Agenda item - Chairs Communications

The Chair gave the following communications:

We have the events schedule for next year coming up later in the meeting and nearly all the main events are returning. But before we get on to that, we still we have the end of this year, and the Christmas Festival runs from 18th Nov to 24th December. I’m really excited by this and looking at the plans this year, they will be an improvement on last year, when the event's organisers struggled to provide the quality of offering that we expected. This year will be focused mainly on and around St Peter’s Plaza and will be an open site without the Heras fencing that affected the look and the feel of the event last year. The organisers have partnered with a German supplier who are experts at this and have been involved in markets in Bath, Edinburgh and Leicester Square etc. and so expect a more traditional feel with wooden decorated chalets. There will also be a big wheel again, although not quite as big as the one from last year, Santa’s Grotto at Paradox Place and The Elf Express show at Ironworks Studio every weekend starting on 26th November up until Christmas. Aladdin on 22nd to 27th Dec at Brighton Centre- affordable and family friendly. Partnership with the Focus Foundation- grants to go out within the city.

I wanted to note that we were very pleased that CPP2 passed at full council after being recommended by us all at the last TECC. There are so many benefits for this plan, and although we have had to allocate some sites on our precious urban fringe for housing, we feel that this will help to protect everything good about the city and prepare us best for the future opportunities. I attended a very interesting event with the sector last week to understand more about how we can unblock some of the large brownfield sites that have remained undeveloped for a long term

The other report today that I just wanted to comment on is the Leisure facilities and the response to the energy crisis. This report is asking us to make the difficult decisions required to mitigate for the increased energy costs, but we want to do everything we can to keep our facilities open. Only this week, it has been announced that Rye will close one of their leisure facilities, and there is now a large list of locations who are doing the same. Ultimately, the government needs to step in if they want to guarantee keeping leisure facilities open and I hope that some help may be forthcoming to change the situation in due course, and this is why we will closely monitor any changes. Members will get a chance to debate this further later on in the agenda, as well as at the Sports Facilities Investment Plan Working group later this month.

I also just wanted to pick up on the White Ribbon Accreditation that we agreed to go for last year. Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) has commenced the process of gaining the accreditation, achieved through the development of a three-year action plan, focused on strategic leadership, engaging men and boys, raising awareness, and changing culture.  Staff from BHCC have worked in partnership with White Ribbon UK to develop its three-year action plan.

A network of Ambassadors and Champions has been set up and meetings held with local partners to update on the progress of BHCC White Ribbon Accreditation as well as the activities planned for the upcoming White Ribbon Day (25^th of October 2022) and the subsequent 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.This year, White Ribbon Day, 25th November, falls on the same week as the start of the FIFA men’s World Cup. Aligned with this theme BHCC is working with Brighton and Hove Football Association to reach a wider section of the community.  White Ribbon notes that there has never been a better time for us to come together and start playing as a team to end violence against women and girls. To bring men and boys into the conversation, this year's White Ribbon theme is positive masculinity.

BHCC VAWG Unit has organised a half day conference which I will be leading on and which will take place on 25^th of November 2022 and explore “positive masculinity”  and feature Senior Leaders who work to combat VAWG in local services and what motivates them to take positive action against male violence to women. 

Also, just wanted to mention that our CWB action plan was originally intended to come to today’s committee but has been delayed until next committee meeting in January whilst we make some final adjustments. The final meeting of that task and finish group will take place later this month.

Also, in January you can expect an update on all the cultural work that has been produced by ABCD cultural recovery plan over the past 2 years. Earlier this week, I attended an event about protecting cultural assets and infrastructure and further work is being completed under the Space to Grow work stream. I know from this session and other people that I have talked to, this is a very big issue so looking forward to what comes out of the work on this, and to hear about all the other work that has already been done.