Health in Whitehawk
On Thursday morning I joined a very well attended meeting on health services in Whitehawk with my ward colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell. Representatives from the NHS Brighton and Hove - the Primary Care Trust - were there to hear the views of residents on the new Wellsbourne Health Centre which is due to open in a couple of weeks.
The centre will be home to the two GP surgeries currently located on Whitehawk Way and the Broadway, and is housed in a purpose built new facility between Whitehawk Primary School and the Roundabout Sure Start Children's Centre. There will be an on-site phamacy as well as all of the usual services offered at the existing GPs, but in a much more modern and fit for purpose building.
Residents do have concerns about access and the potential addition of more traffic and parking to Whitehawk Road, which I have taken up with officers.
Apple Day in Craven Vale
There's an apple themed event taking place on Saturday 27th February from 11am to 3pm at the Vale Community Centre in Hadlow Close.
There will be tree planting, a cookery workshop, mural painting, a choir, stalls, a wormery and bug hotel and much more.
Between 3 and 6pm an art group will be creating a shape in fire in Craven Woods.
For more information contact Amy on 450327 or amyallison@trustdevcom.org.uk
Your health, your family, your neighbourhood
After some meetings last night and today I thought I would highlight some services available to local residents that might be of use to them.
At a citywide school governors meeting last night there was a presentation by the Family Information Service, who offer a broad range of information and advice on all kinds of services and activities for parents, parents to be, children and young people covering the 0-18 age range. They have a great online directory which pull together listings of schools, youth centres, playgroups, nurseries and much more. Here's the listing for Whitehawk Primary School and the range of after school and extended school activities they offer, but you can search for others too: http://brighton.childrensservicedirectory.org.uk/service.aspx?zoneid=&serviceid=06f7d75e-e3fc-4627-865c-9049cabd30f9
This morning I went to a meeting of the East Brighton Healthy Living Partnership, who offer a range of free or very low cost services aimed at helping people lose weight, get fit, give up smoking or deal with any number of physical or mental health related issues.Their website is here: http://www.healthylivingcentre.org.uk/
From time to time neighbours can fall out over any number of issues, whether it's trees or noise or different lifestyles or behaviour. In Brighton and Hove there is a free, independent and impartial organisation that can help neighbours resolve these issues, called the Brighton and Hove Independent Mediation Service. If you have a problem with your neighbours that they might be able to help with, here's a link to their website: http://www.bhims.org.uk/
Report back from the hospital meeting
Along with my ward colleagues Gill Mitchell and Craig Turton, I attended the second liaison meeting between the hospital Trust and local residents last night. It was well attended with several coming along who were not able to attend in November.
Craig was appointed as the independent chair of the group/meeting, and Duane Passman from the 3T team at the Trust responded to points and issues raised from those present. No fresh designs are available as yet but should be ready for the next meeting due in March.
I was able to relate some of the issues that came up during the construction of the new Royal Alex Childrens Hospital, and my colleague Gill Mitchell was able to take residents further back to when the Government and the Trust committed to redeveloping the site back in 1993/1994.
Many present last night still hold to the view that Eastern Road/Upper Abbey Road/Bristol Gate is too small a site in a residential area for a major regional hospital/trauma site, and if the decision was being made now I would support that, but millions has been poured into the hospital over the past fifteen years so we are where we are and have to work to minimise the impact on the area in terms of traffic, construction noise and so on.
For more information visit the Trust website: http://www.bsuh.nhs.uk/about-us/hospital-redevelopment/hospital-liaison-group/
Upcoming community meetings and events in East Brighton
On Thursday 21st January there will be an opportunity for community groups in East Brighton to find out more about grants available to them in an event run at the Valley Social Centre from 11am.
On Tuesday 26th the Southawk Tenants and Residents Association meets at 7pm in Robert Lodge.
On Thursday 28th January the Manor Farm South Tenants Association meets at 2pm in Robert Lodge.
The same day Whitehawk Central Teanants Association meets at 7pm in the Valley Social Centre.
On Monday 1st February there is the second consultation meeting on the proposed "3T" redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital, held at 7pm in Sussex House, Abbey Road opposite St George's Church.
On Wednesday 10th February the Craven Vale Community Association meets at The Vale in Hadlow Close at 7pm.
Mental health at Christmas
It's often forgotten that Christmas can be a particularly difficult time of year for people suffering from mental health problems such as depression.
