Building a future for young people in East Brighton

As you may have read in last week's Argus article, work has begun on the new Crew Club building in Whitehawk. It will offer much more space for activities including drama and dance, and have a fully equipped recording studio. As a Crew Club trustee I know a huge amount of work by the team at the Club has gone into getting to this point, and it could not have happened without backing from eb4U and the city council.

At the same time the new Sure Start Children's Centre is being built just a few yards away, providing a full range of health, counselling and educational services for under 5s and their families. See the photo on my Local Links page.

I hope to visit the City College site on Wilson Avenue soon, where young people from the area are learning construction skills as part of the "Constructing Futures" scheme. It's hoped that many of these young people can go on to find jobs in the big construction projects coming up in the city.

All in all the future is looking bright for younger people in East Brighton.

Murder music

Last night's Community Safety Forum heard very moving statement by members of the LGBT community about the gig at a venue in my ward by the artist Buju Banton, whose lyrics have called for the murder of gay people, tomorrow night. I am extremely disappointed that the venue management have chosen to go ahead with the event given the representations made to them by the council, community leaders and others.

With the recent rise in homophobic attacks in the city, everyone has a duty to ensure that no encouragement whatsoever is given to those who perpetrate hate crimes.

Murder music - update

Heard late last night that the gig has been cancelled, great news.

Consulting on schools admissions

At the end of a hectic week I went along to one of the roadshows consulting on a new system for secondary schools admissions at Whitehawk Primary today. East Brighton is one of the areas without a secondary school nearby, so a disproportionately large number of children don't get any of their three preferences when it comes to choosing a secondary school. Hopefully the consultation on a new system for 2008 will be one which adresses inequalities, produces as system that most parents can live with, and which delivers a good social mix in all of our city's schools. To have your say in the debate go to www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sar

I waited patiently to have my say but the second I was called to speak the fire alarm rang and we all had to leave!

Council care services praised

Yesterday the Commission for Social Care Inspection published their report into social care services provided by the council - and the results were extremely positive. They found that service users and their carers spoke very highly of home care, day care and care home services, reflecting the hard work that staff have put in and the four years of sustained improvement which is recognised in the report.

They said that staff were well trained and that there were no major areas for concern that were not already being addressed in the action plan put together following receipt of the report.

This report is far more than a document which has all the right boxes ticked - it is evidence that the council is doing well in meeting the needs of residents who need care at home or elsewhere.

Read the report by following the links here.

Marina decision

I've received more letters and e-mails from constituents on the proposals for new housing at the Marina than any other subject, and tomorrow we have to decide whether or not to vote to allow the construction of one building to above the height of the cliffs. It's a debate that comes down to arguments over the Marina Act from the 1960s, provision of more affordable housing for the city, issues of employment and transport, and the sea views of people living at the cliff edge above the Marina.

Tuc Tucs

Might try and find time this weekend to try out one of the new Tuc Tucs ferrying people along the seafront and up to the station after seeing one in my ward last week. They have attracted a lot of media attention and some understandable concern from the taxi companies, but I think they are catering for a different market, and are very "Brighton", quirky and different. What do you think? E-mail me at warren.morgan@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Another beach party?

Whilst waiting (increasingly impatiently) for my copy of his Greatest Hits CD to arrive, I've been following the debate about Norman Cook and the possibility of another big beach party. The council is in favour of another event, and so am I. Of course safety is a big issue, and there is a debate with the police over whether the beach is the right venue. It would be a shame if some way of staging the event on the beach couldn't be found though.

Thursday's vote on the Marina

I continue to get many e-mails about the vote at a meeting of full council on Thursday arguing both for and against waiving the height restriction on buildings at Brighton Marina.

I've copied the text of one of the replies I have sent out onto a page on this site, which I hope gives some explanantion of my position on this very contentious issue.

Driving ambition

Paid a visit yesterday to the Motorvation workshop on the boundary of my ward, which offers courses that include life skills, car ownership and safe driving, and which lead to an accredited qualification in motor mechanics. I met some of the young people who are just starting the 22 week course, which aims to provide employment training and a positive route for some of the young people referred there by the police or courts. Backed by eb4U, Sussex Youth, e2e, Equal Brighton & Hove and the European Union Social Fund, I think this is a fantastic project doing something practical and positive for young people. For more see the entry on my Photo Gallery page.

Marina decision

For the record, follow this link to read what I said at Council today, and why I voted in favour.

Campaign for free cashpoints

There are currently no cashpoints in Whitehawk and Manor Farm that do not charge people to use them. This is unfair to those who are unable to travel to Kemp Town, Woodingdean or the Marina to withdraw their cash. You can read an article in the Argus which gives more detail about this here.

