Press Release          Thursday 11 March 2010

Youth volunteers gain national award

Five young people from Brighton & Hove have received a national honour for their outstanding volunteering work. They were given the Prime Minister’s Award for National Civic Service at a ceremony in London.

The young people are (from left) are Jess Lawrence, Sophie Robert, Stacie Dunne, Kirsty Slowe and Annie Bull.

All have completed a 44-week programme doing around 30 hours voluntary a week with children and young people in city.

The scheme was launched last year by v, the National Volunteers Service. It has given the volunteers a chance to work alongside experts in fields such as childcare, youth work, crime prevention and substance misuse. It has also given them an accredited qualification.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, Councillor Vanessa Brown, said: ”If you want a career working with children and young people then this programme is a great move.

“These young people have been incredibly enthusiastic about what they’re doing and it’s been a pleasure to meet them. With the skills they have developed they will be very well placed indeed to apply for jobs or further specialist training in this sector.”

There are still a couple of spaces left on this year’s V Talent youth volunteering programme. For more on the V Talent programme call 01273 293527 as soon as possible.

Press Release         Thursday 11 March 2010

Youth rock and pop showcase celebrates milestone

The cream of Sussex’s young rock and pop talent will once again get the chance to showcase their star qualities as the ‘Sounds from the City’ youth music festival celebrates its tenth birthday at the Pavilion Theatre in Brighton on 29-30 March.

This year 20 young acts take to the stage to perform live with musical styles ranging from rap and grime to funky blues and metal. To get their names on the bill they all had to pass initial auditions held in January.

Since its launch in 2001 Sounds from the City has given opportunities to over 200 bands and soloists. Previous performers have gone on to play in internationally recognised acts including local favourites The Kooks and Architects.

The event has been organised by the music, arts and study support team in the Brighton & Hove Children and Young People’s Trust.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, Councillor Vanessa Brown, said: “Above all Sounds of the City is a chance for young people to have fun and enjoy making music. But music industry talent spotters are likely to be in the audience, so you never know – it could be someone’s big break towards stardom.”

The shows on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 March start at 7.30pm Tickets are available from the Brighton Dome box office at tickets@brightondome.org or telephone 01273 709709, and also from Brighton music shops Resident Records and Rounder Records.

Facelift see high rises in Brighton & Hove ‘future-proofed’

Residents in Brighton & Hove City Council tower blocks have reported lower heating bills after an impressive revamp was uncovered.

Despite one of the longest periods of cold weather for decades, residents have reported lower heating bills after the council insulated two blocks in Kemptown as part of a £1.9 million modernisation programme.

Modernisation work on 18-storey Wiltshire House and 16-storey Somerset Point has seen both become the first local authority blocks that are digital TV ready with one central aerial serving all residents. This removes the need for multiple unsightly aerials.

At least 100 millimetres of eco-friendly Rockwool insulation has been installed to improve the heat retention of the blocks and that has been covered with waterproofing and self-coloured rendering. This also saves on maintenance costs.

The refit also sees the blocks easily cater for when boilers are replaced with more efficient models as additional flue outlets have been built in to the blocks.

Councillor Maria Caulfield, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Not only do these tower blocks look great but they are future proofed so that all residents share one central digital TV aerial. This ‘future-proofing’ focus is at the centre of our housing repairs and maintenance programme across the city and this will see costs fall for both tenants and the local authority.”

Deirdre Toon, a resident of Wiltshire House for 13 years, said:
“The block looks lovely and I have noticed straight away that my flat is much warmer.”

A rolling programme of over-cladding and rendering of tower blocks is ongoing across the city with work on at least eight blocks due to start in the next two years.

Press Release     Wednesday 10 March 2010

David and his 'Yorkshire Rose' celebrate golden wedding - at council day centre

Portslade couple David and Sheila Keyes are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary on Friday 12 March with a party at a Brighton & Hove City Council social care day centre – because it’s a special place for them.

