Coastal Communities worst off?

A BBC report, by the Social Market Foundation, has found that coastal communities in Britain are "among the country's worst off for earnings, employment, health and education..." Indeed, they found that 85% of coastal local authorities have pay levels below the national average, and Hastings is named among the 10 local authorities in the country to have the highest unemployment rate; see website.

Not really surprising information, particularly noting how Government since 2010 has reduced investment in Hastings annually. Will we get anything helpful out of the Government's latest 'sticking plaster' - the Coastal Communities Fund, or is the Government going to continue reducing funds paid to Hastings? Don't hold your breath!

White Rock promenade regeneration

Earlier today I visited the White Rock Hotel, where Hastings Borough Council exhibited a public display of the plans and images of the proposed improvements to the White Rock promenade, providing an “attractive link” from the end of Robertson Street at the America Ground, to the pier itself. The Council are seeking feedback, which they will accept until Friday next week (19th June). 

The first new feature you will reach on leaving Robertson Street (on the other side of the road, on the promenade, of course!) will be a raised decked area with a kiosk. This will be situated before you reach the old White Rock Baths (I've previously blogged about it becoming a BMX park etc), which itself will have its entrance building and walls repainted.

After passings the baths, the existing water feature will be “revitalised”, a small stage area added for licenced buskers, with a new water cascading feature below the stage. After the Boer War Memorial, another new decked area will be added, providing space for “pop-up” trading and food stalls, before reaching the rebuilt People's Pier.  

The new features will be made of sustainable hardwood timber, railings will be repainted, up to 10 mature trees grown in timber planters will be added to the scheme, the existing tarmac surface will be repaired and covered with a resin bound material, and East Sussex County Council have provided assurance that all the street lighting columns will have been replaced in time for the completion. Further details can be found at the Council website.    

The project will be jointly financed by a central government Coastal Communities Fund grant, the Foreshore Trust and Hastings Borough Council. The architect is Neil Choudhury (website), who was also at the presentation.

£500,000 boost to Hastings

Hastings has received a boost with the approval of a £500,000 grant from the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) to contribute towards improvements to the seafront and visitor attractions and amenities in Hastings, including more bikes for hire, improved signage, information walks and trails and landscaping. The CCF estimates it will contribute towards the creation of about 260 jobs (website). 

Councillor Jeremy Birch said that this "is excellent news and really fits with the seafront strategy which we recently agreed. The restoration of the Pier is well underway, White Rock Baths will re-open this year as a BMX centre and we are putting money into refurbishing Bottle Alley and now we have succeeded in attracting an additional £500,000 to improve the seafront further." 

The creation of that many jobs looks to be a wee bit optimistic of the Coastal Communities Fund, but good to be receiving more finance at a time when central government funding of Hastings is being cut... a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing maybe?