Agenda item - Deputations from members of the public.

A list of deputations received by the due date of 12noon on the 19 July 2019 will be circulated separately as part of an addendum at the meeting.

17.1    The Mayor reported that four deputations had been received from members of the public.

17.2    The Mayor said that the first deputation concerned the Mental Health Pledge, and invited Ms T Fogelman as the spokesperson to come forward and address the council.

Ms Fogelman thanked the Mayor and said that the deputation was a request for the Council to commit to collaborating with us to create a pledge to young people in Brighton and Hove, that will outline the experience they can expect when engaging with Mental Health Services in our city. We are asking for this issue to be referred to the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, which would allow us to start a working relationship with the relevant health organisations that would allow us to create this pledge. The pledge would be a document of accountability of Mental Health Services in our city. It would aim to ensure a consistent and person-centred approach was offered to young people at every point of access, and set a minimum standard to be adhered to when engaging with young people around mental health. The pledge would be young person centred and designed by listening to the voices of young people of Brighton and Hove, and written in conjunction with the CCG, Primary Care Trust, local mental health charities and other relevant health authorities. The pledge would be created in partnership with service providers and lead by the young people of our city. This would involve focus group sessions with schools, youth groups, after school clubs and the universities. In working in conjunction with health organisations and the young people of our city we can ensure that the pledge is practical, informed by real lived experiences and can be implemented by relevant health services.

17.3     Councillor Moonan, Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board said that the deputation addressed a very important issue. A pledge such as this would need to be agreed by all the parties and would be happy to receive the deputation at the next meeting of the Health & Wellbeing Board at its meeting on 10 September 2019. All members of the Deputation would be invited to the meeting.

17.4    The Mayor thanked Ms Fogelman for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation, and said that the persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the next Health & Wellbeing meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.

17.5    The Mayor said the second deputation concerned the Urban Fringe and invited Ms B Hobbs as the spokesperson to come forward and address the council.

17.6    Ms Hobbs thanked the Mayor and said that the deputees object to the approval of the planning application for buildings which would devastate wildlife at Coldean, and we wish to safeguard this essential wildlife habitat and local green space at Coldean, now and for future generations. We the undersigned petition Brighton and Hove City Council to remove the Coldean site from the list of allocated sites in the Urban Fringe allocations in the City Plan Part 2, and instead designate it a Local Nature Reserve and Local Green Space (as described in the National Planning Policy Framework) as soon as possible, so it remains protected wildlife habitat, now and for future generations. There are alternative large empty buildings around Brighton (e.g. at Brighton General Hospital) which the council could turn into affordable homes (800 in the case of Brighton General Hospital) therefore it's clear that to make affordable homes it is completely unnecessary to build on the green space and wildlife. The land was notified as a Local Wildlife Site in 2017 in recognition of its woodland and grassland habitats. The proposal would mean destroying woodland and felling trees to build a new entrance road which would split the strip of woodland that runs parallel to Coldean Lane in two, with devastating effects on the wildlife. It would also mean building on the field, obliterating lots of wildlife, their homes and foraging ground. The woodland and field include many plant species and are essential habitat for wildlife sandwiched between Varley Halls and very busy, fast roads, many of whom are legally and policy protected species, such as bats, hedgehogs, lizards, slow worms, badgers, foxes, rabbits, butterflies, lots of invertebrates who massively contribute to the environment, and many different birds, including owls, and others. Some of the birds breed and make nests in the trees and on the ground, and 3 (song thrush, tawny owl and dunnock) are listed as having severe red and amber conservation status. The woodland is Priority Habitat Deciduous Woodland and provides critical habitat for wildlife. Splitting the woodland in two would cut vital connectivity and put the wildlife at very high, frequent risk of road traffic accidents.

Localised areas of the field (about 1 hectare of it) have an affinity with Calcareous Grassland, and there is ‘good potential to create new areas of native species rich calcareous grassland where chalk substrates can be exposed and seeded’ (Preliminary Ecological Appraisal, PJC, 2018). Lowland Calcareous Grassland is a Habitat of Principal Importance and classified as Priority Sussex Habitat. Within Sussex, this type of habitat is mostly found within the South Downs; it has reduced rapidly in recent years and is now only an estimated 3% of the South Downs. The Sussex Biodiversity Partnership aims to maintain and expand the range of Lowland Calcareous Grassland in Sussex. Moreover ‘there is an area of lowland calcareous grassland immediately north of the site’ and ‘any development of this site would also likely result in adverse impacts on any areas of lowland calcareous grassland habitat adjacent to the site, e.g. through increased surface run-off and increased disturbance/tramping/littering from potential increases in recreational use of the area’ (PJC, 2018). So, the proposed development would destroy not only Priority Habitat Deciduous Woodland but also be likely to negatively impact the Lowland Calcareous Grassland (i.e. Habitat of Principal Importance and a Sussex Priority Habitat) on next door land.

