|
Area in city |
North |
|
Star rating |
2 star/ Local area issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Benjamin Tedder Merran Wrigley Russell McMillan |
|
Officer job title |
Housing Parking and Garages Manager Head of Parking Services Senior Project Manager – City Infrastructure
|
|
Contact Details |
benjamin.tedder@brighton-hove.gov.uk meran.wrigley@brighton-hove.gov.uk russell.mcmillan@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
Poor and/or illegal parking are causing obstructions to pedestrians, including people with mobility issues/in wheelchairs and to pushchairs. It is also causing obstructions to the emergency services and buses. There are also insufficient dropped kerbs in certain areas and unsuitable pathways for wheelchair users. |
|
Background |
Parking and road issues were raised at the last North Area Residents’ Only meeting held on 28th November 2024. While residents recognise that this is not, strictly speaking, a Housing issue, it is an issue that greatly affects Council tenants and residents living across the North Area. Bates Estate reported that cars are frequently parked across dropped kerbs, preventing access by people in wheelchairs and people with pushchairs. There are also certain roads where people park in a way that obstructs the emergency services. Coldean reported that cars in their area park across dropped kerbs, pavements and at bus stops, preventing pedestrians and wheelchair/mobility scooter users from having safe access to pavements. North Moulsecoomb residents also reported that, while there are very few dropped kerbs in their area, people are frequently parked across them, preventing people in mobility scooters and wheelchairs from using them. It was also noted that there is a massive pothole on the stretch of Newick Road between 106 and 112A. In North Moulsecoomb, there are insufficient dropped kerbs, causing difficulties for residents with mobility issues, in wheelchairs/scooters and to people with pushchairs. The slope intended for wheelchair/pushchair users situated off the pedestrian crossing going from Lewes Road up into Barcombe Road is too steep and unsuitable for wheelchair users. Residents mentioned that during football games at Amex Stadium, parking issues massively increase across their neighbourhoods. Residents noted that there were no (or very few) parking enforcement officers in their area.
|
|
Request or Question |
· Residents request that Councillor Trevor Muten (Head of Transport and Sustainability) be invited to the next North Area Panel meeting, for the above issues to be presented and discussed as a North Area issue. · Residents in Coldean and Moulsecoomb request ‘No parking on dropped kerbs’ signage to be put up in their areas.
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Response |
|
This request appears to relate to areas of roadway which are comprised of highways land. Residents can find full details of how to report vehicles parked where they should not be to the Parking Services team on the council website at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/parking . The issues residents have raised have been escalated to senior management in the service. Since September 2024, the match day parking zones B and D have received the enforcement visits shown below. Please note this is total enforcement hours and not just related to match days: Zone B: 528 visits – 137 patrol hours – 450 PCNs issued Zone D: 860 visits – 223 patrol hours (a bigger zone) – 715 PCNs issued. On average approximately 22% of the city’s enforcement coverage is directed to zones B and D during match days. Parking Services are interested to receive more details from residents if CEOs aren’t being observed at these times. If residents could share details such as the dates and locations where there seems to be no enforcement, we will be able to investigate further. CEOs carry handheld devices which track their patrols using GPS data so we can see if a specific location has been missed/overlooked. We can also ask CEOs to visit a specific street if we are aware of a reoccurring parking issue. In terms of dropped kerb enforcement, 12 PCNs have been issued in these areas during the same period against vehicles obstructing a dropped kerb. If residents can make the enforcement team aware when/where issues occur, these will be enforced accordingly. Residents are advised to call the rapid response phone number (03456 035 469) if they see a vehicle parked where they think it should not be. For more information about this service, please refer to the website Report a vehicle parked where it should not be - https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/parking/report-vehicle-parked-where-it-should-not-be In terms of ‘unsafe’ parking, we have shared some enforcement stats below for the surrounding roads based on the last 4 months of data which we feel is sufficient coverage for these locations. If we are given more information as to where the issues occur, enforcement visits can be increased. We again refer residents