How can Portland Road be improved?

A joint project between residents, the City Council and local businesses has been set up to establish what environmental improvements are needed in the Portland Road area.

We are asking local businesses to get in touch and let us know if there are problems such as too much graffiti, too few bins, neglect of trees and plants or cracked and crumbling pavements.

If you have anything you wish to raise please let me know - brian.oxley1@mac.com

Volunteers needed!

We are looking for volunteers to help out on the ward action day that is being organised for Westbourne on 7th February 2009. The action day is all about the local community and public services coming together to try and make a real difference to the appearance and smooth running of the neighbourhood. The Fire and Police services have already confirmed that they will be attending and we are hoping that many others will join them.

As well as having a general clear up on the day, we will also be seeking to recruit local volunteers to act as the eyes and ears of the community. The idea is that they will pick up on anything that the Council has missed, such as graffiti and street litter and report them directly to the Council to deal with.

If you would like more information about the day or how you can become a volunteer, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch – brian.oxley1@mac.com or phone 01273 728955

New one-stop shop for accessing adult social services

Shortly before Christmas I was lucky enough to be shown around the Council’s new Adult Social Care Access Point in Bartholomew Square, Brighton. This is an excellent new facility which provides a single point of contact for new and existing users of the Council’s social care services, such as home care, day care and provision of daily living equipment.

The Access Point team provide advice and information to enable people to get the support they need and they also carry out basic initial assessments over the phone. People whose needs prove to be more complex may then be referred to a specialist team who will carry out a more detailed assessment, usually face-to-face in the home.

I know that trying to get help from the whole network of organisations that operate in this area can often be a daunting experience for people who are often in a vulnerable and frightening situation. I’m confident that this new facility will take a lot of the stress and worry out of the process.

Access Point can be contacted on 01273 295555 or accesspoint@brighton-hove.gov.uk