First meeting for new Cabinet

The new Cabinet of Hastings Borough Council is meeting on Monday 10 June at 6pm. The meeting will only discuss reports that must be heard for business as usual due to the pre-election sensitive period before the general election. This also means there will be no public questions at the start of the meeting, but these will be back on the agenda after the general election.

The agenda includes the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2024-2029, funding for the management of landslides across the town, the appointment of a welfare funerals contractor and the housing acquisition programme.

As a local authority within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the council has a duty to prepare and publish a plan for the management of the site. The report outlines the plan for the coming five years and asks Cabinet to recommend that Full Council accepts and adopts the plan.

Cabinet members will also discuss a report that requests additional funding to manage landslides across the town.

The council has a duty to provide welfare funerals where someone dies without anyone to arrange their funeral. The contract for this service has come to an end and following a tendering exercise councillors need to agree on the appointment of a welfare funeral supplier for the next five years.

Cabinet members will also be discussing plans to expand the council's housing acquisition programme which is helping to bring down costs in providing temporary accommodation. The report details plans to buy at least 124 homes for temporary accommodation use, as well as building capacity and expertise on housing management and development alongside other funding streams to support housing. There is also more detail on the plans to build on the council-owned land to the rear of 419-447 Bexhill Road which had previously been listed for sale.

Cllr Julia Hilton, Leader of the Council, said: "As the date of the first cabinet of our new administration falls within the General Election pre-election period, we will be discussing only essential items that are needed to enable us to progress with business as usual during the pre-election period. These reports cover items that need agreement so procurement and tender processes can be completed and items involving third parties. I am sorry that this also means that we can't have the usual 30 minutes for public questions. Question time will be back at the first cabinet after the general election in July."

The Cabinet meeting on Monday 10 June will be open to all and will be live streamed on the council website. You can read the full papers online and watch the meeting online.

The Forward Plan has been updated with the dates of future meetings following the announcement of the general election on 4 July. This includes a new date for Cabinet to agree to review the dog control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), due to the general election. If agreed at Cabinet in July, a public consultation will be carried out over the summer on any proposed changes. You can view the updated plan online.