Brighton & Hove under the Tories...

And all we get from the Tory Leader of the Council is 'no comment'. Residents really do deserve better.

CityClean strike - advisory information

CityClean have advised that...

All refuse recycling and street cleansing rounds today were disrupted by on-going industrial action.

Services over the weekend will also be limited, and as of Monday morning we are not expecting any services to be operating.

Our call centre will remain open, but we are trying to direct residents to the web site for information and advice. Non Cityclean calls are being directed to the relevant departments through switchboard to help manage call volumes.

Unfortunately we are unable to do anything with missed collections during the strike period; therefore we are not considering logging individual collection issues from callers. However, we will advise callers of the situation and ask for their patience.

Dog fouling problems

I organised for a group of parents to directly raise with the council their concerns over dog fouling problems in the roads leading up to Somerhill School. They are rightly angry at the level of unchecked dog fouling. In two roads we found six examples - and this was a good day. The officers were helpful in addressing the issue, but clearly it is a resource-led problem as there aren't enough staff to enforce and check these areas on a daily basis. Only 3 on the spot fines have been issued in the recent past - that really is poor. This problem is easily dismissed but actually is one of the big quality of life issues for local people.

Thousands of disabled students left struggling

The Government could not answer Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Addington today when he asked who would take responsibility for the thousands of disabled students still waiting for essential funding.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) report less than 20% of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) applications received for 2009-10 have been fully processed.

Applications for the next funding cycle 2010-11 will start arriving this month further adding to the backlog.

Lord Addington commented: “The Students Loans Company has made a real mess of Disabled Student Allowances (DSAs). The processing of DSA applications has been a catalogue of failure and incompetence leaving thousands of students struggling to cope.

“It’s a scandal that disabled students who have worked hard to secure a place at university are not getting the support they need. Many are still waiting for funding to buy special equipment so they can do their course.

David addresses Old Steine hate crime vigil

Cllr David Watkins addressed last night's moving hate crime vigil in the Old Steine. Homophobic attacks continue to cause huge concern, with serious incidents occurring across the country. David is a member of the Community Safety Forum and has been a consistent voice on equality and community safety issues in the council for over ten years.

Brian Paddick: better police response to homophobia needed

In an interview with Channel 4 news this week, Lib Dem and formerly highest ranking out officer in the London Metropolitan Police force Brian Paddick spoke out on casual homophobia in the playground and the media and how this pattern of behaviour extends to brutal homophobic attacks. He highlighted that "75% of those surveyed by Stonewall say they did not report (homophobic) attacks to the Police" - and that while we would like to think the increase in reporting reflects a greater confidence in the police force it may well also reflect an increase in hate crime

Watch the Channel 4 interview here.

Thank you CityClean

I was really please with the speed CityClean took to clean off graffiti on the newly restored Adelaide Crescent walls - thank you!

Advice surgery this Saturday

Meet your Councillors on Saturday at 10am at the Cornerstone - we're here for help and advice.

Brighton & Hove's Labour MPs vote against 10:10 climate change campaign

Brighton & Hove's three Labour MPs Celia Barlow, David Lepper and Des Turner have failed to act to tackle climate change, after voting down the 10:10 climate change campaign in a key vote in the House of Commons.

Commenting after the defeat of a Liberal Democrat Opposition day motion calling for Government, Parliament, and all public sector bodies to cut their carbon pollution by 10% by the end of 2010, Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary Simon Hughes MP said:

“This is a bad day for Parliament, Labour and the planet.

“The Government has failed to understand the level of public support for the 10:10 campaign or to get the message that people want real political action now to tackle dangerous climate change.

“Britain needs a Government which sets an example and delivers immediate and ambitious carbon reductions in the UK. Today the Government has stopped a clear message from going to the rest of the world that Britain will take action on climate change now.

“Last year Liberal Democrats successfully added an 80% emission reduction target to the Climate Change Act."

'The level of crime in this area is average'...

