At the first full council meeting of the year this week, the main issues Cllr Pragnell said he would be concentrating on in 2008-9 included:

• to continue the regeneration of the town, the work of Grotbusters, and make the streets cleaner,


• to increase the rate of recycling in the town,


• to not increase council tax by more than is necessary,


• to reduce anti-social behaviour in the town,


• to maintain leisure facilities in the town, including finding a new operator of the White Rock Theatre, repairing the East Hill Lift, and continuing the provision of leisure facilities when the council's contract with Freedom Leisure comes to an end,


• to do what the council can to save the pier, including a back-to-back compulsory purchase,


• and to do what the council can to get more residents into work, and co-operate with other agencies to improve education in the town.

But opposition parties accused the leader of being unimaginative and unoriginal.

Labour Cllr Trevor Webb said: "There's no energy. I've never heard such a boring leader's speech, and I've heard some boring speeches. There were no ideas. And there's not a single woman on the cabinet, which is strange for 2008."

At the meeting Cllr Pragnell also announced the portfolio holders of his all-conservative cabinet for the coming year. As well as being deputy leader, Cllr Matthew Beaver will also take responsibility for corporate resources, Cllr Robert Cooke will be the lead member for youth and community, and the young persons champion, Cllr Peter Finch will be the lead member for community wellbeing, Cllr Matthew Lock lead member for community prosperity, and Cllr Tucker lead member for the environment, and seniors champion.

The political make-up of the various committees was also decided at the meeting, with the Labour party asking for an amendment to have one less of their party on the Standards committee, in return for an extra labour member on the planning committee.

They were outvoted on this, and every request for a labour councillor to chair the various committees.

The 15 conservative members, and independent Cllr Stephen Springthorpe voted for the leader's plan for 2008-9, with the 13 labour councillors and three lib dems abstaining.

Labour leader Cllr Jeremy Birch accused Cllr Springthorpe of being a Conservative hanger-on, but Cllr Springthorpe told the meeting that people had been encouraging him to side with the tories.

He said: "My phone has been ringing hot the last two weeks, with people saying what ever you do please make sure Jeremy Birch does not take control of this council again."

Responding to the issue of the all-conservative cabinet, lib dem leader Cllr Richard Stevens warned the conservatives: "I believe you should represent the opinions of the people of Hastings. If you do not you run the risk of their anger -or worse- their apathy.

"We've got some stormy waters to come, and I can't see that this (cabinet) is sustainable."

An Cllr Birch told the tory group: "You've sold your soul to a 100 per cent tory cabinet, and the people of Hastings will pay the penalty."