The Stade Pathway, formerly open 24/7

Foreshore Trust stays mute and self-discrediting

Work is under way on the Stade Amusement Park. The planning application is retrospective and Hastings Borough Council’s Conservation Officer has objected. What has the Foreshore Trust (FT) said about the application affecting its land? Nothing. What about the pirate and crazy golf applications, also about FT land? Nothing. The Annual General Meeting is on Monday evening, 12 December. Bernard McGinley reports.

The Amusement Park case (HS/FA/21/00946) is retrospective, for extension to the main amusement building. HBC’s Conservation Officer is amongst those who have objected, noting many ‘Drawing Errors’, including that there is

no true representation of the bulk and massing of the proposed new roof form

The site is entirely FT land and is in the Old Town Conservation Area, but the FT has not commented, as if it has no charitable purpose (‘FOR THE COMMON USE, BENEFIT AND ENJOYMENT OF ALL HER MAJESTY’S SUBJECTS AND OF THE PUBLIC FOR THE TIME BEING FOR EVER’) or does not really exist.

The Council in its usual heavyhanded way censored an objection that cited the reference of a Stade enforcement enquiry nearly two years old:  ENF/21/00091, still unresolved.  They also suppressed an opinion that the Foreshore Trust’s permanent muteness amounted to a dereliction of duty.

Crazy golf cases

Similarly, the pirate and crazy golf applications (HS/FA/22/00751 and HS/FA/22/00005) drew no comment from the FT, about a proposed  building 75 yards long on the foreshore.  Historic England objected, but the FT said nothing. For the second case only, the FT’s Estates Officer, who is also the Council’s Estates Officer, has advised the FT to comment — but they haven’t.

Readers of HOT can find ample coverage of the FT’s do-nothing style in recent years, amounting to chronic complacency and indifference. The Stade Pathway, whenever it reopens, will be accessible only some of the time. Public Right of Way status remains unpursued. Leasehold matters are neglected, the Trustees trusting to legal advice from Hastings Borough Council.

The Trust’s supposed independence of the Council has been viewed with increasing scepticism, when Trustees are always HBC cabinet members. Though the Trust has its own accountant (‘the Protector’, who is paid), the Foreshore Trust Finance Report is being presented on Monday by the Council’s own Chief Finance Officer.

Following the 2022 elections there was Green Party representation on the Charity Committee (who are all members of Council cabinet), but that arrangement has since ended.

AGM

The Foreshore Trust (Cllrs Cannan (Chair), Batsford and Rogers) is co-extensive with the Council’s Charity Committee. Its AGM is at Muriel Matters House on Monday 12 December at 6 p.m., and also online. By then its financial reporting will be 315 days overdue at the Charity Commission.

The half-hour Public Question Time that was part of the previous meeting (on 29 September) is not on the agenda.

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