Observer column 21 August 2025

As the portfolio holder for Engagement, Equality and Opportunity at Hastings Borough Council I am excited to share some of what we achieved in these areas over the last year, to ensure that Hastings continues to be an Inclusive and exciting town for everyone.

At a time where funding for councils is at an all time low, we have looked for alternative ways to fund and resource practical solutions to support the growth and development of our town. An example of this is our success is the acquisition of funding from East Sussex County Council for an Age Friendly Officer to join our team for the next 3 years. This officer will aid the development and implementation of a Heathy Ageing strategy and work towards the embedding of healthy ageing practices in collaboration with our fantastic and hard-working teams in the voluntary sector, including Hastings Voluntary Action. This officer will be supported by myself and our Age Friendly Champion, Cllr Amanda Jobson. Cllr Jobson has been working tirelessly to ensure that we reach out and engage with our older residents, to ensure that they have a voice in the decisions the council makes. She has attended numerous events and coffee mornings to support them with feeding into our housing strategy. Councillors Glenn Haffenden and Julia Hilton have also held events in our public spaces to raise awareness of the consultation. All views are welcome and it is live on the council website for another two weeks, so please ensure your voice is also heard on this important topic. 

Similarly, we have worked hard internally to support the topic of Equalities within the council. We recently provided Equalities training for all councillors, something which had not taken place for several years and was requested by all parties. In addition, we have appointed two anti-poverty champions Councillors Helen Kay and John Cannan who will hold the council to account and ensure we are moving forward in this area. We have also made a commitment to utilise apprenticeships more often to support those into the council staff who may not otherwise have the opportunity, and to assist in developing a more diverse workforce within Hastings Borough Council. 

In addition, we are continuing to support events and celebrations within our town, providing a variety of opportunities for our residents to get together and enjoy all that our town and residents have to offer. This weekend on Sunday 24th August Hastings Pride will take place with a vibrant and inclusive parade and festival at the Oval entertaining and delivering a message of inclusivity to approximately 5,000 people. The event is free and supported by the council.