FOI request (FOIR-397169403)

Unused beach huts in Hastings Borough

Requested Sun 30 January 2022
Responded Wed 23 March 2022

Please could I obtain the following information:

How many beach huts in the Hastings Borough have been left empty during the 2021-2022 period>

Any official procedures relating to the allocation of beach huts in Hastings Borough Council both short and long term.

Response

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding.

In the 2021-2022 period 141 out of 154 council owned beach huts were occupied. These figures do not include privately owned huts and boat sites on our land, of which 227 out of 227 were occupied. For long term hires the billing period runs January 1st to December 31st annually.

Hastings Borough Council (HBC) is obliged to inform licensees of changes to annual fees by no later than November 1st annually.

Licensees who then do not wish to continue in the next billing period can give notice and end their use. This must be done formally by December 1st. Licensees must then clear their hut and return their keys by December 31st, otherwise they are liable for the next billing period.

When rented huts are returned to HBC possession they are inspected, subject to any redecoration or repair works required, and then offered to the next person on the waiting list.

Licensees of rented huts are not permitted to transfer huts to someone else directly.

For short term hires a seasonal beach hut system is implemented where huts are made available from an agreed date. Users then apply to hire huts, and bookings are allocated on a first come first serve basis.

In 2022 huts will be available via an online booking system.