Bringing Bexhill together, through the Pride in Place 10-year programme.
Summary of plan to MHCLG as part of the Pride in Place Programme Submission to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 28 November 2025 

1. Introduction and local context 

Bexhill on Sea is defined by pride and potential. At its heart stands the iconic De La Warr Pavilion—built by the 9th Earl of De La Warr to “become a crucible for creating a new model of cultural provision in an English seaside town.” This landmark is framed by our prime seafront, beautiful parks, and high streets lined with independent cafés, restaurants, and shops. Our community organisations are strong, with many volunteer-led, and in engagement Bexhill was consistently described as a ‘caring town.’ 

The Pride in Place programme offers Bexhill the chance to shape its next chapter with confidence. Nationally, the programme seeks to repair fractured communities and widen prospects. For Bexhill, this means bringing residents together in a shared sense of pride and belonging—building on the pillars of culture, community, and heritage that make us unique—while creating a town that can prosper into the future. 

To achieve this vision, we must address deep-seated inequalities, conserve our natural, architectural, and cultural assets, and make the most of our town centre’s physical infrastructure. 

Our Regeneration Plan aims to amplify what puts Bexhill on the map—its cultural legacy, growing creative economy, and access to nature—while creating a place where everyone feels represented and valued. Whatever age, heritage, or circumstance, every person should feel they matter. As a Neighbourhood Board, our ambition is not only to enhance capital infrastructure but to strengthen community life for the next decade and beyond. 

This Bexhill Neighbourhood Board Vision for the Future captures the underpinning body of evidence which identifies economic need, market context and health and social inequalities. The evidence is taken from a wide range of sources, including the data pack and data polling provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and supplemented by local data from recent strategic needs assessment and community and business engagement.

1.1 People 

Bexhill is a coastal town in East Sussex, the largest urban settlement in Rother District and home to around 43,750 residents, based on 2022 data. Its population has grown by 3% since 2011, with further growth expected due to new housing developments. While some areas are affluent, Bexhill faces significant socio-economic challenges: over 20% of its neighbourhoods rank among the most deprived in England, particularly Sidley (which is the top 10% of England wards for deprivation indices) and parts of Central Bexhill. Health and social inequalities are stark. Levels of productivity and average wages are low. Educational attainment, skills and employment levels are below national averages, and seasonal reliance on hospitality and retail creates instability for local workers. Fuel poverty and housing affordability remain pressing issues, alongside health inequalities and limited access to services. 

Bexhill has a reputation for being a town of older residents. In 2022, the median age in Bexhill was 54 years, compared to a median age in England of 40 and across Rother of 53 years. Latest data from 2021 showed a youth population (0-17) of c. 7,000. However, anecdotal evidence shows that many families and people of pre-retirement age are increasingly moving into Bexhill and this will increase further with significant new housing development planned. 

Local estate agents and community groups tell us that Bexhill is also becoming more multi-racial, a picture which is changing rapidly since 2021 figures which showed only 5.8% of the population self-reporting in categories apart from White British. There is a significant Ukrainian community in Bexhill and several ‘hidden communities,’ for example, an established but unseen Chinese community. The picture continues to evolve and is important consideration in the development of our 10-year plan. These demographic shifts and the need to retain younger populations create a case for a more diverse, contemporary and experiential retail and food/beverage offer (see below 1.4 Economy). 

1.2 History 

Historically, Bexhill was a thriving seaside resort and is celebrated as the birthplace of British motor racing. Its architectural heritage includes Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s buildings, and the internationally renowned De La Warr Pavilion, an icon of modernist design and a hub for contemporary arts. It is notable for its architecture, with a range of historically significant (even where they are not listed) buildings especially in the town centre and on the sea front. Cultural assets such as Bexhill Museum, the bandstand and the shelters on East Parade, for example, are a source of pride in the town.

1.3 Identity 

Bexhill’s identity today reflects both tradition and modernity. Independent businesses, creative studios at Beeching Road, and community-led initiatives contribute to a vibrant cultural economy. A range of community events and festivals underpin a strong creative identity. Many are traditional community events such as those organised by the Motor 100 Club, the Horse Show and the Carnival. Others are contemporary in nature such as Bexhill After Dark. The creative identity of Bexhill is reflected by a small but increasing number of creative businesses moving into Bexhill. The blend of heritage and creativity offers the potential for resilience and growth, distinguishing Bexhill from many other coastal towns. 

