Press Releases week beginning 04 March 2019

Better welfare for animals to come

Better welfare for animals was recommended to the council by the cabinet on Monday evening.

In October 2018 the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 came into force. The regulations introduce new licensing categories such as doggy day care and the keeping or training of animals for exhibition, plus new conditions for Animal Boarders (Home and Commercial), Dog Breeders, Riding stables and Selling Animals as pets (old pet shops plus home sales).

The regulations have also introduced a new risk based inspection system. Hastings Borough Council officers are required to carry out inspections of premises under the new regulations. Officers must have had at least one year's experience operating the old animal licensing regime, in order to carry out the inspections and must undertake a new inspector's course within 2 years. 

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for environmental services said,

"All existing licence holders and new applicants are currently undergoing comprehensive inspections. As a result of our new policy the council should be able to successfully defend any legal challenges to committee decisions about animal welfare licensing in the future, should it be necessary. We intend to maintain a firm stance on ensuring all animals being exhibited in the town are properly licensed under the new regulations, maintaining our position on banning all performing animals."

Apply for community development funding

Connecting Hastings and Rother Together (CHART) is a Community-led Local Development Programme with access to £2.8m of European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) to support projects that bring a fresh approach to tackling deep-rooted problems in deprived communities within Hastings and Bexhill. The CHART Local Action Group is pleased to announce that the second call for projects to create programmes that will help people in these areas to find and keep jobs, including setting up their own business will go live at 8am on 20 March 2019.

Deputy leader of Hastings Borough Council and chair of the Local Action Group, Councillor Kim Forward said,

The first call looked at high value projects of £1m plus delivered by larger partnerships. These are currently being assessed and we will likely see up to £1.3m of funding allocated in this round to five projects
The second call is expected to attract smaller value projects of £100 - 500k, either delivered by a single organisation or smaller partnership.

She added,

"I'm really pleased that people in our most deprived communities will be able to access support to achieve their potential. It is essential that we work to ensure that everyone feels the benefit of the success and regeneration of Hastings and Bexhill. The first call saw some really exciting proposals and we are looking forward to see what else is in store." For more information, visit www.hastings.gov.uk/chart.

Hastings Open Mosque Day

On Sunday 3 March, Hastings Mosque held an open day. Organised by the Islamic Association and supported by Hastings Borough Council, the open day was to counter negative perceptions of Islam and  to inform people about the religion. Visitors were offered temporary henna tattoos and there was food for all.

Cllr Nigel Sinden, Mayor of Hastings said,

Once again Hastings Mosque and Madrasah was open to all as a part of National 'Visit my Mosque Day'. Members of the mosque were keen to speak to visors about their religion; and what it is all about. It was an honour to be invited to speak. Talks were given from Imam Ismail, the deputy Mayor and the local police inspector."

He added,

"My thanks go out to all at the Mosque and to all that came to visit. If you did not make it this time, look out for future open days. When we get to know people in our town, they are no longer strangers."

Out of control dogs cause carnage at Hastings Country Park

Sunday morning saw a gruesome sight unfold at Hastings Country Park with many sheep lying dead and injured in the worst dog attack the site has experienced. Two dogs from a local property caused carnage when they got into a field with sheep. The police and graziers attended as soon as they could. Some sheep were already dead, others were so badly mauled that they had to be shot.12 sheep in all died, and all of them were in lamb. The grazier was forced to shoot the dogs as they were still attacking the sheep. It is understood the dogs belong to a local resident nearby.

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for Hastings Borough Council's environmental services and chair of the Hastings country park management forum said,

'This was absolutely tragic. We have never suffered such a devastating dog attack at the country park. The Police are investigating to find the owners of the dogs and the reason why they were out alone. Everyone who has a dog should keep their dog on a lead when near any fields at the country park'

Hastings local wins International Women’s Day award

We are delighted to announce that Hastings local Rossana Leal has been recognised by an award given by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and Migrants Organise, at the WOW! Festival in London.

The Women on the Move Award was given to former Chilean refugee Leal in recognition of her pioneering work with the Hastings & Rother Refugee Buddy Project which brings together a community of more than one hundred East Sussex locals with newly arrived refugees. Together they share meals, visit local sites and festivals, run sewing groups, driving lessons and children’s activities.

The Hastings & Rother Refugee Buddy Project is an integral part of Hastings Community of Sanctuary, whose mission is to promote “caring, shelter and sanctuary for all who live in our place”. It is part of a nationwide movement which seeks to build a strong network across the land to nurture a narrative of kindness, support and hospitality towards those seeking refuge and towards all our fellow citizens. For more information about the Hastings & Rother Refugee Buddy Project and to see how you can support our work please visit the Hastings Community of Sanctuary website: https://hastings.cityofsanctuary.org/hastings-buddy-scheme

The awards are part of the WOW! Festival International Women’s Day celebrations on 8th March at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London.

Hosted by the BBC’s Samira Ahmed, the award is presented by Vanessa Redgrave, one of the most celebrated actresses of her generation, and founder of the WOW Festival, Jude Kelly.

In setting up the project, Leal drew from her own experiences of fleeing Chile with her family in 1976, and the warm welcome she received after being resettled by UNHCR to a small mining village in Scotland. The refugees were greeted with a party, bagpipes, toys for the children, and a fully stocked coal shed during their first cold winter.
Redgrave was visibly moved to see the powerful impact of the Buddy Project’s work in Hastings. As a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, Redgrave met with Chilean refugees fleeing Argentina in the
1970s.

Migrants Organise Chief Executive Zrinka Bralo said: ‘'Good people tend to do good work quietly, and Rossana and her friends in Hastings deserve to be celebrated for the amazing work of welcome
that they do."

Laura Padoan, spokesperson for UNHCR, said: “The most courageous people I know are refugee women. In spite of everything they’ve been through, they are reaching out to others in need and
giving back to the communities that have welcome them.”
Alex Kempton, Media and Communications lead for Hastings Community of Sanctuary said: “We are enormously proud that Rossana has been recognised by such prestigious organisations. Her hard
work in founding and running the Buddy Project, as well as her ongoing contributions to the wider work of Hastings Community of Sanctuary, make her an essential part of our mission to create a place of safety and sanctuary here in Hastings.”

For more information, interviews, photos or video, please contact:
Laura Padoan, UNHCR at 07775566127 Maymuna Osman, Migrants Organise at 07568152141

For more information about Hastings Community of Sanctuary or the Hastings & Rother Refugee
Buddy Project please contact:
Alex Kempton info@hastings.cityofsanctuary.org