It is open 5pm to 9am and all 24 hours a day during weekends and bank holidays, providing out-of-hours mental health advice and support to anyone living or working in Sussex.
Fourteen trained operators can take calls from patients, carers, family members, GPs, NHS professionals and anyone who has a query about mental health related issues.
The number to call is 0300 5000 101.
Wishing everyone a healthy and happy Christmas and New Year.
A busy week ahead
Most of us are still recovering from last Thursday's seven hour Core Strategy meeting, but there is no let up in the final week before Christmas.
On Monday I'm attending the citywide Community Safety Forum to discuss efforts to tackle domestic violence, followed by a meeting to update on progress towards redeveloping the Brighton Centre.
On Tuesday I'm taking part in training to help appoint senior officers, followed by meetings of the Scrutiny Commission, Local Strategic Partnership and then the East Area Housing Panel.
Wednesday is the final meeting for 2009 of the Whitehawk and Manor Farm Crime Prevention Forum at 6.30 in Robert Lodge.
On Thursday I have meetings at the Crew Club and Valley Social Centre where developments around the Whitehawk Hub will be discussed.
Finally on Friday I will be chairing a seminar of the Environment Scrutiny Committee examining the budget proposals for that department for the coming year, after which I have an advice surgery ending at 8pm.
New allotments in East Brighton
There’s good news for all those waiting for an allotment. 40 new plots on the Whitehawk Hill allotment site and 60 new plots on the adjacent Craven Vale site are being opened this weekend. Further details are online at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/allotments
This Sunday the 3th December, between 10 and 3.30 there will be a “Big Dig” with Brighton & Hove Allotment Federation and Brighton & Hove Food Partnership to provide support and advice for new allotment tenants.
This is excellent news for all those wishing to grow their own food locally, congratulations to all those in City Parks and other departments within the council who have worked so hard to free up these sites and make them available to local people.
Tree O'Clock in East Brighton Park
This Saturday the Friends of Sheepcote Valley are taking part in the national Tree O'Clock event where 300 new trees will be planted as part of an attempt to set a new national tree planting record. It all starts at 11am.
The Whitehawk Hub - further consultation
It will take place on Monday 7 December at 4.30pm.
The main aims of the scheme, which is being funded by £5.4m from the Government include:
*
* The Roundabout Children’s Centre will be extended to help improve its current range of services to children under five, their parents, carers and families
* Wellsbourne Health Centre- the new medical centre for the area, being built at the moment and due to be open by spring next year
* A new Library and Learning Centre providing a modern library, community café, rooms for learning and advice sessions, computers and a wide range of stock, facilities and activities for the whole community
There is also a permanent exhibition at Whitehawk Library in
Whitehawk Inn 10 year anniversary
Tonight I attended the 10 year anniversary event at the Whitehawk Inn, a community adult learning centre.
It was great to see the continuing progress and development of this fantastic centre, which offers courses in ICT, job training, health and fitness, arts and much, much more, since my last visit.
Despite getting, like the Crew Club, a disappointing result from their bid for council funding last week, the Whitehawk Inn should continue to offer training and opportunities to people from Whitehawk and across the city in the future.
Young Persons Question Time
This coming Saturday I will be on the panel for the Young Persons Question Time at Hove Town Hall from 11.30, part of the Get Involved event promoting local government. Alongside councillors will be representatives from the police, fire service, local NHS and others taking questions from members of the Youth Council and Youth Parliament.
Good neighbours
You may already be humming the there to a well-known Australian soap, but this blog post is to tell you about the Good Neighbour scheme for the Whitehawk and Manor Farm area. This is your chance to pay tribute to someone whose kindness has made a real difference to your life or that of another neighbour.
There are two awards: a
good neighbour award and an award that recognises the contribution of a young person (under 18). The person nominated must be a resident of Whitehawk or Manor Farm and the deadline for nominations is 8 January 2010.All you have to do is complete a simple form and explain how the person you are nominating has made a positive contribution. All eligible nominees will receive a certificate of thanks and the winners will be awarded a £30 voucher of their choice on the anniversary of the Our Neighbourhood project launch in February.
Nomination forms will be available from the Mears Office in Swallow Court and the Housing Office in Manor Place by the end of next week, alternatively get in touch with me and I will get one to you.
This week
An update on some of the things I have been doing this week:
On Monday I met with my ward Colleague Cllr Gill Mitchell in the morning before having a briefing from planning officers about the council's three year Core Strategy which comes before a meeting of full Council in December. I then chaired the meeting of the Environment and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which heard a report on roadworks in the city and set up two scrutiny panels on 20mph zones and support for victims of rape. I then reported back to a Party meeting in the evening on some local issues.
