Appx 4 - Departmental response to Call in request

Noted · Received for information; no decision followed.

The proposed relocation of Hastings Register Office to Hastings Library is prompted by the Town Hall lease ending in January 2026, and aims to bring registration and library services together in one place. p1

The response states that 361 letters were received about the proposed relocation, of which 358 were based on a template from a political campaign website. p10

The response states that integrating the Registration Service into the library building would deliver revenue savings of £100,000, contributing to Medium Term Financial Plan savings in 2026/27 and 2027/28. p17

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• p1Call-in Request: Hastings Register Office – additional information provided by Communities, Economy and Transport Introduction The proposed relocation is prompted by the lease ending at the Town Hall in January 2026, after 10 years, and the availability of space at the library. This move offers several advantages, particularly through the integration of two key services within one location which will create a more streamlined experience for residents. Although the Town Hall has served the community well, its facilities are outdated, damp, and deteriorating. Hastings Library, housed in the historic Brassey Institute, a Grade II listed Gothic Revival building dating back to 1878, offers a beautiful setting for ceremonies. The building was refurbished between 2016 and 2018 to modernise facilities while preserving its heritage. We are committed to providing a layout and facilities that meet the needs of all, and we are confident that the new environment will offer an enhanced experience for our customers. Responses to specific points raised in the call-in
• p10Departmental response Of the 361 letters that were received by the LMTE regarding the proposed relocation of the Hastings Register Office to the Hastings Library building , 358 were based on a draft provided by the Hastings and Rye Green party on the actionnetwork.org website. Unfortunately, we have been unable to respond to these letters as they were sent from a no reply actionnetwork.org email address. In addition, we do not know whether these have been sent by local residents as no address information was provided. With regard to the concerns raised: · Lack of public consultation – Please see response to point 2 above. · Harder access for older and disabled people – Hastings Library is accessible and currently has customers with a wide variety of needs. As set out in the EqIA, mitigations have been proposed in the action plan for any negative impact and included in the proposed relocation plan. · Loss of civic pride – The Registration Service has operated from the Town Hall for the last 10 years, and prior to this was based at the Summerfields Civic Centre in Hastings. As stated in the report that was considered by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment (LMTE) at the LMTE meeting on the 10 November, HBC could retain the current ceremony rooms, continuing to offer these spaces and generate income for the Borough Council. Alternatively, the Borough Council could utilise the space for other civic ceremonies, office space for HBC or seek to rent out. Once the lease to the County Council ends, the decision on how the space is used is solely a matter for HBC. · Impact on town centre businesses – Hastings library is approximately 0.2 miles from the Town Hall and there are a number of independent cafes, restaurants and other local businesses very close to the library building that may benefit from increased footfall. · Lack of a fair and open decision making process – This proposal was considered through the appropriate decision making process.
• p17Departmental response At the Cabinet meeting on the 24 th September, Cabinet resolved to approve the submission of the business case setting out the proposal for a single unitary council for East Sussex, based on a Continuing Authority model. This proposal was jointly submitted with Hastings Borough Council. The East Sussex District, Borough and County Council Leaders and Chief Executives meet regularly to oversee the LGR process, provide strategic direction, and ensure that work is co-ordinated. With regard to how the councils across East Sussex work together a key principle is that ‘decisions made by all sovereign bodies until vesting day will have the interests of the future Council as an explicit consideration’ In discussions with the Boroughs and Districts it has also been recognised that each council remains sovereign and has legal responsibility to balance its budget until vesting day for a new unitary. Whilst all councils are committed to strong partnership working to fully consider impacts on other councils and/or the new unitary, the principle cannot be the only factor considered. The LMTE considered all material considerations relevant to the proposal to relocate the Hastings Register Office to Hastings Library. As stated in the LMTE report integrating the Registration Service and Hastings Library within the current library building would deliver revenue savings of £100K. The savings that would be delivered through the relocation of the Service would contribute to the MTFP savings in 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. In addition, thatESCC would liaise with HBC to explore opportunities for the Borough Council to continue to use the existing town hall venues as Approved Marriage Premises which would be a potential income generator for the Borough Council. Should the One East Sussex proposal be accepted by Government, both Hastings Town Hall and Hastings Library would be part of the unitary council’s estate.