'I want to know how slamming into the tourism sector is going to help the homeless situation in Hastings', asks museum chief.

We have learnt that Hastings Borough Council intends to help resolve its financial problems by drastically reducing its support of the town’s lifeblood industry – tourism.

One wonders by what kind of logic this decision is arrived at. The main reason given is that the focus has to be on homelessness and housing. Yes – these are undoubtedly major issues and a depressingly high number of people currently do need help with these concerns.

How exactly is slamming into the tourism sector going to help? A decrease in the number of visitors will almost certainly lead to the real possibility of a number of businesses in the town’s tourism - related industries closing down, thereby depriving many people of their livelihood and, accordingly, increasing the number of those who may then need local authority assistance with their housing needs! Where does this vicious circle end? I know that this all sounds like carping and yet another critical assault on councillors, most of whom are decent and well-meaning individuals who have offered their services to help their community.

Unfortunately, good intentions are not enough. If they are not allied to some degree of business and commercial acumen, with an ability to formulate strong, realistic corporate strategies and identify pragmatic solutions, they can actually prove to be quite dangerous.

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