to the rapid response phone number which residents can use to report issues and direct the CEOs to parking problems. · Somerset Street: 89 visits – 13 patrol hours – 23 PCN’s · Upper Bedford Street: 303 visits – 24 patrol hours – 47 PCN’s · Montague Street: 99 visits – 13 patrol hours – 30 PCN’s The Council receives many requests for pedestrian dropped kerbs, handrails, and ramps across the city. The Transport Projects Team has added the request to the waiting list. All of these requests will be investigated and considered for installation, subject to existing infrastructure, feasibility and financial implications. Our current budget for the year 25/26 has already been allocated to previous outstanding requests currently being delivered across the city. We will aim to provide an update by Spring 2026 to discuss your request in more detail and to provide an update on the next steps. For any parking or illegal parking matters that are on housing land or estates managed by Housing, residents should contact Housing Customer Service 01273 203030 or housing.customerservice@brighton-hove.gov.uk and report any issues. Each report will be fully investigated and dealt with accordingly, referrals may be made with anonymously if preferred. If the report is for another service we will share it with them. |
|
Action |
As above
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
North |
|
Star rating |
2 Star/ Local area issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Thursday 15th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Gabriel Tiranti |
|
Officer job title |
Senior Community Engagement Officer |
|
Contact Details |
gabriel.tiranti@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
Motorbike gangs are riding around Hollingdean and other areas, causing noise and other issues. |
|
Background |
The issue of motorbike gangs was raised at previous North Area Residents’ Only meetings. In Hollingdean, over 100 complaints have been made to the Police but nothing has been done to resolve the problem. Residents are being affected by the noise, and the dangerous driving. |
|
Request or Question |
Residents think that a constructive way forward would be for Residents Association reps to meet with the Council and Police. Residents request for a meeting to be arranged by Community Engagement Team between Residents’ Associations in affected areas, the Council and Police, to enable information sharing and joint working towards resolving the problem. |
|
Response |
|
Housing Manager, Michael Raywood has escalated the concerns to Sussex Police at the joint meeting with Sussex Police and north housing team.
Clare Nichols is coordinating a meeting with residents; Michael will invite Sussex Police to the meeting to answer questions regarding motorbikes.
Michael is exploring the possibility of the police and the Housing team working in collaboration to tackle the antisocial behavior caused by dangerous bike riding in the north area. |
|
Action |
As above.
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
North |
|
Star rating |
2 Star/ Local area issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Emma Gilbert |
|
Officer job title |
Tenancy Services Operations Manager |
|
Contact Details |
emma.gilbert@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
The recent fire in one of the blocks on Selsfield Drive have left residents fearful and anxious. They have not been given any information about the cause of the fire, and the authorities are refusing to share this information, which has given rise to speculation and accusations, deeply affecting residents on the estate.
|
|
Background |
N/A |
|
Request or Question |
Residents request that information be made available to them about the cause of the fire, what is being done to remedy the damage, and any further action being taken by the Council to ensure the safety of its tenants.
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Response |
|
We appreciate how difficult and traumatic this experience has been for residents and we have requested a copy of the fire investigation however to date we have not received one. As this flat is owned by a leaseholder unless the cause was in some way the responsibility of the Council, East Sussex Fire and Rescue are likely to communicate directly with the leaseholder.
In terms of building safety, the Repairs team attended on site alongside the ESFRS at the time of the fire and immediately afterwards and jointly assessed the safety of the building. If the building had been deemed unsafe to occupy, the ESFRS would have issued us with a Prohibition Order requiring us to decant the building with immediate effect. This was not the case. There have been subsequent re inspections both by East Sussex Fire and Rescue and our own Fire Risk Assessors.
We have now met with the loss adjustors and will soon be progressing with works to the common way including the replacement of damaged glazing and the decoration of the stairway. Works to the leasehold flat are a matter of the leaseholder to organise.
