Date of meeting: 12 January 2022

A period of not more than fifteen minutes shall be allowed at each ordinary meeting of the Council for the hearing of deputations from members of the public.

Notification of a further four Deputations has been received. The spokesperson is entitled to speak for 5 minutes.

1) Deputation: Deputation on Behalf of Modernist and Scooter Scene here in Brighton & Hove

1963-2023 60 years of Mod,

According to Hebdige, by around 1963, the mod subculture had gradually accumulated the identifying symbols that later came to be associated with the scene, such as scooters, amphetamine pills and R&B music. While clothes were still important at that time, they could be ready-made. Dick Hebdige wrote the term mod covered a number of styles including the emergence of Swinging London, though to him it defined Melly's working class clothes-conscious teenagers living in London and south England in the early to mid-1960s.

The scene grew and grew, Brighton became the Mecca for many every holiday thousands would travel many on scooters, just to be here. No special event, that came later. It was simply surround yourself with Modernist culture. In the last 4 years despite Covid and all its issues the scene has grown, almost overnight people want scooters, second hand prices shot up, brand new copy models were released and snapped up by people just wanting into the scene without the "2 Stroke Drama's". Its never been stronger and in this the 60Th year Brighton and Hove's relationship with this culture needs to catch up. These people are day or weekend visitors, spending serious money in the city, ask any of the shops like Quadrophenia Alley, Jump the Gun or The Modfather what a Mod Weekend is all about. Their visit causes no extra cost to the Council, no road closures, no disruption just some amazing eye candy that other tourists and the locals love. Just riding round on a Classic Scooter gets cheers, waves and people taking photos.

So this year April 9Th from 2 till 10 in the Concorde 2 Nightclub Myself and a Number of Scooter Groups will be holding a festival to raise funds for "Sussex Homeless Support" Live Bands, Fashion Shows, A Scooter Show with Trophies and a Tribute to Terry Walls from the Specials who sadly lost his fight to cancer last year. We would ask the council to give full support to this event, help us grow it, promote it and turn Easter Sunday into a yearly festival bringing more and more tourists to our city without huge expense like many other events. Our Sunday starts with the annual mass Easter Egg delivery to the Children's Hospital all on scooters last year seen Hundreds of eggs and over 40 scooters take part.

Only 50 miles away in August our neighbours see over 1000 scooters and 6000 extra visitors from the Modernist Scene so the potential real value to our city is huge.

Supported by:

David Smur. 50 Attree court. Brighton BN2 0FZ

Jill Harbord. 99 Bonchurch Road, Brighton. BN2 3PJ

Jan Pawluk. 18a Warren Way Brighton, BN2 6PJ

Martin Hill. 11 Midway Road, Brighton BN2 6BL

Lucy Selwood. 6 Curzon House, Chichester Drive East BN2 8LU

2) Deputation: Why St George’s House (43 Dyke Road) should be added to the council’s local list of heritage assets

I’m here representing the Montpelier and Clifton Hill Association, a registered charity established in 1971 which aims to preserve and enhance the character of our local conservation area.

We would like councillors to decide for themselves whether or not 43 Dyke Road is, to quote the Guidance, “A building or structure that is a visual focal point and forms a landmark”. This criterion was not even addressed by officers!

Like the Royal Alex Lainson building, 43 Dyke Road occupies a prominent corner site on the west side of Dyke Road. Its extensive frontage faces this major and historic thoroughfare at a point where it rises particularly steeply. Indeed, Newman’s print from c1850 confirms that the house was designed to be a landmark from all vantage points and it remains so today.

The photograph I took last week shows the south side of the building from the St Nicholas Rest Garden. Note how prominent it is and how proudly it stands above the nationally listed Grade II vaults.

The only reason given by officers for rejecting the nomination was that the building is as they put it “not atypical of the conservation area” in other words it is too much like other buildings in Montpelier and Clifton Hill. This we would hotly contest!

Given that the building is clearly a landmark, the “Townscape Interest” section of the nomination form is already satisfied. We nevertheless contend that it is incorrect to say this building is too much like other buildings in the conservation area.

Firstly, it is one of just two Italianate detached villas in Montpelier and Clifton Hill and it is the only one occupying its own grounds rather than being part of an on-street terrace. Secondly, the jaunty, folly-like three storey Italianate tower makes it unquestionably a one-off.

Regarding its Historic Interest, Norman Villa, as it was originally called, was built for – and quite likely by - its first resident, William Beedham in the mid-1840s. Beedham was a builder whose public offices included that of town commissioner, High Constable, and Brighton Corporation alderman.

His greatest legacy is our water supply! From the 1830s, running water had been available just to a very few affluent households in the town and then only for a couple of hours each day. With the town expanding at great speed, the less well-off endured appallingly insanitary conditions. As a founder – and subsequently manager - of the Brighton, Hove and Preston Constant Service Water Works in the early 1850s, Beedham was integral to extending the town’s water supply, which led to desperately needed improvements in sanitation and public health. In 1872, Brighton Corporation purchased the company and continued this essential work.

For much of its existence, the building has been associated with education. During the second half of the 19C, it was for many years the home of Marriage Wallis and his family - Quakers committed to widening educational opportunity in Brighton. Marriage Wallis himself was an early member of the Brighton School Board, with which he was involved for over two decades including six as Chairman. In the 20th C it became a school, Clark’s College, and today remains an educational facility.

Finally, regarding Age and Integrity, its dominant features date from the 1840s; the building remains substantially complete with an attractive wrought iron main gate and well-maintained roof of slate and lead.

In conclusion, may I propose that the images you have seen, including the reference to this building on the British Museum’s website, together with its historic association with prominent local personalities, undoubtedly qualify 43 Dyke Road as a building worthy of inclusion on the Local List. Please vote to include it today.

Supported by:

James Gowans, 6 Compton Avenue, BN1 3PN

Carol Collington, 6 Compton Avenue, BN1 3PN

Ninka Willcock, 22 Southdown Avenue, BN41 !XE (lead spokesperson)

Corinne Attwood, 1A Powis Grove, BN1 3HF

Lianne Jarrett, 10 Powis Villas, BN1 3HD

Carol Dyhouse, 15 Victoria Road, BN1 3FS