...so says a new Police website (well new to me) which maps crime across the country.

However, more worrying is that the site shows that the average number of crimes committed in the area has increased from 2301.7 to 2889.7 (25.5%) - based on the same three months last year. I wonder what the .7 crime is?

It also says that:

- The average number of burglaries in this area has increased from 196.7 to 311.7 (58.5%)

- The average number of vehicle crimes in this area has increased from 232 to 283.7 (22.3%)

- The average number of violent crimes in this area has increased from 473.7 to 578.7 (22.2%)

- The average number of anti-social behaviour incidents in this area has increased from 1734.7 to 2314.3 (33.4%)

But the good news is that:

The average number of robberies in this area has decreased from 42.3 to 32.3 (23.6%)

Some of these figures are pretty shocking - indeed I have to wonder if they are -at face value- correct? Burglaries up by 58% is a shocking statistic and if correct alone presents a massive increase in crime. We'd heard at various meetings that crime was up, however, this puts it in a worrying perspective.

The website can be found at http://maps.police.uk/view/sussex/

Waste and Minerals Core Strategy

The City Council is currently preparing a joint 'Waste and Minerals Core Strategy' with East Sussex County Council. Once adopted this strategy will provide the Councils' planning policy for development related to waste management and minerals production to 2026.

On 15^th October a six weeks public consultation on a 'Preferred Strategy' was agreed which sets out the Councils' preferred approaches, providing an opportunity for public comments. The intention is that, when complete, the Core Strategy will have considered the views of communities and other key stakeholders such as the waste and minerals industry and statutory environmental bodies. It is intended that this consultation will significantly assist with meeting this objective.

This consultation runs from Wednesday 21 October and will complete on 2 December 2009.

A consultation website has been established to allow documentation to be viewed and comments to be made on-line. The address of the consultation website is http://consult.eastsussex.gov.uk Documentation will also be available for inspection in Members Rooms, main city libraries and city direct centres from today.

During the consultation period there will be 2 exhibitions in the city as follows:

Brighton: Monday 16 November to Sunday 22 November at Jubilee Library, Jubilee Street, Brighton;

Hove: Monday 23 November to Sunday 29 November at Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove. Please note, staff members will be present at this Hove exhibition on Wednesday 11 November between 10am and 8pm at Hove Town Hall, 1st Floor Landing area, Norton Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ to take questions.

Parking income surplus increases by well over a million last year

Calls for the council to bring the on street parking contract back in-house are likely to continue following the disclosure that the surplus generated by the scheme increased by a massive £1.2 million last year. The council's newly published statement of accounts for 2009/9 shows that the surplus generated rose from £6.2 million in 2007/08 to £7.4 million - this is a massive 16 per cent rise in just a year.

Last night at the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, I asked for the current figure (which would have been at September), and was told that the income from on street parking was already £100,000 in excess of this year's target, with the off street parking income £50,000 ahead of predictions.

Act now for the environment says Simon Hughes

The Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Simon Hughes MP calls upon the public to help to support the Liberal Democrat motion on 10:10 this Wednesday.

This Wednesday, the Liberal Democrats have secured a debate in the House of Commons on climate change. The motion calls for Parliament and the Government to sign up to the 10:10 campaign and commit to achieving a 10% reduction in emissions by the end of 2010.

You can get involved by asking your MP to vote in favour of this motion, if enough MPs join us then we can make a huge change to Britain's future. Political activism organisation 38 Degrees is working hard to make sure that MPs sign up to the 10:10 campaign and if you don't know your MP's contact details, you can quickly email them through their website - here.

We endorsed the 10:10 campaign at our recent federal conference and many Liberal Democrat run councils have shown the way. Now we are calling for the whole public sector to sign up. Once again, the Liberal Democrats are demonstrating leadership on the environment.

Commenting on Gordon Brown’s warning of climate catastrophe if there is no agreement at UN talks in Copenhagen in 50 days time, Simon Hughes said: “Gordon Brown’s warning today to the most heavily polluting nations would be more credible if Labour’s policies were consistent with the Prime Minister’s words.

