Comment: Cllr Ellen McLeay & Cllr Sue Shanks
August may be quiet for formal council meetings, but we remain active in the community— supporting residents at risk of homelessness, organising Tidy Street action days, and assisting businesses facing a rise in anti-social behaviour.
Our inboxes are busy, and we’ re always happy to meet— please don’ t hesitate to get in touch.
We’ ve both been enjoying the summer months with our children and grandchildren, and we send our solidarity to everyone juggling work and school holidays over six weeks. We hope you’ ve had a chance to enjoy the sunshine and the vibrant atmosphere across Brighton. These summer months bring a welcome boost to local businesses as visitor numbers rise— but they also place added pressure on city services.
For example, in July, over two weekends, Environmental Services teams reported more than 24 tonnes of rubbish was collected from the beach, following record attendance during the hottest days of the year. Items left behind included litter, shoes, beach inflatables, children’ s toys— and even a kayak.
Many residents and visitors use the bins provided or follow the advice to take rubbish home when bins are full. And while Environmental Services work hard to prevent bin overflow, during peak times we ask everyone to avoid leaving waste beside full bins— or worse, on the beach. We encourage everyone enjoying our seafront to do their bit and take responsibility for their rubbish. If the bin is full, please take your rubbish home.
Outdoor Events & Community Engagement This summer has seen a huge number of outdoor events, bringing fun and energy— but also some challenges. To improve communication and responsiveness, the council has launched a new Outdoor Events Forum. This live platform allows residents to:
• Ask questions and share feedback
• Raise concerns during events
• View upcoming scheduled events
• Read notes from previous meetings
We hope this helps you stay informed and connected with the Events Team as they work to improve event planning and management.
Improving the Elder Place Corridor In the New England Quarter, the recent York and Elder highrise development( Longley Estate) has triggered Section 106 funding to support improvements in the surrounding area. This legal agreement ensures developers contribute to reducing their impact on the community. The council has prepared a concept plan with early ideas and draft designs. We’ re keen to hear your thoughts on these concept designs and invite you to engage with the consultation currently live on Your Voice [ see link below ]. By enhancing the Elder Place corridor we hope this will help iron out existing challenges in the London Road area— making it a more welcoming place for all.
Local Government Reorganisation A major consultation is underway exploring options for reorganising local government. The government has asked councils in Sussex to submit proposals. This is a pivotal moment for our local authority and the wider region, and it’ s vital that residents’ views are heard. The deadline is fast approaching— please make sure to have your say.
All three consultations can be found at: www. yourvoice. brighton-hove. gov. uk
Supporting Independent Traders in North Laine Independent traders in the North Laine are at the heart of Brighton’ s identity and a major draw for visitors. Their unique offerings and strong community spirit keep our shopping streets vibrant. As high streets decline, we must protect what makes Brighton special.
On July 14, we hosted a meeting for independent businesses to share challenges with council leaders, exploring how service providers can better support them. It was a productive meeting, and we plan to host more. We thank Cllr Jacob Taylor, council officers, the Police, the BCRP, and Visit Brighton for support and continued follow-up on actions from that meeting.
Independent Businesses at Risk in Seven Dials Finally, we were deeply disappointed to hear about the Co-Op’ s decision to evict two valued independent businesses— Seven Cellars and Latina— from their premises in Seven Dials. We’ ve received many emails from concerned residents, and we share your view that losing these businesses would be a significant blow to the local community.
Unfortunately, the council has limited powers in this situation. The Co-Op holds the overarching lease and therefore controls the buildings occupied by these businesses. The planning system regulates the type of permitted use, but not the specific occupier.
It’ s been heartening to see
the community rally behind Seven Cellars and Latina. The protest outside the Co-Op in July was a powerful show of support, and we hope further action will continue to highlight the reputational damage this decision may cause the Co-Op— and the potential impact on their bottom line.
Despite its ethical branding, the Co-Op seems to be acting like any other large corporation in this instance. We strongly encourage residents to continue supporting our local independent businesses. When we shop locally, we invest in business owners who are truly committed to our communities.
l Ellen. Mcleay @ brighton-hove. gov. uk Sue. Shanks @ brighton-hove. gov. uk