Agenda item - Issues Raised by Members

To consider the following matters raised by Members:

 

(a)           Written Questions:

To consider any written questions

6.1          A copy of the questions received was circulated ahead of the meeting. Responses provided both at the meeting and in writing are as follows:

1)             Councillor Hill- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

How do cuts to the Sussex ICB funding as well as our own public health affect the ability to carry out this strategy?

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

Thanks to our Labour government there has been no cut to the Public Health Grant which funds The Drug and Alcohol Programme. This has enabled increases in service capacity, workforce development, and harm reduction initiatives.

The Drug & Alcohol Treatment Recovery Grant is in its final year and is scheduled to finish in March 2026 and we are awaiting confirmation of grant funding going forward.  

The strategy explicitly acknowledges the challenge of future uncertainty around funding and commits to adapting delivery plans should funding levels change.

 

2)             Councillor Hill- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

Does the Cabinet consider the criminalisation of cannabis possession in particular to be of beneficial to the ‘harm reduction’ which the strategy alludes to? I feel this causes far more harm and the priority should be on tackling county lines and working with Sussex Police on that

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

No – Prohibition is a failed dogma. Hence this strategy takes a public health and harm reduction approach rather than a criminal justice approach. 

Priority is placed on early intervention, reducing stigma, and targeting high-risk supply chains, particularly where organised criminal exploitation like county lines is evident. 

The strategy aims to divert individuals from the criminal justice system into treatment, especially young people. 

While cannabis enforcement continues under national law, our local focus remains on reducing harm and safeguarding rather than on punitive approaches.

 

3)             Councillor Hill- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

Earlier this year, Glasgow has opened a safer drug consumption facility which reduces HIV transmission and the likelihood for death by overdose. This has worked in places like Switzerland for many years. Would you agree that it is a shame that consideration was not given to this in the strategy?

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

Consideration was given to this but was quickly discounted as a serious proposal. Therefore, the strategy does not include safe consumption rooms as part of its action plan.

Firstly, they are currently illegal in England. To open one would require an accord between local partners and the police which is not forthcoming. The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers are clear they would not support a drugs consumption room where illicit drug use and supervision of drug use took place. 

On top of this, there is the silly situation where the city council would facilitate the use of serious drugs but would have to intervene if the user was to drink alcohol or smoke tobacco – as these are banned in local authority premises. 

The Glasgow centre is funded by the Scottish government at £2.3m a year. That is just above the revenue earmarked to pay off the i360 green party tax each year. I would be curious to know how the green group would propose raising the funds for this venture each year.

So, our administration is working to mitigate drug harm without spending £2.3m annually on an illegal operation – Clearly Cllr Hill would do the opposite.

  

4)       Councillor Meadows- Playing Pitch Strategy

 

It is disappointing to see Patcham Place cricket pavilion deteriorate to the point of closure due to vandalism.  It is an important part of Brighton heritage.  Only last year, the cricket season was almost cancelled because of the closure of the pavilion, possibly the first time in 70 years.  Therefore, we are pleased to see the intention to invest in Horsdean, Braypool and especially Patcham Place recreation grounds and sports facilities. What is the predicted timescale for Patcham Place pavilion to be renovated?

 

Response: Cllr Robins

 

This cabinet report sets out the clear need for improving, protecting and developing inclusive playing pitches and facilities across the city. 

As the report states this is especially important in ensuring our facilities are inclusive and especially to actively encourage girls/women's sports.

Over several years there has been a lack of available resource to invest in our indoor and outdoor sports facilities which has seem them deteriorate. 

Alongside the major capital works being planned for the new King Alfred, a programme of regeneration is being planned to update and improve several pavilions across the city. This programme is dependent on securing additional funding, although the council has allocated over £3m towards these renovations and secured over £1m in external funding. 

A priority programme and timeline of works is currently being developed.

The next action for Patcham Place is to commission joint ECB and FA pitch power assessment and deliver recommendations to raise quality from poor. Once we have this report we will be in a better position to understand potential timescales for renovation.

Officers are happy to respond separately on this matter with any further info directly to Cllr Meadows.

 

5)       Councillor McNair- Targeted Budget Management

 

30/55 schools had deficits in 2024/25.  How many schools are expected to be in deficit next year? 

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

Based on budget plans received for 2025/26, it is expected that there will be 29 schools in a budget deficit position at the end of the 2025/26 financial year

 

6)       Councillor McNair- Targeted Budget Management

 

Are all schools on track to complete their recovery plans?  If not, why not?

