Press Releases week beginning 10 June 2019

Criminal damage at the skate park threatens closure

The outdoor skate park has been subject to various levels of vandalism and anti-social behaviour. This has escalated in the last month to include some serious criminal damage. Hastings Borough Council is working with the police about the incidents.

The most recent damage includes the shooting out (either gun or catapult) of the floodlights, setting fire to on-site waste bins, fencing and wall damage and finally over this last weekend the ripping out of the skate bowls specially made edging coping stones.

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for environmental services at Hastings Borough Council said,

" The Council are undertaking some interim works to make safe the skate park and allow it to stay open.

It is likely that the skate park will have to be closed at short notice if any of the interim work is unsuccessful, or there is further vandalism.

We are currently seeking estimates for the full repair to the skate park and expect them to be the region of £20k."

A spokesperson from the Source Park said,

"Our regular users of the skate park have noticed that vandalism is becoming a real problem. The antisocial behaviour happens quite late at night when park users have gone for the evening.

Council prosecution for noise

Hastings Borough Council won a successful prosecution against Mr Jamie Wickens of West Hill Road in St Leonards. Mr Wickens was found guilty in his absence for breaching noise abatement notices in January and February of this year.

His fine was £2000 for each breach of the notice, totalling £6,474 when costs and victim surcharge are included.

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for environmental services said,

"The defendant breached the noise abatement notice three times for playing loud music, late at night and pounding the floor. The council takes these complaints very seriously, and we will prosecute whenever we have sufficient grounds for doing so. "

1066 Cycling Festival is rolling your way

The 1066 Cycling Festival is a FREE two day festival celebrating everything cycling. Now in its fourth year, the festival will take place on Saturday 22 June in Hastings by the Pier and Sunday 23 June in Bexhill on De La Warr lawns.

The organised rides are bigger and better this year with Handsome Bicycles 50mile Sportive -a challenging ride around our beautiful but hilly 1066 countryside. There are lots of other smaller rides such as the Sustrans family ride, the Hastings Urban Bike ride, the 1066 Cycle club or the Bexhill Wheelers and Classic Cycle Group tour ride.

Don't let not owning a bike put you off! You can pre-book your bike for the weekend with Active Hastings Seaside Cycle Hire, just call Active Hastings on 01424 451051 before Thursday 20th June.

Andy Batsford, lead councillor for leisure at Hastings Borough Council said,
"Just like Freddy Mercury and Queen I love to ride my bicycle and this event is a brilliant way to inspire more of us to get out and enjoy this great way of getting fit and of reducing our carbon foot print.  

There will be lots to do and see including; Active Hastings Peddle Powered Scalextric race, Handsome Bicycles Dr Bike, ESCC adapted and balance bikes, cycle jumble sale, learn to ride a BMX the right way with Source BMX team, free spin classes with Freedom leisure, decorate your bike workshops, Smoothie making with Sustrans and much more! Have a look at the visit1066country.com website for all the festival details."

Cllr Jay Brewerton, Rother District Council cabinet member for young people, sport and leisure, said

"We're once again pleased to support the cycling festival through Active Rother and we're really keen to encourage residents to be active, promote cycling and ensure it is safe, with attractive routes accessible to all.
 
"The festival is a really exciting event with rides for people of all abilities from shorter to more challenging rides for the more experienced, as well as information on cycling. Many of our local companies are exhibiting and participating and there's even the chance to learn how to ride a BMX from the professionals.
 
"You don't even have to own a bike as you can hire one, so I'd encourage people to get on their bike, come down to the De La Warr Pavilion Lawns and join in the fun."

The 1066 Cycling Festival is led by Hastings Borough Council's Active Hastings team and Rother District Council's Active Rother team, in partnership with East Sussex County Council and a wide range of voluntary, community and statutory organisations