Agenda item - Deputations from members of the public.

A list of deputations received by the due date of 12noon on 26 January 2024 will be circulated separately as part of an addendum for the meeting.

79.1    The deputy mayor reported that four deputations had been received from members of the public and invited Clare Whitworth as the spokesperson for the first deputation to come forward and address the council.

79.2    Clare Whitworth thanked the deputy mayor and presented the deputation concerning allocating lead professionals to cases of vulnerable (especially homeless) adults.

79.3    Councillor Burden replied, firstly, I would like to acknowledge and share our deepest condolences to the family for their tragic loss. I would also like to extend thanks to Claire, Simon, Naomi, Barbara, Helen and Laurie for contacting me on this and for bringing their concerns to Full Council at such a difficult time. We can confirm that a referral was received by the Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Adults Board in February 2023 and following an extensive amount of information gathering regarding organisation’s involvement with the person across all agencies in the partnership it was agreed that a Safeguarding Adults Review would be completed. ?The person’s family are aware of this, and have been and will continue to be involved in the review including meeting with the Safeguarding Adults Board Business Manager and Independent Chair of the Board. We offer them assurance that their concerns are heard by the safeguarding partnership of Brighton and Hove and that we will work together to really learn from the review, which is being completed independently.?Safeguarding Adults Reviews provide a vital opportunity to improve how agencies work together, sharing what we learn, and ultimately enhancing how we safeguard adults at risk of abuse or neglect.? It is a multi-agency process including the NHS, Police, and different internal council departments that together consider whether or not serious harm experienced by an adult, or group of adults at risk of abuse or neglect, could have been predicted or prevented and uses that consideration to enhance the safeguarding adults partnership in Brighton & Hove, improve its services and prevent abuse and neglect in the future. As this safeguarding adults review continues, please let's stay personally in touch about what we’ve learned and where we’ve identified we can improve. Thank you again for coming to present this deputation to full council, in the light of these tragic circumstances it takes real courage, and your bravery should be applauded.

79.4    The deputy mayor thanked Clare Whitworth for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. He explained that the points had been noted.

79.5    The deputy mayor invited Dr Davis as the spokesperson for the deputation concerning Air Quality to come forward and address the council.

79.6    Dr Davis thanked the deputy mayor and presented the deputation.

79.7    Councillor Muten replied, thank you for bringing your deputation to Council today. For the record: we are fully committed to act; to improve air quality across the city. We are highly focused on addressing the impacts on residents’ health, especially those with respiratory health conditions; and are fully committed to taking clear targeted action to improve air quality in the six air quality management areas (or AQMAs).  May I concur that in recent years, there has been insufficient progress in effectively tackling and improving air quality.  Unlike what you may have experienced from previous administrations, Labour are committed to robust action to deliver substantial air quality improvements.We  are fully committed to our citywide Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP). Our commitment is to a scientific data-led approach to policy implementation; and to set our aim above and beyond central government’s minimum compliance requirements. Where the data shows deteriorating air quality requiring action, we will of course act. We have a clear duty to do so and the political will to make much needed change now happen. We presently have six AQMAs across our city. It is my strong view that one size does not fit all  – we need the best and most targeted interventions for each AQMA. Improving air quality in AQMA3 South Portslade is by working with businesses taking heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and vans along the Shoreham Port designated access route. Inin AQMA4 in Sackville Road / Old Shoreham Road and AQMA2 in Rottingdean High Street, junction design and traffic flow may deliver the improvements needed. From 2015 to 2020 showed  substantial improvement in air quality in along our existing Ultra Low Emission Zone (or ULEZ) between Palmeira Square and Castle Square However, since some deterioration in air quality over the course of the past 3 to 4 years. It is our view that there was insufficient action taken as we came out of the pandemic lockdowns and the unique opportunity was not taken to really gain the improvements in air quality our city needed. The inaction of the Green administration is not an excuse; know we have to reverse the worsening trend. We are installing air quality monitors across our city and connecting many of these  to real time on-line public access. We recognise that improving our city’s air quality requires us to work in partnership with others across the city. Earlier this week, Cllr Rowkins and myself met with leading air quality experts at the University of Brighton. Quarterly Nitrogen Dioxide levels have dropped since April 2023. Nonetheless, they persist above World Health Organisation [WHO] standards – the higher than minimum statutory target which have adopted as our target - and therefore there is much to do. This is why as a Labour administration; we have already taken bold action – with much more to come – to really tackle air pollution and bring about the air quality improvements that residents rightly call for.  

79.8    The deputy mayor thanked Dr Davis for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to Transport and Sustainability Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.