Community spirit is one of Bexhill’s defining strengths, with active voluntary organisations and strong local pride. Bexhill Heritage, Bexhill Motor 100 Club, Bexhill Music Festival, Bexhill Environmental Group are but a few long-established volunteer led community groups and organisations in the town. More recently established community arts collectives such as the Footbridge Gallery and the Bexhill Cultural Network, which recently organised a successful Arts Weekender event, highlight the growing momentum around newer, innovative initiatives. 

1.4 Economy 

Despite the many strengths in Bexhill, economic challenges persist: low productivity, stagnant business growth, and limited opportunities for young people risk accelerating youth outmigration. For example, a Property Market Baseline analysis by PRD 2025 (the PRD study) indicated a stable tenancy mix in Bexhill retail, but this is linked to lack of variety and innovation in the offer, which can impact on interest for younger demographics looking for diverse and new experience. Engagement with residents highlights concern about evening safety which has worsened in the past year due to a rise in shoplifting with threat of violence, community perceptions of anti-social behaviour, poor transport connectivity, and a lack of leisure and employment options for younger generations. See Section 4. Strategic Case for Change for further details.

2. Spatial targeting 

The agreed geographic boundary for our programme is the whole town of Bexhill on Sea as shown in the boundary map below Fig. 1, which was agreed with DLUHC at the time (June 2024). 

Within this boundary the priority focus for investment is the Bexhill town centre high streets and seafront. The Board feel that investing here to improve footfall and retail/food and beverage business sustainability is core to the prosperity of all residents, with positive impact on local employment, positive place identity and pride. Key to this is opening of the side exits from the station to direct footfall into the town centre high streets. 

Also, whilst Sidley ward has received significant capital investment through Levelling Up Funding and Big Local, there remains a high level of need in the area, particularly around skills and employment. Sidley is the most deprived ward in the town and in the top 10% of most deprived ward in England. It is therefore proposed that investment in Sidley is included as a key ward within the programme. Specific interventions will be agreed through a co-development with Sidley residents and stakeholders of the priorities for the ward over the next 10 years.

Wider than the town centre and Sidley, it is important for community cohesion and ownership that other wards can benefit from support for community led initiatives that meet hyper local needs and can activate local community spaces. 

3. Summary vision for the future 

Bexhill will flourish as a lively coastal town that celebrates its heritage while creating opportunities for all residents to thrive. 

Our Pride in Place Regeneration Plans will contribute to the overarching Place Plan for Bexhill by nurturing what the town is known and loved for—its arts and cultural legacy, growing creative economy, natural spaces and the seafront. 

Welcoming public spaces and improved connectivity will improve the vitality of our high streets, where independent businesses can prosper and residents and visitors spend time. The look and feel of the town centre High Streets will be optimised. 

Bexhill will provide good, secure employment opportunities, becoming more diverse as a creative hub and offer new workspaces. Better walking and cycling routes and improved community transport will connect our communities to the jobs, skills and services they need to thrive. The particular needs of Sidley and its communities will be recognised. 

Bexhill will be a place where residents feel proud, young people work and build futures, and visitors are drawn to our unique identity. 

4. Strategic case for change 

4.1 Challenges and priorities 

Thriving Places 

Challenges for Thriving Places 

Our focused stakeholder consultation to develop the Bexhill Place Plan identified clear challenges to address in ensuring Bexhill has thriving places. The Neighbourhood Board cannot address all of these, but we have clear understandings with the County, District, and Town Councils on how the Pride in Place funding can support respective initiatives in Bexhill. Specifically, our plans will seek to address the following challenges:

Connectivity Challenges 
Connectivity is poor, especially wayfinding to direct footfall into the town centre high streets. There is statistical and anecdotal evidence from engagement that business prosperity in the town centre is low. Businesses report that even on busy days on the seafront, there is little additional spend in the town. A key challenge for us is to work with businesses to co‑create solutions through better promotion and improved wayfinding into and through the high streets. The main railway station exit is disconnected from the town centre, acting as a barrier to footfall, as walking through the high streets to reach the seafront is counterintuitive with the existing exit. There are also challenges in connectivity from the outer wards into the town centre, with low bus frequency and limited evening services, which adds to health and social inequalities (Objective 2: Stronger Communities also refers). 