Following the fire, an inspection was undertaken by East Sussex Fire and Rescue and our own Fire Risk Assessment Company. Following these inspections, we are proposing to undertake some improvements to fire safety including the replacement of flat entrance doors and the provision of automatic opening vents in the blocks with enclosed staircases. We are still waiting on some details but when these are available, we will organise a meeting with the resident's association so we can share more information. |
|
Action |
Arrange a future meeting with the resident's association to explain proposed fire safety works
|
|
Start date |
May 2025 |
|
End date |
July 2025 |
|
Area in city |
North |
|
Star rating |
2 star/ Local area issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Geof Gage |
|
Officer job title |
Head of Housing Investment & Asset Management |
|
Contact Details |
Geofrey.gage@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
New inner front doors are being installed across Bates Estate – the residents were not informed in advance of this and have concerns about the quality of the doors being installed.
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Background |
N/A
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Request or Question |
Residents would like to know: · Why were residents not informed earlier about the works? · Why have residents not been consulted, particularly around the question of the quality of the doors being installed?
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Response |
|
Firstly, we apologise that residents had not been consulted and updated as to our intentions, this was a fast-tracked decision. At this time, we are surveying and obtaining quotations from our contractors for the doors to low rise blocks across the City.
Our door programme has been concentrating on high rise blocks, that programme was expected to end this year, however, we now have to submit applications to the Building Safety Regulator for any works to high rise blocks and the approval process can take 40 weeks, hence our programme for this financial year has been severely disrupted. We are therefore seeking to bring forward some estates that would have been included in the 2026/27 financial year, Bates estate would have been on that programme.
In most instances the flat entrance doors do require updating, this will be determined by the survey now being carried out. The doors are a standard door that meets all current fire safety and building control requirements and is approved following rigorous testing for both fire and security purposes. Once we have the surveys and costs and are in a position to confirm blocks and estates we intend to complete this financial year we will write and meet with residents and also consult with leaseholders. As you will be aware we have other works in progress at Bates Estate and our wish is to complete works necessary and required on an estate / block basis to avoid returning to the estate in 2 / 3 years, hence Bates is one of our choices. |
|
Action |
Undertake resident communications once surveys are complete
|
|
Start date |
April 2025 |
|
End date |
June 2025 |
|
Area in city |
North |
|
Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Sam Nolan |
|
Officer job title |
Community Engagement Manager |
|
Contact Details |
sam.nolan@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
When, for example, major works are being considered by the Council, it is unclear whether Residents’ Associations have the power to veto decisions made by the Council, such as their choice of contractor/subcontractor.
|
|
Background |
N/A |
|
Request or Question |
Residents would like to know if, and which Tenants’/Residents’ Associations in Brighton & Hove are Recognised Tenants Associations (RTAs) under Section 29 of the Landlord & Tenant Act. What powers do Tenants’/Residents’ Associations in Brighton & Hove have under this act?
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Response |
|
Recognised Tenants Associations in Brighton & Hove When a Tenants' Association gains formal recognition under Section 29 of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985, they receive several legal rights and powers:
1. Right to information about service charges - Request and receive summaries of costs forming the basis of service charges - Access and inspect supporting documents, accounts, receipts, etc. - The landlord must provide this information within one month of request
2. Consultation rights regarding major works - Must be consulted before landlords carry out qualifying works exceeding £250 per tenant - Must be consulted on long-term agreements for provision of services exceeding £100 per tenant per year - Failure to consult properly can limit the landlord's ability to recover costs
3. Right to appoint a surveyor - Can appoint a qualified surveyor who has rights to: - Access the building to inspect its condition - Examine documents relating to service charges - Advise the association on matters relating to service charges
4. Management audit rights - Can request information about managing agents appointed by the landlord - Can commission a management audit to review the landlord's compliance with management obligations
5. Right of first refusal - In certain circumstances, if the landlord intends to sell their interest in the building, they must first offer it to the qualifying tenants, which an RTA can coordinate
To become recognised, a Tenants' Association must either: - Obtain voluntary recognition from the landlord, or - Apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for a certificate of recognition (generally requires membership of at least 50% of qualifying tenants)
While BHCC have a Tenant & Resident Association Recognition policy this is only to recognise organisations as formally representing their communities and neighbourhood and it is not the same as recognition under the Tenant and Landlord Act.