On Tuesday I attended a meeting along with Cllr Gill Mitchell with the new Chief Executive John Barradell, and with independent members of the council's Standards Committee to find out more about their work. Meanwhile my colleague Cllr Craig Turton attended the first of the liaison meetings between the Brighton, Hove and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust and residents in my ward about the plans for redevelopment of the Eastern Road site.
On Wednesday I was out and about meeting residents in Manor Farm, discussing speeding traffic, leisure provision and anti-social behaviour, which I have since raised with council officers and our local neighbourhood policing team.
In the evening I and Cllr Mitchell attended a consultation event at the Valley Social Centre about the Whitehawk Hub or Co-location Project, which will see a new library, new classrooms at Whitehawk Primary and improvements to the Roundabout Childrens Centre funded by £5.3m Government money and £2m of council funding. Officers, community representatives, residents, representatives of the school and the Crew Club were also there.
This afternoon I will be sitting in on the Cabinet meeting where a decision will be made on a three year grant for the Crew Club. After that I am due to attend a meeting of the Whitehawk Central Residents Association, again at the Valley Social Centre.
If you would like more information on the hospital or Hub consultations, or any of the other issues raised, please e-mail me at warren.morgan(@)brighton-hove.gov.uk. You can also follow me on Twitter at warrenmorgan.
Remembrance events
In addition to attending the Remembrance event at the Old Steine this coming Sunday, I will be attending the Royal British Legion Remembrance event at Whitehawk Primary School, where I am a governor, tomorrow.
It is important that everyone joins together at some point over the coming days to recognise the sacrifice that so many people have made, whether decades ago or in recent days, in the defence of our freedom.
Not In My Neighbourhood Week
This coming week is Not In My Neighbourhood Week, where the police, city council and other agencies publicise how to find out about and get involved with ways to make our communities safer.
A double decker bus will be touring central and eastern Brighton this week, and I will be joining it as it visits Craven Vale on Tuesday between 11.15 and 12.15, and then on Wednesday on the Bristol Estate again between 11.15 and 12.15.
Look out for more details in the local press, you can find out more via this link.
Vigil against hate crime
On Friday evening my ward colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell and I joined a silent candlelit vigil against hate crime at the Victoria Fountain in the Old Steine. The event was held to coincide with other vigils in London's Trafalgar Square and across the country, prompted by the murder of Home Office worker Ian Baynham in Trafalgar Square recently, and the attack on a trainee police officer in Liverpool.
Both were targeted because they were gay, and this vigil brought together people from the LGBT community and the broader community in solidarity against hate crime. There were speeches from Liberal Democrat Councillor David Watkins, Nancy Platts and a message was read out from David Lepper MP.
It is the responsibility of us all to work to ensure these kind of attacks on people motivated purely by bigoted views of their sexuality are reduced and ultimately eliminated.
For more information on reporting incidents of homophobic hate crime to the police, go to www.sussex.police.uk/LGBT/Brighton
Whitehawk Festival Part Two
Spent an enjoyable afternoon at the Manor (Manor Road Gym) at the second part of the Whitehawk Festival. It was a great event with drumming, judo and dance displays from some of the young people who regularly take part in the incredibly diverse range of activities held at the venue.
My ward colleague Councillor Craig Turton and I hosted an "Ask Your Local Councillor" stall which had quite a few customers from the area and beyond, raising a number of local issues with us, several of which were raised earlier in the week when Councillor Gill Mitchell and I were talking to residents on their doorsteps in the nearby Manor Gardens area.
It was good to see community leaders not just from Manor Farm and Whitehawk at the event, but also from the Bristol Estate and Craven Vale. I hope this becomes an annual event with even more people joining in and taking the opportunity to find out about and partcipate in community events.
Whitehawk Festival
Just back from the first of a two-part Whitehawk Festival which takes place today and next Saturday. Despite the terrible weather there was a good attendance at the Crew Club for today's event aimed at the northern part of Whitehawk, with face painting, fancy dress, raffles and a tombola, displays about the history of Whitehawk, drumming, food, dancing and music.
It all happens again next Saturday at the Manor Gym when the theme will be Halloween. There is also the chance to have your say on the Playspace projects and the Co-location proposals about the library and youth centre.
