Hastings Borough Council is not going bankrupt, new leader says

Green councillor Julia Hilton became leader of Hastings Borough Council in January following a period of political uncertainty

The new leader of a council has said it is "not going bankrupt", despite warnings from auditors last year.

Julia Hilton became leader of Hastings Borough Council (HBC) in January following weeks of uncertainty.

Eight Labour councillors, including the council leader and deputy leader, quit the party in December and formed a coalition as independents with the Green Party.

It came months after HBC was told it faced imminent effective bankruptcy.

The cabinet, now made up of two Greens and three members of the Hastings Independent Group, are meeting to discuss the budget on Monday.

'Highly irresponsible'

In an interview with BBC South East, Ms Hilton said of the finances: "They are in a much better state than they were. We are not going bankrupt."

She criticised the timing of the defections, describing them as "highly irresponsible" straight after the budget but said continuity was needed.

When asked whether it was undemocratic to have a Green leader, when only four Green councillors had been elected, she said she felt she had to step up to bring "some stability to a council that was completely rudderless".

Half of Hastings Borough Council is up for election at the local council elections in May

Until May, Ms Hilton said her focus was on ensuring HBC grabbed opportunities "with both hands" and "learns from the past mistakes".

She reassured residents of a balanced budget and credited that to a decision to withdraw a contract to build a hotel on council land.

Instead they will sell the land to the company that owns Premier Inn to build the hotel.

"I am pleased that risk has been removed," she said.

However, the draft budget contains a tax rise, an increase to fees and charges, and service cuts.

Ms Hilton blamed temporary accommodation pressures in the town and a "broken" local government system.

A spokesperson for the Hastings Independent Group said talk of leaving the Labour Party and threat of 114 notices were "old news".

They added: "At tonight's cabinet meeting, the Hastings independents are showing that, as the majority party in power, we can deliver a balanced budget and announce the doubling of council tax on empty homes.

"It's the end of national politics in Hastings and the Hastings Independents have the town at its very heart."

The government has been approached for comment.

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