Press Releases week beginning 11 March 2019

HBC takes property owner to court

Hastings Borough Council has taken Derrick Maynard to court as part of the Grotbuster scheme after he failed to clean and repaint his property exterior in Harrow Lane.

Kim Forward, lead councillor for planning and enforcement said,

"Mr Maynard was also directed to cut back and tidy the garden, rebuild the garden wall and remove the accumulated rubbish and debris. The derelict condition of the property was having an impact on the neighbours and the surrounding area."

"We hope the work will be completed soon or we will have to take further legal proceedings".

Mr Maynard was fined £1,484.00 which included the council's costs.

Get involved at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery is looking for enthusiastic people to get involved by volunteering. Experience is not necessary and you do not need any special or in-depth knowledge of the town or history: what matters is enthusiasm and an enjoyment of talking to people of all ages.
 
Kim Forward, lead councillor for culture said,

"Anyone can volunteer and it is a great way to meet people and learn new skills. No previous training is required and all of our volunteers will be supported by the museum team. "
 
The museum is launching its new volunteering programme with opportunities to support our events, learning and visitor service teams.
For details on how to apply check the museum website: https://www.hmag.org.uk/see-and-do/volunteer/

Egg-citing fun this Easter at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery

Join Hastings Museum & Art Gallery for some egg-citing fun this Easter. Starting on Saturday 6th April legendary free Easter Egg Hunt returns.  This fun free trail will take you on an egg-cellent journey through the museum as you solve clues and get a prize.

Kim Forward, lead councillor for culture said,

"Alongside the free Easter Egg Hunt each Tuesday there will also be low-cost hands-on activities. For budding designers you can Make your own Easter bag (09/04/19) and at the end of the activity you get to take home your egg-cellently designed bag. The following week you put your crafting skills to good use and Make your own sun catcher (16/04/19)." 

Hastings Museum's Easter activities are egg-xactly what you've been looking for! 

For details on how to apply check the museum website: http://www.hmag.org.uk/ or on Facebook: Hastings Museum & Art Gallery.

Trustmark launches new pilot in Hastings to raise standards of energy efficiency in rented accommodation

Hastings, 13 March 2019 - TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality scheme for tradespeople, is today launching a pilot in partnership with East Sussex Trading Standards, to improve the quality and energy efficiency of rented accommodation within Hastings and its surrounding area. 

The initiative, Better Homes for Hastings, will kick off with an event hosted in partnership with Hastings Borough Council on 15th March 2019. It will bring together private landlords, housing associations, tenants and businesses, including TrustMark Registered Businesses, in the Hastings area to promote the minimum standards of safety, comfort, health and energy efficiency that these properties should ideally meet. 

The event will not only educate tenants about their rights and encourage the comfort and health factors in rented accommodation, but it will also address the issue of fuel poverty through the improvement of energy efficiency measures, which is a key concern in this region.

Private landlords, housing associations and letting agents will also have the opportunity to learn about the incoming regulations relating to energy efficiency standards in rental properties, as well as connect them with reputable businesses and tradespeople to help ensure their properties meet these requirements. 

Simon Ayers, Chief Executive Officer of TrustMark, says: 

"We are really excited to be working in collaboration with East Sussex Trading Standards and Hastings Borough Council on this project and to have the opportunity to educate both landlords and tenants on the importance of improving the quality of rented homes, particularly when it is detrimental to good health. Tenants and landlords need to be confident that the tradespeople they employ to carry out any work on their properties meet the required industry standards - by using a TrustMark Registered Business they can be sure that the tradespeople have been vetted to ensure levels of technical competency, customer service and trading practices and are in accordance with Government Endorsed Quality. Together, we will work to drive standards upwards and enhance the safety, comfort, health and energy efficiency of Hastings rental properties."  

Andy Batsford, Lead Councillor for Housing for Hastings Borough Council, says:
 
"Housing is the third highest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. This event will bring together landlords and those involved in the improvement of residential energy efficiency to encourage the improvement of standards in the private rented sector, which not only benefits tenants, many of whom maybe living in fuel poverty, but also the UK's wider greenhouse gas reduction targets."
 
The 'Better Homes for Hastings' event is taking place on 15th March 2019 at Sussex Coast College Hastings between 12pm and 7.00pm and is free to attend. 

The Hastings pilot is part of a series of events designed to help the Government meet ambitious targets about reduced carbon emissions and fuel poverty. A further project is planned for Cornwall during 2019. 

Since 2005, TrustMark has been a champion of consumer protection and when a consumer sees the TrustMark logo they will know the business they are engaging with is technically competent and has made an additional commitment to customer services and trading practices. This will be the case regardless of the type of work they require on their property.

For further information about TrustMark, visit www.trustmark.org.uk