Latest news with #HastingsBoroughCouncil
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Threatened bee species get lifeline through coastal habitat project
Four threatened bee species will benefit from new coastal habitats created by volunteers and conservationists in East project, in Hastings and St Leonards, has established wildflower meadows, hedgerows and specialised nesting sites to support several species, including the tormentil mining bee and long-horned bee. Natural England said the species have suffered severe population declines due to habitat loss across Boast Millar, from Natural England, said a "bee corridor' had been created along the East Sussex coastline by the organisation working with working Groundwork South, Hastings Borough Council, ecologists, and 185 volunteers. She added: "The initiative includes new wildflower meadows, restored woodland edges, enhanced hedgerows and urban habitat improvements in community spaces and allotments."Natural England said the project demonstrated the impact of government investment in species recovery, with the project forming part of Natural England's £13m Species Recovery Programme Capital Grants said the grant had funded 63 conservation projects in England between August 2023 and March 2025, directly targeting the most threatened wildlife.A spokesperson added: "The initiative demonstrates how community involvement can deliver conservation outcomes for England's most vulnerable wildlife. "Comprehensive bee surveys will monitor the success of habitat enhancements and track population recovery of the target species."
The Herald Scotland
10-08-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Proscribing Palestine Action has 'empowered' far-right, say protesters
In July, Hastings Borough Council passed a motion to back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to all arms sales to Israel and to support the town's friendship links with the people of Al-Mawasi – a section of the Gaza Strip. Last month, at a fundraising walk, there were multiple alleged incidents of verbal and physical abuse from counter-protesters which were reported to the police. A woman, waiting for the demonstrators at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, was pushed to the ground and called a 'f****** terrorist' for wearing a keffiyeh, while a Jewish man, whose father escaped the Holocaust, was repeatedly called a Nazi by Israel supporters. Both incidents were reported to Sussex Police after the walk on July 20. On Sunday, roughly 100 protesters ran a second fundraising walk from Hastings beach along the coast to Bexhill 'in defiance' of the abuse. Grace Lally, who helped set up the group and campaigned for the town to twin with Al-Mawasi, believes there is a 'clear link' between the Government action and the abuse. She said: 'Those extremists have been empowered by a Government that says, people supporting Palestine are terrorists, d'you know what I mean?' Ms Lally added: 'The reason it's being challenged in the court and the reason the court has given permission for a judicial review to be held is because of the chilling effect of that ruling which blurs the line between protest and terrorism.' She said it did not matter that the Government had only proscribed Palestine Action rather than all protesters. 'That (the decision) I think has emboldened people on the far-right, extremists, to sort of see anyone who's supporting Palestine as a legitimate target,' Ms Lally said. On Saturday, more than 500 people were arrested in central London for showing support for Palestine Action. Richard Wistreich, a member of Jews for Justice Hastings, was one of the demonstrators who faced abuse in the July fundraising march. He told the PA news agency that cars had parked on their route to Bexhill, with a couple of people waving Israeli flags and shouting abuse as the protesters passed by. Mr Wistreich, whose father escaped Poland in the late 1930s, said: 'At one point one of them got out of the car and saw my T-shirt, which made it quite clear that I am proclaiming myself to be Jewish. 'So I was then very loudly told that I was not a Jew and in fact I was a Nazi, in a very, very aggressive manner.' The woman wearing the keffiyeh, who wishes to remain anonymous, said a man approached her on the pavilion aggressively and said 'that scarf', which she ignored. She said: 'I wasn't responding to him at all because he looked so angry and then he went 'you're a f****** terrorist' and then he proceeded to grab the scarf and pull me close to him.' The woman said she tried to get his hands off her, but he pushed her to the ground and she hit her head, before two people intervened and pulled the man off her. On Sunday afternoon, the protesters were wary of further incidents but bolstered by much greater numbers, and the vast majority of passers-by seemed supportive. A few made comments which the protesters ignored. Before the walk, Green Party councillor Yunis Smith said: 'We may see some people trying to antagonise us, cause issues, trying to be abusive, aggressive, offensive, let's remember the strength, perseverance and patience that our Palestinian brothers and sisters have when we face this.' When links between the towns were first set up in 2022, Al-Mawasi, located in western Khan Younis, was a rural farming and fishing town with a population of 12,000. According to the United Nations, there were 425,000 displaced Palestinians living in the area as of June 19, and the protesters said the figure is now closer to 600,000. Israel is obliged under international humanitarian law to ensure adequate and safe shelter for internally displaced people, as well as access to food, water, and medical care, until they can return to their homes. A United Nations report released in June said that Israel had not made 'any effort' to comply with those laws since its offensive began. 'I can't understand how anybody, regardless of your political persuasion, can see this level of injustice and not break inside, I just don't, I don't get it,' said councillor Smith. Ms Lally said it was 'bittersweet' to have the council finally twin with Al-Mawasi given the devastation in the area, but still felt it was a positive step. 'Palestine is made up of communities of people and those people, they're not going away, they will rebuild, this will end, there will be a future for them and twinning sort of is just a testament to that,' she said.
