Undercliff Walk

Very pleased to see the Undercliff Walk open again, this has been a concern for many of my constituents who have missed using the walk from Kemp Town along to Saltdean. Clearly safety has been an overriding concern, as well as preserving a site of special scientific interest, but now stabilisation work and safety checks have been done it is great that people can now access this pathway again. Went along with ward colleague and Environment Committee chair Gill Mitchell to see first hand the condition of the path and what clean up work is needed.

Cashpoint campaign success

After making approaches to the Co-op and to the Royal Bank of Scotland, we now have one free-to-use cashpoint in Whitehawk and another on the way, so local residents will be able to get to their cash in their community from now on. I would like to say it has been a long and hard campaign, but it's only taken two weeks!

Mini motos

I welcome the comments made by Home Secretary John Reid on the dangers of irresponsible “mini-moto” use. He is right when he says that they are "at best a nuisance, running through to a menace and at worst very, very dangerous". As with scramble bikes, the noise can be torture for local residents, and the fact that they are relatively powerful machines often used by children on pavements, roads and open public ground means that other members of the public are at risk.

Just last weekend an 11-year-old boy in Kent died from burns he received when his mini-moto caught fire after it collided with a car. Louise Casey, the government's Respect co-ordinator who visited East Brighton last month, said parents should know about the penalties their child could face and think twice before letting them having a mini-moto. Reckless users can receive penalty points on their driving licence. If the offender is a child, points could be placed on a future licence. Confiscated bikes can be crushed. These bikes can only be used legally on private land. The BBC have a special feature on these bikes on their website.

As John Reid says, "Misuse of mini-motos is dangerous and is causing misery in too many of our local communities. These vehicles are not toys. It is not acceptable to ride these vehicles on our streets or parks and the guidance we are giving to police and users is clear - irresponsible use will be punished."

Pride in Brighton and Hove

Joined with tens of thousands of people today in Preston Park at the annual Pride event, a fanstastic day with perfect weather. Spent most of the time helping to hand out over 1,300 free bottles of water from the Labour stall with council leader Simon Burgess. I was very grateful for the free apple from the Brighton and Hove City Council stand!Other colleagues joined in the Pride Parade from Madeira Drive marching under a Labour Pride banner, getting a very positive reception from shoppers and others out and about in the city centre.

Brighton Pride is surely one of the great free festivals in the UK and congratulations must go to the organisers. It is an event which rightly celebrates the integral role the LGBT community has in Brighton and Hove.

Lucky to be in Brighton

Brighton and Hove has come top in a poll of places where people feel lucky to live, according to the BBC. An astonishing 93% of those asked said they felt lucky to live in our city.

This is hardly surprising given the weather, nightlife, culture, parks, beaches, downland, diversity, community facilities, history, sport, shops and many other aspects that make our city the place to be. It's a place I've called home all my life, and I count myself lucky for that.

Haybourne Road traffic calming

Along with my ward colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell I attended an open air meeting this afternoon for the residents of Haybourne Road, which for those who don't know the area runs along the north-west side of Whitehawk next to Whitehawk Hill. It's quite a long road but cut off at either end, accessed from Whitehawk Way by two smaller roads. Too often it has been used by car drivers and motorcycle users for racing and other irresponsible driving, and local residents have asked for some kind of traffic calming to be introduced to prevent motorcycles and cars putting children's lives at risk in what should be a quiet residential road. As such it would not normally qualify for traffic calming, but by working with the neighbourhood team from eb4U some funding has been found to enable the council to break up the road and footpath with speed bumps, gates and other calming measures to make it safer for those who live there. I hope we can get it all done by the end of October.

Rugby Place issues

Have been out and about tonight in Rugby Place off of Bristol Gardens with ward colleagues Gill Mitchell and Craig Turton. Main issues are the current consultation on the Area H extension zone, containerisation of rubbish and anti-social behaviour from the nearby Broadway shops. It's always good to call on residents who are surprised to see councillors on their doorstep when there isn't an election pending!

On the way there drove by the latest group of travellers to visit my ward, this time on the land north of Manor Hill at the Racecourse, near to the television transmitter.

Planning, leaflets and a resident's AGM

Spent an hour at Hove Town Hall this morning getting some brief training and an introduction to the workings of the Planning Applications Sub Committee, so that I can occasionally substitute for colleagues who can't attend. It is an interesting and often controversial committee, and having spoken at it on behalf of residents a couple of times I am looking forward to taking part.

After a long afternoon preparing my latest ward newsletter, I am shortly off to the Craven Vale Community Association, where issues of communal bins, traffic and parking, and the repair of block roofs are likely to be hot topics.

Craven Vale

The Craven Vale Community Association AGM turned out to be the largest meeting on that estate I've seen in the past three years, which is good. There was a useful discussion around the introduction of communal bins and recycling facilities, which will hopefully be in place later in the year. This will tackle the problem of the lack of bin bag storage in some of the low rise blocks.

Block cleaning is clearly still an issue, and one which I and my colleagues have been working on over recent months. I was able to tell the meeting that as most of the blocks in Craven Vale are having new roofing put in the blocks will be "deep-cleaned" setting a new standard that can be kept to.

It was good to be thanked by both the Chair and residents at the meeting for getting some other problems on the estate sorted out quickly.