David Keyes is a regular at the council’s Wayfield Avenue resource centre for older people with mental health difficulties in Hove. He says they chose Wayfield Avenue for their celebration because the people there are always friendly and welcoming.

David said: “We don’t have any relatives to celebrate with and I wanted to make the day special. I could not think of a better place.

“Sheila is my Yorkshire Rose.”

The couple are looking forward to seeing friends over a glass of fizz and a top quality lunch. Wayfield Avenue was recently rated ‘excellent’ by national watchdog the Care Quality Commission, and the centre’s residents made a point of telling the Commission’s inspectors how good the food was.

Press release                          Wednesday 10 March 2010

E-petitions to become a permanent fixture

Residents will be able to continue putting their views through e-petitions following a decision to make the current pilot scheme permanent.

E-petitions were introduced in November last year as an experiment and have proved popular. Since then the council has received 12 petitions on subjects ranging from late night noise an parking to free complementary therapy on the NHS  and an ice rink for Sussex.

The most popular petition was on the Brighton History Centre, with 1259 ‘signatures,’ and resulted in the centre being retained in its current location at Brighton Museum.

Councillor Brian Oxley, chairman of the Governance Committee that made the decision, said: “We want to encourage residents to get more involved in local democracy and this is a very easy and convenient way of making your views known to the decision-makers on the council. In a very short time the ability to ‘e-petition on line’ has created a lively demand for the facility.”

Guidance on the use of e-petitions was also been amended to improve the vetting of petitions and to enable those who live, work, or study in the city or who use the council’s services can take part.

New legislation under the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 will also strengthen petitions.

Under the new legislation the council will be required to consider the most appropriate response to a petition, including commissioning research, holding a public meeting or forwarding the issue to scrutiny or an inquiry. The petition organiser will have the right of appeal if they consider the council’s response is insufficient and petitions with a significant level of support will trigger a debate at full council.

Related information

Schools embrace drive to improve emotional well-being

Schools across Brighton & Hove are adopting innovative techniques to identify pupils who are suffering from low self esteem.

More than 20 schools now use assessment tools rolled out across the city as part of the Targeted Mental Health in Schools programme. Last year 12 primary and secondary schools in the city were involved in the initiative. 

Teachers in the city are being trained to identify pupils experiencing problems while a programme of other services, including consultation support from Primary Mental Health Workers, is being rolled out to help schools support those pupils.

The latest drive aims to equip schools with the knowledge to identify pupils experiencing emotional problems early on and take steps to support them.

Key school staff, including learning mentors, have been trained in innovative methods of supporting children including the use of art, music and drama. The project has also trialled yoga as a way to teach children to relax and manage their feelings better.

The council is also offering a new programme for parents and their children to work together to improve emotional well-being and engage parents in a non-threatening way called Family SEAL. The programme lasts eight weeks and uses sets of materials and teaching under the Government’s Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme (SEAL).

Schools involved in the TaMHS pilot include large secondary schools such as Longhill School and Patcham High School as well as small primaries in deprived areas such as Rudyard Kipling. All Brighton and Hove schools are now being invited to train to use the identification tools as well as undertake other training such as for delivering Family SEAL groups

Councillor Vanessa Brown, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

“Brighton & Hove is an innovator in this field and the results are fantastic.  Moving from a small primary school to a large secondary can be daunting so this programme is designed to minimise any problems and ensure our children thrive.”

“What we are trying to do is embed these simple approaches so that every school in this city is equipped to identify pupils that are experiencing emotional difficulties and can be helped early on.”

Dan Wilson, Patcham School assistant head for personalised learning, said:

“TaMHS has helped us identify students with mental health issues. We have trialled group counselling so that the extra resources we receive benefit as many pupils as possible.”

“What people don’t realise is that schools have been dealing with mental health for a long, long time but just have not called it mental health.”