|
|
Action |
N/A
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
Central |
|
Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
16th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Benjamin Tedder |
|
Officer job title |
Parking and Garages Manager |
|
Contact Details |
benjamin.tedder@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
a) Notice is not given to residents if heavy vehicles, containers and lorries will be using the carpark the next day, so cars get hemmed in and damaged. b) Residents’ long-term access to their carpark space and access to their building, can be severely restricted by contractors vehicles. Sometimes this is because there is major work going on in their block but can also be a result of a lot of building work in the surrounding area.
|
|
Background |
a) Essex Place residents are finding their cars blocked in by heavy vehicles, and in some cases vehicles have been damaged. Residents are not able to move their cars in advance, because there has not been any notice of this. There is also discontent that, despite paying for a residents’ parking space, residents have to pay for on-street parking in order to give Council contractors access. b) Theobald House carpark has a consistent problem with massive vans taking up all of the space. The three visitors’ bays are always occupied by contractors. Public safety is not taken into account - parking obstructions make getting in to the block difficult for people with disabilities and the elderly. Blocking of visitors’ spaces prevents visits from carers, nurses, family and friends. This is all an additional pressure on people who are just trying to manage their lives, adding to stress. Sometimes this can spill over into anger and abuse towards the contractors, which makes their lives more difficult as well.
|
|
Request or Question |
a) Notice of at least a week should be given to residents when the car park will be used by contractors. This can be by text, phone, email. b) The council needs to make alternative arrangements for the parking of heavy vehicles and equipment while major works are going on, to ensure the safety of their residents. The cost and inconvenience should be borne by the contractors and the council, not the residents.
|
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Response |
|
Planned Major Works affecting Housing car parks The Housing Customer Services team contact car parking licensees to advise them in advance of any planned major works to Housing properties that will affect their spaces. At times, it may be necessary to site equipment or containers within Housing car parking areas or for heavy vehicles to enter the car parks so that contractors can carry out their tasks safely and effectively. Where needed, the team will offer alternative parking spaces for affected licensees to use for the duration of any planned works, in the same car park wherever possible or the nearest one with available spaces, as part of their standard procedures. The team contact affected licensees by phone, letter, email and by text to advise them and make alternative parking arrangements where needed, seeking to provide the maximum amount of notice possible. If visitor bays must be set aside specifically for major works, the team advise the affected residents of this in advance. The notice given for planned major works typically exceeds two weeks at a minimum but please note that if any urgent issues arise, the team may need to act more quickly. Responsive repairs and maintenance to Housing properties There are limited spaces available within Housing car parks and the majority do not contain visitor bays but where these are in place, they can be used by residents’ visitors or by authorised contractors who are visiting the site to carry out essential repairs or maintenance to Housing properties. If visitor bays are often found to be in use, residents can obtain permits for their visitors to park in on-street areas as an alternative via the council’s website at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/parking . The website also contains full details of how professional carers and unpaid carers can apply for permits to park in on-street areas, while they are visiting residents to provide care. The Housing Repairs and Estates Services teams can also park in visitor bays where available or in common areas of the car park if needed, in order to carry out responsive repairs or maintenance to Housing properties in a timely manner but should not cause an obstruction to other car park users or to residents accessing the blocks. Responsive repairs and maintenance are carried out as needed to Housing properties across the city and it is not possible to give advance notice to residents before every contractor visits site but any vehicles causing an obstruction to car parking licensees or pedestrian access to the blocks can be reported to the Housing Customer Services Team at housing.customerservices@brighton-hove.gov.uk or on 01273 293030 so they can take appropriate action. |
|
Action |
No further action.