Whitehawk & Manor Farm Crime Prevention Forum
The next meeting of the Whitehawk and Manor Farm Crime Prevention Forum (the Local Action Team for the area) will be at 6.30pm on Wednesday 21st October in the Robert Lodge Meeting Rooms. This is a change from the previously advertised date.
Local police will be at the meeting to talk about crime, anti-social behaviour and community safety. All local residents are welcome to attend.
AIDS Memorial Unveiling
This afternoon I joined councillor colleagues from all parties, the Mayor Councillor Mrs Norman and local MP Des Turner at the official unveiling of the AIDS Memorial in Steine Gardens by David Furnish from the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The first of its kind in the UK, the memorial itself is a stunning piece of public art by Romany Mark Bruce. Just the height of it on its plinth gives it both a modern and classic feel.
Despite the rain it was a well attended and moving event, with speeches about those who have been lost locally, nationally and internationally to the disease, as well as those living with HIV/AIDS today.
Congratulations must go to the all of the event organisers and trustees including Councillor Paul Elgood, James Ledward, Councillor Bill Randall, Simon Burgess and Councillor Brian Oxley, who gave a very moving speech in the excellent debate on the memorial at last night's council meeting. You can watch the meeting on webcast here.
Please support the work of AIDS charities like the Elton John Foundation or the Sussex Beacon hospice.
This week
It's a busy week for me which kicked off with a meeting of the North Whitehawk Tenants and Residents Association on Monday night. I was pleased to hear from our local police sergeant that arrests have been made following a recent spate of car thefts and fires. I was able to brief local residents on the plans to build a new library and youth centre (see earlier post) as I had at last week's Central Whitehawk residents meeting.
Tuesday saw me chairing a "call in" meeting of the Environment and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where we looked at whether decisions on a pedestrianisation scheme made by the Cabinet and a decision on Downland Management by the Cabinet Member for Environment had been made correctly. The committee voted to refer the Downland Management decision back to the Cabinet Member for further consideration, specifically in relation to the involvement of wildlife and conservation groups.
Thursday is a meeting of full council, which is always a busy day for me as Group whip. Whips of the various political groups are responsible for co-ordinating the organisation of the meeting with officers and the Mayor, for example advising which councillors will be speaking on each item. Don't forget you can watch council meetings via webcam on the council's website.
On Friday I will be attending the unveiling of the city's AIDS Memorial, designed by local artist Romany Mark Bruce. The unveiling of the scuplture is at 2.30 in Steine Gardens by David Furnish from the Elton John Foundation.
Consultation begins on major project in Whitehawk
The city council is asking for views on a project to move Whitehawk Library and Whitehawk Youth Centre from their current site on Findon Road/Whitehawk Road to new buildings between Whitehawk Primary School and the new Whitehawk Health Centre on Whitehawk Road.
The proposals, backed by £5.4m in Government money, will also see new reception classrooms and dining facilities at Whitehawk Primary, as well as improvements to the Roundabout Children's Centre, which was visited by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alastair Darling today. Work will need to be complete by September 2010.
This will be a big change for Whitehawk and offers the chance to really improve services and the area as a whole, but there are access and transport issues and it will be very important to involve and consult local people fully so that services meet their needs.
I will be updating on the project here on a regular basis.
Opera star comes to Whitehawk
Just wanted to share this link to a story from the new community correspondents for East Brighton about the star of BBC's "The Choir" coming to the Crew Club in Whitehawk: Opera star comes to Whitehawk
And also to say that I am not involved in the Conference this week so am available as normal for residents of East Brighton ward to contact me about any issues they may have via the usual e-mail address or phone number.
This week in Whitehawk
It's a busy week for me in Whitehawk, with Annual General Meetings for both the Whitehawk Primary Governors and Crew Club Trustees.
On Wednesday we have the month Whitehawk and Manor Farm Crime Prevention Forum, where we will be catching up on what has happened over the summer. It's at 10.30 in the Valley Social Centre.
On Thursday there is the annual Healthy Living event at the Crew Club between 10 and 12, with groups and organisations from across East Brighton coming along to showcase their events and activities.
Sussex County Hospital redevelopment - public consultation
Exhibitions showing the latest plans for the redevelopment of the Eastern Road side of the RSCH will be held on the 30th September and 6th October at the Kemp Town Community Centre in St Georges's Church Crypt,
The first meeting of the reconstituted Hospital Liaison Group will take place at the same venue on 10th November at 7pm. My ward colleague Councillor Craig Turton is leading on this issue.
