Subject: Written questions from members of the public.

Date of meeting: 2 February 2023

A period of not more than fifteen minutes shall be allowed for questions submitted by a member of the public who either lives or works in the area of the authority at each ordinary meeting of the Council.

Every question shall be put and answered without discussion, but the person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer. The person who asked the question may ask one relevant supplementary question, which shall be put and answered without discussion.

The following written questions have been received from members of the public.

1. QUESTION From: Lynda Pickworth:

I live off the High Street in Rottingdean. We are lucky to have public transport close, however I do need to use my car to visit my parents, who have Alzheimer’s/mobility issues. With or without the planter, the volume of traffic makes it very difficult to exit and enter our site safely. Please would you consider repainting the Keep Clear sign outside Denes Mews to help myself and fellow residents/local businesses/trades/delivery drivers. It would not cost much and would make our lives so much easier and would improve the safety of fellow travellers on the High Street outside the Mews.

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

2. QUESTION From: Ron White:

Could the chairs of the ETS committee please let me know how much of the £29m Bus services improvement funding is been spent to improve bus shelters?

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

3. QUESTION From John Hewitt:

Can the Leader of the Council confirm that there will be no out-of-hours noise service (noise complaints made over the weekends) for the residents of the city if the field officer positions are scrapped?

Councillor Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council will reply.

4. QUESTION From: David Walker:

Charging Local Charities to use parks

I am a member of the Rottingdean and Saltdean Lions. Every year we put on events in Saltdean Oval Park and Rottingdean Green for the local community's enjoyment and to raise money that helps local people in need. This year we have been told we must pay £200 per event. How can the Council see us as an income stream? Both our events are on open spaces which numerous people using every day, and one for regular football training and matches, how is our event likely to cause significantly more damage requiring costly rectification?

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

5. QUESTION From Tristram Burden:

Brighton and Hove buses were proposing to cut the frequency of the number 18 bus in half and change the route so it no longer goes to Brighton Station and 7 dials. This would have had a hugely negative impact on local residents, in particular pregnant women, older people and residents living in hilly areas.

Can the council confirm their support for the number 18, and can residents get assurance from the council that they will subsidise the 18 if it's threatened again?

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

6. QUESTION From Gloria Elliot:

Post-pandemic, how is BHCC supporting the rejuvenation of devastated local businesses by making Brighton and Hove a go-to shopping and tourism destination once more?

Councillor Osborne / Powell, Joint Chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee will reply.

7. QUESTION From David Lane:

Are there any plans to reopen the seafront toilets for the busy summer tourist season?

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

8. QUESTION From Laura King:

What public demand was Brighton and Hove City Council answering when it decided to embark on an extensive programme of gender-neutralising school toilets across Brighton and Hove over the past 18 months?

Councillor Allbrooke, Chair of the Children, Young People & Skills Committee will reply.

9. QUESTION From Peter Anthony:

How much grant money has Brighton & Hove City Council received from central government in the last 10 years? Please include current applications that are anticipated to succeed.

Councillor Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council will reply.

10. QUESTION From David Bushell:

In the document ‘Budget Strategy 2023-4’ presented to the Policy and Resources committee, the Council identifies areas to make savings including by closing public toilets. However next to the line item ‘Member expenses £1.043 million’ it says ‘no savings proposed’. Why is the Council prepared to close public toilets but not prepared to cut members allowances?

Councillor Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council will reply.

11. QUESTION From Nigel Furness:

How much did the design, production and distribution of the Mayor’s Christmas card cost, which included a commissioned drawing of the Mayor but did not mention the word Christmas?

The Mayor, will reply.

12. QUESTION From Emma Wall:

Does Brighton and Hove City Council ever revisit or reverse a committee decision they have made?

Councillor Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council will reply.

13. QUESTION From David Wilson:

Making Saltdean Beach a blue flag beach

We are proud that Saltdean beach has a seaside award. What additional facilities need to be provided to quality for blue beach status?

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

14. QUESTION From Kate Brown:

Public Toilets in Saltdean Oval Park

I am here representing Saltdean United Football Club. Our junior teams (aged 5 to 11) train and play matches in Saltdean Oval Park for 8 months of the year during the week and at weekends. If the toilets close, then our boys and girls - and spectators - will use the bushes. They won’t walk to the closest one on Saltdean Undercliff. Please would you find the money to keep these toilets open.

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.

15. QUESTION From Gary Ayling:

This Council has spent time officially declaring a climate emergency; a cost of living emergency; and a mental health emergency among others. It has also voted on nuclear weapons twice and spent time debating international issues such as Roe vs Wade. Is there any prospect that, if re-elected, the Administration would focus on any of the service functions that the City Council is actually responsible for?

Councillor Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council will reply.

16. QUESTION From Stephen White:

BHCC Council officers have been in negotiations with the Berkeley Group about their gigantic planning application for the East Brighton gasworks site (BH2021/04167) for more than three years yet after so much private discussion the application is in direct violation of a multitude of the stipulations laid out in the City Plan. Do our planning officers not have any duty to offer guidance to developers about what is, or is not, likely to be considered acceptable, or at least within the tolerances of the city plan to avoid wasting the developers’ time and arousing so many anxieties of local residents?

Councillor Littman, Chair of the Planning Committee will reply.

17. QUESTION From Janis Sharp:

Saltdean Tennis Club is hoping to take responsibility for the maintenance of four courts in Saltdean Park from BHCC who have said they no longer have funds to maintain them. Our business plan relies on revenue from players who are not, and do not want to be, members of the club and so won’t have access to the toilets in the clubhouse.

Closing the public toilets by the courts will have a noticeable and negative effect on our income and I am here to ask you find the money to keep these toilets open.

Councillor Davis / Hills, Joint Chair of the Environment, Transport &

Sustainability Committee will reply.