Council Agenda Item 21
Subject: Written questions from members of the public
Date of meeting: 11 July 2024
A period of not more than thirty 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: Gary Valier
Does the council accept that Karon Monaghan KC is correct that the BHCC Trans Inclusion Schools Toolkit is in breach of the Human Rights Act 1998, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Equality Act 2010, The Education Acts of 1996, 2002 and 2006, the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012, departmental statutory guidance including Keeping Children Safe in Education, EHRC Guidance (both Statutory and Technical) and multiple instances of binding case law in both the domestic and the supranational courts?
Reply from Councillor Daniel Cabinet Member – Children, Families, Youth Services and for Ending Violence against Women and Girls
2. Question from: Penny Taites
Short term rentals have caused long term stress to neighbors due to noise disturbance and anti-social behavior by the guests. This also has negative health effects on children such as prolonged sleep disturbance which results in tiredness, daytime sleepiness, difficulties in focusing attention, increased irritability, and lowered frustration tolerance. Short-term renters have no stake in the community, and therefore no reason to care how the neighborhood around them suffers from their vacation activities. The levels of noise by these party goers (which is a statutory nuisance) and prolonged anti-social, disruptive behavior is excessive, is at unreasonable times and in an unreasonable fashion, thereby substantially causing a significant interference with the enjoyment of homes in the neighborhood and interferes with everyday life. What action will the council take, in line with your enforcement policy to ban short term lets that are a statutory nuisance for a prolonged period of time?
Reply from Councillor Williams Cabinet Member – Housing and New Homes
3. Question from: Ben Carr
I'm a farmer in Ovingdean growing crops that people in our City eat. Last year I came to full council and asked BHCC to introduce a by-law so that overnight camping is banned on Greenways road. I need this because people stay overnight, have picnics/campfires, empty their bowels/portaloos on my crops - and leave piles of rubbish.
Neither myself and Councillor Fishleigh have managed to make any progress with officers. Section 77 notices aren’t enough. I need a solution so that vans that park overnight can be ticketed/moved on immediately. Can the Council please help save my crops and introduce a by-law?
Reply from Councillor Muten Cabinet Member – Transport, Parking and Public Realm
4. Question from: Barbara Odell
What will it take for the Brighton and Hove Council, City Parks to respond to their Civic responsibilities to its residents of Goldstone, Shirley Drive and other local areas to cut/mow and re-instate their overgrown, hazardous, neglected and unsightly verges and is this a reflection of the sad decline of Civic Pride of our City?
N.B. The verges are now over knee-high and the breeding grounds for ticks, insect biting species incorporating dog faeces, rubbish, hidden uneven obstacles, heavy with grass seeds hazardous to dogs and cats, obstruction to visibility for vehicles, and also a potential fire hazard.
Reply from Councillor Rowkins Cabinet Member – Net Zero & Environmental Services
5. Question from: Nigel Smith
BHCC’s transport officers say they expect that substantially reducing the width of the Marine Parade exit from the Aquarium Junction will have a negligible impact on bus and other eastbound traffic flows.
This contradicts DfT guidance on how road widths affect traffic flows.
It also ignores the widespread gridlock experienced in August 2020, when the width of the westbound exit was reduced for a COVID bike lane (which was rapidly removed).
Can you explain why B&HCC persists in believing its assumptions are better than the DfT’s professional road capacity guidelines that underpin UK Transport Assessments?
Reply from Councillor Muten Cabinet Member – Transport, Parking and Public Realm