Increased vehicle movement and parking on local roads would be expected, and traffic on Coldean Lane would get substantially more clogged up, polluting the air even more and putting human residents, especially school children, at risk. It is well documented that green space is vital for people’s physical and mental health. The visual impact of the proposed buildings would be unpleasant as they would replace a green view of nature with high blocks of flats and concrete. 

          Today, wildlife in this very densely urbanised area of the U.K. are increasingly endangered by destruction of their habitats. Globally, land mammal mass is made up of 96% humans and the farmed animals (Attenborough, 2019), and insects and ecosystems who we rely on are massively threatened by climate change, so we must stand up for wildlife now or there will be none left. If we do not, soon it may be many human lives in the UK imperilled due to climate change and because we have not protected wildlife there will no longer be an ecosystem left that can support us. At present, the land provides precious sanctuary for wildlife - this is a space to cherish, protect and stand by. 

17.7    Councillor Robins, Chair of the Tourism Development & Culture Committee, said the requirement to look at the City’s brown field sites and parts of its urban fringe was clearly established in the City Plan Part One. The City’s housing needs were assessed at 30,000 new homes by 2030, which meant that brown field sites on their own could not fully meet the City’s housing needs. The situation is that even with some development on urban fringe sites we would still only able to meet 44% of the city’s housing needs. The option of providing more expected housing on some city brown sites such as the Brighton General Hospital would mean that we could meet more of the housing needs. However, a significant overall shortfall this does not prevent the need for some developments to be in parts of the City’s urban fringe. The Part One Plan identifies potential for around a thousand new homes in parts of the City’s urban fringe, but this amounts to just 7.5% of all urban fringe land, and so 92% remains protected. Some sites had been identified as having potential for some development have been carefully assessed, taking into account impacts on landscape, open space, ecology and archaeology. These assessments’ indicate the robust measures that will be required on many sites to avoid harm, but these developments could also offer benefits alongside new housing. In terms of recent planning applications, the impact of residential development in Coldean on the biosphere would be carefully considered and taken into account.

17.8    The Mayor thanked Ms Hobbs for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation and said that the persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the next meeting of Tourism Development & Culture Committee.

17.9    The Mayor said the third deputation concerned Night Shelters and invited Mr J Deans as the spokesperson to come forward and address the council.

17.10  Mr Deans thanked the Mayor and said that on 26 January 2017 Councillor Tom Druitt put a motion to full council, all councillors voted 100% to give the community an empty council building to run as a night shelter this was in response to John Hadman's petition and huge support from public. a number of buildings were found empty in the two years but on every occasion some excuse was given to fob off the public. Another recently was suggested, and we were told it’s not suitable. No building arrives suitable for a night shelter it is made suitable then inspected and any changes made to comply with health and safety. This has to happen, and councillors need to support this deputation fully this time and see this through. The total sum spent by council using the Brighton Centre which is Council Owned is in excess of £250,000 this could have been avoided had council engaged with public. I now ask for a vote of confidence and support in taking this forward.

Charities,  organisations and individuals  joined together creating Brighton & Hove Housing Coalition with clear plans to help solve the homeless crisis they have produced a Homeless Bill of Rights as you will hear today Charities like the one I represent Sussex Homeless Support and others have stepped up to deliver a lifesaving service at a time with many dying in the streets and even more in Emergency accommodation. Whatever it takes to turn the tide on this homeless crisis we are prepared to do but we need the support of our councillors, many believe they voted you into a position to lead us, some believe to represent us, but I and even many more want you to fight for us, we will support you regardless of political party and hopefully together work towards a solution. I therefore ask again to support the original motion and allow Homeless Charities access to empty buildings.

