail neighbourhoodrenewal@hastings.gov.uk

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