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Tressell Blog
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July 2009:
29th July: Full Council meeting today. Three of the Tories were missing - off giving their moats a summer clean, possibly. After a rather nasty debate in which the Tory/Liberal coalition voted to reduce the number of special responsibility allowances for the Labour Group while keeping their own the same as last year, we moved on to one or two reasonably constructive debates. In particular, the Homelessness Strategy was referred back to Cabinet after I called it, arguing that the proposals to get tough with landlords who left their properties empty weren't tough enough. Pleased with that! Peter Chowney
22nd July: Went on a walkabout of Farley Bank estate today, with Jenny Betts, the new estate manager. there don't seem to be too many problems there at the moment, although there seems to be some confusion about the patch of land where the flats were demolished. Amicus Horizon HA seem to think Seaspace (the local development agency) own it now, but I'm sure they don't! Peter Chowney
21st July: East Hastings Area Management Board in the evening. Well attended by representatives from local groups, it's a good opportunity for local people to raise their concerns. It's a pity other agencies (the county council in particular) can't be bothered to attend, but the police were there, as were Amicus Horizon housing association. The Liberal Democrat councillors for Old Hastings were (again) notable by their absence, too, but Hastings Old Town Residents' Association seems to manage perfectly well without them. It's a useful meeting anyway, and we do get things done as a result of this area boards. Peter Chowney
14th July: Play Pathfinder Steering Group today. A few hiccups with the final acquisition of the land, and some doubts about precisely where the Adventure Playground will go, because of the remaining uncertainty about the route of the Millennium Communities spine road. This needs to be sorted out quickly, if we're to get the thing built on time. However, the architects to design the playground have now been appointed. Peter Chowney
13th July: Cabinet meeting today. Nothing especially contentious this time, although Labour cabinet members did manage to amend a report on Council finances, to make sure changes and developments in the Council's financial position were reported back to Cabinet later in the year. There was complete unity across all parties in opposition to the proposals to cut back rail services from Hasting to London. We have to make sure this doesn't happen. Peter Chowney
11th July: Had our councillors advice surgery this morning, at The Bridge community centre. About 20 people turned up with a range of problems and issues to discuss. We will try to have surgeries once a month now, on occasions when The Bridge is open Saturday mornings. Peter Chowney
8th July: Traffic Management Committee this evening. There was a petition from Sandown Road residents about parking problems, but no-one to present it, as this had been done as part of the county council election campaign for the unsuccessful Tory candidate, who had presumably lost interest now. However, I managed to argue that a survey of residents in School Road and Sandown Road should be conducted again, to ask if they wanted a residents' parking scheme. I also made the proposal (again) that the Council should compulsorily purchase the land at the bottom of School Road and turn it into a car park, recovering the costs by selling the spaces to local residents. Hopefully, someone will look into this now, but I will have to keep pushing it, I'm sure. Peter Chowney
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