On its way by the summer of 2009 will be a £92million college in the heart of our town, and this should be key to our regeneration. To achieve that, the college is going through a massive period of changes, and inevitably there are casualties along the way. Courses are being axed and staff losing their jobs, but principal Sue Middlehurst is adamant this needs to be done. Sue and her team have a vision, and they are determined to make it happen. On Monday they thanked their unsung staff and honoured top departments and individuals. The Hastings College 'journey' has only just begun, but for the future of Hastings, and our students, let's hope it's a long and successful one. PS The food at the Channel Heights restaurant provided by catering students was superb.

So Wednesday is budget cuts night, and you don't even need to buy a ticket. To witness the latest farce from Hastings Borough Council, just pop along to St Mary in the Castle at 6pm. Council meetings are normally held at the Town Hall, but a huge crowd is expected. Councillors will be debating - well arguing - about issues key to us all. What services will they be cutting? It's a fact that we are the third highest spending authority in the country, and that's no record to be proud of. If you do decide to go, expect childish, petty squabbling, but then that's par for the course. Just ignore all that - it's pathetic - and concentrate on which party is trying to provide the best for Hastings.

There are local elections coming up in May, but a general election now looks unlikely until 2010. I had lunch on Tuesday with Tory hopeful Amber Rudd and we were debating who would win in Hastings if a general election was called today. My bet - despite his party being unpopular nationally - would be Michael Foster, but only just, and based on his personal vote.

So now it is official, and Conquest campaigner Margaret Williams is standing against council leader Peter Pragnell in those May elections. It's LibDem versus Tory. The outcome will decide on whether the election is fought on the hospital, or other issues as well, and of course I am sure Peter will point out that he is 100 percent in favour of all services being maintained at the Conquest, as of course Margaret is. The only pity of Margaret standing is that whenever she speaks in the future on behalf of Friends of the Conquest she will no longer be seen as independent, but as a politican. And that is a pity. Full credit to the LibDems for snapping her up - who's next, ex-Tory and now Independent councillor Stephen Springthorpe?

It would appear that Poundland will take over the Mothercare shop in Priory Meadow. This kind of change is a backward step for our town centre and should be resisted. Come on John Hough and Rob Woods, we want quality shops to enhance the town centre, otherwise shoppers will be driven away to other towns. It is also disappointing that Sussex Stationers - a very popular bookshop - is leaving us.