“Expansion of the UK’s largest airport and continued plans for dirty coal power stations are not the policies of a government with the authority to lecture the world on averting the climate crisis.

“A vote in Parliament this Wednesday to back Liberal Democrat proposals to make 10% cuts in public sector emissions by 2010 will be a much stronger sign that Labour understands the urgency of the climate crisis.”

This is a big opportunity for Liberal Democrats and for the environment. Under this government there has been a shameful lack of action on climate change. Liberal Democrats have the power to make a real change. Leadership now is what Britain needs. So please take a moment to email your MP and call on them to support the environment this Wednesday.

Old Market planning application rejected - again

The Planning Committee have rejected the revised Old Market planning application - this time by an even greater margin. Only two Labour members were in favour with the rest against and two Greens abstaining wanting more financial information.

I take no pleasure in seeing the Old Market managers head up another blind alley in their bid for financial stability. This was not the way to do it, or the way to secure the building's future.

AIDS Memorial unveilied

The Brighton & Hove AIDS Memorial has been officially unveiled in New Steine Gardens, by David Furnish, Trustee of the Elton John Aids Foundation, the UK’s largest funder of HIV AIDS programmes.

The Memorial has been two years in the planning and construction stage.

In September 2007, Romany Mark Bruce was selected by public ballot, to be commissioned to create a memorial to those who have died and those whose lives have been affected by this condition. This memorial is only one of a few throughout the world and as a public commission paid for by the residents of Brighton & Hove, it will become a landmark in the city.

Brighton based artist, Romany Mark Bruce said:

“The sculpture depicts two intertwined figures, soaring upwards. In silhouette they appear in the shape of the red ribbon, the universal symbol of solidarity of people living with and affected by the condition.

“Most of those affected by HIV and AIDS in Brighton & Hove, have been so as the result of the union of two men, but the disease is not confined to gay men. The two figures are not identical; one is male and the other androgynous, representing all those affected. The figures do not touch, but would appear to from certain angles, symbolising the union of two people the disease has affected, but whose lives may not have been connected in any other way.”

The four-metre high, bronze sculpture is the culmination of hard work by LGBT charities, businesses and individuals led by an all-party group of local politicians including: Simon Burgess, prospective Labour candidate for Kemp Town, Lib Dem councillor Paul Elgood, Brian Oxley, Conservative councillor and Green Convenor councillor Bill Randell.

Romany Mark Bruce was born in Ireland in 1960. He arrived in England in 1978 to study law. After living in Dallas, Texas, he settled in London, moving to Brighton in 1989. He had his first exhibition in the Brighton Festival in 1992.

His sculptures, range from statuesque indoor torsos to heroic outdoor landmarks. More recently, he has also made a name for himself with his powerful paintings, many of which, like his sculptures are inspired by the human form.

His success as an accomplished artist has led him to give up a career as a solicitor. Collectors worldwide, from countries including: USA, Australia, Hong Kong, India, the Middle East, and all over Europe, have acquired his paintings and sculptures.

Picture credit Trevor Love, with thanks.

Planning officers support revised Old Market application

Planning Officers are making the 'minded to grant' and 'grant' recommendations for the new Old Market applications which are due to be heard next Wednesday. No great surprise there. You can see the ward councillor's objections in an earlier post on this blog.

Council looks at seven sites for new primary school

According to a Council press release, seven sites have been identified for a new primary school to ease the pressure on places in Brighton & Hove after an unprecedented influx of families with young children.

The Council aims to provide a minimum of 135 new primary school places which equates to four and half new classes by 2011.

The council will also consult with schools and their communities on proposals to expand Goldstone Primary School, Westdene Primary School and Queens Park Primary School.