17.11  Councillor Brennan, Deputy Chair of Housing & New Homes Committee, said that she was concerned with plight of the homeless in both the city and the country which had been caused by the housing crisis, which was a result of a lack of government investment in housing and services. Underfunded and overburdened services in health and social care add to the desperate situation many people find themselves in. Rough sleeping has nearly tripled since 2010, but these figures mask the true scale of the problem as the government numbers are well known to be flawed and had under counted the true number of rough sleepers. Through my voluntary work on the street and my membership of local campaign groups I have suffering myself, including countless attacks on rough sleepers in this city. In 2017 following the Council motion that this scheme referred to, officers of the Council worked with all parties to look at empty buildings to be used as night shelters. Numerous buildings were assessed, which included privately owned properties. At that time the most suitable property available was the Brighton Centre. A shelter opened at this venue from December 2017 to March 2018 and was run by the Council. Further work was carried out to find further suitable properties and by the Summer of 2018 without alternative venues available, the Brighton Centre was used once again and was run by the Brighton Housing Trust. I am now pleased to announce that as part of a range of services for rough sleepers that this administration in partnership with the Green Group, we will provide an assessment centre which will be available to both the homeless, and those at risk of homelessness, and who have a connection with the City to be accommodated and supported. We are about to sign a lease on a property and so can open the centre this Winter to work closely with the range of statutory services and community groups etc. A night shelter is also planned to be opened in time for Winter and will include instant access which is something many people have been campaigning for. In addition the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol, will include a more flexible approach to ensure that rough sleepers are offered shelter in extreme weather and heavy rain conditions. There was concern that some rough sleepers did not feel comfortable accessing the provision in the city and said that they should be treated with dignity and respect and the aim was to meet their needs and listen to what they had to say.

17.12  The Mayor thanked Mr Deans for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation and said that the persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the next meeting of Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities Committee.

17.13  The Mayor congratulated Councillor Brennan on her maiden speech on behalf of the council.

17.14  The Mayor said the fourth deputation concerned Youth Strike Action and invited Ms U Kreiger as the spokesperson to come forward and address the council. The Mayor noted that there was a Notice of Motion on ‘Support for Youth Strike and Other Climate Change’ (Item 30 (4)) and so that item would be brought forward to have one debate on the issue. Each item would be taken in turn.

17.15  Ms Kreiger said that she was here to ask the Council to support the demands of the youth strikers. She said that by the end of her speech over 326 million kilos of CO2 would have been emitted into the atmosphere, which would affect our planet now and in the future. Today was one of the hottest days recorded in the UK and with the recent extreme weather the country had declared a climate emergency. In an emergency you alerted everyone, contacted the emergency services and then took action so the situation or crisis did not worsen. If the government were the emergency service, you try as hard as you could to let them know of the situation as they were the ones who could fix it, and had the money, the resources and the power to makes laws. But what do you do if when you tell them and they either don’t believe you or agree to declare a climate emergency and then say they’ll do something about it in 2050? This did not make any sense as united science agrees that in 11 years’ time an irreversible chain of events will be triggered, and the only way we can stop that is by acting now. We must become carbon neutral by 2030. If there was a chance for my generation and others to have a planet which was habitable then we have to act right now. It was important that the City implement their own Green New Deal and set their own carbon neutrality dates.

The Youth Strike would like to ask for the council to support the demands of the youth

strikers and students. These demands were -

1               Save the future - The Government declare a climate emergency and implement

A Green New Deal to achieve Climate Justice.

2.       Teach the future - The national curriculum is reformed to address the

ecological crisis as an educational priority

3.       Tell the future - The Government communicate the severity of the ecological

Crisis  and the necessity to act now to the general public.

4.       Empower the future - The Government recognise that young people have the

Biggest stake in our future, by incorporating youth views into policy making

 and bringing the voting age down to 16.

17.16  Councillor Platts, Leader of the Council, welcomed the deputation. She said she recognised the climate crisis we were facing and said the Authority would have an action plan by 2020 with the aim for the City to be carbon neutral by 2030. A City Assembly would be formed to take this matter forward. She said she would write to the Secretary of State for Education to request the reform of the National Curriculum to address the climate crisis as an educational priority. With regard to lowering the voting age to 16, the Council would write to the Home Secretary to request that that happened as young people should have more say on their future.

17.17  The Mayor thanked Ms Kreiger for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation and said that the persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the next meeting of Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities Committee.