Hastings Board Chair - Expression of Interest

Update 22 May 2025: The deadline for submissions has now closed and further updates will be published in due course

We need a Chair for the Hastings Board. Do you think you have what it takes to help shape and spend £20m in our town, which has been awarded to us by the government?  
This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate community leader to help shape a long-term neighbourhood-based investment plan for our town.

Hastings Borough Council and our partners are looking for a new chair to lead our Hastings Board. The board is responsible for overseeing the delivery of the new Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN) Programme in the town, which was announced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in March this year, to assist local areas to take control and improve their communities. Hastings has been selected to receive up to £20m funding to support regeneration in the town which will be released over a ten-year period from April 2025

The plan and interventions still need to be developed by working with and empowering local communities to shape, influence and contribute to a new programme of investment.  An interim Hastings Board already exists and has a mix of partners from the community, voluntary, statutory and private sector bodies. It will support the development of the programme, but its membership needs to be reviewed.

The government guidance on the programme and investment themes has been published on the government website.

Expressions of Interest for the role of Chair are invited from local community or business leaders who are interested in applying to lead the board going forward.

The deadline for submissions is Thursday 22 May at 12noon.

The Chair needs to demonstrate good knowledge of the town and its challenges, should be independent, have a passion for the town, and be able to work with multiple communities and partners.

This voluntary role will be filled following an application process involving the Leader of the Council, the MP for Hastings and Rye, an officer representative from Hastings Borough Council and others as required. 

How to apply
Please read the government's guidance Plan for Neighbourhoods: prospectus and tools and the Hastings Board Chair Job Description and Person Specification. 

Please provide a CV and no more than one double page covering letter explaining how you fulfil the criteria and email to hastingsboard@hastings.gov.uk with the subject heading 'Application for Chair of Hastings Board'. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview (preferably in person) and should be available on the week commencing Monday 9 June 2025.  

If you have any questions, please submit to hastingsboard@hastings.gov.uk by Friday 16 May 2025 at 12noon.