Ends

CASE STUDY:

Steven (not his real) is an 11-year old at a secondary school in east Brighton, who on top of having experiencing a death in his close family circle, has found moving up to a large school daunting.

“I moved from a small school with a couple of hundred pupils to this one which has more than a thousand. It was really scary. It was the numbers of other schoolchildren and getting around the place because it seemed so big at the time.

“I felt really anxious and there was a teacher I was really scared of and everybody was telling me he was really horrible. I had a part-time timetable which is two lessons each day instead of five. Then it went up gradually.  Then I started seeing a primary mental health worker.

“We talked about what I was anxious about and the reasons for that. Then we looked at ways of coping and seeing things in a more positive way. It helped to know that she was there to help me when I needed it and only when I needed it. I also wrote down my thoughts about when I was anxious.

“Now I do not feel as bad and am in five lessons a day. “

Steven’s Mum

“I was very concerned at the start of term and I did say this to the head and I have been very grateful for the support that the school and the council have given us. We lost someone very close to the family a while ago and I think this also had an impact.  We are making it through because of the support. It a question of finding out what to do…it’s not a question of pulling your socks up.  It’s a question of trying to find ways to deal with the anxiety and keep trying. Sometimes you have good days and sometimes you have bad days. It’s a lot better but we still have our bad days. I feel relieved that there is so much support available.” 

press release                    23 March 2010

Rare photo of war PM Chamberlain in Hove

A rare photograph of wartime Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, taken in Hove, has gone on display at Hove Town Hall.

The picture shows Chamberlain in the street outside the former town hall on September 22 1939 – a couple of weeks after war was declared.  He had just attended a Supreme War Council with senior British and French politicians and military chiefs.

In the early months of the war only France and Britain had declared war on Germany.

Hove was chosen as it was considered relatively safe from German air raids.  A foreign office official described the town hall, destroyed by fire in the 1966, as “an awful Victorian building hung with Victorian pictures of dead aldermen”.

Although the meeting was supposed to be secret the picture was snapped by an unknown local photographer.  It has been unearthed and put on display by the city’s Civic Awareness Commission, chaired by local journalist and Freeman of the City Adam Trimingham.  The body aims to locate and display any stored treasures which help tell the story of the city’s history.

The photo also shows Lord Halifax (to the left in a bowler hat) and French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier (right, facing camera).

Former Hove mayor Jim Buttimer was a schoolboy at the time and remembers the occasion. He said: “It was veiled in secrecy but widely reported after it had happened. We thought it was interesting that these leaders should meet here in Hove. The French contingent were flown to Shoreham Airport and driven to Hove Town Hall. For my parents it was only about 20 years since the end of the First War so the prospect of war was nothing new. There was fear that there would be an immediate air attack, but that didn’t happen so everyone thought troops would be sent to France and it would be taken from there.”

Jim left school during the war and joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He was mayor of Hove in 1988-89.

Commission member Councillor Brian Oxley said:  “It’s a fascinating snapshot from Hove’s past.  While the old town hall is no longer there, the buildings in the background are.  It’s amazing to see this historic figure on our streets at an historic time. 

“I suspect very few local people know about this event so the Commission has scored a success here in its drive to enrich our history.”

A large print of the picture is displayed at Hove Town hall, outside the Banqueting Room on the ground floor.

Press release                        Tuesday 9 March 2010

Extension eyesore has to go

A couple who erected an extension at the front of their property without planning permission were fined nearly £18,000 yesterday (Monday, 8 March) at Brighton Magistrates Court and ordered to take it down.

Ignacy and Krystyna Lechowicz of 30 Goldstone Way, Hove, were found guilty in their absence of failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice. This was the second conviction for this offence.

They were each fined £7,500 (£15,000 total) and each ordered to pay £1,450 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.      

Brighton & Hove City Council has been requiring that they remove the extension which consists of a balcony and carport with associated piers and walls; remove waste materials from the front of the house and make good any damage caused to the wall of the original house and forecourt since they started the unauthorised work in 2005.