Kemp Town Community Safety Action Group
Meanwhile residents of the Kemp Town part of my ward can meet their police officers and PCSOs at the Kemp Town Community Safety Action Group meeting on Thursday 24th September, where the agenda includes animal welfare services and a presentation by Sussex Police's LGBT Liaison Officer on their anti-victimisation work.
Meet your local police sergeant
Whitehawk and Manor Farm residents can meet their local police sergeant at the police office in Swallow Court on Saturday 3rd October between 10 and 2 and raise any issues they have.
Members of the local neighbourhood police team are always at the Whitehawk and Manor Farm Crime Prevention Forum, which next meets on Wednesday 23rd September at 10.30am in the Valley Social Centre.
Fore more on your local police visit www.sussex.police.uk
Kickz - success in reducing youth crime and disorder
Back in November I blogged about the launch of the "Kickz" scheme, which involves the Albion, Sussex Police, the Football Foundation and others in getting young people involved in sport and other activities as a diversion from crime and anti-social behaviour.
In the first six months this scheme has been hugely successful, with youth crime and disorder falling by 40%. On a regular basis over 40 young people are involved in the street league on Friday evenings, with those taking part coming from Bevendean, the Pankhurst estate, Bristol estate and Phoenix areas as well as Whitehawk and Manor Farm.
Police officers and PCSOs give up their free time to help with the coaching at the Kickz sessions which take place on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Crew Club on Coolham Drive. They are now looking for projects, not necessarily sport related, that will involve the wider community, particularly those in the B&ME communities. If you have any ideas get in touch and I will pass them on.
Find out more about Kickz via their national website here.
East Brighton update
The consultation on the proposed extension to the Area H controlled parking zone has ended and the results are in. Councillors Gill Mitchell, Craig Turton and myself met with officers last week to look at the results and decide how best to proceed. Some residents wanted to be part of the permit scheme, others did not. Hopefully the wishes of the majority will be respected in most cases if partial extension of the Area H scheme goes ahead.
The three East Brighton ward councillors continue to get complaints regarding the new communal bins in Kemp Town. All concerns re the siting of bins, and collection issues, are being passed to officers.
I have asked for an update on the monitoring of traffic speeds along Manor Hill, which was promised at an Environment Cabinet Member Meeting in June when I presented a petition signed by fifty local residents concerned about speeding cars.
Hospital redevelopment update
Today's Argus carries news of the proposed redevelopment of the Royal Sussex County Hospital site, where the Barry and Jubilee Buildings, along with some of the temporary units along Eastern Road, are to be replaced.
All three East Brighton councillors have met with representatives for the NHS Trust and we are in regular touch with them over how best to consult and inviolve local people as the process moves forward. My colleague Councillor Craig Turton is leading on this issue but please do contact any or all of us if there are issues you want to raise. We have already passed on comments and concerns from over fifty households which are helping to shape how the Trust communicates with local residents on the progress of their plans.
Whitehawk Playgrounds Set For Revamp
Two play areas in Whitehawk are set to be completely renovated as part of a munlti-million pound Government scheme. A new play area will be established near the tall blocks off Swanbourough Drive/Whitehawk Way, and the exisiting play area off Coolham Dive near the Crew Club will be refurbished.
The Government money has been given to the city to encourage children and young people to lead healthier and more active outdoor lives. The play areas will focus on activity rather than sport, and be accessible for adults as well as children. The play spaces have worked well in London boroughs.
Residents will be fully consulted on the plans ahead of work being done next year.
Maggie's Garden
Whitehawk has a fantastic new community resource thanks to months of hard work by local community leader Maggie Smeeth and a dedicated band of volunteers.
A fenced garden behind the CYPT office (formerly the Greenhouse childrens centre) has been totally renovated and turned into an organic garden producing vegetables for local residents. It has been designed for use by local children and was constructed with help from residents, community workers, council staff and workers from Mears.
All credit must go to Maggie for her tireless work on this, it was a real honour to go and cut the ribbon to officially open the garden last Thursday.
Craven Vale clean up day
A week or so ago I took part in a community clean up day in Craven Vale, where residents and community workers tackled some of the hard to reach litter and fly tipping around the grassed banks that make up the estate and the woods behind Craven Road and Tilgate Close.
I was pleased to be able to personally remove some of the wind-blown litter around the fence on the bank in Tilgate Close which residents have complained to me about. It was funny that a resident I know well did not recognise me in my high-visibility jacket!
