Date of meeting: 10 July 2025

Proposer: Councillor Sykes

Seconder: Councillor Hill

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Green Group Amendment

That deletions are made as shown with ~~strikethrough~~ below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

This council notes:

1) Brighton & Hove is home to nationally significant cultural treasures, from Saxon churches to the Royal Pavilion;

2) Although there are 18 at-risk sites listed by Historic England across the city, many others, perhaps less well-known, were not included;

3) Patcham is in the Domesday book and is home to Brighton’s oldest church, All Saints. However, it is also home to a 16^th century dovecote surrounded by fencing; a rare 1930s clocktower with structural weakness; Patcham Place sports pavilion vandalized and closed down; and Patcham Peace Gardens with its neglected and dilapidated Doric Temple and gardens which the U3A work hard to maintain;

4) In addition there are council-owned heritage assets around the city which are subject to modification and damage by private companies, for example utility companies and this is often inadequately controlled;

4 5) Tourists and residents note the poor state of the city’s heritage which Brighton & Hove City Council is responsible for: the art deco bus shelters in Old Steine complete with smashed windows and graffiti; the shocking state of disrepair of the seafront shelters; City Downland Estate assets including the long neglected Long Barn at Stanmer

5 6) The significant reputational damage the council suffers when heritage treasured by residents and in full view of tourists is left to deteriorate;

6 7) That officers have recommended a review be completed of all council-owned heritage assets because the extent of the problem is widespread but also not fully known.

Therefore, resolves to:

1) Request that the Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers a cross-party Task & Finish Group review is undertaken of all council-controlled heritage assets, addressing potential timelines for restoring, ~~and~~ maintaining and controlling access to our assets, to be undertaken by December 2025;

Supporting Information:

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/24724533.18-sites-brighton-historic-england-heritage-risk-register/

Recommendations to read if carried:

This council notes:

1) Brighton & Hove is home to nationally significant cultural treasures, from Saxon churches to the Royal Pavilion;

2) Although there are 18 at-risk sites listed by Historic England across the city, many others, perhaps less well-known, were not included;

5) Tourists and residents note the poor state of the city’s heritage which Brighton & Hove City Council is responsible for: the art deco bus shelters in Old Steine complete with smashed windows and graffiti; the shocking state of disrepair of the seafront shelters; City Downland Estate assets including the long neglected Long Barn at Stanmer

6) The significant reputational damage the council suffers when heritage treasured by residents and in full view of tourists is left to deteriorate;

7) That officers have recommended a review be completed of all council-owned heritage assets because the extent of the problem is widespread but also not fully known.

Therefore, resolves to:

1) Request that the Place Overview & Scrutiny Committee considers a cross-party Task & Finish Group review is undertaken of all council-controlled heritage assets, addressing potential timelines for restoring, maintaining and controlling access to our assets, to be undertaken by December 2025;