Date of meeting: 20 March 2025

A maximum period of fifteen minutes in total shall be made available at each meeting of the Executive for questions from Members of the Council.

The questions included on the list of questions referred to above shall be taken as read at the Cabinet meeting. The question will be answered either orally or at the discretion of the Chair by a written answer circulated after the meeting. Officers may assist the Leader or a Cabinet Member with technical answers to questions. No supplementary questions shall be permitted.

The following written questions have been received from Members:

(1) Councillor McNair- Future of New England House

It was unclear in the paperwork what is happening with New England House. Can you confirm if the new housing company will use this site for housing?

(2) Councillor McNair – Future of New England House

What alternative accommodation will you provide for the existing tenants who contribute so much to the creative economy?

(3) Councillor Meadows- Community Infrastructure Levy

Does Patcham & Hollingbury have £35583.21 to spend on traffic and parking improvements?

(4) Councillor Meadows- Community Infrastructure Levy

When will councillors be contacted so that residents and councillors can input our suggestions for improved infrastructure?

(5) Councillor McNair- Red Routes Update

Has a consultation been undertaken with shop owners since the implementation of the red lines in London Road and Lewes Road to find out if it has impacted small businesses at all? If so, can the contents of the review be made available to ward councillors?

(6) Councillor Meadows- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

Has there been an updated consultation since the one in 2021 which was during covid?

(7) Councillor Meadows- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

Which concessionary bus fares are at risk from cuts if the council does not achieve an uplift in funding?

(8) Councillor Meadows- Brighton & Hove Fairness Fund and Household Support Fund 2025-26

Why is the council giving £67000 of the Fairness Fund to Operation Black Vote (para 3.24) - which we consider to be a political movement- for a civic leadership programme, instead of funding libraries which support all faiths and ethnicities yet are being cut?

(9) Councillor Meadows- Brighton & Hove Fairness Fund and Household Support Fund 2025-26

Are there any plans to help other minority groups in the city such as travellers and working-class boys and girls to engage in civic leadership programmes?

(10) Councillor McNair- Planned Maintenance Budget and Asset Management Fund Allocations and Educational Capital Resources and Capital Investment Programme 2025-26

What are the new developments which are proposed (para 3.14) that will need s106 money to mitigate their impact?

(11) Councillor Hill- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

East Sussex County Council appears to want to keep its boundaries and become one unitary authority. Given this, surely the proposal for 5 unitary authorities throughout Sussex is not able to get collective agreement?

(12) Councillor Hill- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Jim McMahon has said that 350,000 people should be a minimum for local councils and would need to be justified with the average for all new councils being 500,000. Do you agree with this approach?

(13) Councillor Hill- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Does Cabinet believe that residents in places like Peacehaven, Shoreham or Worthing will want to join a new unitary authority which includes the current Brighton & Hove City Council boundaries? I don't see much evidence of this, do you?

(14) Councillor Hill- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

The consultation states that the majority of respondents believe that Brighton & Hove should stay the same. What proportion was this exactly and could we see published some exact numbers and responses to answers in the consultation?

(15) Councillor Hill- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

I'm concerned by the low number of responses in the consultation as only 2 people from Coldean & Stanmer ward responded. Whilst it is a small ward in population, this is still much less proportionally than elsewhere and consistent with lower turnout in the ward at the last local election. How will you address this in future?

(16) Councillor West- City Economic Growth Board

In what way will the new City Economic Growth Board truly embrace the successful partnership working that has evolved over 20 years. What of the benefits of that model of collaborative working won’t be lost by this new narrower top-down approach?

(17) Councillor West- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

The risk of devolution and LGR not being fully government funded is flagged in the report’s financial and risk implications. What are the costs likely to be beyond the significant cost of the initial work which the report suggests may already be up to £300,000. How can the cabinet be so enthusiastic about devolution and LGR when it doesn't know what the bill will be, nor yet understand the value of any possible efficiencies and how long they may take to deliver. Given the government has lost head-room yet seems determined to stick to its fiscal rules while seeking to grow protected budgets like defence, isn’t there a real risk here the council may end up footing a significant and yet little understood bill for devolution and LGR. Is this wise and prudent, or is it creating a financial exposure the council is in no position to absorb?

(18) Councillor West- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

On page 67, the report says: "AI technology has been used to analyse the responses. While AI helps ensure a thorough examination of the data, there may still be some inaccuracies.". What firm conclusions can we draw from this analysis other than that it cannot be relied upon. Does the Cabinet agree with me that in order to reassure the public, business, staff and other stakeholder consultees that their valuable viewpoint is properly appreciated and respected, then this important analysis needs to be fully reconducted by human beings?

(19) Councillor West- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

I’m glad to see in the proposed interim plan for LGR that there is some appreciation given to the significance of the City’s relationship with the South Downs National Park and the UNESCO designated Living Coast Biosphere, as well as the importance of the 147 parks and other green spaces in the city. It is surprising then that there is no mention of our 13,000 acre City Downland Estate and its significance for health and wellbeing, nature restoration, tourism and carbon reduction as set out in the City Downland Estate Plan. Will this oversight be corrected?

(20) Councillor West- Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

While much of the city’s publicly owned downland estate lies within the BHCC boundary, much also lies in surrounding jurisdictions. If LGR were to lead to an expansion of the unitary authority boundary, it would make good sense to incorporate much more of our downland estate within this new authority area. This move would certainly assist in a more coherent delivery of the aims of the CDEP as well as helping the authority to further delivery of the National Park’s Partnership Plan too. Would the Cabinet agree to amend the report to include the opportunity LGR presents to realign the Brighton & Hove unitary boundary to incorporate much more, and possibly all, of the city downland estate?