I've asked that the Community Payback Team tackle some of the more difficult fly-tipping in the woods behind Craven Road, but congratulations to all involved in a successful day.
Playbus comes to Whitehawk and Manor Farm
The Mobile Play Project is bringing the Playbus to Whitehawk and Manor Farm on the 30th and 31st July, and the 3rd, 10th and 25th August. For more information call the Family Information Service on 293545 or visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/fis. Alternatively call in to Whitehawk Library or Youth Centre.
The bus only came to Whitehawk once last summer; local councillors asked for more visits this year so please go along and join the fun!
Tackling crime and protecting civil liberties
At a meeting of Council in January I spoke in an interesting debate on the balance between tackling crime and terrorism on the one hand, and protecting civil liberties on the other. It is a topic relevant to my scrutiny role.
The Government has sent a response to our debate from the Home Office Minister Shahid Malik MP, and it is of interest to anyone who is concerned about the monitoring of communications, ID cards, law enforcement and public safety.
East Brighton ward roundup
It's been a busy couple of weeks with community and tenant meetings (three in one day last week and two on one evening this week). One of the benefits of having well over a dozen in my ward is that when an idea comes up I can tell one group about how that idea has worked elsewhere.
For example, one group wants to convert a garage/storage area into a community space. This has been done successfully in Craven Vale so I am putting the organisers in touch. Another group is considering converting the drying room in their block into a launderette. One is well established in another part of my ward, so I am able to get people together to find out how it can be done.
The process of consulting on the yet-to-be-finalised proposals for redeveloping much of the Royal Sussex County site along Eastern Road took up much of a meeting on Monday night. My ward colleagues and I are meeting with council officers and senior people at the Trust which runs the hospital to see how we proceed from here into what is likely to be a ten year process.
Last weekend Gill, Craig and I met with residents and our local police team at The Manor to discuss parking and traffic issues in Manor Farm, where consultation on expanding the Area H controlled parking scheme will begin later this month. Last minute amendments have been suggested which will hopefully bring increased safety to The Broadway if the scheme gets the go-ahead from residents.
I'm pleased a new headteacher has been put in place at Whitehawk Primary, the school is definitely on the up and I am hopeful that improvements there will move on at an ever quicker pace.
Fuel poverty
At a recent Council meeting a motion was passed calling for more action on fuel poverty, something which affects many in my ward. This is the response the motion received from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.
Forthcoming tenant and community association meetings
One of my regular round ups of community meetings across East Brighton ward:
North Whitehawk TA AGM is tonight at 7.30 in Kingfisher Court
Manor Farm TA is at 2.30pm on Thursday 2nd, Robert Lodge
Central Whitehawk TA meets at the Valley Social Centre at 7pm on Thursday 2nd
Councillors will be holding a joint Manor Farm surgery with the PCSOs at the Manor (Manor Road gym) at 10 on Saturday 4th
East Whitehawk Low Rise TA meets in Robert Lodge on Monday 6th April at 6pm
Bristol Estate Community Association meet at 7pm on Monday 6th in Chadborn Close.
Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum AGM is 29th April, 10.30 Valley Social Centre
Robert Lodge TA AGM is at 3.30pm on May 5th
Whitehawk and Manor Farm residents can keep up to date with local news and events via www.whitehawk.uk.net
Education: state or private?
Having just become a school governor, and with an independent school in my ward about to close, education is something I have been thinking about a great deal recently. Independent - or private - schools continue to be advertised in our local press, and as an article in the current New Statesman says, the national press continues to run down our state sector.
However, the improvements we have seen in schools in Brighton and Hove over the past decade are reflected at a national level: "There are fewer failing schools than there were ten years ago. Almost two-thirds of the state schools inspected by Ofsted last year were judged to be good or outstanding. There are more good teachers and heads; results are better than ever.
In 1997 roughly half of all children were leaving primary school without reaching the expected levels in English and maths. Today that figure is about 20 per cent. In 1997 about 45 per cent of pupils achieved five good GCSEs. Now the figure is more than 60 per cent – more than three times the proportion that left school with five O-levels in the so-called golden age of the grammars, an era often subtly misrepresented to disparage today’s predominantly comprehensive schools.
About £3bn a year is being spent on new school buildings, ensuring that many state school pupils will have access to facilities for learning art and drama that some private school pupils can only dream of." With more government funding for school building improvements due soon, the future for the state sector looks bright.
Although I went to school in a large and chronically under resourced comprehensive in the 1980s, I would argue that a state school with pupils from mixed backgrounds gave me a much better preparation for life than a restricted and socially exclusive independent school would have.
