What is life really like in one of England’s most deprived towns?

One neighbourhood to the north-east of Hastings was ranked as the seventh most deprived in England.

The area is sandwiched between the suburbs of St Helen’s and Ore and covers much of the housing on and around Chiltern Drive, Malvern Way and Ivyhouse Lane.

But Ms Ibison told the BBC that the government data does not necessarily tell the whole story.

“In Hastings, there are examples of fantastic community initiatives and organisations doing amazing work,” she said.

“Part of how we tackle some of the challenges of living in deprived areas is about involving communities in decisions and listening to their needs.”

This can enable residents to “really foster that sense of agency, ownership and pride in [their] local area,” she added.