Hastings councillors to vote on bye-law changes
and live on Freeview channel 276
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.
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Hide AdThis 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.
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Hide Ad“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.”