Latest news with #BHCC
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
'Library closing would be a great loss for Rottingdean'
Villagers have expressed sadness at the potential closure of their library as part of cost-cutting Library was the sixth most visited library out of 13 in Brighton and Hove with nearly 29,000 visitors per year, but has still been earmarked for closure. Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) is meeting on Thursday to discuss closing Rottingdean, Hollingbury and Westdene libraries to save £250,000 from its annual £3.7m library budget over two said it had "tough choices to protect library services where they're most needed, while achieving necessary savings to ensure the council remains financially sustainable". Closing Rottingdean library, which is based in the 17th Century Grange building, would save BHCC £25,000 per Julia Harris said she would feel "very deprived" if the library closed as it was "very accessible to me for my disability"."I have two young children and we use it regularly," she said."I think it's a great loss for the community and as an educational institution used by schools."Tom Slinn, another resident, told BBC Radio Sussex: "We'd be really disappointed, it's been a really useful place to bring our daughter. "Last summer she read 100 books, that was something that wouldn't be possible without the library."It's a place that we can come that's free and we can sit and have a quiet moment. It wouldn't be practical for us to go to the other libraries they want to keep open." 'Crucial role' A petition set up by locals calling for the library to remain open has received more than 3,000 signatures.A report to the council's cabinet said Rottingdean Library was within two miles (3.2km) of Saltdean Library, had good transport links and many people used both area was described as having "less evidence of deprivation" and reducing the number of libraries from two to one would achieve savings with "minimal impact" on residents, the report Library, based in Old Boat Corner Community Centre, was also proposed for had the fewest visits of all the branches, with 6,554 visitors. While Westdene, in Bankside, had the second fewest with 10,039 Alan Robins, cabinet member for sport, recreation and libraries, said these were "difficult decisions" to make and that libraries played a "crucial role" for the added: "At this stage, we're only looking at starting a consultation with residents on a number of proposals. "Our key aim is to investigate whether the library spaces affected by these proposals could be provided in a different way, for example by transferring them to a community group or voluntary sector organisation."The council said it looked at a number of factors when discussing libraries proposed for closure including usage, proximity to alternative libraries and operational costs.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
"Brighton council pushed us away and made us feel worthless"
A couple who were found living in a tent in Brighton say the local council "pushed" them 20 miles (32km) away, making them feel "worthless".Scott and Tina became homeless in May 2024 and were initially placed in an Eastbourne hotel but are now living in a caravan with no electricity or running said Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) were "not interested" in them and had "no empathy", despite Tina having grown up in the a statement, BHCC said it was "operating within the constraints of a national housing crisis" and aimed to place households within or near the city but out-of-area placements were sometimes unavoidable. On Monday, the deputy leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Peter Diplock, said placing vulnerable people that far outside the city was leaving people to "to sink or swim" in a corporate strategy of "out of sight, out of mind".His comments came after the deaths of two homeless men who were placed in emergency housing in the two men, aged 38 and 60, died just over a week from each other in separate incidents at a and Tina were also housed in an Eastbourne hotel but that tenancy was terminated after nine months due to disagreements with the hotel owner. Despite their current predicament, Scott said they were "better off than a lot of people" who were having to sleep in he said there was too much homelessness in Eastbourne."Eastbourne is just full of homeless people and when you actually speak to them rarely any of them are from Eastbourne, they're from Brighton, Worthing, they're all from way out of town."Someone should have a roof over their head where they can clean themselves, cook for themselves. We can't do any of that," he said. 'A safe space' The couple visit the Matthew 25 Mission drop-in centre in the town most days to get food and said: "Without these people providing this service, I don't think we would survive."It's more than just a food place... they do the washing, you can get advice, you actually relax, you have a safe space and know someone's going to sit there and listen."Tina added: "If services like this didn't exist then there wouldn't be anywhere for us to go. We struggle as it is to charge phones so that we can get hold of people like doctors."Meanwhile, Scott said Brighton council "don't give you five minutes to even listen to you."It felt like I was worthless. "They don't even have any empathy." After Scott and Tina were found living in the tent just over a year ago, the StreetLink service, which connects people living rough with local services, put them in contact with BHCC to arrange housing because of Scott's type 2 said BHCC "didn't really help us. They moved us miles away to Eastbourne and pretty much never contacted us again until I kept pushing and pushing for a conversation."He said that conversation ended a week later "when some person just decided that we didn't deserve a house".An obstacle for Scott and Tina to be given a home was that they had rent arrears from a property they lived at in Durham two years said: "Brighton made it very clear they're not interested, even though they've decided we have priority need, we have local connections and I have health needs. "We do have rent arrears from Durham, but, you know, loads of people are in debt in this country." 'National housing crisis' Tina said she grew up in Brighton and did not have any family in Eastbourne."The only person I have to talk to is Scott and sometimes it gets a bit lonely," she said."I do speak to my dad, but obviously it's not the same as going to see him [and] I don't have the luxury of funds to go there and spend time with him. "He's the only parent I have left." Scott accused the council of "ticking boxes" and "pushing" the homelessness problem away."They're pushing people further and further away to Eastbourne, Worthing, wherever they can shove people because they can't deal with them properly themselves. BHCC has been approached for comment about Scott and Tina's a statement on Monday, councillor Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing, said the authority was operating within the constraints of a national housing crisis" where "the demand for housing far exceeds supply".It said where temporary accommodation was necessary, "we aim to place households within or near the city. However, due to limited availability and affordability, out-of-area placements are sometimes unavoidable. "These decisions are never taken lightly, and we work to ensure that placements are safe, supported, and communicated appropriately."The council extended its deepest sympathies to the families of the two men who died in said it was awaiting the outcome of the coroner's report, which it would "consider carefully to inform any further improvements" to its approach.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Brighton council accused of 'influencing' homeless men's deaths
