Public Consultation: Should Bottle Alley Have CCTV?

Hastings Borough Council has funding available from Central Government’s Safer Streets Fund (Government website) to use for 'graffiti prevention and to help improve the safety of public spaces.' The council is planning to use this money to introduce public space CCTV along Bottle Alley. Find out more at the Council website and have your say online.

Hastings Town Centre: Another Public Consultation!

You may have already had a leaflet drop through your letterbox, but, yes, another public consultation, this time, from this week until the 1st of March 2024, and called Hastings Town Centre Public Realm and Green Connections.

We are being asked to share our opinions of the Public Realm and Green Connections project, which suggests 'green corridors buzzing with biodiversity connecting Hastings town centre to the seafront.' See below, not sure about crossing the road though, could be interesting:

During the period of consultation there will be drop-in events with slightly different venues, depending on if you read the leaflet, or you look at the website (Hastings Town Deal), including, tomorrow (27th January), from 10.00 to 16.00, according to both sources, a public exhibition in Priory Meadow Shopping Centre.

Tuesday week, the 6th of February from 12.00 to 17.00, according to the leaflet, there is another public exhibition in Hastings Community Hub, in the Queens Road Hastings Town Hall (Priory Meadow entrance). Whereas the website suggests this is again in Priory Meadow Shopping Centre. At least not far away from each other, I'm sure it will be easy enough to find the event. 😉

Then, on Wednesday the 21st of February, according to both sources, there will be pop-up consultation events at Asda, Battle Road TN37 7AA from 13.00 to 15.30, and at Tesco, Church Wood Drive TN38 9RB from 16.00 to 18.00.

More details can be found at the East Sussex County Council website.

To complete the online survey you need to go to the website, which must be completed by 23.59 on the 1st of March.

Or paper copies of the brochure and survey, plus freepost envelope, can be found at the following sites, remember, the survey must be submitted by 23.59 on the 1st of March:

Hastings Library, Brassey Institute, 13 Claremont TN34 1HE;

The Observer Building, 53 Cambridge Road TN34 1DT;

Summerfields Leisure Centre, Bohemia Road TN34 1ET.

Remember, this is your chance to have a say, and you have until 23.59 on the 1st of March 2024 to share your opinions. 👍

Railway Ticket Offices Reprieved... For Now

No doubt that many of you will have already heard this news in the media... I, and presumably, many others who had taken part in the consultation, have been contacted about the reprieval, I shall cut & paste their missive below:

"Over the summer a local public consultation was run with Transport Focus and London TravelWatch on proposals about how tickets are sold on the railway and customer service.

Many of you took part in that consultation and we would like to thank you for making your feedback available to us and the passenger bodies to support their work. We know it has been immensely valuable.

Today, Transport Focus and London TravelWatch have updated us they are supportive of the principle of redeploying staff from ticket offices to improve the overall offer for customers.

However, they have also made clear that they are not able to approve these changes as there is feedback related to the rail industry as a whole which has not been completely addressed.

All proposals have now been withdrawn and will not be introduced.

The consultation did, however, raise interesting ideas on related issues, such as expanding the types of products that can be sold at ticket machines. Where possible, with the wider industry we will look to introduce ideas such as this.

Thank you once again to everyone who took part in this consultation."

Railway Consultation: 680,000 Responses!

Since my last blog about this consultation, a further 220,000 people responded to the extended consultation, meaning that they have a lot to respond to themselves now! 680,000 responses are now being analysed and they plan to send their conclusions to train operators by the 31st of October (Transport Focus). Transport Focus and London TravelWatch will also publish online the public response with an overview of the response numbers, and issues raised in the consultation. 

No doubt we shall hear a few grumbles from the operators!

Railway Ticket Offices: 1 Day Left for Consultation.

As I said in my blog in early July, there is a public consultation concerning changes to ticket offices and staffing at railway stations, with an original end date for the consultation in July, but that was extended until tomorrow, Friday the 1st of September. The media has been full of this consultation and the concerns of people with disabilities in particular, and you still have a chance to have your say!

I'm cutting and pasting from Transport Focus below with more information:

Transport User Voice September 2023 – Ticket office consultation

31 August 2023

Last day to have your say

With one day to go before the public consultation on proposed changes to ticket offices ends, Transport Focus and London Travel Watch have received more than 460,000 responses. 

Transport Focus is reminding passengers to respond to proposals before the deadline.

The consultation on train operator proposals to close the majority of ticket offices in England ends on Friday 1 September, following an extension on 26 July.

