Hastings Borough Council Unanimously Passes ‘A Pledge For Hastings’

We are delighted that the motion A Pledge for Hastings was passed unanimously at the Full Council meeting on 22nd July.

Introduced by Cllr Andy Batsford, Councillor for St Helen’s Ward and Portfolio Holder for Housing, the motion builds on the existing commitments by Hastings Borough Council to be a Community of Sanctuary, and pledges to ensure

·        Dignity and Respect for All

·        Protection Not Destitution, and

·        Welcome and Integration

In a passionate speech, Cllr Batsford noted that “Hastings always welcomed people who come here for a better life, whether from Bangladesh or Brighton.” And that through the Vulnerable Person’s Resettlement Programme,  the town “has become a shining beacon nationally about how you wrap around that support for people coming here seeking sanctuary”.

Speeches of support from Cllr Sabina Arthur of Baybrooke Ward and Cllr Ali Roark, of Tressell Ward both noted the timely nature of this motion, given the current Nationality and Immigration Bill having passed it’s second reading in Parliament this week, and the increasingly hostile narrative around people seeking refuge which had accompanied this Bill.

Cllr Arthur noted that local MP Sally-Ann Hart “likes to claim that people in Hastings oppose people coming here but we know that there’s huge support from our residents for refugees” and that this motion was an opportunity to assess all Council processes to ensure that all of the structures, systems and services actively remove barriers to people accessing the services they need regardless of where they are from or their immigration status.

The motion was passed by unanimous vote by the Labour, green and Conservative Borough Councillors, with Cllr Patmore, Councillor for Maze Hill and Leader of the Conservative Group, saying that the three pledges were sentiments which the group could support, and they were happy to vote for the motion.

Rossana Leal, Founder and Director of The Refugee Buddy Project: Hastings Rother & Wealden says

“We are delighted that the motion passed unanimously, and that the Council has restated it’s commitment to people seeking refuge especially given the national context of the Nationality and Borders Bill. We look forward to continuing to work with the Council to improve and extend their services to ensure the three pledges are delivered effectively to all seeking refuge in our town” 

Full text of Motion

A pledge for Hastings

Hastings Borough Council pledges its commitment to be a Town that is welcoming to all, to confirm our pride in having a programme of welcome to refugees and asylum seekers. Our commitment was, for example, part of the preamble to the Equalities motion passed by the Council in October 2020, which included confirmation of our support to the Lift The Ban Campaign to allow asylum seekers to work.

We are pleased to continue to work with the Refugee Buddy Project which works with local residents of Hastings who welcome people seeking refuge, the Lift The Ban Campaign and the Hastings City of Sanctuary. We are proud of the work that has been done so far and know that this will need to continue against an increasingly hostile environment.

We have been asked by the Hastings Buddy Project [sic], with whom we work very closely, to restate our commitment, not least in the worrying development at Napier Barracks in Kent and the possibility that similar “facilities” are being considered for our town. We are committed to doing all we can to make sure that this Borough continues to be a welcoming place for everyone who has come here to live, study, work, seek sanctuary and join family, whether they have lived here for decades or have just arrived.

This Council backs this pledge:

1. Dignity and Respect for All

Long-term residents as well as asylum seekers, refugees and migrants should be treated with dignity and respect. The debate on immigration should be conducted with care for the dignity of people who are vulnerable, who do not have a voice in the public domain and who have to suffer the consequences of inaccurate and inflammatory language.

2. Protection not Destitution

Despite the challenges our town, and indeed our country, face, the UK is still one of the richest places in the world. It cannot be right that vulnerable people are forced into destitution and left without basic protections. Everybody should be treated justly and fairly.

3. Welcome and Integration

Integration requires everybody to play their part in making Hastings a place of welcome and supporting people to participate in the local community. The Council and local civil society can together ensure that good processes are in place and integration services are properly provided.

Everybody in Hastings is invited to join the effort to translate these principles into effective action. Together, in our organisations and communities, our faith institutions and schools, we can make Hastings welcoming to all.