Vacant units and stagnant offer 
In September 2025, a Gap Analysis and Property Market Baseline study was undertaken by PRD, as part of our Bexhill Place Plan development. This highlights that retail vacancies were reported as under 1% across the whole of Bexhill, which is lower than many coastal towns. However, this is not cause for complacency. Our own soft audit of vacant retail units in the town centre indicates much higher rates (>5% in August 2025). RDC Economic and Regeneration Team will commission an independent audit of vacant units in the town centre high streets, to be delivered by March 2026. This will provide an objective baseline from which to monitor future progress. 

Certainly, our business and community engagement linked retail vacancies in the town centre to a general feeling of “decline and despair” (Bexhill resident in focus group June 24). In engagement, residents focused on the larger vacant buildings that were previously banks. The sense of regret was linked to feelings of loss of those amenities, going beyond the fact of the vacancies themselves. This highlights the importance of ‘felt’ need to be considered alongside statistical evidence, especially given the Government funding themes. Furthermore, comparatively lower vacancy rates could also be an indication of entrenched businesses, with part time opening (semi-retired owners). Newer businesses (coming into Bexhill within the past 3 years), who have engaged dynamically in our engagement, have been clear about the need for a refreshed and more dynamic offer to create increased footfall and spend. 

Investment within Bexhill can drive diversification and bring new, improved opportunities for residents. A revitalised town centre sits at the heart of this. Bexhill’s town centre is home to many businesses and jobs within the town, indicating a clear link between thriving places and the ability of individuals to take back control of their own lives.

Public Realm Challenges 
Parking is a controversial issue in the town centre. We have a higher-than-average number of disabled residents, and the connectivity issues described above are not conducive to residents or visitors using public transport. Town centre streets are dominated by cars, with narrow pavements and poor pedestrianisation. Those who do drive are frustrated by the lack of available parking in a congested system. However, it is also the case that we need to promote active travel (walking, cycle, use of public transport services) to address health, business footfall and environmental concerns. Vacant shopfronts, especially larger buildings that used to house valued community amenities such as former bank premises, create a sense of decline and undermine confidence and vibrancy in the high streets. Whilst the seafront is in many ways the jewel in Bexhill's crown, some areas lack shading around seating and activation features, limiting wellbeing and visitor potential. 

Wayfinding and Navigation 
Although there have been several historical attempts at creating signage, there is general agreement in engagement that what we currently have is outdated and lacks coherence. This is particularly true regarding signage into the high streets from the seafront and the station. Combe Valley Countryside Park is an area of huge potential for community wellbeing, but there is a lack of awareness of what the area offers and how to access it from different points in the town. 

Social and Economic Factors 
As referenced above, low footfall and a limited evening economy reduce activity and business viability in the town centre. Footfall is lower than comparator centres of an equivalent size. Although we have a growing youth population, there are limited opportunities for young people in Bexhill, including leisure and socialisation, skills development, and pathways to employment in good-quality jobs. What we do have needs to be co-ordinated and we need to make sure it is being used to its full potential. We face a significant risk (validated by our engagement with young people) of youth migration out of Bexhill, due to lack of opportunity. This will make Bexhill increasingly unsustainable as a thriving place. 

Priorities for Thriving Places 

Town Centre High Streets transformation 
Our priorities strongly emphasise investment in the town centre and seafront enhancements for the reasons given above. Across the 10-year life of the PiPP, we aim to undertake extensive public realm upgrades in the town centre, which should become a place of pride and a centre for community events, al fresco dining, and socialising. Widened pavements, greenery, seating, and spill‑out spaces would enable businesses to create a vibrant, pedestrian‑friendly environment. To fully achieve this vision, opening up the side entrances/exits from the station (one of which goes directly into Devonshire Square rather than away from the high streets) is key if it can be achieved. 

Enhanced wayfinding 
Enhanced wayfinding will include clearer and coherently curated signage as well as digital tools to encourage walking through the town. These will focus on connecting the station, high streets, and seafront, making navigation easier for all residents, including those with mobility challenges. 

Walking trails 
AR and AI-based digital trails will encourage visitors and residents to explore lesser-known treasures of Bexhill—such as Egerton Park, dinosaur footprints on the beach, art galleries, and businesses—as well as widely known attractions like the De La Warr Pavilion. These will have health benefits, but also significant co-benefits in activation, attracting visitors, family and community cohesion. 

Activation of the seafront 
We will also focus on seafront activation, especially the area from the De La Warr Pavilion through to Galley Hill via East Parade. 