Kemptown Community Safety Action Group
A new, or rather expanded community safety group covering Kemp Town meets this Thursday 2-4pm at Hampshire Lodge, Hampshire Court off Lavender Street. The group is expanding from covering the Eastern Road area to include Kemp Town as far as Arundel Street.
The meeting will hear from Trading Standards on how to deal with cold callers.
At a rough count this brings to fifteen the number of tenant, resident and community safety groups in my ward.
Support Red Nose Day this Friday
On Friday 13th my colleagues from the Labour Group will be bringing Red Nose Day to Brighton and
Councillors from every party and officers have been invited to join in the fun and raise some money for charity. I've done my bit by buying a Red Nose and having my picture taken in it holding the cakes.
Chair of the Labour Group, Cllr
“Comic Relief helps people dealing with the challenges of mental illness, domestic violence and carry out important work with young people throughout the UK, as well as its vital international work.".
Now on Twitter
I set up a Twitter account several months ago, but as it is now the way people want to communicate or get rescued from mountainsides I thought I ought to use it. You can find - and follow - me at www.twitter.com/warrenmorgan
Not that I will be micro-blogging every ten minutes. What with this blog*, texting, e-mailing, Facebook (Facebooking?) and so on I do need to reassure myself that I do look up from my computer or Blackberry from time to time.
*As I've said before, this isn't really a blog. I can't post pictures, there's no facility for people to post responses or start a debate, there's no way to put in keywords or meta search terms, and we are very limited in what we can write in terms of party politics or debates within the city council. So it's largely an online noticeboard.
Education, education, education
It's a run of education themed meetings this week, beginning tonight with a meeting with parents of pre-school children in Kemp Town along with my ward colleagues Councillors Turton and Mitchell, and education officers.
Tuesday night sees me travel to Longhill School for a meeting on proposed expansion there, and on Wednesday I have my first meeting as a Governor at Whitehawk Primary.
Despite the cuts in schools budgets approved by the council's minority administration in their budget last week, and their refusal to accept more than £9m in government funding for schools buildings this week, I am pleased that all our schools will continue to benefit from increased Government investment in school buildings and resources.
Operation Calling Time, and a High Sherrif award
Our local PCSOs today highlighted a page on the Sussex Police website where you can tell the police about stores, pubs or off licences who sell alcohol to under age drinkers under their "Operation Calling Time".
Also at the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum today we heard that one of our excellent PCSOs has been nominated for a High Sherrifs award for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour. Well done Jacqui, very well deserved!
Upcoming community meetings
Here are details of just some of the forthcoming tenant and resident meetings in East Brighton ward. If you are a resident of any of the areas listed you are welcome to attend.
Thursday 19th February - Central Whitehawk TA, 7pm Valley Social Centre
Wednesday 25th February - Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum (including Manor Farm), 10.30am, Valley Social Centre
Thursday 26th February - Manor Farm South TA, 6.30pm Robert Lodge.
Monday 2nd March - Bristol Estate Community Association, 7pm Community Room, Chadborn Close.
Wednesday 4th March - Southawk TRA AGM, 7pm Robert Lodge.
Wednesday 11th March - Craven Vale Community Association, 7pm The Vale Community Centre, Hadlow Close.
Wednesday 25th March - North Whitehawk TRA AGM, 7.30pm the Community oom, Kingfisher Court.
There are other associations covering East Whitehawk low rise blocks and Whitehawk South Central. If you are a tenant and don't know which assoiation you are part of, contact the Manor Place housing office.
High-rise hospital helipad?
As reported in this blog last August, the NHS Trust which runs the
I am working very closely with my colleague Councillor Craig Turton on this issue, and he has been in discussions with the Trust and this week attended a Bristol Estate Community Association meeting to hear residents concerns.
The Trust have emphasised that plans are at an early stage and will be consulting residents. Plans will be put on display at the hospital but as yet we don’t know any definitive timescale. Cllr Turton has asked the Trust to consider a display at the Bristol Estate community centre. The Trust have agreed to hold a public meeting on the plans and the local councillors will be holding them to that pledge.
The Trust say that the helipad must go on top of the hospital as the nearest point to A&E due to clinical concerns over the need to treat trauma victims swiftly.
