East Brighton News
A chance here to see the January edition of our ward newsletter - before it starts going through letterboxes - which gives timely information on where to get fit or become involved with healthy activities in East Brighton. There is also news on parking in Kemp Town and local bus services. Follow the link above or go via the page on this site where you will also find the three previous editions from 2006.
North Whitehawk high rise blocks, and the week ahead
Have spent much of yesterday and today liaising with officers and residents over a spate of vandalism in the tall blocks at the top of Whitehawk. Sadly a few youths continue to cause problems for the vast majority of residents there who have been working hard to improve their flats and the area as a whole. Council staff have been inspecting the damage today and a new door entry system is due to be installed by the end of this week. All of these blocks will be redecorated by the end of March. I've asked to be kept advised of any evidence that will show those responsible and of any action that will be taken against them.
There's a busy week ahead, including meetings with eb4U, Craven Vale residents, Whitehawk tenants groups and of course the meeting of full council on Thursday to discuss the proposed housing stock transfer. And of top of that I have 5000 newsletters to deliver!
Community meetings and engagement
Just back from the "Get Together" group meeting which brings together tenant reps from all of the Whitehawk, Manor Farm and local Guinness Trust tenant associations where we covered a whole range of local issues as well as planning how to make the group self sufficient.
I was able to pass on some good news to last night's Craven Vale Community Association meeting from my colleague Councillor Gill Mitchell, who has been able to secure some trees for planting around the estate, and hopefully there will be some progress soon on the long-awaited extra lighting for the area.
Next week I will be chairing a conference on community engagement organised by eb4U, which will bring together many organisations involved with the community in East Brighton and across the city.
Doing something
Anyone who has been watching items on Sky News about climate change and global warming over the past week can't help but be struck by the immediate need to take action to prevent serious long-term consequences. Many, however, see it as such a huge problem influenced by what is happening across the globe that they don't feel that their individual actions can have any effect.
Before Christmas I asked the Environment Secretary whether increasing carbon emissions from growing economies in the Far East meant that tackling climate change in the UK would be outweighed by what is happening there. He said that although the UK only accounts for 2% of the world's carbon emissions, we should lead by example and work with the fast-growing economies to tackle climate change at a global level. See what the council is doing here.
There are steps we can all take in our own homes, like changing lightbulbs to energy efficient ones, increasing the amount we recycle, and switching off televisions and other electrical appliances when not in use. There will always be more we can do, there will be some who will do nothing, but as many of us who can should do something.
"Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little." (Edmund Burke)
Don't know who your local PCs and PCSOs are?
Then go to the Sussex Police website and type in your postcode. It now brings up a list for your area, and by clicking on their photo you can read about them, find out their e-mail address and extension number. Follow the links on my police page to see the two teams covering East Brighton ward.
Bristol Estate Golden Jubilee
This summer the Bristol Estate - the area off Donald Hall Road behind the Royal Sussex County Hospital - will be celebrating it's Golden Jubilee with a street party and other events. Local residents are putting together a history of the area over the past fifty years and are appealing for any photos or home movies documenting the estate. If you can contribute please get in touch with me and I will contact the organisers.
Diary / Respect
Started off a busy week tonight with a meeting of the Central Whitehawk Tenants Association, where the new Community Participation Officer was introduced. Tomorrow I will be delivering copies of our councillors newsletter in the Wilson Avenue area, and on Wednesday I will be visiting the council's intermediate care facility at Knoll House in Hove as part of my role as Deputy Chair of Adult Social Care & Health.
Later on Wednesday I will be at the Resource Centre for a management committee meeting, and on Thursday I am substituting for a colleague on the Environment Committee before going straight to a meeting of the Crew Club trustees in their fantastic new building. On Friday I will round off the week with a meeting of the North Whitehawk Tenant and Resident Association where we will be discussing some recent anti-social behavior.
On that subject I am pleased to see that the city has been included as one of the new Respect zones and that Brighton & Hove was chosen as the venue to launch the new funds today. One of the key members of the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum was there to talk about the successful BB gun amnesty and was very pleased to have been sat next to the Prime Minister.
Three stars
Just back from tonight's Adult Social Care and Health meeting, where we were presented with the report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection awarding the council three stars - the highest possible rating - for the services it provides in the area of health and social care. Praise must go to the staff across the directorate for getting us to this point, from those in the front line providing care to service users to senior managers. It was rewarding to see that they noted the contribution of "knowledgeable and approachable senior councillors" too.
It's my "committee week" this week with ASCH today, Children and Young People's Overview and Scrutiny Committee tomorrow and Housing Committee on Thursday. On top of that I will be chairing the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum on Wednesday as it is a week later than usual, and a meeting of Southawk Tenants on Wednesday night.
A roving eye on anti-social behaviour
I am taking up a suggestion from the police made at this morning's Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum that we bid for funding to buy a mobile cctv camera.. This would be used in whichever "hot spots" the Forum prioritises to help identify people causing anti-social behaviour or criminal damage. It would be linked to the police control room and would enable the police or housing officers to take appropriate action against those involved.
I also pledged to back efforts to find funding for the domestic violence project "Safe As Houses" which will otherwise close in March at the end of it's eb4U funding, and encouraged all agencies to work together to tackle the trouble at the high rise blocks in the north of the estate.