In community engagement, the most popular and consistently requested project was the restoration of the water fountain and splash pool on the front lawns, which has not worked since 2017 but was well loved by residents and visiting families. In terms of community ownership and cohesion, achieving this project is a high priority to explore whether and how this can be achieved. 

Greening 
Greening projects are also a priority for our Thriving Communities workstream, creating shade, slow drainage to help address flood risk, and enhancing the town centre high streets as well as hyper-local areas where communities identify this as a priority. 

Community transport 
High quality and comprehensive availability of community transport can be key to unlocking active travel and reducing social isolation. A gap analysis is needed to identify the exact needs and provision in relation to community bus services, especially for older people and for those in Sidley, which is our most deprived ward and disconnected from the town centre and seafront by the A259—a fast and busy road with poor crossing facilities. When we have more information, we will work in partnership with current community transport providers, including the Government funded Flexibus, to maximise use of existing facilities and address any outstanding gaps.

Stronger Communities 

Challenges for stronger communities 

Interconnection of thriving places, stronger communities and taking back control 
With our specific context, we view Stronger Communities challenges as inherently linked to those for Thriving Places and Taking Back Control. The physical disconnection of Sidley residents from the town centre, combined with financial deprivation, lower skills attainment, and lower employment levels, leads to social disconnection and lack of ownership in the community and town. 

Challenges of a fast-changing demography 
Our rapidly changing demographics, which will be exponentially increased by the rapid expansion of new housing developments, risk exacerbating already identified contrasts between older, longer-term residents and businesses (many of these businesses being part-time with limited opening hours) and incoming residents and businesses (generally younger, working-age populations, families, and entrepreneurial business owners). 

The limited opportunities for younger people for socialising, development activities, skills attainment, and pathways to good-quality and sustainable employment is a challenge across all funding themes. In engagement, young people have consistently said that there are many things they love about Bexhill, but they lack a sense of belonging and worry about how they will settle here as adults with employment and opportunities to raise their own families. 

Other contrasts in views among different populations include those who wish to see more pedestrianisation and promotion of active travel in the town centre versus those who would like more parking availability. 

Safety and sense of safety 
Whilst official statistics from 2022 show high levels of perceived safety, we know this is rapidly being eroded by an exponential rise in shoplifting. Perceptions of threat of violence and anti-social behaviour are rapidly increasing across all age groups and are an immediate barrier to activating the evening economy (although we see evening activation as a solution to this challenge in the longer term). 

Priorities for Stronger Communities 

Social inclusion in public spaces 
Our priorities for Stronger Communities are also linked to Thriving Places, as they are reflected in how we will activate public spaces to ensure community inclusion and cohesion. For example, public realm improvements will include specific activation interventions particularly focused on children, families, and younger people. We plan to use revenue funding to stimulate new events that will attract younger people and families, as well as arts and creative activities, which young people have told us they particularly value about Bexhill. 

There is evidence from our engagement to support a focus on greening in the first four-year plan, which consultation suggests will appeal to all sections of the population and businesses. We will explore the viability of repurposing a high street vacant building into a multipurpose venue for co-working, skills development (for example, creative and media skills), and pathways to employment hubs will provide a focus for younger and working-age people in the town centre (see Taking Back Control). 

Improving youth voice 
We are committed to improving youth voice across the whole town and with our partners, rather than a specific intervention that only serves the Neighbourhood Board. This will maximise impact and reduce duplication. This will mainly be achieved through existing staff capacity. A specific allocation of resources to a youth-led small grant award scheme will be a valuable mechanism for increasing young people's sense of ownership and collective responsibility, whilst also providing small-scale funding for youth-led projects. 

Grants programme for local community led initiatives 
A grants programme to support community (or business collective) led initiatives will encourage community ownership and local pride across the whole town and promote, reward, and expand our strong culture of volunteering to other age groups and people with a range of community interests. This will focus on activating community spaces through art, events, and other health, wellbeing, and cultural projects. Within this, a specific annual capital grant has been ringfenced for community-led initiatives in Sidley. 

Integrating safety into everything we do 
We are working closely with the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and Sussex Police to integrate community safety features into all our interventions. This will focus on making spaces inclusive with safer, well-lit walking routes and will be linked to evening-time high street and seafront activation. We will use capacity funding in 25/26 to train up our staff, Board Members and key partner staff in CPD accredited safety assessment capabilities, as well as commissioning a baseline safety audit of the town centre public realm. 

