Labour elects its first female leader of Hastings council

Kim Forward, the current deputy leader, was the choice of Labour councillors at a hustings this week.

She becomes the first woman to lead the party while they control the council. Mary Denning was Labour leader in the 1990s when the party was in opposition.

Councillor Forward will take on her new role when councillor Chowney steps down next month.

She paid tribute to Peter Chowney’s legacy as leader, and said: “I have been involved every step of the way as we have battled with the budget to ensure that we can continue to deliver quality services for the residents of our beautiful town.”

Peter Chowney said: “I’m very pleased that Kim has been elected as the new leader of the Labour Group and will become leader of the council.

“Kim has been incredibly supportive as my deputy and has my full support as the new leader, a job she already understands well and will be very good at.

“I wish her all good luck in her new role, and I'll be available to advise if ever she needs me.”

Fellow councillor Margi O’Callaghan described it as ‘an amazing achievement for women in local politics’ and ‘a fabulous accomplishment to see such a strong woman elected to succeed Peter Chowney’.

She added: “Even though she has some big shoes to fill – both Peter and Jeremy Birch had a huge positive impact on our town – I feel that Kim has the drive and the vision to take Hastings to new heights and beyond.”

Born in Bexhill, councillor Forward has lived and worked in and around Hastings and St Leonards all her life. She has five children and five grandchildren.

She entered politics as a local councillor in 2008 after a career as a primary school teacher. She served as mayor between 2010 and 2012, before taking on a series of senior roles on the council.

She also served as a county councillor.

She became deputy leader of Hastings Council in 2015 when Peter Chowney took over as leader on the death of Jeremy Birch.

More recently, councillor Forward has had cabinet responsibility for regeneration, tourism and culture. As such, she has played a role in developing plans for a new leisure and arts complex in the White Rock / Bohemia area. To be funded independently of the council, it is hoped it will replace the existing deteriorating and dated facilities.

A spokesman for the Labour party said councillor Forward is ‘reckoned by many to be the right woman for the job – especially at a time of government cuts’.

Fellow Gensing councillor Colin Fitzgerald said: “Her experience and enthusiasm are going to be vital as we look to continue standing against the disgusting impacts of Tory imposed austerity upon our residents.”