New Message from The Town Mayor Concerning COVID-19

In an address to town residents, the Mayor of Hailsham, Cllr Paul Holbrook, has outlined the latest steps the town council has had to put into place during the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown and what can be done to help each other.

“I am writing this message to update you all on the various measures we have put into place in order to minimise the risk of contracting COVID-19 and navigate the ever-changing environment in Hailsham we are currently experiencing.

These are unprecedented and very worrying times, yet, in response to the challenge presented by the Coronavirus, the Town Council continues to work with other local authorities, voluntary groups.

I know all of you will be concerned and worried about the Coronavirus pandemic, and I want to reassure you that your Town Council is playing its part in slowing the spread of the virus.

We have decided to postpone all our meetings until further notice, in line with advice from Public Health England and other government agencies and we have put in place a scheme of delegation that allows officers to run the services and make key decisions necessary for business continuity without doing or spending anything new.

The Town Council has also decided to close the James West Community Centre to help restrict the spread of the Coronavirus and will not accept hall bookings until further notice. The same applies to the Fleur de Lys Meeting Room and Southview Community Rooms.

Furthermore, the Council’s youth services have been temporarily closed, with the suspension of Square Youth Cafe and Monday Youth Club sessions, in addition to Friday Night Project activities.

All play areas maintained by the Town Council have been closed to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, along with the outdoor gyms on the Western Road Recreation Ground and Maurice Thornton Playing Field.

Public open spaces such as Hailsham Country Park, the Common Pond, Western Road Recreation Ground and Maurice Thornton Playing Field will remain open to the public, although residents MUST heed government advice relating to social distancing. The same applies to our allotment sites.

Hailsham Town Council has moved to assure residents that the town centre post office will remain open for as long as it can during the Coronavirus outbreak, as an essential service to the local community. The post office will offer limited services until further notice and will be open from 10am-2pm, Monday to Saturday.

One thing is clear – the Coronavirus situation will likely continue for months, and it’s crucial that any measures we take are sustainable for the long-term.

The health and welfare of all our staff, members and residents is our primary concern and we do not underestimate the challenges which we all face in the months ahead.

I cannot praise enough our residents and businesses for pulling together during this past week to help the more vulnerable members of the local community. They have done a sterling job!

Let us all continue the community spirit that Hailsham is renowned for and continue to help those who are self-isolating, the elderly, disabled or those with underlying conditions that put them at risk.

These are challenging times, but I am proud of the response to those challenges by the local community. Let’s continue further and make sure the more vulnerable people who are self-isolating get the help they need. Thank you.”