Press Releases week beginning 15 July 2019

Hastings Museum & Art Gallery has an action packed summer of fun for all ages

Kim Forward, lead councillor for culture said,
"Our holiday programme kicks off on Wednesday, 24 July and runs through until 03 September - excluding Mondays when we're closed. Every day you'll be able to go on an exciting journey through the museum with our free LEGO Explorers Trail. See what LEGO you can spot around the galleries that recreate some of our most fun objects!

"Each Tuesday (30 July to 20 August 2019) there will be a series of Weekly Workshops sparking creativity and developing your skills with local artists and makers.

• 30 July - Felting with Janey Moffatt (£2 per child)
• 30 July - Needlework with Janey Moffatt (£2 per child)
• 06 August - Coastal Collage with Charlotte Moon (£2 per child)
• 13 August - Musical Movement Story with Rebecca Fifield (£2 per child)
• 20 August - Tales from the Deep with Kevin Graal (Free). 

"For older children, (aged 10-16) between 2pm and 4pm every Friday there is the free weekly LEGO Makers club (02 August - 30 August). Where you can get creative, have fun and make amazing programmable machines and creatures using LEGO. For younger children and their parents/carers there are LEGO Museum Minis sessions every Friday from 10.15am-12.15pm.

"We also have our second free Ask the Expert day where local organisations and the museum staff will be on hand to chat with you about any discoveries you have brought in. And to offer advice about where to find out more.

"There are also three Relaxed Early Opening days on 02, 16 and 30 August. These are for neurodiverse children and families, people with autism or additional needs who may find it easier to enjoy the exhibition in a calmer environment. During relaxed early opening the museum will open at 9am and any sounds and videos are turned off so it's a less overwhelming environment."

Entrance to the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery is free.

Council agrees wide reaching changes to its anti-social behaviour order

Hastings Borough Council is changing the current anti-social behaviour (ASB) public space protection order (PSPO). The changes to the antisocial behaviour PSPO were agreed by the council and these changes will be in force from this week

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for environmental services said,
"The existing ASB PSPO came into force on 12th June 2017 following a public consultation process. The PSPO introduced a ban on specified types of anti-social behaviour in defined public spaces in Hastings. But since then there have been changes to the type of ASB in Hastings and where it occurs across the borough. So it was time to review and update the PSPO."
 
"The changes to the ASB PSPO result from an analysis of complaints from residents, businesses and visitors to the town received since the existing PSPO came into force. The council has also listened to feedback from council services and local organisations, businesses and ward councillors to address the issues."

These are the main changes:

• The requirement to surrender alcohol if requested to do so.

If an enforcement officer such as a council street warden or police officer believes that the consumption of alcohol in a specified public space is already causing (or is likely to cause) nuisance or annoyance to a member of the public, they can require the person to surrender the alcohol to them.

This already applies across the whole borough and the council has decided that it be retained. But the definition is broadened to include "nuisance or annoyance, or alarm, or distress or harassment".

• The prohibition on aggressive begging

This already applies across the whole borough, and the council has decided that it be retained, but that the definition be amended, so it definitely only relates to aggressive begging and not passive begging.

• The prohibition on general anti-social behaviour (ASB).

This currently applies to a large defined area of the borough covering much of Central St Leonards, the town centre, and the Old Town and much of the seafront including the pier. It prohibits shouting, swearing, screaming, or acting in a manner causing annoyance, harassment, alarm, or distress to any person. The council is extending this clause to the whole borough to make it more flexible to take account of displacement. The new definition used in this ban will be amended to include "nuisance, or annoyance, or alarm, or distress or harassment" to be consistent with the other prohibitions in the PSPO.

• The prohibition on consuming alcohol in defined public spaces.

This ban was originally introduced to deal with ASB connected with street drinkers. Unfortunately, some of the street drinkers moved to other areas causing nuisance, annoyance, alarm, distress and harassment to residents, businesses and visitors to these areas. The council is expanding the alcohol ban to cover a wider area to address the movement of street drinking to these areas.

• The prohibition on overnight sleeping in vehicles

This currently only applies to Cinque Ports Way as there was a lot of serious ASB associated with people sleeping in vehicles such as cars, vans and caravans in this area in 2016. The council considered extending this ban to other areas where it occurs. But official guidance on the use of these powers now says that they should not be used in relation to the homeless in this way. As a result of this and other feedback received during the consultation, the council decided not to extend this ban, and to remove it from the PSPO. 

The council's warden service will be closely supported by the police to enforce the ASB PSPO. Hastings Borough Council will also continue to ensure that vulnerable people with drink, drug and mental health issues are brought to the attention of other services such as housing, adult and children's services, and specialist local health services.

Alexandra Park, St Leonards Gardens and Hastings Country Park are recognised as some of the UK's very best green spaces

Today, a record number of parks and green spaces collect a Green Flag Award.

Alexandra Park, St Leonards Gardens and Hastings Country Park in Hastings have been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as some of the very best in the world.

These green spaces are among a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Award- the mark of a quality park or green space.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

Colin Fitzgerald, lead councillor for environmental services said:

"We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award again in recognition of excellent park management.

"Our parks are fantastic places for all our residents and visitors to enjoy all year round. The council is extremely proud to again receive green flag awards for three outstanding parks in the Town, St Leonards Gardens, Alexandra Park and Hastings Country Park. The awards recognise our parks are maintained to the highest standards in the UK. I would like to thank the dedication and hard work of all our staff and contractors who make these parks the special places they are."

"We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining our parks to such a high standard.

Alexandra Park and St Leonards Gardens have also received the much coveted additional Green Heritage Site Accreditation for the management of the historic features.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: "It's fantastic that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners."

"Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement."

Super summer activities- have some fun, stay for lunch!

The Active Hastings project, brought to you by Hastings Borough Council, in partnership with East Sussex County Council, is offering lots of free activities for all ages during the summer holiday.

Andy Batsford, lead councillor for leisure said,

"Money, childcare, activities, and even food, are serious anxieties for low-income working families, and this can become even more difficult in the school holidays. Thanks to funding from Big Local North East Hastings, Hastings Opportunity Area, Optivo, Orbit Housing and the Safer Hastings Partnership, Active Hastings are aiming to reduce the pressure on families by providing a whole host of free activities for families to take part in within their own neighbourhoods.

"Activities include weekly Summer Streets (Play and Sport activities) in eight streets across the town; Street Bite sessions for 10-16 year olds at Broomgrove Community Centre and Hollington Youth Centre, including sport and craft activities alongside special workshops such as DJing, graffiti art and team building games and a free healthy lunch; tennis coaching in Alexandra Park; girls only sessions in fashion design, dance, tumbling; and a family fitness rave on the Pier."

The full programme of activities can be downloaded at hastings.gov.uk/activehastings