Hastings Alexandra Park safety improvements 'nearing completion'

Hastings Borough Council said CCTV cameras have been installed throughout the park, which will be going live soon, as well as fences and gates.

The move comes after the authority received a £208,000 grant in March last year to help tackle violence against women and girls in Alexandra Park.

The council’s bid for the money was prompted by Claire Noble and Kay Early who carried out a petition for safety improvements.

Kay was walking her dog in the park in June 2020 when she was attacked by a man who repeatedly punched her in the face.

The council said fences and gates have been installed in the lower park to prevent hidden areas, as well as low-level lighting to increase visibility in particularly dark spots and the removal of dense vegetation and planting of low-ground cover plants to create open paths.

New notice boards have also been installed throughout the park. These all include a unique What 3 Words location, a valuable tool that enables exact locations to be shared easily in emergencies.

The council added that a 17 camera CCTV system has also been installed, and when fully operational, this will record key locations, including the entrances and exits in the lower park and the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA).

A council spokesperson said: “The cameras will provide high-quality day and night images and aim to deter and assist in the detection of crime and anti-social behaviour. While the cameras will not be monitored on a day-to-day basis, they will provide vital footage that can be retrieved to support investigations when necessary.

“Other improvements have been made to bus stops next to the park, with East Sussex Highways due to install real-time passenger information boards in the next few weeks. These will display precise bus arrival times and information on how to access support if someone is experiencing domestic abuse.”

Cllr Judy Rogers, lead for community safety, governance and disabled access at Hastings Borough Council, said: “Our aim as a council was to try and make the park a safer place for all women, whether residents or visitors, so that they can all enjoy what the park has to offer by reducing the fear of violence which some women face every day. We hope that these changes will support our commitment as a council to ensure our town is an enjoyable and safe place in which to live or visit.

“All of the improvements have been done with the aim of enhancing the park in addition to making it a safer space, with care taken by our highly knowledgeable parks team to ensure no rare or endangered plants were damaged in the process.

“We would like to thank the two women, Claire Noble and Kay Early, who campaigned tirelessly for safety improvements and shared with us the town’s concerns about women’s safety. We would also like to thank the Office of the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (OSPCC), who dedicated resources to submitting this joint bid to the Home Office for funding.”