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
Central |
|
Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
16th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Emma Gilbert |
|
Officer job title |
Tenancy Services Operations Manager |
|
Contact Details |
emma.gilbert@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
Help and support is needed for both residents suffering from serious mental health issues and those living alongside people with disruptive and sometimes violent behaviour. |
|
Background |
A growing number of residents are struggling with poor mental health. People in this situation desperately need help and support which isn’t always available or easy to access. Theobald House has experienced some frightening and violent behaviour from residents, including criminal damage to property. People have been scared for themselves as well as concerned about the well-being of the perpetrator. There appears to be very little support for people with serious mental health issues, with various different agencies not seeming to take any responsibility. There is also little support for residents trying to live their lives safely and peacefully. It is not a straightforward or easy process to report issues, responses can be slow, residents feel left on their own and that the physical danger they are in is not addressed. Residents’ Association officers can be under particular pressure from other residents to resolve issues while there is very little they can do. |
|
Request or Question |
It was recognised that this is a complex situation, but it was felt that more could be done to support residents who struggling with their mental health, as well as those living alongside individuals with disturbed, aggressive and violent behaviour. · Can the Community Engagement Team help by bringing residents together, think through solutions and give us more support and control in this situation? |
|
Response |
|
What support can the Council offer residents suffering from mental health issues?
Mental health support services in the city are provided by the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, (SPFT) including emergency/crisis response services. A wide range of information can be found on the website www.sussespartnership.nhs.uk/your-mental-health. I have also included relevant information from their website in the section below, for ease of reference.
Housing and ASC work closely with partner agencies including the Police and MH services at an individual case level, including case management of ASB. Our approach will always be to balance support with enforcement in these cases. Mental Health is a protected characteristic under the Equalities Act 2010 and as such needs to be fully considered in any action we take to address anti-social behaviour to ensure it is reasonable and proportionate.
Who can you call out of hours if there is a mental health emergency? The police will not always respond if the problem is to do with mental health.
Please see the guidance from the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on who to contact in a MH emergency/crisis:
Urgent support for adults in a crisis For immediate help: If your life - or someone else's life - is in immediate danger, please call 999 or go to A&E. For same or next day help: · Call 111 and select the mental health option - also known as the Sussex Mental Healthline (available 24/7).
Who can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option? The service is free and available to everyone who is concerned about their own mental health or that of a relative, friend, or someone they care for. The service also supports children and young people. NHS 111 'select mental health option' is one of a range of services available in Sussex to support people with their mental health. If you require support with physical health symptoms or have a query about medication, please call 111 and press 1. If your life, or someone else's life, is in immediate danger, please call 999.
Alert Warning During busy periods, you may need to wait for someone to answer your call. If you would prefer not to wait, you could use our free crisis support text messaging service instead. Text the word SUSSEX to 85258 for a confidential text-based conversation with a trained volunteer.
What to do if you are hearing or speech impaired · If you’re deaf or have hearing loss, please use the following link to be connected to local crisis service: To connect with a BSL interpreter, please visit SignVideo - https://signvideo.co.uk/nhs111/. The interpreter will contact Sussex Mental Healthline on your behalf. · To use Text Relay, please call 0300 5000 101.
What do to if you need a language interpreter If your first language is not English, we can arrange a telephone interpreter for other community languages. Please ask someone to call NHS 111 'select mental health option' on your behalf to let us know the language needed.
· If you feel you are not able to keep yourself safe, but do not need immediate medical assistance, you should call the Mental Health Rapid Response Service (MHRRS) on 0300 304 0078 (available: Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, weekends and bank holidays 10am-10pm). MHRRS is able to offer immediate support, as well as refer on for further support from other mental health teams where needed. Patients, health professionals, and carers can also ring for advice. · Call the Samaritans on 116 123, or visit www.samaritans.org (for anyone distressed, thinking of suicide or in crisis). · If you would prefer support via text you can do so by texting SUSSEX to 85258. · Visit the Staying Well Service (weekdays: 5pm-10:30pm, weekends: 3pm-10:30pm) at The Wellbeing Hub in Preston Park, 18 Preston Park Avenue, Brighton, BN1 6HL. They can be contacted on 0800 023 6475 or stayingwell.brighton@southdown.org. Information on other support services can be found at https://www.mindcharity.co.uk/crisis-services/. · For more advice on coping with suicidal thoughts, please visit the following sites · NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/ · Mind: http://www.mind.org.uk
Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service https://www.brightonandhovewellbeing.org/ · The Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service is a free, confidential NHS service for adults and children and young people with a postcode beginning BN1, BN2, BN3 or BN41. · If you're feeling sad, anxious, stressed or low in mood we can help you get the support you need. You're not alone, and we're here to help. · Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service is delivered in partnership by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust ,YMCA DownsLink Group and Southdown · We offer a variety of support and NICE compliant psychological therapies. The services that we provide are delivered by a number of teams who work alongside one another to ensure that you receive the care and support that you need at every stage of your journey. · When we receive your referral and talk to you about your needs, we will discuss which part of the service is best suited to you.