The consultation provides people with the opportunity to have their say on proposed closures to ticket offices and changes to how operators sell tickets at stations would mean for them and how they might be impacted.

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said:

“More than 460,000 responses to the consultation have already been received, but it’s not too late to have your say. 

“There’s a really big decision to be made about the future of ticket offices and it’s vital that we hear from as many people as possible.”

Over the coming weeks, the two watchdogs will continue to analyse carefully the train operator proposals and consultation responses before they report their decisions on whether object to the plans.

Transport Focus and London Travel Watch will be considering issues such as whether the station will continue to be staffed, accessibility, the alternative options for buying tickets and whether passengers will continue to be able to access station facilities like lifts, waiting rooms and toilets.

It is a regulatory requirement as part of the process that the watchdogs and passengers are consulted.

What happens next?

Transport Focus will scrutinise the train company proposals in detail against a set of criteria.

We will look at factors such as whether the station will continue to be staffed, accessibility, alternative options for buying tickets and whether passengers will still be able to access station facilities like lifts, waiting rooms and toilets.

We will publish our response to each train company’s proposal on our website, the number of responses we have received, and the main issues raised in the consultation.

Railway Public Consultation end 26th July.

If you would like to express your opinions you have less than 2 days left to, as the public consultation regarding how tickets are sold and customer services at railway stations finishes tomorrow, Wednesday the 26th of July 2023. The main idea appears to be to move staff "out from behind traditional ticket office windows, which would close, onto station concourses" (website). From the consultation document linked, it appears that there are no plans to alter the situation at Hastings Railway Station, although many stations close by could well be effected, including Rye, Lewes, Cooden Beach and Eastbourne. Go to the website for further information and FAQs. 

Railway Public Consultation

There is a public consultation until the 26th of July 2023 regarding how tickets are sold and customer service at railway stations. The main idea appears to be to move staff "out from behind traditional ticket office windows, which would close, onto station concourses" (website). From the consultation document linked, it appears that there are no plans to alter the situation at Hastings Railway Station, although many stations close by could well be effected, including Rye, Lewes, Cooden Beach and Eastbourne.

Go to the website for further information and FAQs.

Hastings Parking & East Sussex Transport Consultations

I only recently discovered that there are 2 consultation exercises being carried out regarding parking and travel and transport, with both consultations closing on Friday 9th December, so you still have time to share your opinions! 

The Hastings Parking Review asks for our opinions of the East Sussex County Council's proposals to be implemented in the Spring, after considering submitted responses. Full details, and a link to the online survey, are at the Council website.

The consultation regarding the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 is in connection with the Council's local transport plan for 2023-2050, looking at all forms of transport, including walking. Our opinions are being sought for the following areas:

• what your priorities are for travel and transport,
• the key issues you encounter, and
• what opportunities for improving travel across the county are important to you.

Again, for further details, and a link to the online consultation, and other ways of participating, go to the Council website.

Always happy to share my opinions, are you? 😉

Reminder: Fire & Rescue Consultation until 19th June 2020

This is a reminder, further to my blog written at the end of April, that the East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is undertaking a public consultation of its policy document Planning for a Safer Future (website). The survey will stay open until the end of next week, Friday the 19th of June 2020. The subsequent findings will be considered at a Fire Authority meeting in September 2020; the detailed 62 page document, and a link to the survey, can be found at the website.

The recent fire at the Filsham Reedbed wildlife sanctuary (blog) reminds me of how important these plans will be...

A petition has been set up which rejects cuts that "will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to rescue and assist members of the public." 

The petition also highlights specific cuts to Hastings, which include downgrading "The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response" and cutting "dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings." 

I have read through the 62 pages of the consultation document, and the plans also appear to have a positive side for Hastings, again, please remember that I am not an expert in this area, so you need to come to your own opinion, considering those who have devised the plans, and those who oppose those plans, for advice. What it does include is an additional fire engine at the Bohemia Road fire station. The paper argues that "Bohemia Road has a significantly higher risk profile than The Ridge" and "Bohemia Road responds to some of our most deprived areas and our analysis shows there is a strong correlation with deprivation and the number of fires that occur."

There is further analysis concerning types of incidents that each station attends, and regarding aerial appliances, and, as I said above, there is substantial detail provided, but I am not an expert; should you want to find out more, go to the Service website. Paper copies of the consultation document can be requested by writing to: 

Planning for a Safer Future 

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service HQ 

Church Lane 

Lewes BN7 2DZ 

East Sussex Fire & Rescue Public Consultation

The East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is currently undertaking a public consultation of its policy document Planning for a Safer Future (website). The survey will be open until the 19th of June 2020, and the subsequent findings considered at a Fire Authority meeting in September 2020. The detailed 62 page document, and a link to the survey, can be found at the website.