The new development will also put further strain on parking in the area. The Trust are looking at providing 200 additional car parking spaces through excavating part of the existing site as a 'half in the open and half enclosed' parking facility. This will be a major issue for the
Older people and community safety
The Environment & Community Safety Committee, which I chair, has set up a cross-party scrutiny panel to look at older peoples concerns about community safety and suggest changes in response to those concerns. The first stage is to gather information from organisations, services, carers supporting older people and from older people themselves.
If you or anyone you know would like to contribute to the panel’s investigations, please call 291062 or e-mail scrutiny@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
New police and repairs base in Whitehawk
Last week I attended the official opening of the new police and council housing repairs base at
The opening was attended by the new police commander for Brighton & Hove and the crime writer Peter James, as well as media and tv crews, a large number of residents and pupils from Whitehawk and St Marks Primary schools. The team from Mears who are dedicated solely to Whitehawk & Manor Farm will be based in the office and can be approached directly by residents who have a repair they need doing. The police will have a local base so they do not need to return to their Hollingbury office during their shifts.
Council services and snow
The Manor Place Housing Office in Whitehawk is closed due to the weather, but emergency repairs can be phoned through on 0800 052 6140.
The advice to all should be to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.
Highways advise that "Brighton & Hove winter service has been pre-salting (gritting) since the start of this cold spell. Salt has been laid on the roads during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Gritters were out yesterday afternoon in preparation for the snowfall, and all main routes were gritted by Sunday evening. In addition, localised gritting has taken place from 11pm to 3 am over Sunday night in the worst affected areas. So the road networks has been well salted and none of this has washed away as it has not rained.
However, like all counties in the South East, we have suffered from a heavier than predicted snowfall with more predicted to come in. Salt is most effective at a certain temperature; below -2 it becomes much less effective. Salt also works best when vehicles track it into the road. A combination of freezing road temperatures and very little traffic on the roads during Sunday has meant that the salt is not very effective.
Highways have therefore switched to ploughing operations and currently gritters are out ploughing main routes to make them more accessible. However, there is more snow coming in and as a small authority, we are working overtime to deal with the situation but people need to take care on the roads and to be aware that ice and snow will affect most routes."
For up to date information see www.brighton-hove.gov.uk
Interviews, articles and a meetings dilemma
Was up very early on Monday morning for a breakfast show radio interview about bins, but the snow intervened! I'm also expecting to be featured in the Local Government Association's weekly "first" magazine talking about this blog.
Later in the day I have a bit of a dilemma as I have three different community meetings - North Whitehawk Tenants, Bristol Estate Community Association and Manor trustees - all at the same time. It's not unusual to have two at once - there are so many tenant and community groups in my ward - but a clash of three happens fairly rarely. It's likely the snow will cause the cancellation of all three which is wise as no-one should be travelling today.
Meetings this week
I'm very pleased to be joining the Board of Governors at Whitehawk Primary School this week, which has made huge strides in achievement over recent years and is in the process of changing headteacher, so I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the life of the school.
After chairing a meeting of the Environment and Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee at Hove Town Hall this Monday at 4pm, I will again be chairing the monthly Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum at the Valley Social Centre on Wednesday at 10.30, all Whitehawk and Manor Farm residents are welcome.
At a meeting of full council on Thursday I am leading a debate on whether wind turbines should be sited off the Sussex coast, as proposed by the Crown Estate.
Queensway
Following calls from residents of Craven Vale I am asking council officers to look again at traffic on the Queensway (which runs from the Racecourse down to Sutherland Road) and see what can be done about vehicles pulling on to the verge when they meet oncoming traffic.
The road is probably one of the narrowest used by buses in the city, and with parking along one side there is no room for two cars to pass, let alone buses or vans. The resulting damage to the verges is a potential hazard to pedestrians as kerbstones are exposed and grass is reduced to slippery mud.
Solutions might include passing points or hardened verge surfaces. I will raise this at the Craven Vale Community Association meeting which takes place this Wednesday in The Vale Community Centre, Hadlow Close at 7pm.
PROUD in Whitehawk
PROUD - Parent Run Organisation Understanding Difficulties - is a group run as the name suggests by parents in Whitehawk for parents with disabilities or who have children with disabilities, or who have other needs requiring more support than might be found at other playgroups. They group meetings offer support and a social network for parents who might otherwise not have the opportunity to meet parents in the area in similar circumstances.
The group meets at the Roundabout Children's Centre on Whitehawk Road every Wednesday from 1-3pm in their bright and modern play room with garden. Tea and coffee is provided for the adults, with snacks for the children.
For more information call Janet Cupidi on 01273 290310.