Councillor Lynda Hyde, chairman of the planning committee, said: “There is no doubt that the structure on this house is unacceptable and should be removed. We’ve been asking Mr & Mrs Lechowicz to arrange for the structure to be taken down and to remove waste materials and repair the front wall. Regrettably our approaches so far have been ignored and we were forced to take legal action.

“The planning rules are there to protect residents from inappropriate development. If we did not take action against householders who build without planning permission and cause harm, it would be unfair to the vast majority who take the trouble to ensure their permission is in place before they start work.”

The council will now be seeking to ensure the notice is complied with.

Related information

Press Release             Monday 8 March 2010

Hangleton Infants judged 'outstanding'

Hangleton Infant School is celebrating after Ofsted judged the school to be outstanding in a recent visit.

It is a remarkable achievement for the school because in 2000 they failed their Ofsted visit - and it is the more pleasing because it has been the same inspector both times.

Ofsted found a ‘highly effective staff team, led by the outstanding head teacher, responsible for the school’s consistent success in providing high quality education.’

The report states, ‘One parent, reflecting the views of almost all, said, ‘I am extremely happy with Hangleton Infant School and very impressed that not only does the school look after children with special needs, but that they also recognise gifted and talented children. The work that the head and her team do with the children has impressed me tremendously.’

Importantly, Ofsted saw that ‘when children start school their skills and understanding are below levels expected for their age’ but ‘national test results for pupils in Year 2 show them to be achieving significantly above levels expected for their age’.

Other highlights in the report include:

• The staff’s full and shared commitment to meeting the needs of all is at the heart of the school’s success
• The school provides a very high level of care for its pupils
• Pupils’ personal development and well-being are outstanding
• The excellent curriculum is enhanced by a good variety of after-school clubs
• Children make an excellent start to their education in the reception classes
• Staff work especially hard to give the children a real sense of determining their own way forward, which guarantees their full involvement in all activities

Head teacher Emma Lake said, "We are delighted that Ofsted has recognized that an outstanding school is made from supportive parents, fantastic children and a team of dedicated professionals. We are proud and delighted with the result."

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Councillor Vanessa Brown said, “This is a fantastic accolade for Hangleton Infants’ and recognition of the hard work of a dedicated group of teachers and governors over a long period of time.

“I know the school personally and can vouch for the commitment of the head teacher and her staff and the enthusiasm of children and parents alike.”

Press release      8 March 2010

James Bond themed reading initiative sees buses re-numbered 007 

A dozen Brighton and Hove Bus Company buses have the agent’s number as part of the City Reads initiative which has chosen Ian Fleming’s classic From Russia with Love as the novel to read and discuss.  Eighty copies of the book have been given to the bus company to loan out to residents.

The initiative runs until 28 May and includes a series of free discussion workshops specially targeted at marginalised groups across the city — including the elderly, the homeless and adults with learning difficulties.

Councillor Vanessa Brown, Brighton & Hove City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:  “Brighton & Hove is a dynamic, vibrant place to live and the programme of activities available during the Adult Learning Festival reflects that.  Such a broad range of activities should inspire more people to try and learn something new.

“Being a resident-focused council, we are keen to encourage everyone to keep active and keep learning, helping our residents lead fulfilling and rewarding lives.”

Press release                      Friday, 5 March 2010

City park to be used to grow vegetables

Everyone’s talking about growing your own veg these days: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on TV, countless articles in newspapers and magazines and all the people signing up to allotment waiting lists around the country.

There’s a huge renewed interest in growing but many people still feel they lack the space or just haven’t gotten round to giving it a try. A new initiative in Brighton and Hove aims to get more local residents growing by showing what is possible right on their doorstep!

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership’s Harvest project has been working with the City Council to start a demonstration fruit and vegetable garden in Preston Park.