A petition has been set up which reject cuts that "will negatively impact public safety as well as firefighter safety and will also impede firefighter's ability to rescue and assist members of the public." 

The petition also highlights specific cuts to Hastings, which include downgrading "The Ridge fire station from 24hr immediate response to only daytime immediate response" and cutting "dedicated crews for aerial appliances in Hastings." 

Looking through the 62 pages of the consultation document, though, and the plans also appear to have a positive plan for Hastings, remember please, I am not an expert in this area, so you would need to come to your own opinion, dependent on those who have devised the plans, and those who oppose those plans, for advice. What it does include is plans for an additional fire engine at the Bohemia Road fire station. The paper argues that "Bohemia Road has a significantly higher risk profile than The Ridge" and "Bohemia Road responds to some of our most deprived areas and our analysis shows there is a strong correlation with deprivation and the number of fires that occur."

There is further analysis concerning types of incidents that each station attends, and regarding aerial appliances, but, as I said above, there is substantial detail provided, and I am not an expert, anyway, should you want to find out more, go to the Service website. Paper copies of the consultation document can be requested by writing to: 

Planning for a Safer Future 

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service HQ 

Church Lane 

Lewes BN7 2DZ 

Library Service Proposals - 6 days left!

Old photograph, still not re-opened yet!

People in East Sussex now have just 6 days left in which to contribute to East Sussex County Council's consultation exercise of their proposals concerning how they can make a further £2 million savings to library services, including closing Ore Library, amongst others in East Sussex, because of Central Government cuts to their contributions to local councils; expect similar cuts from other County departments and from Hastings Borough Council thanks to Government austerity cuts.

I have just come off the online consultation (website), which was very easy to complete, and with room for your own opinions/ideas, you can also go into libraries and complete paper copies, again, you have until next Thursday, the 14th of December 2017.

East Sussex County Council also has other consultation exercises ongoing, if you ever want to see what else they are holding exercises on go to their website.

Conservation Area Consultation: Still Time, Just!

You still have until tomorrow (Friday 21st) to make your views known on the Hastings Central Conservation Area Appraisal Consultation, so,  if you want to, hurry up! 😉

Go to Council website for more details and form.

Meanwhile, a South Eastern Railway Consultation

Whilst Southern Railway still remain in negotiation with the RMT, the Department for Transport (DfT) is asking passengers of South Eastern Railway their views on the next franchise of that rail service. Incidentally, South Eastern are bringing in a further price increase from the 21st of May 2017, that is a 3.4% increase to fares, or at least 10p.

If you wish to add your opinions to the DfT  franchise public consultation, which closes at 11.45pm on the 23rd of May 2017, go to their website.

Library Consultation now happening.

East Sussex Libraries are now consulting on reduced opening hours, including Hastings libraries, a direct consequence of Government cuts to local government expenditure. I have just completed a paper copy I collected at the library in Claremont, but it can also be completed online, or downloaded from, the East Sussex County Council website.  

Don't lose your voice, libraries are very important for civilisation, let alone society, however much, or little, one uses them...

Public Library Cutbacks...

From January you can voice your opinion...

As a contribution to the £90million 'savings' that National Government is forcing on East Sussex County Council over the next 3 years, £500,000 will be cut from the running costs via cutting opening hours of public libraries across the county; a total cut of £2million is being targeted to the library service overall, during the same period.  

We will be 'consulted' in the New Year to make our own contributions to how opening hours should be cut; for more information about the consultation, and other reductions to the library service, see the website. Ensure you have your say!    

Hastings Development Management Plan, the latest news.

The independent inspector has examined the Hastings Development Management Plan, issued his preliminary findings, and proposed modifications to enable the plan to be adopted as a 'sound' document (notice).    

He has also recommended that a public consultation should be made for members of the public to comment on his recommendations, this consultation is now running until Friday 27th March 2015. Details of how to make a representation are explained on-line. If you require further advice you can email fplanning@hastings.gov.uk or telephone 01424 451098 and ask for the Planning Policy Team.

The Inspector's Preliminary Findings, included in the consultation document, can be seen at the HBC website page, or a hard copy can be obtained at the Community Contact Centre, Hastings Town Hall, Queens Road.