St Mary in the Castle Council Update

Further to my recent blog about the St Mary in the Castle Charitable Trust not renewing its lease later this year, Councillor Andy Batsford, Cabinet Lead for Health and Culture at Hastings Borough Council has got in touch with me, many thanks Andy!

Councillor Batsford included the Council statement issued recently to the media, which I reproduce below, and reassured me that St Mary in the Castle is still regarded as a "Jewel in Hastings Cultural crown." The Council is looking for a "cultural partner that has the means and ability to take St Marys on as a going concern" and as a sustainable business, and is excited by potential future developments. 

However, the Council continues to need to look for savings across the board in these financially tight times, so consequently cannot offer any more grants to whoever takes over next, following what had previously been given to help St Mary in the Castle reopen following the Covid-19 Crisis (see below). 

I understand this completely, as Central Government has reduced the Central Government Revenue Support Grant that Hastings received from the £14,000,000 a year it was when they took over at Westminster in 2010 to nothing since 2018... In addition to not receiving any central government grant anymore, Local Government is severely restricted in how much it can increase Council Tax annually despite the increasing costs and inflation that we are all experiencing, indeed, this year limited to just 1.99%, which includes a 1% increase in the Adult Social Care precept, so effectively just a 0.99% increase for 2022/23 - see blog.

Here is the Hastings Borough Council press statement:

“We are also very sad to hear the news of the closure of St Mary in the Castle, and we would like to thank the trustees and staff there for their hard work over the years, running a very complex venue during a difficult time. They have provided many years of great entertainment, culture and world class acts for the town and its visitors.

“Hastings Borough Council was keen to help the trustees of St Mary in the Castle reopen after Covid, we met them on a number of occasions and gave them £18,000 last summer. However even this, a grant of just over £50,000 from Arts Council England, and over £87,000 for Covid recovery from the government through Hastings Borough Council appears not to have been enough given the ever increasing costs of running venues. The café received additional Covid recovery payments.

“The trustees of St Mary in the Castle told us that without more funding they would have to close. Sadly we are now in that position. Hastings Borough Council simply does not have the resources available to support St Mary in the Castle.

“We will now look at all options that don’t involve further funding from the council. We look forward to ideas and conversations from individuals, organisations and companies who can work with the council to provide a first class entertainment venue that can be fully sustainable without sadly any Council subsidy.”

With many thanks again to Councillor Andy Batsford. 👍

Council Tax Rise Above Inflation... Again!

I'm guessing I'm not the only resident to have received their 2021/22 Council Tax Bill. Well, ever since the Government started cutting back payment of Central Government Revenue Support Grant to local councils in 2010, Hastings has been bashed, becoming one of the first 40% of local councils to have central funding completely taken away in 2019 (blog). Indeed, recent above inflation increases have been because of council tax payers having to provide the funds to pay for the recruitment of police officers to replace the thousands that Central Government has got rid of since 2010.

For the third year running the annual 'precept' that we have had to pay to the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner has far exceeded the rest of the council tax percentage increases. In 2019/20 this part of the council tax bill increased by a massive 14.5%! In 2020/21 it increased by 7.8%, and this year by 7.5%, and all to pay for Central Government's promises to increase the number of police officers. We, Hastings council tax payers are in fact funding Government promises, and they take the applause!

Reasons for 2021/2022 Bill increase:

• East Sussex County Council contribution increased by 2.0%
• Adult Social Care contribution increased by 1.5%
• Hastings Borough Council contribution increased by 2.0%
• East Sussex Fire Authority contribution increased by 2.0%
• Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner contribution increased by 7.5% 

And, if you consider the inflation rate is currently either just below or just above 1.0%, depending on which figures you use, the Consumer Prices Index or Retail Prices Index, we are paying an increase of way above the inflation rate; incidentally, the Government and Bank of England inflation target is 2.0%, hence councils are allowed to make increases in council tax for that amount. 

So we, local council tax payers, are being allowed to pay above the targeted 2.0% increases for council services to pay for the Government's promises and ineptitude, that is, the Government allows us to pay increases way above the inflation rate for our police service. Great, eh? We are paying to make up for 11 years now of Central Government underfunding of the Police, many thanks Johnson! 😒