 I have started a petition which you can sign online here, and will be taking the issue up with cashpoint operators and my local MP Des Turner.

Cashpoint campaign update

Some progress in the free cashpoint campaign, have found out that the Co-op store on The Broadway in Whitehawk is to get an HSBC cashpoint in the autumn. You can sign my petition to get more free cashpoints online here. 

Whitehawk Crime Prevention

Last Crime Prevention Forum before the summer break, heard from the local police that burglaries are almost 20% down and vehicle crime 10% down on last year, which is great. There have been just 2 cars stolen and 4 car break ins over the past month, which is lower than most areas of the city.

My ward colleague Gill Mitchell and I pledged to work with eb4U to secure funding for the "Safe As Houses" domestic violence project which does a huge amount of good work with women and children affected by violence at home.

New plans to tackle motorbike and mini moto problems are being drawn up using £10,000 of Home Office Respect funding which we are bidding for following the recent visit of Louise Casey (see earlier blog entry).

I gave assurances that there are no plans to shut down or demolish the Whitehawk Youth Centre, and congratulations were sent to local youths who had completed courses with East Sussex Fire and Rescue and the National Youth Theatre.

We will be taking steps to remind all local residents to report incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour to Sussex Police so that they can put resources into areas that are experiencing problems.

Next meeting is 27th September, 10.30 at the Valley Social Centre on Whitehawk Way/St Cutthman's Close.

Summer Events

There are several summer events coming up in and around my ward. On Saturday 12th August at 2pm the Guinness Trust Residents Association (Guinea) are holding their now annual fun day in Warbleton Close, which is off Manor Crescent.

On Saturday 19th the residents of the Bristol Estate will be holding their fun day at their community centre on Chadbourn Close just off Donald Hall Road. The event begins at 1pm.

And on the same day the Crew Club are holding an "It's A Knockout" event on the pitches off Haybourne Road, kicking off at midday.

Marking thirty years of community service

Last night my ward colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell and I attended an event marking the thirty years of service Mervyn Bennett has given to the North Whitehawk Tenants and Residents Association as their Chair.

The residents gave Mervyn an engraved silver salver, and a fantastic bouquet of flowers to his wife. Mervyn will continue as Chair of the local leaseholders group whilst Phil Doyle takes over as TRA Chair.

Few people can have put in such commitment to their local community over such a long period. The appreciation of the tenants in North Whitehawk was well deserved. Well done and thank you Mervyn!

Councillors allowances

The article in Friday's "Argus" will almost certainly reignite the annual debate over whether councillors in the city should be "claiming" vast sums of money for what is "supposedly a voluntary role".

The allowances Brighton & Hove City councillors are paid are set (not "rubber-stamped") by a panel of independent people who determine what ward councillors and those who hold a position of responsibility (council leader, chair or deputy chair of a committee, or leader of a political group) should receive for the time they put in. Each year we all have to fill out timesheets for a month to account for the work we do. The amounts we are given are higher than neighbouring district councils, but we are a unitary authority covering all services, whereas elsewhere in Sussex services are split between town, district and county councils, with a different set of councillors covering each tier. Councillors elsewhere should arguably receive more.

We don't "claim" these allowances, they are paid as part of the job - which is what I see being a councillor today, a job the electorate appoint us to do. It is not "supposedly a voluntary role". It is my main source of income and I devote most of my time to working for my constituents (see my "Day In The Life" page). I don't claim any expenses on top of my allowance; any travel, stationery or other costs come out of my basic allowance. You can decide for yourself whether £16, 392 - what I receive for being a councillor and Deputy Chair of Adult Social Care and Health - is too much for a "voluntary" role or a relatively comfortable amount for what is more than a part-time job.

Of course the city could pay councillors much less, but then there would be a return to the days when councillors were predominantly male, retired and independently wealthy. And how representative is that?

Pride in Whitehawk and Manor Farm

Dropped in for an hour or so this afternoon on preparations for the Pride in Whitehawk and Manor Farm float for Saturday's Pride parade to Preston Park. Though this is only the second year they have been up and running, the group have had a huge impact on Pride, this year providing the winning suggestion for a theme to Pride '06 - the Carry On films. It's a great idea particularly as I think two of the Carry on films were shot in part here in Brighton. The Pride in Whitehawk and Manor Farm float will have a "Carry on Cleo" theme and includes a giant pot which is not to be missed!

I've thought about entering in to the spirit on Saturday but I'm not sure what a Sid James costume would look like...

See you all in Preston Park on Saturday!