Hastings councillors to vote on bye-law changes

Next Wednesday (September 21), Hastings Borough Council is set to debate and vote on whether or not to adopt a new set of bye-laws governing what is and isn’t allowed in the town’s public parks and gardens.

While the proposed changes are mostly technical, they include a subtle change to where cycling would be allowed, allowing cyclists to ride on ‘designated routes’ in places where it would otherwise be prohibited.

This has proven controversial with campaigners who oppose plans to create a new cycle path running through Alexandra Park.

While the bye-laws change is necessary for the cycle route to proceed, senior councillors have promised there will be a fresh debate on the council’s support for the scheme, despite it having gained in-principle backing in 2016.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting earlier this month, Labour council leader Paul Barnett said: “Cabinet does not need to be bound by a decision made in 2016.

“Since then we have looked into this matter further and I think we are all clear now that any proposal for any designated cycle path anywhere in Hastings will require a fresh cabinet report first of all, whatever the proposal. That includes Alexandra Park.

“Where the proposal is in any way controversial, as clearly Alexandra Park is, then it will also be a report that cabinet make a recommendation to full council. So it will be debated at full council, where the final decision will be made. I don’t think we can be any clearer than that.”