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

A number of schools with previously agreed licensed deficits have breached the terms of their licensed deficit agreements. This may either be in terms of exceeding the value, or the number of years the agreement operates for. The reasons for this will vary by school but examples include delays in implementing planned recovery strategies e.g. staffing reorganisations, additional unidentified costs emerging (such as higher costs of increased pay awards), additional supply costs for staff absences or additional support required for children with high needs). Schools who do not deliver against their original recovery plans are required to submit new recovery plans, and re-apply for revised licensed deficits, which are then considered by the Chief Finance Officer and Corporate Director of Families, Children and Wellbeing. Furthermore, where schools exceeded the value of their licensed deficit agreement in 2024/25, they have been required to attend a separate meeting with the Director of Education and Learning and the Head of Education.

 

7)       Councillor McNair- Targeted Budget Management

 

Is there an expectation that no schools should be in deficit?  If so, when is this expected to be achieved?

This may be the aim but it’s highly unlikely that there will be a point in time when no schools are in deficit. This has never been the case within Brighton and Hove, even at a time when the overall net school balances position was a significant surplus e.g. in 2021/22 there was a net surplus school balances position of £8.1m but there were still 15 schools with deficits. 

 

8)       Councillor Meadows- Targeted Budget Management

 

As happened with West Hove Primary School, will Woodingdean Primary School be offered a support package to encourage it not to become an academy?

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

Conversations continue to take place with the leadership of Woodingdean Primary School regarding their consultation on joining the Eko Academy Trust.  This includes setting out the support offer available from the council, which can be further adapted to meet the individual needs of the school. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this in more detail with the school leadership and governing body.

 

9)       Councillor Sykes- Targeted Budget Management

 

The 2023-24 TBM provisional outturn reported a £0.296m overspend under Cityclean due to ‘increased vehicle costs within fleet due to purchased vehicle delays and recent sabotage’. This year the 2024-5 provisional outturn reports a £1.527m overspend under newly-named Environmental Services due to ‘Overspend on Refuse /Recycling collection vehicle hire in addition to ongoing maintenance charges and other vehicle costs in keeping an ageing fleet operational.’ This is a massive and increased overspend.

Does the Finance Lead expect this item to be better controlled in the new financial year?

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

There is a significant amount of work ongoing within the Environmental Service both to improve the service but also to manage the budget effectively. We also have a programme in place to replace vehicles across the service which will improve reliability and also reduce maintenance and vehicle hire costs, although this will take some time to be implemented fully. I would certainly like to see this area come in much closer to planned budget for 25/26.  

 

10)     Councillor Sykes- Targeted Budget Management

 

The provisional outturn for Temporary Accommodation this year (£9178k) compared with last year (£4281k) evidently shows a massive increase, well over a budget for these costs that was itself doubled. What modelling has the Finance Lead done to understand the impact of the housing crisis on council finances over the next years?

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

The rise in Temporary Accommodation (TA) costs reflects the severe pressures of the national housing crisis, which continues to drive both demand and expenditure. Like many councils, Brighton & Hove faces a limited supply of affordable housing and a growing number of households in urgent need.

To respond effectively, the council conducts monthly in-year forecasting and projections across the medium-term financial plan based on trend analysis of homelessness demand and TA expenditure. This includes scenario modelling that factors in inflation, increases in demand, unit cost pressures and supply constraints to support informed decision-making. This is very challenging given the pressures in recent years and the volatility of activity and unit costs within the Temporary Accommodation budget.

Our broader commitment is to prevent homelessness through early intervention, targeted support, and partnership working. Brighton & Hove is recognised as a leader in homelessness prevention, consistently outperforming other South East authorities.

That’s why it’s so significant and important that the government have doubled their capital investment in Affordable Housing to £39bn over ten years.

As part of our Housing Strategy 2024–2029, we are also delivering 2,000 new affordable homes by 2029—an ambitious step toward long-term housing stability. 

I should also be transparent with members – the pressures are increasing, particular on unit cost of spot-purchased TA. 

 

11)     Councillor McLeay- Response to the Short Term Lets Task & Finish Group Recommendations

 

For the recommendations that are not reliant on a change in legislation – how soon could these recommendations be implemented? What timeline are you working to?

 

Response: Cllr Taylor

 

The time taken for the actions not reliant on a change in legislation will varies – but quite a few are linked to the timeline for adoption of City Plan 2041 is 2028.  A progress report is anticipated to be taken to Overview & Scrutiny in January 2026.