The deputy leader of Eastbourne Borough Council has accused Brighton & Hove City Council of "directly influencing" the deaths of two homeless men after they were placed in emergency housing in the Peter Diplock said placing vulnerable people 20 miles (32km) outside the city was a corporate strategy of "out of sight, out of mind" and that people were being left "to sink or swim" without has written to East Sussex senior coroner Fiona King asking her to take his concerns into consideration in order to prevent any future avoidable & Hove City Council extended its deepest sympathies to the families and communities affected by the deaths and said it would carefully consider the outcome of the coroner's report to inform further improvements to its approach. In May this year 177 people were given an out of area (OOA) placement in Eastbourne by BHCC, according to figures seen by the is a significant increase compared with 42 OOA placements 18 months earlier in October Diplock said it was "inevitable" that when tenancies break down, the clients "effectively cease to be BHCC's responsibility" and instead responsibility falls to Eastbourne Borough CouncilHe said: "It is obvious to me that this OOA placement policy is a deliberate choice by BHCC, to help alleviate their homeless challenge by exporting it to Eastbourne." Mr Diplock, a Liberal Democrat who is also cabinet member for housing, said placing vulnerable clients far away caused "obvious difficulties" and there was often a time lag in information about people's needs being passed said: "The clients placed in Eastbourne by BHCC are some of the most challenging and vulnerable in our society."Removal from familiar places, far from friends, family, existing support networks, and their well-established health services, leaves the people placed here isolated and without effective support."Registering with a GP and other health services is difficult if not impossible."He added: "The consequence of this is untimely death; and a failure by BHCC to properly serve the people they are responsible for." Councillor Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: "Brighton & Hove City Council is operating within the constraints of a national housing crisis, with over 100,000 households in temporary accommodation across England. "The demand for housing far exceeds supply, and our priority remains to prevent homelessness wherever possible. We have invested significantly in early intervention services and have one of the highest prevention rates in the south east."Where temporary accommodation is necessary, we aim to place households within or near the city. However, due to limited availability and affordability, out-of-area placements are sometimes unavoidable. These decisions are never taken lightly, and we work to ensure that placements are safe, supported, and communicated appropriately."We are committed to improving our processes, including strengthening information sharing with receiving authorities and enhancing welfare checks."
BBC News
23-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Report recommends eight Brighton tower blocks should be demolished
A report that is going before Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) will recommend it demolishes eight council-owned tower report, going before councillors on 17 July, says that BHCC should "develop and consult" demolition plans and replace them with newer council eight buildings are Dudeney Lodge and Nettleton Court in Hollingdean, Falcon Court, Heron Court, Kestrel Court, Kingfisher Court and Swallow Court in North Whitehawk and St James's House in Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing, said: "Since October last year, I have been working with officers and meeting with householders to explore the options about the future of these blocks." Structural surveys last year found that the buildings no longer meet current safety standards for withstanding a collapse in the case of an explosion or large options looked at were to strengthen and refurbish the buildings. However, research found that strengthening work only guarantees the building's safety for a further 20 years and requires significant report sets out that strengthening the building is not seen as a viable or affordable long-term solution for residents or for the council. Councillor Williams added: "We recognise that these buildings have happy memories, in some cases for 3 generations of families."We honour that history - it's precisely because we care so deeply about the safety, quality and future of the homes that our tenants live in that we must now look ahead with clarity and courage."
BBC News
15-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Food waste collections coming to Brighton and Hove
Brighton & Hove City Council has approved food waste collections in the city. The new scheme, funded by the government and £1.2m from the local authority's budget, is set to be rolled out in stages from September. BHCC said the scheme would help boost recycling rates – which are "historically low" in the city - by getting food waste out of general refuse. Some residents raised concerns that food waste collections could lead to additional smells and traffic. Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for net zero and environmental services, said at a council meeting on Thursday the waste would be stored in sealed containers and removed in 24 hours. He added it would mean less smell and fewer a third of household rubbish in Brighton and Hove is food and drink waste, approximately 2.8kg per household each week, according to the said the food waste would be turned into compost for use in and around the city. Food waste collections are set to be extended to all households by March 2026. Kerbside collections will be made weekly, while communal food waste would be collected every day under the proposals.