Advice and information · If you are worried about yours or someone else’s mental health or would like information about how mental health services work in the city, please visit Mind’s Advice and Information Service - https://www.mindcharity.co.uk/advice-information/.
· Contact us
0300 002
0060 (local
rate)
Can the Community Engagement Team help by bringing residents together, think through solutions and give us more support and control in this situation?
The Community Engagement Team will always do their best to support Tenants & Residents Associations to support their community and make improvements for residents. The question of how an association of neighbours can support other neighbours in crisis is complex and would need some careful assessment for safety, boundaries and expertise. The Association may want to invite a range of professionals to a meeting to talk through what local informal support might look like. Your community engagement officer can help a group by making linking in any appropriate council officers.
|
|
|
|
Action |
CET team to explore how they can support the association in widening awareness of Mental health support services
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
Central |
|
Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
|
Date question raised |
3rd April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
16th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
James Deamer and Stephen Wraige |
|
Officer job title |
Lift Engineer and Housing Customer Service Manager |
|
Contact Details |
|
Issue |
The Council’s communication with residents when lifts break down is unacceptably poor. This needs to be improved and residents kept informed.
|
|
Background |
At Warwick Mount recently the lift was broken for two weeks before the Council contacted residents. When lifts are not working there is a significant impact on the residents living in the block. This is particularly true at Warwick Mount, where lifts stop on alternate floors. Residents who cannot manage stairs are effectively trapped in their flats. Good communication with residents about the problem and the expected length of the repair is more than a courtesy – it allows residents to plan and organise their lives in these difficult circumstances. Considerable stress, anxiety and anger is caused by residents not knowing what is being done and how long it will take. The Council’s recent failure to communicate with Warwick Mount residents about the lift repairs needs to be looked at.
|
|
Request or Question |
Can the Council commit to contacting affected residents within 48 hours of a lift breakdown? This could be by text message, followed up with a letter if the repairs are lengthy. This should apply to affected residents citywide.
|
|
Response |
|
Our lift contractor, Liftec, advises our mechanical and electrical team within the Housing Investment and Asset Management (HIAM) service of any overnight outage either via email or by way of the daily lift status report. This is then emailed to Housing Customer Service and other parties with a summary of the problem and any updates given if and when requested.
Within approximately one hour of receiving the report from HIAM the Housing Customer Services Team send a text message to all affected tenants advising them that the lift is out of service. This message includes any information on how long the lift will be out of service for, when this is known.
The Housing Customer Services Team will attempt to call any tenants who are known to have mobility issues to discuss how they may be affected and make sure they have what they need during the lift outage.
