On Thursday 2nd May, residents in Hastings and St Leonards will be going to the ballot box to vote for local councillors to represent them on Hastings Borough Council and the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner. Borough councils are an essential part of local government and play a vital role in providing services and facilities to residents within Hastings borough. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) were introduced in 2012 to hold the Chief Constables to account for the performance of their force and ensuring that the police are answerable to the communities that they serve.
Hastings Borough Council makes decisions that directly impacts the quality of life for residents, from housing and regeneration to ensuring our rubbish is collected and recycled and our streets are clean, its actions shape our communities.
Councillors you elect are responsible for overseeing the work of the Council and making decisions that impact on our local community. Local elections provide an opportunity for residents to actively participate in shaping where we live and have a say on what issues need to be prioritised by our Council. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for people to vote – so that you have a say in how Hastings and St Leonards are governed. You can influence the policies and services that directly affect our daily lives. Elected councillors are accountable to their residents so when you vote, you hold them responsible for their decisions and actions.
In December last year, Hastings Borough Council experienced a significant political shake-up. The Labour Leader of Hasting Borough Council, Paul Barnett, along with a number of other Labour councillors who held decision-making positions on the Cabinet, resigned from the Labour Party and set themselves up as Hastings Independent Group. Other Labour councillors quickly followed suit. Notably, this decision occurred while the council was facing financial challenges including the risk of bankruptcy. The report from the non-partisan Local Government Association earlier in the year had emphasised that councillors needed to address the financial reality and focus on reducing costs. The actions of these councillors have reportedly cost the council – that is you as taxpayers - £500,000. This is money which could have gone into priorities for local residents, such as maintaining and preserving our public lavatories, for example. The national Labour Party responded to the resignations by characterising them as ‘performative gesture politics’ that had driven the council towards bankruptcy. Damning indeed.
Your vote should ensure transparency and responsiveness. However, the former Labour councillors who resigned are still leading the council as Hastings Independents, with a Green Party Leader, and are now criticising Labour for the decisions made previously - decisions that they themselves made. As a Conservative MP, I am watching these antics from the side, feeling rather sorry for the remaining Labour councillors, and utterly staggered at the sheer audacity and disingenuity of these Hastings Independents.
When deciding who to vote for in the PCC Election, it is worth considering the priorities of the candidates. PCCs set the strategic direction for local policing and allocate resources effectively. By voting, you are influencing the policing priorities that reflect our community needs, so look for a candidate who prioritises community involvement as well as crime reduction. All this has to be done with an eye on budgets, so financial responsibility is a must.
I am proud of what the Conservative Government has achieved since 2010; overall crime is down by 50% and neighbourhood crime down by 48%. We have record numbers of police on our streets. However, so called lower-level crime such as antisocial behaviour is a growing problem and needs to be a priority of any PCC candidate. In the ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ context, a working together approach by parents, schools, police and so on to can effectively prevent and address ASB and help promote a safer community.
A reminder to people that if you are visiting your local polling station on election day, do not forget to bring photo ID (such as a passport or driving licence) to cast your vote. Remember, local elections are your chance to shape the future of your community. Be informed, engage with local issues, and exercise your right to vote!