Caring for the Carers

It was Carers Week last week so Wednesday saw me sharing a platform with David Lepper MP and my colleague Councillor Pat Hawkes at the Carers Forum "Big Event" at Hove Town Hall. I've made it part of my role as the Deputy Chair of Adult Social Care & Health to promote awareness of carers and the unpaid but important work they do for family members or friends. I'm pleased the council has worked with carers to draw up a strategy which I think puts us ahead of most other authorities in supporting carers wherever we can. Partnership with organisations like the Carers Centre - www.thecarerscentre.org - is essential to making a strategy like this work.

Kemp Town Carnival

Congratulations to the organisers of the Kemp Town Carnival which was bigger and better than ever this year. Great weather, great music and a fantastic atmosphere on St George's Road.

Local partnerships against crime

Chaired a really positive Crime Prevention Forum in Whitehawk today, with a strong police presence and the setting up of a working group to tackle particular areas and issues that residents raise. There was an interesting presentation from members of the eb4U "Safe As Houses" team which tackles domestic violence, and a welcome run down of the summer activities run by the Whitehawk Parents and Childrens Project. A year and half back it looked as if this project would fold when funding from a national organisation ran out, but parents have worked very hard to keep it going and I was very pleased to help out in the early stages.

Louise Casey, head of the Home Office Respect Task Force was right when she said after her recent visit that Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum is doing what they are trying to get other communities to do, bring residents, police, council and other agencies together to work in partnership on tacling crime and anti-social behaviour.