79.9    The deputy mayor then invited Sue Spink as the spokesperson for the deputation concerning introducing parking restrictions in Nevill Road and Nevill Avenue, Hove to come forward and address the council.

79.10  Sue Spink thanked the deputy mayor and presented the deputation.

79.11  Councillor Muten replied, may I firstly thank you for your deputation today. I wish to state clearly that I will be taking this very seriously. Thank you for raising these pressing matters. I have had several residents in the south Nevill and Orchards area also contact me directly asking for parking enforcement in response to increasingly pressure for on street parking in this area of Hove. Regrettably as this area is not within a permitted parking zone. As a result, beyond double yellow lines, there are presently limited enforcement options. Further, with new high-rise developments in former Sackville Road Trading estate, Newtown Road, Hove Gardens in Conway Street and the proposed Portslade Panelworks site on Orchard Gardens, more and more residents are expected to live within this area. Quite limited parking provision is provided by these new developments, with some on-street provision in the Artists Quarter. However, as you rightly note, combined with commuters parking to access Hove and Aldrington train stations and some using as a park and ride and workplace parking, and with residents moving in to Moda from March this year, there is clearly a case for evaluating the design of a permitted parking zone as a matter of priority.  Ward Cllr Lyon’s initiative to undertake an unofficial survey of residents in this part is helpful – good work as a ward councillor. However, your delegation is the first report received by the council of this local survey. I have spoken to some residents in this area who were under the misapprehension that the council had undertaken consultation as part of formal process. May I ask Cllr Lyons to share his survey results with the council?  Noting 62.3% of the 123 respondees are in favour of the Council introducing parking restrictions; I welcome your deputation calling for parking restrictions and parking enforcement. I will press for a proper public consultation as part of a Traffic Regulations Order (or TRO) aligned with the strategic citywide outcomes from our parking reviewfor residents of Nevill Road, Nevill Avenue, Orchards and nearby streets to have a well-designed new parking zone; to enable residents to park in their streets and enforcement  to take action. As for drivers speeding, nearly doubling the 20MPH speed limit, this is absolutely unacceptable, irresponsible and a danger to pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles including those pulling out of driveways and parked along this busy residential road. I will support action to effectively address this. Pavement parking is a citywide challenge. Regrettably, enforcement is limited to pavements where a double yellow line is in place. There is a need for a law change in England outside London – as  in Edinburgh and in London. We call for this Tory government to stop provocation on pavement parking and to urgently implement one of the three recommendations from the Department of Transport’s extensive consultation  in 2019. Despite the Secretary of State's commitment to implement the preferred option, this has yet to happen some four years later. The TRO process on a street-by-street basis is costly and impractical for widespread pavement parking ban and this is not the answer to this problem. English Local Authorities outside London - such as Brighton and Hove City Council - need central government enable a ban of pavement parking to bring about the change called for today. 

79.12  The deputy mayor thanked Sue Spink for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to Transport and Sustainability Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.

79.13  The deputy mayor then invited Ian Leak as the spokesperson for the deputation concerning the Ridgeway, Woodingdean to come forward and address the council.

79.14  Ian Leak thanked the deputy mayor and presented the deputation.

79.15  Councillor Rowkins replied, the councils Highway Operation team has worked with Southern Water to investigate the highway drainage in this area of The Ridgeway. The team identified that the drain was damaged and had physical obstructions in the pipework. These have now been repaired and maintenance has been undertaken to ensure that the connections from the Gulleys to the soakaway have been restored.  The southern water system is near capacity; when a heavy rain event occurs, the run off from properties in the area combined with the road leads to the system being overloaded in a flash flood situation. The soakaways in the area are clear and working well.  Clearly, the topography of the area contributes to the increased flood risk. Aside from maintaining drainage from the highway, we are able to apply for Flood Defence Grant Aid but to be eligible there are key performance indicators set by DEFRA that need to be met. To apply for a grant, we need formal reports of flooding and evidence that properties have flooded. I’m told we currently don’t hold that information for these properties in our role as Lead Local Flood Authority, although if you believe that may be inaccurate, I will certainly ask officers to check. The Environment Agency has the strategic responsibility for flood risk nationally, and they have provided guidance that sandbags should no longer be used as a form of flood defence. Their advice is now that it is residents’ responsibility to make their own arrangements to protect their property from flooding, although I obviously recognise that that advice is not terribly helpful to you and other affected residents. I will ask officers to provide guidance on how best to protect properties in known high-risk areas.  I’m very happy to come and visit the area and meet with you and other concerned residents in order to better understand the situation, and if you’d like to arrange that please get in touch.

79.16  The deputy mayor thanked Ian Leak for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation. She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to City Environment, South Downs and the Sea Committee for consideration. The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.