The  garden will be packed with colour, textures, scent and taste, be visible and open to the public. It will be five metres by five metres with raised beds and containers showing different planting styles.

As well as operating as a resource for existing and new growers, it will attract and introduce people to the idea of growing food and show the possibilities of growing your own produce, even in a small space. Local residents will help setup the garden, manage it and take home some of the harvest!

The Food Partnership is inviting local councillors, residents, gardeners and park rangers to celebrate the inaugural dig of the plot on Tuesday 9 March 2010, next to the Rotunda Cafe, Preston Park, Brighton 4-4.30pm.

 ‘’Local residents and park users have told us they are looking forward to seeing vegetables growing in the park and we have already had a number of volunteer gardeners come forward. If you would like to volunteer and/or have tools that you can donate to the project please get in touch either by telephone 01273 431700 or email harvest@bhfood.org.uk’’  said Vic Else, Director of the Brighton & Hove Food Partnership.

City allotments champion councillor, David Smart said: “The council is committed to making it easier for people to have allotments and are bringing more plots back into use. It can be daunting to start growing food for the first time, so having a demonstration garden in one of our parks run by the Food Partnership will give residents support and advice and will complement other learner allotments we are bringing into use in the city.”

Mark Wheddon, Local Food Programme Manager said: “We are extremely proud to support such an exciting project. Harvest Brighton and Hove is one of just a handful of Beacon projects which we have funded and it is exactly these kinds of projects that will help to make local food more accessible and affordable for local communities.”

Related information

Harvest Brighton and Hove is a three-year, Big Lottery-funded project led by the Brighton and Hove Food Partnership, in partnership with Food Matters, the University of Brighton, The Brighton and Hove Allotment Federation, the Brighton Permaculture Association, Moulsecoomb Forest Garden and the Whitehawk Community Food Project.  It is supported by Brighton and Hove City Council, and Brighton and Hove Teaching Primary Care Trust.

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership is a not for profit organisation that works for better food for the city now and in the future. By better food, we mean food that is healthy, affordable, accessible and produced within environmental limits. We believe by working in partnership Brighton & Hove can achieve a sustainable food system.

Local Food has been developed by a consortium of 15 national environmental organisations, and is managed on their behalf by the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT). Supported by the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces programme, Local Food will distribute grants to a variety of food related projects to make locally grown food more accessible

Changing Spaces programme: The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme was launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments. The programme funds a range of activities from local food schemes and farmers markets, to education projects teaching people about the local environment.
6. The Big Lottery Fund: Is the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out £2 million in Lottery good cause money every 24 hours to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. 
 

Press Release           Thursday 4 March 2010

Whitehawk hosts healthy fun day for all cultures

A free multi-cultural fun day for people of all ages in east Brighton packed with activities and useful information will be held on Wednesday 17 March from 10.30am to 3pm at Safety Net, above the Whitehawk Youth Centre next to Whitehawk Library.

It’s being run by the East Brighton Healthy Living Centre, a team of council and NHS professionals dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing health inequalities.

The event is open to all, but is likely to be of particular interest to people from Black and ethnic minority communities. Activities include:

• Cookery demonstration with the Healthy Living Centre’s community cookery team
• Music and entertainment
• Hand and shoulder massage
• Gardening sessions
• Games and a supervised children’s play area

A delicious free lunch will be provided by Planet India, Moorish and other local businesses. There will also be information and advice about local services including:

• Mernet – the Mediterranean Resources Network
• The city’s Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership
• Mosaic, the black and mixed parentage family group
• General information on housing, finances and health issues.

The city’s community heath bus is also coming along to enable people to have one-to-one health consultations. The Whitehawk Youth Centre is on the numbers 1 and 1A bus routes so is easily accessible.

See here for more on this event and on a wide variety of initiatives that could help you improve your health, or phone the East Brighton Healthy Living Centre on 01273 294533.