The sites being considered for a new school are:

• Connaught Road, City College’s FE centre for Hove
• Holy Trinity Church, Blatchington Road
• Playing fields between Cardinal Newman School and BHASVIC
• Park depot adjacent to Hove Park
• Co-locating a school on the site of Hove Park school’s Nevill Road campus.
• Development site on the Brighton/Hove border
• Potential development site in central Hove

The council calculate that a new school will cost £7-£7.5 million, which does not include site acquisition costs. The park depot adjacent to Hove Park is the only option where the council already owns the land and where a new primary school could be built within the next four years.

Council acts to improve cycle racks

The council is to introduce five new cycle racks in the ward, following requests from residents. The racks will be similar to those introduced in Brunswick Square, which have been widely praised by residents. Residents have contacted the council to ask for help over problems such as bikes chained to railings or left blocking the highway. The council will be consulting on the following sites:

· Lansdowne Place at the junction of Western Road;

· Lansdowne Street at the junction of Western Road;

· Farm Road again at the junction of Western Road;

· Norfolk Square close to Dorchester Court;

· Norfolk Road close to Western Road.

Metrodeco fundraise for AIDS Memorial

I was pleased to pick up another fundraising cheque for the AIDS Memorial from the superb Metrodeco tea rooms. They have done some wonderful fundraising through a special event night and a raffle - well done and thank you.

Meet your Councillors on Saturday

If you have an issue to raise or a poblem tod iscuss, we are available tomorrow at 10am at the Cornerstone in Church Road. Please feel free to come along.

Nick Clegg offers 'real change' in conference speech

Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg has shunned talk of deals with other parties in a keynote conference speech and instead that he "wants to be prime minister."

Nick Clegg was bidding to reach out to disaffected Labour voters thinking of voting Tory.

In his speech he urged voters not to sleepwalk into a Tory government and opt for "real change" instead.

The speech was also watched by a group of Gurkhas, who received a round of applause after Mr Clegg said he was "honoured" they could be present.

Liberal Democrat Conference backs plans to reform MPs’ expenses

The Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today backed radical plans to reform MPs’ expenses.

The plans include:

• All MPs who have deliberately broken the rules to be subject to investigation and, where justified, criminal prosecution
  
  
• Any future gains made by the sale of second homes to go back to the public purse
  
  
• All MPs to commit to implementing the recommendations of Sir Christopher Kelly’s independent inquiry

The MPs’ expenses scandal is a symptom of our failed politics. Only the Liberal Democrats offer a real alternative to our failed politics. We have an opportunity to create a different kind of politics in this country, one that isn’t tainted by the scandal over MPs’ expenses.

The Liberal Democrats have consistently spoken and voted for reform of MPs’ expenses, and have been calling for greater openness for years, even when both Labour and Conservative MPs opposed change.

We need these proposals to really clean up Westminster and stop Labour and Tory MPs from going back to business as usual.

The tipping point for climate change catastrophe is dangerously close

"The tipping point for climate change catastrophe is dangerously close," said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary.

Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today approved radical plans to combat climate change, including commitments to work for:

• An effective global agreement at Copenhagen, requiring a 40% emissions cut by developed countries by 2020
• Action to deliver a 40% cut in Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, even if there is no international climate deal
• The reform of OFGEM to guarantee fair prices for energy consumers and roll out of a UK-wide warm homes programme so that every home is energy efficient by 2020
• Mandatory carbon reports on investments by all businesses and banks, and an end to taxpayer support for investments in high-polluting fuels like tar sands extraction
• $160bn extra support from the rich to the developing world in climate adaptation and mitigation finance each year from 2013 to 2017
• The goals of the 10:10 campaign, to reduce UK emissions by 10 per cent by 2010

Copenhagen is the best chance for governments to secure a tough deal which prevents global temperatures from rising by more than two degrees.

Support for Heathrow expansion and a new generation of dirty coal exposes a Labour Government that gives a nudge and a wink to countries wanting to obstruct a serious global climate deal.

