Mayor’s New Year Message to the People of Hailsham

“I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas break with their family, friends and loved ones.

As we get back to our normal routines, it is time to turn our attention to the year ahead and think about and plan for the future, both as individuals and as a Town Council. We have a great community here in Hailsham and I hope that each and every one of you looks to the future with a positive determination to make this year, 2016, the best yet.

Hailsham Town Council has spent 2015 busily working away for the benefit of the local community and its residents, and 2016 will be no different.

The Town Council will continue to work in partnership with other local authorities to establish road and transport improvements for Hailsham to help minimise the impact of more housing on the transport network in the future.

Work will be underway this summer on a major project to improve the town centre, which includes road layout improvements, changes to parking and a new pedestrian crossing to name but a few things — making everything overall more pedestrian and traffic friendly.

We will see improvements such as widened footways where needed, a reduction in parking but additional loading bays to improve traffic flow, more parking for blue badge holders, the introduction of short-stay parking bays, new pedestrian crossings, bus stop improvements and more.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind people about the Hailsham Hero Community Award, of which I will be delighted to present the very first awards this year at our Annual Town Meeting on 19^th April.

The award is to celebrate those people working tirelessly amongst us, in recognition of outstanding service to the people of Hailsham, or perhaps a person who has committed a single act of bravery, heroism or selflessness in the past twelve months. Do you know of anyone who fits the bill?

Please come forward with nominations by downloading a form via the Town Council website or visit our reception in Market Street. The deadline for nominations is 4pm on Friday 29th January.

In closing, I would like you the residents of Hailsham to know that my fellow town councillors and our dedicated staff are here for you, and if they have any issues about the town you should get in touch with us. While we cannot promise to be able to solve every problem, we will always endeavour to do our very best to achieve some sort of positive outcome.

I’m looking forward to the remaining few months in my current term of office as Town Mayor, feel honoured to serve and represent the people of Hailsham and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very healthy and prosperous 2016.

On behalf of the Town Council I wish everyone a healthy, happy and prosperous new year and look forward to more good news in 2016.”

Councillor Nigel Coltman, Town Mayor & Chairman