Agenda item - Chairs Communications

4.1         The Chair provided the following Communication:

“Today’s meeting is our first that will be webcast live and will be capable of repeated viewing.

May I first of all welcome Councillor Ruth Buckley and Councillor Lizzie Deane who have joined the committee for this year. Cllr Deane served previously on the Environment & Sustainability Committee and is taking the role of Deputy Chair of this committee.

As members will be aware our partnership bid for the Brighton & Lewes Downs to be designated a UNESCO Biosphere has been successful. I know that all three parties, while in administration have contributed to this initiative and I know that the commitment has been acknowledged by the Chair of the Biosphere Partnership. Having received recognition that out local environment is not only special but world class, we now need to move forward together to make the very most of this opportunity for nature, for our economy and for local people.

This morning I was delighted to open the new public toilets in the refurbished arches near the West Pier.

In line with the recommendation of the Scrutiny Panel and in line with the recent consultation on charging we have taken the opportunity to install charging facilities the modest charge of 30p will help support on-going costs in context of the budget constraints we face from government cuts. It’s a splendid facility.

Summer is always a busy time and I would like to quickly add a note of celebration of the successful opening of the Waste House at Brighton University.

We have also had another very successful Festival of Nature at Stanmer Park. I very much enjoyed the day with my family, and our officers really are to be commended for all the work they do and for achieving such a high turnout.

The Eco Technology Show was also another roaring success this weekend – this event is now a very well established and is playing a vital support of our green economy.

I was delighted with the recent figures showing that road safety in the city is improving. In the last three years, casualties have fallen 18%, and road deaths have dropped by 63% since 2010.

This a testament to the work of colleagues on this committee in approving proposals for slower speeds and better road layouts, both of which have helped save lives on our streets, and lay a strong foundation for reaching the ambition of the Road Safety Strategy we will be considering later.

And finally, I would like to remind members that officers are putting together a tour for members of our Nature Improvement work. This offers to be a great day out and I hope members will be able to come along and show their support for the hard work staff and volunteers are doing to improve diversity”.