Cooksbridge Way playground

I have been working with my ward colleague Councillor Craig Turton today on tackling litter, flytipping, vandalism and anti-social behaviour in and around the playground on Cooksbridge Way in Whitehawk, after complaints from a local resident that the tyres on his mobility scooter were being punctured regularly by broken glass left there.

Following our intervention Cityclean, the local Police Community Support Officers and eb4U Community Safety Team Wardens should be able to deliver an improvement in the playground and our constituent will be able to get out and about without further damage to his tyres.

Busy Day in East Brighton

Had an early start this morning, taking a look along Monument View and the Causeway to see if there are any environmental issues that need taking up. These are two housing association roads tucked away between Craven Vale and the racecourse.

Picked up my two ward colleagues Gill Mitchell and Craig Turton so that we could inspect the playground are between Cooksbridge Road and St Cuthman's Church. It could certainly do with some work, though the level of litter was not as great as we had expected (see previous blog entry).

Then went on to Kingfisher Court to discuss block cleaning and their door entry system which is awaiting repair, but ended up talking about park and ride!

This afternoon all three East Brighton councillors will be at the Guinness Estate fun day in Warbleton Close, hoping that the weather improves.

Then it is back to sorting out our latest ward newsletter, several thousand still to go, but already getting blisters!

Wilson Avenue Recycling Site

I've had concerns raised with me this morning by regular users of Sheepcote Valley that building work on the Wilson Avenue recycling site has begun today following the fire there several months ago, including the construction of an access road.

I have been to the site twice today, tonight with my ward colleague Gill Mitchell, and taken a look at the temporary access road that is being put in, just rubble on sheeting. It runs from the gate just south of the recycling centre entrance towards the back of the fire damaged shed. As far as we know there has been no planning application for any new buildings there, and the temporary road is just to allow the old shed to be replaced.

Wilson Ave update and travellers at the Racecourse

Have had confirmation that the temporary road from the layby on Wilson Avenue is for the repair of the fire damaged hall at the recycling centre, and that work there is scheduled to be finished by 22nd December. I am requesting that the repaired building be painted in colours that will blend in with its' surroundings.

A group of travellers moved on to land south of the racecourse grandstand late last night. I've been along to take a look this morning and will update here as events progress.

Bogus callers

The city council has put out an alert about bogus callers claiming to be from the Brighton and Hove Energy Action Partnership. It seems in this case that the callers attempt to get financial details from people they are calling on, but in other cases it can be much worse.

From my previous job with Sussex Police I am all too familiar with "distraction burglaries" where bogus callers will tell householders - often vulnerable or elderly - that they are checking the meter or need to turn off the water because of a fault a couple of doors away. They will then steal money or items whilst the householder is not looking.

Thankfully these kind of incidents are rare and decreasing, but I would urge any householder in my ward or across the city to contact the police on 0845 6070999 if they have suspicions about anyone going door to door.

You Read It Here First...

Reading through the past weeks' editions of The Argus there have been plenty of good news stories about East Brighton, including a double page feature on the Crew Club, an article about the work of local people from the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum on tackling BB guns, a feature on Motorvation and some further coverage of the successful cashpoint campaign.

All these have been featured here on my web pages, so if you want to stay ahead of the news, keep reading!

Tidying Up At The Manor Road Gym

Got my hands dirty this morning helping with a clear up day at the Manor Road Gym. Cleared three wheelbarrowloads of weeds and brambles from the side of the building while other residents on the committee repainted the front entrance. Things are really coming along well at this great community resource.

It's A Knockout at the Crew Club and a fun day on the Bristol Estate

Joined spectators at the annual Crew Club It's A Knockout tournament on the playing fields off Whitehawk Road on Saturday morning, watching teams from Whitehawk and local businesses and organisations battle it out with buckets of water on giant inflatables. Even without Stuart Hall it was lots of fun. Took the chance to chat with a couple I have done some casework for recently, and to talk to two local play & activity leaders about funding, as well as the clear up we are doing in the local playground.

Popped across to the Bristol Estate in the afternoon for their community fun day, and bought a bag of healthy fruit and veg from their regular weekly stall (Saturdays in the Community Room, Chadbourn Close). The local community association chair showed me their cctv control room, and I met with one of the new Police Community Support Officers. Was persuaded (!) to sample some of the excellent home baked cakes on offer. Congratulations to all those involved in organising these community events.

Motorcycle use in Whitehawk

Have been in contact with police, community safety and council officers tonight on how to tackle the problem of motorcycle misuse on land around Whitehawk Hill, Heybourne Road and Cooksbridge Road, which I saw first hand at the weekend. I'm hoping that the traffic calming work and barriers that the council and eb4U are putting in around there will make life safer and quieter for local residents, but I want to back that up with action against those who show no regard for the safety of children in the area. I'm hoping that confiscation and destruction of bikes being used dangerously will persuade others to seek better places to ride their motorcycles.

Brighton Housing Trust

I'm just off to post an old mobile phone to www.recycle4charity.co.uk in support of Brighton Housing Trust. BHT is backed by the council and does a great deal to address the causes and issues associated with homelessness. Many people from every background can find themselves homeless or in temporary accommodation for a whole range of financial, family, relationship or mental health reasons. Others benefit from the legal advice services which BHT provides. Recently BHT have supplied water and sun cream to those sleeping rough, and completed their Phase 1 redevelopment. To find out more about BHT and how you can support their fundraising, vist their website www.bht.org.uk.