The monthly report from HBC.

•    St Leonards Festival – Yet again an outstanding success. Thanks to the Gensing and Central St Leonards Forum and especially their officers for the huge effort they put in.
•   Cleaning up St Leonards – We have repeated the seafront ‘grotbuster’ walk first done in 2000.
We noted down every building needing repair or redecoration and owners will now receive a letter encouraging them to take action. Failing to respond could result in enforcement action. If you own a building in our town you have a social responsibility for its upkeep.
When we did the first seafront walk we noted the derelict hulks of the Queen’s Hotel, Regent Court and the Marlborough, plus other smaller eyesores too. All those have been dealt with and the seafront looks much better. But with the salt air, buildings in this prominent location need regular maintenance and improvement.  A high profile walk sets the tone and reminds everyone what we expect. The ‘grotbusters’ are on the case.
Cllr Birch had a meeting with our local police commander Chief Inspector Mark Ling to agree a get tough approach to street drinking and begging. We get complaints from residents who feel intimidated by groups of drinkers and by aggressive begging. They also complain of offensive behaviour by individual drinkers. A dispersal area has been declared on the promenade enabling the police to move drinkers on and this is being enforced. Twenty two of the thirty four anti-social behaviour orders in the town have been issued to street drinkers.
At the meeting we agreed to step up the joint enforcement activity between the police, the council and other agencies. We want a harder line to be taken by off-licenses with habitual drinkers. Just like the Bar Watch scheme, which agrees that named individuals will not be served in town centre pubs, so off-licenses will be pressed not to serve the well-known street drinkers? Habitual Drink Orders will be considered which make it an offence to sell alcohol to a named habitual drinker. In September we are going out with police to see first hand how they are dealing with street drinkers.
There are now more detox opportunities and improved funding for those organisations working with drinkers and we want to encourage street drinkers to take up these opportunities.
During August the council we will be launching a crack-down against dog fouling with some pretty hard-hitting posters and leaflets. Keep your eyes open – otherwise you might tread in something.
•    17 Pevensey Road – in this long-term unsightly property all the flats now have active leaseholders that to want to improve the building and this does seem to be reflected in the improved appearance of the property.  All the flats with the exception of the side flat are now back in use.  The council recently met with the leaseholders’ representatives and has been assured that they are working towards setting up a company to take over the freehold of the building. The council has also been in communication with the Crown’s representatives and secured their willingness to sell the freehold at a reasonable rate.
•    Planning – The empty, semi-derelict shop at the junction of Shepherd Street and Gensing Road – 22/22A Shepherd Street – now has permission to be turned into residential use. Hopefully this will be implemented reasonably quickly and the appearance of the building improved.
•    Highways – In early September the entrance to Undercliff by St Leonards Parish Church will be closed and there will be temporary traffic lights on Marina. This all to allow for the resurfacing of Marina (the seafront road).             Around the same time similar road closures will be carried out to the entrances to Warrior Square from the seafront (although it will be phased so that only one is closed at any time). This again is to allow for resurfacing            works on the seafront road at Grand Parade and Warrior Square.
•    Councillors’ surgery – We are holding an advice surgery on Saturday 7th August 10.30-12.00 at St Leonards Parish Church on Marina. Do come along if you wish to see us.

Cllr Jeremy Birch – 425585
Cllr Trevor Webb – 451693