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.
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.