Hastings Old Town Residents Association
East Hill House
13 Tackleway
Hastings
East Sussex
TN34 3DE
Dick Edwards, Chairman
01424-437069 — dick@hotra.org.uk
For everyone living and working in the Old Town
Report Street Problems
Click here to go to Fix My Street, where you can report problems such as potholes, broken paving slabs and blinking street lights.
Hastings Opportunity Area
In October 2016 the government launched Opportunity Areas, aiming "to build young people’s knowledge and skills and provide them with the best advice and opportunities." Click here to learn more.
This intitiative is to run for 3 years in 12 towns around the country where social mobility is believed to be a key factor that impairs the performance of local children. There is a total of £78m available with £1m initially in Hastings.
HOTRA cautiously welcomes the money but holds deep reservations around monitoring outcomes and securing lasting improvements.
At a meeting held on 9th May, the HOTRA management committee unanimously agreed this resolution...
We call upon Hastings Community Network to help secure the best possible outcomes from the Hastings Opportunity zone. In particular we ask that :
- Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools be involved in independent monitoring and advice;
- a robust mechanism be set up that allows the local community to be involved;
- that the initial 3 year period be extended where successes are clear.
It is hoped that this matter be discussed by the Local Strategic Partnership at the earliest opportunity.
Please send comments to dick@hotra.org.uk
Graffiti are not a new problem in the Old Town but in recent months there has been a blitz of tags on some of our walls. Hastings council will remove them if you complain – but only if they are on your property. Vivien Harrison has written a quick guide to notifying the council, which you can download by clicking here.
Clean-up and Food bank
Old Hastings Community Clean Up takes place on Tuesday 4th July, 5:30pm-7pm. Please meet Cllr Bacon at the Junction of Harold Road and The Bourne. Please RSVP on this Facebook Event if you plan to attend:
Hastings Old Town Carnival Week Clean Up - Sunday 30th July, 11am-12:30pm. Please meet Cllr Bacon at the same spot. If you wish to wear a costume to liven up the clean up, there will be a certificate for the best dressed!
Old Hastings Foodbank Collection (Butlers Gap) - Saturday 5th August, 9am-11:30am. Any food donations would be much appreciated.
Anti-social behaviour and dogs
Are you fed up with agressive begging, drug and alcohol misuse or thoughtless dog owners ?
Hastings Council are consulting on new Public Space Protection Orders.
You can read a summary of the proposal on dogs by clicking here, and on anti-social behaviour here. The full proposals are weighty documents of many pages. You can look at the dogs proposal here, and the full anti-social behaviour proposal here.
HOTRA has prepared a response which you can download by clicking here. If you wish to respond individually, take a look at this web page.
Don't take a chance on Old Town Healthcare
The Old Town Surgery in Roebuck Street no longer has the space to provide the safe, modern service that patients expect and deserve.
Dr Craig Namvar has drawn up plans to move to new, much bigger premises in the Ice House on Rock-a-Nore.
Hastings council have refused planning permission, and Dr Namvar is submitting a revised application. If this is also rejected, the surgery may have to move out of the Old Town, perhaps to Clive Vale. This would mean longer journeys for Old Town patients, many of whom are frail, live alone and have mobility problems.
HOTRA has organised a petition to put pressure on the council. You can sign it at the surgery, and soon at other places in the old town.
If you want to know more, you can download a leaflet by clicking here.
Please spread the word and get your friends and neighbours to sign!