The Independent
10-08-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Proscribing Palestine Action has 'empowered' far-right, say protesters
Protesters in a UK town twinned with Al-Mawasi in Gaza blame the Palestine Action ban for an increase in violence and abuse against demonstrators. An organiser of the Friends of Al-Mawasi group, based in Hastings, East Sussex, said the UK Government has 'empowered' extremists by trying to 'demonise' Palestine supporters. In July, Hastings Borough Council passed a motion to back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to all arms sales to Israel and to support the town's friendship links with the people of Al-Mawasi – a section of the Gaza Strip. Last month, at a fundraising walk, there were multiple alleged incidents of verbal and physical abuse from counter-protesters which were reported to the police. A woman, waiting for the demonstrators at De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, was pushed to the ground and called a 'f****** terrorist' for wearing a keffiyeh, while a Jewish man, whose father escaped the Holocaust, was repeatedly called a Nazi by Israel supporters. Both incidents were reported to Sussex Police after the walk on July 20. On Sunday, roughly 100 protesters ran a second fundraising walk from Hastings beach along the coast to Bexhill 'in defiance' of the abuse. Grace Lally, who helped set up the group and campaigned for the town to twin with Al-Mawasi, believes there is a 'clear link' between the Government action and the abuse. She said: 'Those extremists have been empowered by a Government that says, people supporting Palestine are terrorists, d'you know what I mean?' Ms Lally added: 'The reason it's being challenged in the court and the reason the court has given permission for a judicial review to be held is because of the chilling effect of that ruling which blurs the line between protest and terrorism.' She said it did not matter that the Government had only proscribed Palestine Action rather than all protesters. 'That (the decision) I think has emboldened people on the far-right, extremists, to sort of see anyone who's supporting Palestine as a legitimate target,' Ms Lally said. On Saturday, more than 500 people were arrested in central London for showing support for Palestine Action. Richard Wistreich, a member of Jews for Justice Hastings, was one of the demonstrators who faced abuse in the July fundraising march. He told the PA news agency that cars had parked on their route to Bexhill, with a couple of people waving Israeli flags and shouting abuse as the protesters passed by. Mr Wistreich, whose father escaped Poland in the late 1930s, said: 'At one point one of them got out of the car and saw my T-shirt, which made it quite clear that I am proclaiming myself to be Jewish. 'So I was then very loudly told that I was not a Jew and in fact I was a Nazi, in a very, very aggressive manner.' The woman wearing the keffiyeh, who wishes to remain anonymous, said a man approached her on the pavilion aggressively and said 'that scarf', which she ignored. She said: 'I wasn't responding to him at all because he looked so angry and then he went 'you're a f****** terrorist' and then he proceeded to grab the scarf and pull me close to him.' The woman said she tried to get his hands off her, but he pushed her to the ground and she hit her head, before two people intervened and pulled the man off her. On Sunday afternoon, the protesters were wary of further incidents but bolstered by much greater numbers, and the vast majority of passers-by seemed supportive. A few made comments which the protesters ignored. Before the walk, Green Party councillor Yunis Smith said: 'We may see some people trying to antagonise us, cause issues, trying to be abusive, aggressive, offensive, let's remember the strength, perseverance and patience that our Palestinian brothers and sisters have when we face this.' When links between the towns were first set up in 2022, Al-Mawasi, located in western Khan Younis, was a rural farming and fishing town with a population of 12,000. According to the United Nations, there were 425,000 displaced Palestinians living in the area as of June 19, and the protesters said the figure is now closer to 600,000. Israel is obliged under international humanitarian law to ensure adequate and safe shelter for internally displaced people, as well as access to food, water, and medical care, until they can return to their homes. A United Nations report released in June said that Israel had not made 'any effort' to comply with those laws since its offensive began. 'I can't understand how anybody, regardless of your political persuasion, can see this level of injustice and not break inside, I just don't, I don't get it,' said councillor Smith. Ms Lally said it was 'bittersweet' to have the council finally twin with Al-Mawasi given the devastation in the area, but still felt it was a positive step. 'Palestine is made up of communities of people and those people, they're not going away, they will rebuild, this will end, there will be a future for them and twinning sort of is just a testament to that,' she said.
BBC News
05-08-2025
- General
- BBC News
Calls to identify permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites in Sussex
Several local authorities in East Sussex are calling for residents to help locate permanent sites for Gypsy and Traveller pitches and Travelling Showpeople councils involved include Hastings Borough Council, Rother District Council, Eastbourne Borough Council, Lewes District Council, Wealden District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). The authorities said it was part of the national planning policy to assess and plan for the accommodation needs of all communities. In a joint statement, they said providing authorised sites "helps reduce unauthorised encampments and improves community relations". "There is no evidence that well-planned and managed sites cause problems for local communities," they authorities said each proposed site would be assessed to ensure it was "suitable and sustainable" for both residents and the wider community."This helps ensure everyone has access to safe, secure, and appropriate living conditions," they added. The types of sites the councils are looking for include permanent residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers, transit sites for temporary stays, and yards for Travelling Showpeople, which could include space for residential use, equipment storage and of all sizes will be considered, including sites as small as 500 sq m (1641 sq ft), which is roughly the size of a tennis developers, agents and parish councils can also put in close on 5 October.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- BBC News
Hastings Borough Council clampdown on illegal promenade parking
Anyone caught driving or parking illegally on Hastings promenade in East Sussex now faces a £50 Borough Council has introduced a parking place order for the seafront after a rise in authority said this has made it dangerous for pedestrians and could potentially damage the number of parking spaces for bicycles is being increased in a bid to encourage cycling across the town. Jo Walker, lead for environment and neighbourhood wellbeing, said: "We hope it reassures people that they can enjoy the promenade safely, without lots of vehicles moving around or blocking their path."The increasing number of unauthorised vehicles driving and parking on the promenade not only puts residents and visitors at risk, but also damages the structure of the prom, which was not designed to support this weight."