Press Release       Wednesday 3 March 2010

Special wheelchairs make life a beach for everyone

Special ‘all-terrain’ wheelchairs are now available on Brighton seafront to enable people with disabilities to enjoy the beach.

The two chairs have four low-pressure inflatable tyres to make it easy to navigate on the shingle and comfortable to ride. They are appropriate for all ages, adjustable to meet different people’s posture needs, and can also have an umbrella attached for either sun or rain.

They are free to use. You can get one on the day, but booking is advised and can be done up to a week in advance. A £25 refundable deposit is payable before taking them out.

The wheelchairs are available from the council’s seafront office at 141 King’s Road Arches on the Lower Esplanade in Brighton.

Cabinet member for children and young people Councillor Vanessa Brown said: “These new wheelchairs will make a big difference for a lot of families who haven’t previously been able to go out and fully enjoy our wonderful seafront together.”

For bookings or further information, please call the council’s seafront office on 01273 292716.

Press Release             Tuesday 2 March 2010

Portslade school could become academy

The council has submitted a proposal to the Department for Children, Schools and Families to turn Portslade Community College (PCC) into an academy. It is believed this will help to tackle longstanding underperformance at the school.

The proposal, if successful, would mean that the academy will be up and running by September 2011.

It is proposed that the Aldridge Foundation will be the Lead Sponsor of the academy with Brighton & Hove City Council as the Co-Sponsor and the University of Sussex as the academy’s Education Partner.

Leader of the council, Councillor Mary Mears said, “We are determined to do everything we can to make sure that all children in Brighton & Hove have the opportunity to make the most of their talents and live up to their potential. High quality schools are at the heart of this vision.

“We want to continue to work closely with Portslade Community College to improve their results and standards and I believe that by turning it into an academy school we will achieve this. It will not only enable us to bring in extra funding to improve the school’s buildings and facilities but it will also give the school greater freedom and independence to provide the curriculum that the pupils need and deserve.

“And I am delighted that we have been able to secure the Aldridge Foundation as co-sponsors for the academy with the city council, alongside our other partners in the project, the University of Sussex. They will both bring in valuable extra support and expertise to the project which I’m sure the pupils will benefit from enormously.”

Rod Aldridge from the Aldridge Foundation said, “The Foundation welcomes the opportunity to work with the city council and the University of Sussex to provide students at Portslade with new facilities, high standards of teaching and a learning environment that will enable them to achieve their best.

“On a personal basis this is a very emotional moment for me as I was a pupil at the school many years ago. To now be its sponsor is a great privilege, and I give the parents and students my commitment to improving educational standards for all.”   

Professor Michael Farthing, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sussex, said; “As a leading education research institution and an innovative provider of teacher training, the University of Sussex actively works with a range of schools and FE colleges across the region. 

“We are pleased to be able to offer our skills and experience as the education partner working with the city council and the Aldridge Foundation to support this new initiative to help improve secondary education in Brighton & Hove."

press release                             2 March 2010 

Public Service Awards 2010

Campaign kicks off as new web pages go live

Brighton & Hove’s Public Service Awards 2010 campaign kicks off today with the launch of new dedicated web space and three new award categories.

New for this year are Volunteer of the Year, School Support Champion and the Sports and Physical Activity Award. Volunteer of the Year will be nominated and voted for by the public from a shortlist decided upon by the judging panel, School Support Champion, open to everyone in schools except the teachers,  will be voted for by the public once the city’s schools have each nominated their own champion.  The Sports and Physical Activity Award celebrates sport across the city and will be an overall winner from the Brighton & Hove City Sports and Activity Awards winners.

The awards will be presented at a prestigious ceremony, hosted by Olympic athlete Sally Gunnell OBE, at The Grand in Brighton on Monday 15 November 2010.  Andrea Fox, from Juice FM’s breakfast show, will act as compere for the evening.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s leader, Cllr Mary Mears said:  “Last year’s ceremony was such a success; it’s great to build on a popular event.  These new categories reward the unsung heroes of our city; the extensive network of volunteers, people who work in our city’s schools and those who take part in sport across the city.  Not forgetting the other ten categories including the important Public Servant and Public Service of the Year.