Taking Back Control 

Challenges for Taking Back Control 

Local deprivation and barriers to basic life opportunities 
Demographic data evidence shows that Bexhill faces high levels of inequality. The polarisation of health outcomes, access to opportunities and income levels means the challenges in some neighbourhoods are hidden within local authority level averages. Sidley, in the north-east of Bexhill, is within the 10% most deprived areas in the country. Average income after housing costs for families in Sidley are over £10,000 per year lower than the wealthiest areas of Bexhill 1. 

Addressing deprivation and removing barriers to opportunity in Sidley is vital to improving overall prosperity in Bexhill. It is home to much of the working age population, and a substantial proportion of Bexhill’s young people, with nearly a quarter of all residents aged under 15 years old (22%). Investment in targeted, place-based projects funded through the Neighbourhood Plan is essential for reducing social exclusion and ensuring that all Bexhill’s young people can meet their full potential. Fig. 2 overleaf shows Bexhill and Sidley population by age from 2021 data. 

Reducing health inequalities 
Across Bexhill, health outcomes are generally poor. GP reported disease prevalence is higher for every disease in the Bexhill Primary Care Network (PCN), compared with England. Whilst the higher prevalence of health challenges is to be expected with a high elderly population, there is significant spatial disparity. There is high inequality in healthy life expectancy, across Rother this is 15 years for males, 13 years for females. This measures the difference in the number of healthy years between different neighbourhoods in a place, for example the healthy life expectancy of males in Central Bexhill is 56.6, compared to 71.6 years in St Marks. 7% of the town’s population (3,800 12 people) reported their health as “bad” or “very bad” in the 2021 Census, but in Sidley this rose to 9%

Poor health is impacting the ability for residents to participate in the labour market and targeted intervention is vital to raise living standards. Whilst across Rother 4% of residents are out of work due to sickness and disability, this rises to up to 18% in some neighborhoods in Sidley3, indicating the clear links between health inequality and individual, family and community prosperity. 

Trust and ownership 
A key challenge for Taking Back Control is ensuring that local people have a genuine voice and influence over decisions that affect their lives. Historically, there has been a perception of limited transparency and accountability in decision-making processes, which has led to disengagement and mistrust. 

There is also a challenge in ensuring that governance structures are inclusive and representative of the diverse communities within Bexhill, including younger people, minority groups, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. People who feel marginalised need to see themselves reflected in our plan. Digital exclusion remains a barrier for some residents, limiting their ability to access information, participate in consultations, and benefit from online services. 

Skills and employment gaps 
The Government’s Opportunity Mission emphasises the importance of good education to improve social mobility and break the link between a child’s background and future success. The outcomes of children in Bexhill is tied closely to location within the town. Within central Bexhill, up to 92% of school pupils are meeting the expected standard in KS2, but this declines to 53% at schools in Sidley. 

Challenges in education and training are persistent within Bexhill’s adult population. 47% of the adults in Bexhill have no or lower-level qualifications, rising to 55% in Sidley. Across Rother, adult achievements in further education and skills training programmes are also relatively low. In 2024/25, 44% of those aged 19+ enrolled in programme achieved, compared to 56% across the South East4

Economically, Bexhill’s visitor economy remains important. In 2023 Bexhill was home to 45% of Rother’s jobs (12,900). Over the past five years, there have been 750 new jobs in the town, and this has supported overall growth in employment across Rother District which is higher than the Southeast average. The town relies heavily on several anchor employers, including Hastings Direct, Bexhill Hospital, Rother District Council (RDC) and Bexhill Sixth Form College. However, lack of diversity of employers creates vulnerabilities and there is a need to build resilience. 

Despite relatively stable numbers, jobs within Bexhill are dominated by low paying employment. Alongside the major anchor institutions, there is significant employment in care, retail and hospitality industries. These roles are typically lower paid, and gross weekly worker earnings in Rother are the lowest in the Southeast at £614, £127 lower than the regional average. In 2024, 21% of Rother’s jobs were below the Living Wage, the highest proportion in East Sussex and much higher than the England average of 16%. The number of lower value opportunities is also impacting productivity in Bexhill, with GVA at £33,151 per job filled in 2020, compared with £39,108 in Rother and £58,869 in England. Fig. 3 below shows jobs change between 2019-2023 across Bexhill. 