We have the opportunity to show real leadership on how an advanced economy can follow a path towards sustainable growth. Liberal Democrat plans would put Britain at the forefront of a low carbon revolution, create thousands of new green jobs, save people money and secure the UK’s energy future.

To preserve our economic and environmental future, we need to make serious cuts now. That means a 10% reduction in UK emissions in 2010.

Lib Dems question police tactics at protests

Liberal Democrat Autumn Conference today criticised tactics used by police forces during protests.

Conference today passed a motion calling for an end to the increasingly aggressive tactics used by police at a number of protests, including the Kingsnorth power station protest in August 2008 and the G20 demonstrations in London this April.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Justice Secretary, David Howarth said:

“The ugly scenes of police aggression and intimidation witnessed at the G20 protests and the Kingsnorth demonstrations were a national disgrace.

“Tactics like baton charges, the seizure of personal property and the kettling of protestors for hours on end are fundamentally wrong. They are a threat to democratic rights, they cause distress and injury, increase tension, provoke reaction and damage the reputation of the police.

“These tactics must change. The police must recognise the democratic right to protest and put the protection of the public first at all times.”

Lib Dem Conference starts today

The party conference season has arrived, with Labour in town here next week, we head to Bournemouth this weekend. Conference highlights can be found here. I'm not staying all week due to various commitments, not to mention the Governance Committee on Tuesday evening but Nick Clegg speaks on Wednesday. This morning Nick Clegg has gone in hard on the Tories - an excellent way to start any conference week!

Lib Dems fundraise for AIDS Memorial

Brighton and Hove Liberal Democrats have organised a £500 donation to help finish the Brighton AIDS Memorial.



Local Party Chairman, Lawrence Eke, who runs the ISE Language Schools, presented the donation for £500 to colleagues Cllr Paul Elgood and Cllr David Watkins at his office in Hove.



Paul said; "We are delighted to receive support from Lawrence towards this very exciting project. This really is about the Lib Dems acting where the other political parties talk."

Trustees from the Brighton Aids Memorial are in the final stages of raising £15,000 to install the Memorial in New Steine Gardens, on Friday October 9 at 2.30pm.

Just how local is the Council buying?

That's the question asked by Pavilion Lib Dem PPC Andrew Falconer this week, whose figures challenge the Council's own PR on the issue...

Figures released this week by Brighton & Hove City Council under a Freedom of Information request by Liberal Democrat Andrew Falconer have revealed that only a quarter of their suppliers come from with the Council’s boundaries. The latest figures for 2007/8 show that only 26% of council suppliers are within the boundary compared with 33% the previous year.

I don’t want to get too negative with this. The Council does source a lot of its supplies locally but outside of its council boundary. Nearly 50% of suppliers come from BN postcodes although the Council has pointed out that some of these could include national companies with an address in the Brighton area – Asda for example. We do need clarity on this. If local suppliers can include mulitnationals then something is clearly wrong.

Scrutiny Commission to look at council's 'harsh' approach to council tax collection

At the meeting of Brighton & Hove Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Commission, the Chair of the Commission, Cllr Gill Mitchell, proposed that a report be drawn up into a perceived change of policy in relation to the collection of council tax from people who are in arrears. The proposal was supported by all members present and will be brought to a subsequent meeting. This could be as soon as October.

Councillor Gill Mitchell said:
“We fully believe that people should pay their required amount of Council Tax however, from councillor’s casework enquiries and anecdotal evidence it would seem that the council is now adopting a far more harsh approach to the collection of debt far earlier in the process.

"The Commission wants to satisfy itself that people are being treated fairly and given the all the help and advice that they need. It is important that the circumstances of individuals are taken into account and we want to see how this is being done.”

Councillor Paul Elgood, who supported the proposals said:
"Whilst the council clearly has a duty to maximize council tax income, since the change of policy more cases are coming up where people feel unfairly treated. The use of recovery methods should only be used as a very final resort and in rare cases, especially in the current economic climate. Instead the council needs better dialogue with residents who are in arrears to exhaust all possible options first."