“The awards are a celebration of the people in Brighton & Hove – being open to the 8000 or so people who work in the Public Sector.  Of course, we can’t run these without sponsorship partners like Juice FM or East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service – and would be delighted if more sponsors joined the celebration.”

The full list of awards are: Public Servant of the Year, Public Service of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, School Support Champion Award, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Services Community Safety Award, Best Sustainability Initiative Award, Sports and Physical Activity Award, Best Community Initiative Award, Best Innovative Customer Service Award, Best Partnership Award, Tackling Inequality Award, Best Health & Well Being Initiative Award, Best Contribution to the Local Economy Award and Most Improved Service Award

Nominations can now be made online at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/awards

Initially, School Support Champion Award will take place in the city’s schools and nominations for the Sports and Physical Activity Award will take place through the sports clubs.

For more information please visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/awards

Press release                          Tuesday 2 March 2010

Community Safety Forum round-up

Brighton & Hove’s Community Safety Forum meets at Hove Town Hall next Monday, 8 March at 4pm. The meeting is open to the public. The Forum will hear how different partners are working together to make the city safer, including:

CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS:
Councillor Dee Simson will talk about recent partnership working, including the new ‘street pastors’ project, launched in February.

The church-run initiative, set up with the support of the council and Sussex Police, provides ‘street pastors’ in the city centre every weekend supporting anyone who is vulnerable, distressed or having problems – for example becoming separated from friends or losing a wallet – and helping them to get home safely.

As part of the scheme, around 50 people are being trained so that they understand police procedures and licensing matters. Regular patrols will be starting soon outside pubs and clubs in the city centre between 10pm and 4am.

Another recent first for the city was the ‘closure’ order granted on a house.

The order was granted following extreme antisocial behaviour from a council tenant. Within an hour of the Court granting the Order the council’s Housing antisocial behaviour team and the police were at the flat securing the property and bringing an end to the misery that the occupant had inflicted on neighbours.

Councillor Simson, cabinet member for community safety, said: “Because of close partnership working between the Partnership Community Safety Team, Sussex Police and other agencies, we were able to respond quickly. We’ll be able to build on this work and will not hesitate to use our powers to protect communities and ensure their safety.”

CRIME TRENDS
Levels of recorded criminal damage are at their lowest for some years. One area of particular success has been with graffiti which is showing a year on year decline. Cityclean has been particularly active in tackling graffiti, removing it from high locations and having four successful prosecutions last year, with two further cases scheduled for Crown Court in April.

In response to graffiti being daubed on the on-street Virgin cable TV boxes, Cityclean introduced an ‘adopt-a-box’ scheme which has proved very successful. Around 200 boxes have been ‘adopted’ by residents and organisations such as Brighton & Hove Albion. They undertake to remove the graffiti when it appears with materials supplied by Virgin Media.

The numbers of violent crime offences were at their lowest in December and January since 2006. Initiatives aimed at tackling hazardous drinking include a campaign targeted at young people.

Domestic burglaries show a slight increase, motor vehicle thefts have stayed roughly the same but cycle thefts are down by 9% compared with the same period last year.

Reporting rates for domestic violence are 8% higher than last year, reflecting the continuing work that supports victims to come forward.

LONDON ROAD LOCAL ACTION TEAM
The chair and vice-chair of the London Road Local Action Team (LAT) will give a presentation of their work.

The London Road LAT covers the northern part of the St Peters and North Laine ward.

Residents, ward councillors and community association representatives meet regularly with council officers, the neighbourhood policing team and traders to deal with local issues and make the community safer.

Together they are working to challenge disorderly and alcohol-related activities on The Level; combating criminal and antisocial behaviour on York Place and helping traders in the use of radios and recording incidents.