Priorities for Taking Back Control 

Addressing health through active travel 
Active travel encompasses a wide range of interventions which could be picked up in our later plans. In our first 4-year plan we aim to encourage walking and active outdoor play by all, with a particular focus on children and families. Our plans include AR educational and discovery trails, which are low cost and able to be adapted and refreshed to encourage use over the long term. We are exploring the use of pavement trails and games as part of public realm enhancements. Our proposed Arts trail will build on the cultural and creative feel and reputation of Bexhill and can provide learning for other trails (coastal, natural spaces, heritage) to follow. 

Modelling transparency and meaningful engagement 
Our priorities for Taking Back Control focus on strengthening local governance, improving transparency, and empowering residents to shape the future of Bexhill. We will establish clear mechanisms for community input into decision-making, including regular public forums, digital engagement platforms, and targeted outreach to underrepresented groups. In the longer term (years 5 and beyond) we could invest in digital inclusion initiatives, providing training and resources to help residents develop the skills needed to engage effectively online. This will include partnerships with ESCC, older people’s forums, literacy classes, libraries, and community organisations. 

To ensure accountability, we will publish regular progress reports on PiPP initiatives and create opportunities for residents to monitor and evaluate outcomes. 

Supporting community led actions 
Finally, we will support the development of community-led projects that promote civic participation, leadership development, and collaborative problem-solving, ensuring that Taking Back Control is not just a principle but a lived reality for all residents. 

Supporting a systems-based approach to skills and employment 
The Neighbourhood Board will actively support and promote business engagement and a systems wide approach to address the skills and employment gaps identified. Whilst a modest budget has been allocated to this area, it will be kept under review as opportunities present. In the meantime, the active membership of the Board (from the local Councils, Education and Community Support providers) will be an active driver for a partnership action group to address the systemic issues relating to skills and employment. Key to this will be working closely with ESCC to avoid duplication and maximise use of resources for Bexhill.

4.2 Long term outcomes 

The long-term outcomes we are seeking to achieve address key statistical indicators and anecdotal indicators from community and business engagement as outlined above in Section 3. We aim to impact positively on these key areas: 

• Increased footfall in the town centre, from residents and visitors 

• Improvements in the link between footfall for seafront/events and spend in local businesses 

• Increase in residents reporting active travel 

• Community sense of pride, cohesion and belonging 

• Local employment of local people 

5. Match funding and leveraged investment 

Our project plans show possibilities for significant match funding from local amenities providers and public sector partners, but these are to be confirmed once project planning is fully underway. Plans for the activation of the town centre and seafront could also potentially be matched by local businesses. 

There is match funding committed by RDC which is identified in the projects captured in our submission return. 

6. Community and stakeholder engagement 

Over the 10-year delivery of the Pride in Place programme we will have clear output targets for community and stakeholder engagement so that it is not an add on, but an integral part of how we operate. We will have a particular emphasis on developing youth voice in relation to our own planning and implementation and as a working model for partner agencies. 

6.1 Neighbourhood Board membership and leadership 

We have a small but highly engaged Board with active members. Our plans going forward will build from our existing practice, in which our Chair and Board members are actively engaged in our engagement activities: 

For many in our community, our Chair is the outward face of the Board. She attends key events and stakeholder meetings and has prepared videos to promote the establishment of the Board and the funding programme. With an increasing public profile, she is asked to contribute to community celebrations and events (for example, this year she was asked to present the Rother Voluntary Action Volunteer Awards in recognition of the invaluable role volunteers play in our community life). This will continue across the life of the Chairship/programme. 

Other Board members attend focus groups and other consultation events, to learn from participants what the prominent issues are for people in Bexhill. Board members with relevant skills and experience will lead working groups on specific issues and priorities, which include VCSE, resident, business or other stakeholders with a particular interest or advisory function. In this way, stakeholders will be able to ask questions and hear directly from Board members, which, experience has shown, facilitates a keen sense of Board unity as well as growing trust with business and the community. This is now an established culture in the Board which hopefully will permeate expectations of new Board members over the lifespan of the programme. 

The Bexhill Neighbourhood Manager brings to the role 30 years’ experience of community engagement and co-production of community initiatives, within the context of community involved strategic partnerships. The Bexhill Neighbourhood Board Project Officer has a background of dynamic and purposeful engagement in complex areas of work such as environmental initiatives. 

6.2 Neighbourhood Board ways of working and distinction from Local Authority 

The Board has already established itself as a local example of good practice in engagement in Bexhill. All engagement is undertaken, led or funded by the Board itself, rather than relying on Local Authority engagement. 

