We need deeds from Eastbourne Borough Council, not drama

Declaring a Cost of Living Emergency dramatically grabs the headlines and a news feature, and proves Eastbourne’s Lib Dem councillors would prefer to showboat rather than deliver practical solutions.

We are less than a year away from Eastbourne’s local elections. Let’s hope this is not a taste of the electioneering that is to come.

Eastbourne Borough Council has a poor record of addressing the emergencies it declares. It has made little impact on the Climate Emergency since 2019. Community-based organisations have been left pretty much to their own devices towards making Eastbourne carbon neutral in 2030.

The council was granted emergency powers during the pandemic to create temporary pop-up cycle lanes promoting active travel, improving air quality, and reducing reliance on oil and gas. These powers were never acted on, and it has made little or no progress in finding a suitable council owned site for the Eastbourne Climate Coalition’s Climate Hub. It does not bode well for the Lib Dems’ cost of living emergency.

Typically, the small-state obsessed Tory opposition suggested financing emergency support by selling off council assets, which is the equivalent of burning the forest to deal with the energy crisis!

Action is needed now, to help people cope with the mental, physical, and financial stress caused by the Government’s economic failure. More clearly targeted and accessible advice and guidance signposting should be provided. There should be full use of discretionary payments and emergency grants.

Eastbourne’s five council owned community centres should be readied to provide warm welcoming home from home support in time for the worsening conditions later this year.

We need a council that leads, not one that just provides token support for already stretched community organisations. We need actions not empty words. We need deeds not drama please LibDems.