The team is also looking at traffic and transport issues and is lobbying for a zebra crossing on York Place.

There are nearly 40 local action teams working with the council and police in the city.

• There will also be presentations from Sussex Police on the Divisional Policing Plan for 2010/11 and the work of the fire and rescue service.
• Brighton & Hove is hosting a conference on ‘managing alcohol-related crime and disorder in seaside towns’ this Thursday, 4 March. The council and its partners will be sharing best practice with towns and cities throughout the UK.

Related information

Read the reports for the Community Safety Forum

Find out more about how the Partnership Community Safety team is tackling crime

What to do about graffiti

Find out more about Local Action Teams

Press release                       Monday 1 March 2010

Licensing Committee - press round up

Brighton & Hove City Council's Licensing Committee meets at Hove Town Town Hall this Thursday (March 4) at 3pm. Items being considered by the committee, which is chaired by Councillor Denise Cobb, include the following:

TAXI MARSHALS
Taxi marshals were introduced at city centre ranks in November for a trial period until the end of March, with one-off funding from the Home Office, through the city's Community Safety Partnership.
The scheme, which operates on busy weekend evenings, has been well received by the public, taxi trade and police, and has helped prevent problems in late night taxi queues.
The committee will be recommended to add a supplement to the cost of hackney carriage licences to fund the scheme on a permanent basis. Members of the city's Taxi Forum have been consulted and agreed to a supplement.

RESPONSIBLE LICENSING
Councillors will consider a response from the government to a notice of motion from the council calling, among other things, for a ban on drinks promotions, such as '2 for 1' and 'Happy Hours' which encourage people to drink more, and additional powers for licensing authorities.

WORK OF THE LICENSING TEAM DURING 2009/10
A report to the committee will summarise the council's licensing work over the last year.
During 2009/10 the council was awarded Beacon Status by the government for managing the city's night time economy. As a result, the council and partners have hosted visits from 18 other local authorities, ranging from Cornwall to Nottingham, to find out more about licensing work in the city. A delegation from Abu Dhabi also visited to see best practice in licensing.
Thirteen licensed premises had their licences reviewed during the year in response to concerns raised by police, licensing officers or local residents and eight of these had their licence suspended or revoked. Extra conditions were imposed on licences in most of the other cases.

REDUCING ALCOHOL RELATED HARM TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
The Licensing Committee is one of a number of relevant partner organisations considering a report from the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee (CYPOSC) about reducing alcohol related harm to children.
Councillors will be considering the report's findings and recommendations and agreeing a response to the CYPOSC. 

Related information

The licensing committee is open to the press and public and copies of the agenda and reports are available.

The committee covers the Non Licensing Act 2003 Functions and the Licensing Act 2003 Functions

View the Licensing Act 2003 public register 

press release                              1 March 2010

Fixed length for council meetings

Brighton & Hove City Council is proposing the introduction of improvements to the way council meetings are held so as to make them more efficient, streamlined and productive.

 Improvements being proposed include:

• introducing a Prime Minister’s question time style Members’ question time
• fixing the length of individual Member speaking time to three minutes
• keeping meetings to no longer than four hours through an automatic closure motion
• limiting the number of notices of motion

The changes are just part of a range of measure to modernise and improve efficiency of council activities bring a renewed focus to meetings. Questions can still be posed by members of the public in the usual way.

Already in place is the popular online e-petition function, which over 2200 people have signed since November. Webcasting of meetings has also been well-received, with some 3000 residents viewing council meetings on the web.

Councillor Brian Oxley, chairman of the Governance Committee said:  “These proposals are part of our continuing drive to modernise the way we do business; making council meetings more efficient and focusing on the real points of interest which make a difference to our residents’ lives.”

The council will consider the introduction of annual ‘State of the City’ debates later this year.

The proposals will be submitted to the Governance Committee on 9 March 2010.