From the outset the Board has benefited from critics in business and community who expressed cynicism regarding the expected lack of independence from the Local Authority. This galvanised the Board in its early days to take robust measures to ensure that it is, and is seen to be, distinct from the District, County and Town Councils. It has a separate identity and communications platforms (we have our own independently hosted website, social media channels, branding and email identity). 

The developing Neighbourhood Board model is tangibly impacted on the District Council’s approach to community and business engagement. 

Whilst the line between acting responsibly as the Accountable Body and supporting the decision making independence of the Neighbourhood Board is challenging, Senior Leaders in RDC have from the inception of the Neighbourhood Board (through LTPfT) actively supported transparency of finances, mutual understanding of the scope of the governance role, respect for the Board’s decision making function and trust in its capability and capacity to engage with business and community in a responsible and constructive way.

6.3 Plans for ensuring buy in from business and communities 

We aim for the best practice in working across the continuum of community engagement and community development: informing, consulting, working out together and supporting communities to lead. 

How we will inform: 

• have a fortnightly posting presence on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts 

• produce a quarterly newsletter which will be published on our website and mailed out to our growing mailing list 

• develop a regular update to the Rother Voluntary Action (RVA) news mailing and Bexhill practitioners’ network and youth practitioners’ group 

• Regular videos from our Chair, other Board members and key stakeholders to communicate progress and plans and focus down on key priority areas of interest 

• Work with a group of young social media advisers, schools and Bexhill College to target messaging to young people directly. 

How we will consult: 

• minimum of 6 focus groups per year aimed at adult residents and businesses. 

• Bexhill youth voice network and events, with precise plans to be co-developed with youth practitioners and young people themselves 

• Incorporate relevant planning and impact measurement questions into the Town Council’s and RDC/Unitary Authority residents surveys 

• maintain an ongoing schedule of strategic stakeholder meetings, community stakeholder networks and visits to community groups (estimated <12 per month) 

How we will work out together: 

• residents, community group and business representatives on any Board working group as appropriate to the need of the group. We already have community group representatives on our Comms working group; we have RVA representation on our Fountain working group; we have representation from Bexhill Heritage on our place planning working group. Our plans and activity to date have benefited from their specialist advice. We will extend this model to all our working groups throughout the lifespan of the programme. 

How we will support communities to lead: 

• in our proposed vision and priorities, we have included a budget to fund community led initiatives to activate community spaces, from the hyper local to town centre resident and visitor attractions and improvements. Much of this is capital funding in line with the funding from Central Government but revenue is available to support capacity in the community to deliver on the projects that they have identified to meet local need. 

7. Governance 

7.1 Governance structure overview 

The governance structure comprises two principal parties:

• Bexhill Neighbourhood Board – the primary decision-making body responsible for approving strategic priorities, project proposals, and monitoring delivery.

• RDC – the Accountable Body, providing legal, financial, and risk oversight, and ensuring compliance with statutory obligations including the Procurement Act 2023, Equality Act 2010, and Subsidy Control Act 2022.

Key roles include: 

Section 151 Officer – responsible for financial oversight and determining capital/revenue classification. 

Neighbourhood Board Manager – employed by RDC, accountable for day-to-day compliance, risk management, and reporting. 

Neighbourhood Board Chair – liaising closely with the Neighbourhood Board Manager, Head of Corporate and Strategic Services and Section 151 Officer as needed to ensure pro-active oversight of the budget and the programme.

The relationship is collaborative: the Board sets priorities and approves investments, while RDC ensures governance, financial propriety, and statutory compliance.

7.2 How Neighbourhood Board Governance and Transparency Requirements Will Be Met 

A partnership agreement draft has been prepared and has been submitted to the Section 151 Officer and will be presented to the Bexhill Neighbourhood Board for discussion in December 2025. 

In the meantime, it is agreed that governance and transparency will be achieved through:

• Publication of agendas, papers (where appropriate), minutes, and decisions, alongside a public decision log and a register of interests/conflicts.

• Quarterly performance and finance reports prepared by the Neighbourhood Board Manager for the Board and RDC.

• Compliance with procurement transparency obligations under the Procurement Act 2023 and subsidy transparency requirements via the UK subsidy database.

• Documented Equality Impact Assessments (EqIAs) and Climate Impact Assessments included in decision papers. These measures ensure openness, accountability, and compliance with public sector transparency standards. 

7.2 Confirmation of Nolan Principles and Managing Public Money Standards 

The programme will be managed in line with:

• The Seven Principles of Public Life (Nolan Principles) – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership. These form part of our Terms of Reference and are noted at the start of every Board meeting.