(21) Councillor West- Future of New England House

In the cabinet report establishing a new City Economic Growth Board, it suggests this initiative will support the Corporate Plan outcome 1: A city to be proud of,.’ and that the board will “ensure the council continues to work in partnership with the business community to support and grow our economy”. How does the cabinet reconcile this uplifting statement with their plan to evict dozens of businesses from New England House by September. Many businesses have asked for a longer notice period and fear their having to leave will cause their demise along with the loss of very many jobs. With suitable light industrial and workshop space in short supply in the city to receive these businesses, and the scale of costs some will face with vacating and fit-outs, what meaningful financial support will the council be offering those in desperate need to ensure they survive this trauma?

(22) Councillor West- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

The report states that the approved budget for Concessionary Fares payments to operators in 2024-25 of £9.862m is showing a pressure of £365,000 reported in the TBM. The report also states there has been a 10% uplift in concessionary passenger numbers this year, adding to budgetary pressure. While the increase in bus use is welcome to see, given the administration have chosen to freeze many parking charges which help to pay for concessionary fares, and have added the considerable extra burden to the BSIP of funding their adventure with park and ride, how confident are the cabinet that they will not bust their budget again in the coming year?

(23) Councillor West- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

I’m very pleased to see that the administration has decided to continue funding the vital Breeze Bus services in the 2025-26 Bus Service Improvement Plan from the Government Bus Grant. Countryside access is a chief driver for people choosing to retain car ownership. As campaigners have made clear, Breeze is an essential support for the large number of households in Brighton & Hove who either can’t afford to run a car, can’t drive or simply prefer to travel sustainably to minimise their carbon footprint. However, the administration's commitment is limited to one more year. Are we going to lurch from one year to the next with this, or will we see a multi-year settlement that allows the service to be properly marketed for passenger growth? Will the cabinet member commit to supporting this service for a longer term?

(24) Councillor West- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

Will the cabinet member set out his plans for increasing usage rates of the Breeze buses. As he knows, I have asked if Breeze could perhaps be attracting more urban passengers who may not currently recognise the service is available to them as well as those travelling to and from the countryside. Will he also look at extending the 79 route to Ditchling village, which would be a significant additional destination point that would attract extra passenger journeys to the route?

(25) Councillor West- Concessionary Fares and Bus Service Improvement Plan Update

It is important for planning bus growth that the council have the certainty of a multi-year bus grant. Why then has the Labour government perpetuated their conservative predecessors' short-termism in continuing the one year funding approach? Is the cabinet calling on their Government to create a more certain future for bus grant funding?

(26) Councillor Sykes- City Economic Growth Board

The B&H Economic Plan, which is a key reference document in this paper, itself significantly references the city’s asset base as a basis for underpinning growth ambitions. As we stated at the time the new Economic Plan was launched, despite this asset focus there is little if any reference to the climate resilience of assets in the Economic Plan. How will the CEGB help rectify this gap and ensure our city and its growth ambition is prepared for future climate hazards?

(27) Councillor Sykes- Red Routes Update

The paper and the positive results of the new red routes are welcomed and I’m sure Brunswick and Adelaide will welcome the proposal to consider a red rote for Western Road Hove. However, one side effect of parking congestion has been that it limits to an extent speeding vehicles, which have been a real problem on Western Road Hove. Please can the Cabinet Member advise on how the problem of speeding vehicles will be included in appraisal of the new red routes?

(28) Councillor McLeay- Future of New England House

There is evidence that the council have been aware of the fire risks at New England House (NEH) for some years. Can the cabinet make a formal commitment to adequately compensate businesses who have, in good faith, invested tens of thousands of pounds in refurbishment (some as recently as September 2024)?

(29) Councillor McLeay- Future of New England House

Can the cabinet commit to compensating businesses that will need to relocate expensive and complex machinery?

(30) Councillor McLeay- Future of New England House

With the notice period officially starting March 20th, and given the severe lack of space in the city for these independent businesses to use, how much flexibility can be given for businesses unable to secure a relocation site ahead of September 30th? What reassurances can be shared with the anxious business owners of NEH today?

(31) Councillor McLeay- Future of New England House

The report for Cabinet references an internal audit being done to review the decision making up to the temporary closure of New England House in November 2024. Given the scale and impact of the issues at NEH, will Cabinet consider an external investigation, rather than solely an internal audit?

(32) Councillor McLeay- Future of New England House

There are multiple council owned properties within BHCC’s commercial portfolio, including the former Lloyds bank building at Preston Circus. What steps are being taken to review all of BHCC's commercial assets to review the possibility of them being used as meanwhile space for NEH tenants until refurbishment has been completed? I would specifically like to know the position regarding the empty Lloyds bank building as I believe the council has previously resisted use as meanwhile space to charities in the city, but my understanding is the property continues to sit empty.

(33) Councillor McLeay- Large Panel System Blocks Programme Update

There is an overall budget envelope of £18.8m across the next 5 years, but in papers for the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2025/26 to 2028/29 it was highlighted that over the short term there is a need to ensure the blocks remain safe with measures being introduced which require a significant revenue investment for the HRA. Considering the level of investment required and that this is a national issue, with leaseholders across the country continuing to be on the hook for huge sums to make homes safe, what work is being done to claim compensation from the failings of an unregulated construction industry? Could Cabinet press the Government for more support on fire remediation issues?