Councillors divided over battle to save pier
IT is not the right time to hand over Hastings Pier, the council believes, despite last weekend's public demonstration.
The comments were made by Cllr Matthew Lock in response to repeated questions from the Labour bench at a meeting of Hastings Borough Council on Wednesday.
Last Saturday's pier march, attended by hundreds of residents demanding action from the council, was referred to first by Cllr Richard Stevens, who asked whether public feeling altered the council's position on the pier.
Campaigners hope that HBC will invoke a compulsory purchase order, forcing owner Ravenclaw Investments to sell up.
Cllr Matthew Lock crushed hopes that the demonstration would provoke change, restating the official position - that the council was not responsible for the pier or it's repair.
Under pressure from Cllr Andrew Cartwright, who asked why residents felt it necessary to march and present a petition, he described his concerns about effectively handing control of the pier to a group such as the Hastings Pier and White Rock Trust, a company looking to rescue and restore the pier.
He said: "Once the CPO takes over, the group takes on the liabilities that go with that, and they have to face up to that.
"They are large liabilities. I don't think it is in their interests or those of the town to put that upon them.
"We want to encourage friends of the pier to come forwards and when it is the right time, we will encourage their bid to be successful.
"I'm not convinced that this is the right time."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Hastings
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
