Community and Living >> About Magazine
About Magazine Issue 19 - Spring 2003
Community Strategy
Improving Hastings & St Leonards, so that every resident can enjoy a much better lifestyle is a top priority and the Community Strategy is the document which sets out seven key themes, which if targeted and addressed will do just that.
The seven key areas for improvement were chosen after consultation with residents and businesses. The Council and partners such as the police, health and education experts put together a list of what we think are the main problems, solutions and targets, so that we could ask residents:
- Were these the right areas to focus on and was anything missing?
- Were the problems we identified the most important for you too?
- Did you think the solutions we suggested would work?
- And were the targets we suggested realistic?
The seven key themes we asked you about were:
- a safer town
- a learning town
- a decent home for everyone
- an inclusive town
- a town that’s good to live in
- a healthier town
- an economically successful town - thriving businesses, more jobs and a skilled workforce
You gave us feedback on proposed problems, solutions and targets in the draft Community strategy in 5 main ways:
- 100 completed brochure questionnaires
- 27 questionnaires completed by school children aged between 9 and 11
- 402 responses from the Citizens’ Panel survey
- Exhibitions, special workshops and meetings with local groups including –
- Exhibitions at Warrior Square station, Priory Meadow shopping centre, Tesco superstore, Hollington, Sainsbury superstore, West St Leonards Community centre
- Children’s art competition – run by Young Persons’ Council
- Local events at Ore Valley, Castle ward, Gensing & Central St Leonards, Greater Hollington
- Hastings Sustainability Network, Voluntary/Community sector conference, Black and Ethnic minority open meeting, Chamber of Commerce meeting, Disability Forum meeting, Young Persons’ Council, Hastings Borough Council Overview & Scrutiny Committees, representatives from 1066 Tenants Consultative Group and sheltered housing.
- Detailed comments from key organisations in the public and voluntary sectors
The Results
Overall there was widespread support for the draft community strategy, and the problems, solutions and targets it put forward.
The 5 problems which received the highest level of agreement are shown below
The consultation also showed that the main problems/solutions/targets missing from the strategy were:
A safer town
- lack of visible policing on the street
- links between crime and drugs, and need for support / counselling for drug users
- car crime and speeding cars
- people need to feel safe in the day as well as at night
A learning town
- more support needed for people with particular needs e.g. learning difficulties, non school attenders, parents with young children, carers for the elderly
- need for apprenticeships and training
- lack of aspiration/ ambition in parents and children
A decent home for everyone
- cost and availability of housing
- need more control over bad landlords
- regenerate existing housing stock before building new houses
An inclusive town
- racial issues – both positive and negative comments were made
- support for young people
- ideas for improving communication with local residents
A town that’s good to live in
- lots of people want improvements to public transport, particularly the bus service
- there is support for more recycling facilities
A healthier town
- there should be a mental health target
- there is support for healthy living initiatives
- need to emphasise health issues associated with young people and vulnerable people
An economically successful town
- need to improve transport system
- there was a strong feeling that more skills training opportunities and higher wages are needed
- need better business support
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Citizens panel
Environment
- we need to dispose of 30,000 tonnes of waste in more environmentally friendly ways 96%
Health
- increasing need for care and support for older people 93%
Economy
- high levels of unemployment in the Borough 89%
Transport
- poor public transport for work, shops and medical facilities 89%
Health
- drug & alcohol problems 89%
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The Consultation Questionnaire
Transport
- poor public transport for work, shops and medical facilities 88%
Crime
- in the town centres may put off future investors and damage job creation 85%
Housing
- a large and often low quality private rented sector with poor conditions, mainly concentrated in the town centres 84%
Environment
- we need to dispose of 30,000 tonnes of waste in more environmentally friendly ways 84%
Health
- drug & alcohol problems 84.0%
- increasing need for care and support for older people 84%
For more information please contact Renewal Area Project Officer, Steve Foreman on 781399 or email sforeman@hastings.gov.uk
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This page last updated: 04/04/2003