 

12)     Councillor McLeay- Drug and Alcohol Strategy 

 

How will this new strategy support front line workers leading recovery programmes? 

Where organisations like the YMCA and St Mungo’s come under fire for their housing facilities attracting ASB in communities, how will this strategy factor in the challenges they and their residents face – especially when service budgets are under pressure?

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

Thank you for your question, Councillor McLeay.

 

Our strategy acknowledges the pressure on frontline services and highlights a need to improve cross-agency working, particularly with supported housing providers like YMCA and St Mungo’s. It commits to:

•   Reducing caseloads through workforce investment;

•   Expanding trauma-informed care and specialist training;

•   And supporting community-based outreach and engagement.

 

Importantly, the strategy seeks to effectively address anti-social behaviour through a multi-agency neighbourhood harm approach, aiming to support both residents and providers navigating community tensions. There’s a commitment to shared accountability and not leaving housing providers isolated in the commission of their work.

 

13)     Councillor McLeay- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

Where police resource is already at a critically low point across the city, with less officers on duty on any given day/night compared to previous years, what scope is there to improve cross agency working? Especially where communities feel nothing happens despite consistent reporting.

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

Thank you for your question, Councillor McLeay. 

You are quite correct that the Conservative government chucked out of office last year has left our country and our city less safe.

For too long, our town centres and high streets have been gripped by crime leaving members of the public feeling intimidated and unsafe.

That is why I welcome the Labour Government’s commitment to alter this narrative.

Everyone has a right to feel safe and secure in their communities, especially in local areas like high streets, parks and town centres. 

To address this, the Government has taken steps to make our streets safer by introducing new police powers, such as Respect Orders. 

It also aims to restore neighbourhood policing, which will include more police personnel on the beat up and down the country. This administration welcomes these proposals.

On top of this, the Government has announced that police funding will increase by £1 billion, which will help to put 3,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and police community support officers in post within the year. By 2029, the Government aims to put 13,000 more officers into communities, which will be an increase of more than 50%.

This will be transformational for your ward especially, Cllr McLeay, all thanks to the Labour Party.

The drugs and alcohol strategy before us recognises community concerns about visible enforcement and responses to drug-related ASB. 

It proposes:

•   A multi-agency “drug-related harm” meeting to target hotspot areas;

•   Stronger intelligence sharing between services;

•   Early intervention pathways (e.g. Test on Arrest) and community support;

•   Using of lived experience and community voices to shape local responses;

•   Advocating for smarter partnership approaches to maximise the impact of limited resources and improve public trust.

 

14)     Councillor McLeay- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

The arguments for legalising and regulating drugs such as cannabis have been discussed for decades. The ‘War on Drugs’ approach has failed on all meaningful measures. This generational failure is driving a process of cannabis reform worldwide. What is the cabinet’s stance on pushing for legalisation reform for drugs like cannabis?

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

Thank you for your question Councillor McLeay.

Yes, it is true: the so-called War on Drugs has been a monumental failure. Prohibition as a concept is flawed. And new approach is required.

I am however concerned about drug liberalisation if rushed.

We must ask ourselves: who profits, and who pays? 

I am worried about the scramble for commodification. The emerging cannabis industry, already dominated by big capital in countries that have legalised, is not controlled by communities, nor by public need. It is controlled by shareholders, speculators, and the tobacco industry.

The same forces who flood our high streets with gambling shops, vapes and junk food will just as eagerly push intoxicants to our youth if it serves their bottom line. Is that what the Green Party want? Sick kids on our doorstep for the worst international company’s profit.

We cannot ignore the very real harms that drug misuse inflicts on our communities.

What this Labour administration is focusing on is promoting a public health model, investing in treatment, prevention, and addressing root causes of usage like trauma, poor mental health, and housing issues. 

There is no endorsement or opposition to legalisation in the new drugs and alcohol strategy. The local authority is responsible for driving public health and so we commit to innovation and evidence-led practice within current legislation to deliver better health outcomes and change lives for the better.

 

15)     Councillor McLeay- Drug and Alcohol Strategy

 

Cities are on the frontline of both the failings of the war on drugs and the debate around alternatives. Would Brighton & Hove City Council be willing to work with cities like Amsterdam to support a new network of cities innovating drug policy?

 

Response: Cllr Allen

 

The strategy supports collaboration and learning from other cities. It states a clear intention to use national and international best practices and explore innovative models in harm reduction. Amsterdam could very well be one of the case studies we look at.