Political opinion with Cllr Tony Collins: What is the Foreshore Trust?

The Trust draws its trustees from the HBC cabinet. It is overseen by the Protector, a representative of the Charity Commission and qualified accountant, who acts as watchdog and whistle blower.

The trustees constitute the Charity Committee. The current members are myself, as chair; council leader Glenn Haffenden; and deputy leader Julia Hilton. The Committee meets publicly, and anyone can attend and ask questions. Full details appear on the council website - Who are the Hastings & St Leonards Foreshore Charitable Trust?.

The Trust draws its income from Pelham and Rock a Nore car parks, and rents from properties and enterprises. Total revenue is currently approximately £1.5m per year. The first call upon these funds is the maintenance of the foreshore and its facilities.

In most years there is a modest surplus to support charitable purposes within the borough. The overall budget and priorities are set by the trustees, but decisions regarding specific grants are recommended by the rigorously independent Grants Advisory Panel, a body of about six members appointed for their experience of the voluntary and charitable sector.

Grant priorities currently include the relief of poverty; the advancement of education; and the advancement of health. The trustees will be meeting shortly to refine this list. As you would expect, there are far more applications than the Trust can meet.

The Trust is advised by the Coastal Users’ Group, a body comprising many of the enterprises and activities of the foreshore. These include the RNLI, Hastings Adventure Golf, the Shipwreck Museum, the Sea Angling Association, the White Rock Hotel, Hastings Voluntary Lifeguards, and many others. I meet the chair and vice-chair of the CUG each month to ensure communication stays strong and urgent matters are addressed promptly.

The Trust wants to increase its impact. Since its first priority is the condition of the foreshore, it has recently appointed an additional full-time beach cleaner – actually 1.3 beach cleaners, to provide cover 364 days a year. It has also appointed a financial accountant, to keep a sharp eye on revenues and outgoings, and is currently recruiting a Foreshore Trust manager whose brief will cover the development of new beach facilities, with the objectives of enhancing both the ‘foreshore experience’ and the Trust’s income stream.

These new appointments – which are independent of the Council – will foster the overall expertise of the Trust. This is acutely necessary. Under local government reorganisation the Council itself will probably disappear. We do not yet know what will replace HBC. With so much change on the horizon we need long-term continuity for the Trust, and these appointments will help a great deal.