• HM Treasury’s Managing Public Money standards, ensuring regularity, propriety, value for money, and feasibility in all decisions and processes. Evidence of compliance will be maintained through documented approvals, audit trails, and Section 151 Officer oversight. 

7.3 High-Level Overview of Route to Market and Process for Appraising and Approving Investments 

Our route to market is in line with RDC and ESCC Procurement Hub established procedures. 

Procurements commenced on or after 24 February 2025 will follow the Procurement Act 2023 regime and have regard to the National Procurement Policy Statements. Routes may include preliminary market engagement activities, competitive procedures, framework call-offs, or other compliant methods.

the Investment Appraisal Process will ensure that each proposal in the Bexhill Neighbourhood Board plan will include an assessment of:

• Strategic fit with programme objectives.

• Options analysis, affordability, commercial viability, and deliverability.

• Risk assessment and mitigation measures.

• Compliance checks: subsidy control assessment, EqIA, and Climate 

This process ensures decisions are robust, transparent, and aligned with statutory and best practice standards.

8. Assurance 

The local authority supports the Neighbourhood Board, including through providing the overarching project support and through Officer and Member representation on the Board. The Council will facilitate the project by acting as the Accountable Body. The Cabinet has already considered a public report which outlines the relationship between the Neighbourhood Board and the Council as the Accountable Body, which acknowledged the decisions on the projects for investment as being a matter for the Board, whilst noting that as the Accountable Body the Council is required to be satisfied that the proposals can be delivered within the rules & guidance that the Council themselves operate within. 

The local authority will ensure that the PiPP government-funded programme is delivered in full compliance with Best Value standards and Managing Public Money principles through the following measures: 

8.1 Governance and Oversight 

The programme will operate under the authority’s established governance framework, with clear accountability lines. 

8.2 Financial Assurance 

The Section 151 Officer will provide statutory oversight of all financial matters, ensuring compliance with local government finance regulations and relevant guidance. Regular financial monitoring reports will be produced and reviewed to confirm expenditure aligns with programme objectives and funding conditions. 

8.3 Risk Management 

An overarching risk register and fraud risk register will be maintained and reviewed regularly to identify and mitigate risks to delivery, financial propriety, and feasibility. The Head of Corporate and Strategic Services will have oversight of risk management. Escalation procedures will be in place for any issues impacting compliance or value for money. Any issues arising in the risk registers will be reported confidentially to the Neighbourhood Board. 

8.4 Procurement and Contract Management 

All procurement will follow the authority’s standing orders and comply with public procurement regulations to ensure decisions are based on robust appraisal and deliver maximum public value.

8.5 Audit and Assurance 

The Council (Accountable Body) has an in-house Internal audit service who would be able to audit or review the control environment related to the project should the assessment of risk identify any relevant concerns. The project will be monitored and reported on in line with the Councils wider reporting arrangements which have recently and regularly been reviewed by the Internal Audit team. The Council also have established contacts with other Internal Audit teams who are able, if required to independently review the control environment if required. External audit where relevant and reporting obligations will be met as required by government funding conditions. 

8.6 Performance and Value for Money 

Regular performance reviews will assess outcomes against agreed objectives, ensuring the programme delivers measurable benefits and represents Best Value. Adjustments will be made where necessary to maintain feasibility and cost-effectiveness. Social and Added Value will be incorporated into the projects delivered by the Neighbourhood Board in all procurement and contracting. 

8.7 Conflicts of interest 

The Neighbourhood Board is highly committed to the Nolan Principles and aware of the need to protect the integrity of decisions and maintain public trust. The Board has its own conflict of interest policy and register which is kept up to date monthly. All Board meetings begin with a call by the Chair to declare any personal, financial, or organisational interests that could influence their judgment on specific agenda items. These declarations are recorded and made publicly accessible where appropriate. In the case of a conflict of interest, the relevant Board member will recuse themselves from discussions and decisions related to the matter, ensuring impartiality. 

As the Accountable Body, the Local Authority, oversees compliance with these rules through the Bexhill Neighbourhood Board Manager, reporting to the Head of Corporate and Strategic Services and the Director of Governance (Monitoring Officer). This is embedded into the draft partnership agreement which has been agreed by the Chair and will be put to the Neighbourhood Board in December 2025. Declarations of interest will form part of the risk registers for the Board and the PiPP.