In the event of longer term outages such as Warwick, we gather all the information such as type of fault and lead time for sourcing spares before notifying residents in writing. Unfortunately, Warwick had a difficult to diagnose fault followed by a week attempting to source parts originally manufactured many years ago, which caused a delay in writing to residents.
|
|
Action |
N/A
|
|
Start date |
|
|
End date |
|
|
Area in city |
East |
|
Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
|
Date question raised |
10th April 2025 |
|
Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
|
Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
|
Name of officer responding |
Sam Nolan |
|
Officer job title |
Community Engagement Manager |
|
Contact Details |
communityengagement@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
|
Issue |
Most citywide and service improvement group meetings have been halted. Residents have been told that this is due to low attendance and not having sufficient staff to organise them. |
|
Background |
Residents feel that these citywide meetings are a useful space for residents to discuss and exchange information and share issues across the city. For example, residents in sheltered and predominantly senior housing would find it useful to come together to discuss issues that jointly impact them as well as exchange ideas (e.g. what kind of social activities are being run, what works/what doesn’t). |
|
Request or Question |
Residents would like some of the citywide & service improvement groups re-instated and request a discussion with the Community Engagement Team to explore possibilities and options. Rather than stop having these meetings entirely, perhaps alternative avenues could be looked at to address the issues around attendance. |
|
Response |
|
Thank you for your feedback about citywide and service improvement group meetings. I understand the concern about these meetings stopping and the value that they offered residents across different housing communities. The move away from service improvement groups happened over time. However, we weren't clear enough about these changes, which left many of you unsure and frustrated. We should have kept you better informed about changes to meetings that matter to you. I apologise for this and commit to improving our transparency moving forward.
When we presented new ideas at the last Involvement and Empowerment Group meeting, members wanted to keep the old meeting structure but also agreed it was hard to get people to attend. You asked us to work harder to get people to attend meetings. While the meetings worked well for some residents, they weren't reaching the wide range of people who live in our homes.
When we look at who attends our engagement activities, we see gaps in representation across age groups, ethnicities, disabilities, gender, and family types. People's lives are busy and how they want to get involved is changing. We believe a new approach will help more people share their views and ideas to improve council housing services. there will be many face to face and digital opportunities to be involved. In response, we've starting to develop "A Taste of What's Possible When We Listen" - a comprehensive menu of engagement opportunities that allows residents to participate at their preferred level of involvement:Starters - Quick and easy ways to speak up (Digital polls, Pop-up stalls)Light Bites - Regular engagement with minimal time commitment (Surveys, Coffee morningsMain Courses - Regular meetings with significant impact (Focus groups, Service workshops)Chef's Specials - Engagement on specific interest areasThe Full Works - Formal involvement in governance, co-production groups and scrutiny of specific areas of housing.This menu directly responds to feedback where tenants expressed enthusiasm about meaningful opportunities to influence service changes. We want to co-produce a plan that is truly built on your voices - based on tenant feedback gathered through tenant conferences, focus groups, workshops, tenant and resident associations, area panels, service improvement groups, and working with housing colleagues. We want to create a genuine culture change in how we work together. Next StepsWe are planning a citywide co-production workshop in the next month to work together with tenants on designing new opportunities to be involved. This is a perfect opportunity for you to help shape how future engagement will work. Your experience with the previous citywide groups would be particularly valuable in this discussion. |
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Action |
As above
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Start date |
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End date |
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Area in city |
East |
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Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
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Date question raised |
10th April 2025 |
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Week of Area Panel |
9th June 2025 |
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Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
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Name of officer responding |
Janet Dowdell |
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Officer job title |
Tenancy Services Operations Manager |
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Contact Details |
janet.dowdell@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
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Issue |
Resident inspections and Estate Walkabouts have not been happening. |
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Background |
Residents were told that these would be taking place. However, nobody has received information as to when or where these might happen. Residents value these opportunities to run through issues on their estates together with Council workers. |
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Request or Question |
Residents would like to know when and where resident inspections and estate walkabouts will take place. |
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Response |
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We continue to respond to individual requests for an estate inspection/walkabout and can be quite responsive when approached by tenant representatives and Councillors. This has been adhoc pending our recruitment to our new Neighbourhood Officer posts.
