Hampden Park residents complain about council's work efficiency

Back in 2018, Hampden Park Council agreed to allocate £9,000,000 to improve land and property at the Hampden Park Retail Park; this amount was inside the council's capital.

Hampden Park residents are upset about the high investment and where that allocation only went to improve the Retail Park in the area and not to maintain their other town surroundings clean.

Mrs. Sanders, a resident of Hampden Park, said: "It is absolutely pointless; too many local shops are already struggling and empty.

"The Council shouldn't be spending that sort of money on it. They should invest the money into other things like care for elderly people."

"It is one of life's great paradoxes that, while the Law permits the Council to spend money on this retail investment, it has severely restricted its ability to invest in other, perhaps more socially worthwhile matters, such as social housing."

According to a cabinet paper of Eastbourne Borough Council, which outlines the rationale behind the investment, this considerable investment would ensure the longevity of the site and the positive economic and employment impact upon the area and the town.

Councillor Colin Swansborough and the lead cabinet member for Core Support and Strategic Services, said: "The original cost of the retail park was much higher than the 9 million pounds, and the money spent on it cannot be spent on local services.

"As a Hampden Park Councillor and County Councillor, I meet hundreds of Hampden Park people frequently, and I have had none with bad feedback about the retail park."

However, the area's residents need more accountability from the Council as they have to create wardens groups to ensure their park is clean and safe by collecting the rubbish, educating the public, and looking after the wildfowls, among other things the Council has overlooked.

Carrigan Whittington, one of the members of the warden group, said: "We want to make a stand and maintain our park beautiful to our visitors. We do this ourselves because no one actually bothers to do it.

"We do not receive anything from the Council. A gardener is supposed to pick up the litter, but he spends more time talking and only works there till 3 pm."

She added: "We have been told by the council to stop doing what we do to protect our public spaces."