I am pleased to report our new recruits will be joining the team through May and June. We will introduce the new Neighbourhood Officers to Area Panels soon and they will be spending some time getting to know the areas and estates initially. We will come back to panels with information on the launch of our planned programme of inspections as soon as we are able to. |
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Action |
N/A
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Start date |
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End date |
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Area in city |
West |
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Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
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Date question raised |
10th April 2025 |
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Week of Area Panel |
16th June 2025 |
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Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
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Name of officer responding |
Janet Dowdell |
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Officer job title |
Housing Operations Manager |
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Contact Details |
janet.dowdell@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
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Issue |
Estate Inspections should be an integrated, regular bit of work with Residents’ Associations. There should be clear procedures on how to organise these and a commitment from the Council to work with residents in this way.
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Background |
When Estate Inspections take place, residents find them really helpful – for example the recent inspection at Knoll. They are an effective way of tackling a range of local issues and improving communication with residents. They give Residents’ Associations a focus and a boost, as they improve communication and help to get results. It’s important that the officers involved in these inspections then have the necessary authority to make sure agreed work is carried out. There isn’t any programme of Estate Inspections, or a clear way for Associations, or informal groups of residents, to organise one. They are happening unevenly across the city. |
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Request or Question |
a) Ask the Council to recognise the value of Estate Inspections and commit to providing these. b) Provide clear information and guidelines to Resident Associations and informal groups of residents on how to organise an Estate Inspection. |
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Response |
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We recognise the value of estates inspections and are very keen to restart them. We have continued to respond to individual requests for an estate inspection/walkabout and can be quite responsive when approached by tenant representatives and Councillors. This has been ad hoc pending our recruitment to our new Neighbourhood Officer posts.
I am pleased to report our new recruits will be joining the team through May and June. We will introduce the new Neighbourhood Officers to Area Panels soon and they will be spending some time getting to know the areas and estates initially. We will come back to panels with information on the launch of our planned programme of inspections as soon as we are able to. |
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Action |
Notify residents when the schedule of estate inspections is agreed.
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Start date |
ongoing |
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End date |
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Area in city |
West |
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Star rating |
3 Star/ City wide issue |
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Date question raised |
10th April 2025 |
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Week of Area Panel |
16th June 2025 |
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Deadline for officer response |
Tuesday 13th May |
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Name of officer responding |
Robert Keelan |
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Officer job title |
Housing Manager |
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Contact Details |
robert.keelan@brighton-hove.gov.uk |
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Issue |
The Council need to take firmer action when Council tenants and residents allow their dogs to foul on Housing land.
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Background |
There is an ever-increasing dog population, and many owners do not take responsibility for clearing up after their dogs. This is making the communal areas around blocks and on estates increasingly unpleasant and unsafe.
It
is difficult to get hold of the Dog Warden, and what they can do is
very limited.
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Request or Question |
a) Do Council tenants have to apply for permission to keep a dog? b) What action is taken if Council residents have dogs without permission? c) What actions can the Council propose to help reduce the growing problem of dog-fouling on Housing land?
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Response |
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The council is a pet-friendly landlord and we recognise that pet ownership can enhance wellbeing for the resident concerned.
Tenants should request permission for a pet and in the case of a dog, permission would not usually be withheld unless they have history of poor pet ownership or have other pets in the household that combine to give us concern.
Where we can evidence dog fouling, a Community Protection Notice (CPN) can be issued for irresponsible dog fouling that causes a nuisance. A CPN is a statutory notice that requires an individual to take action to stop anti-social behaviour. The notice will require the owner to pick up dog waste with an evidenced breach leading to a fine of £75
Should the owner of the dog continue to breach and allow dog fouling then we could issue further fines of £75. The council can consider revoking permission to keep a pet. This is more challenging as our response needs to be proportionate and as an example, the Renters Rights bill encourages landlords to be more pet friendly. Should we need to enforce further, we could look at an injunction to stop dog waste being left with a breach of an injunction leading to an escalation of tenancy enforcement.
The council also works with Residents’ Associations across the City and we would hope that residents are able to be part of the solution when their neighbours are being disrespectful to their environment. We can assist with Community Engagement Officers and/or Neighbourhood Officers targeting an area of concern so please contact the Housing Team if you would like us to do this.
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Action |
Residents to let us know if there are areas of concern.
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Start date |
Ongoing |
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End date |
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