NEWSLETTER: SPRING 2008
(View previous Newsletter here)
ENCLOSURES!
You
will find enclosed application forms (not on headed paper this time)
for our first two outings this year. We hope these will be well
supported and it would help if completed forms could be returned to
the address given as soon as possible. The trips promise to be
interesting and enjoyable events, as ever.
Also
enclosed is a form for those who have not yet renewed their
subscription for the year 2008-2009. It is so good that new people
have come along to take leading roles in the Society following the
retirement of key office holders (see below, under the Annual General
Meeting item) and we hope they will be supported by a good renewal
response. A gratifying number of members have already renewed. If
you are one of those your new membership card should be enclosed with
this Newsletter, with many thanks for your continued support.
ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
Some
80 members gathered in the main hall at Dorset Gardens Church for our
AGM on Saturday 29 March 2008. The meeting was chaired by our
President, Derek Granger, and, during the business session, the
Annual and Financial Reports were received (the latter was
distributed at the meeting and anyone not present who wishes to have
a copy should contact the Treasurer).
After
receipt of the reports the officers and committee for the coming year
were elected as follows:
Chairman:
Roy Davis
Secretary:
David Hainsworth
Treasurer:
Mick Paskins
Membership
Secretary: Hans Lobstein & Sally Free**
Other
committee members: Robert Edwards, June Evans, Ed Furey, Eike
Herold, Roger Rolfe, Henry Steinhardt & Janie Thomas. A
subsequent offer from Charmain Moggs to join the committee was
accepted with appreciation.
(**
We are grateful to Hans & Sally for stepping into the breach but
since the AGM, for reasons related to technology, the membership work
is pro tem being undertaken by Bernard Evans. Hans & Sally will
continue to give support in other ways. Any member who thinks they
might be able to maintain our computer records, issue membership
cards and print labels for distribution of material to members should
contact Bernard. He can convey the detail of the job and the data
which needs to be installed in order to keep updated computerised
records.)
Appreciation
was paid to retiring committee members, Vivienne Carter, Sue Finch,
Ann Johnson and Jean Penney.
It
was reported that in the coming year our outings would be arranged by
Sue and Mick Paskins, talks/lectures by Robert Edwards, lunches and
dinners by Vivienne Carter, raffles by Nicholas Worth & Ann
Johnson. Ann would continue to be responsible for refreshments at our
afternoon talks. David Botibol will continue as Web Officer. All
were sincerely thanked.
Following
the elections our President paid tribute to Jean Penney who had been
active in the Society, mostly as an office holder, for nearly 35
years. She had finally decided to resign as Treasurer, a position she
had held on more than one occasion, and not to remain on the
committee. Her knowledge of Brighton and of the Society was
inestimable and she would be sorely missed as a central figure in the
Society, although it was good to know that she would continue to
support events. Janie Thomas added her personal thanks for the
tremendous support and friendship that Jean had given her which had
made the job of Secretary much easier and more enjoyable than it
would otherwise have been. Jean was presented with a bouquet of
flowers, a box of chocolates and a card expressing the thanks of the
Society.
Derek
also referred to the fact that Janie Thomas was giving up as
Secretary after 14 years in that post, with a further four on the
committee. However, she would remain a member of the committee and
produce the next Newsletter and help with others as necessary in our
new Secretary’s first year of office. Janie expressed her delight
that David Hainsworth had agreed to be Secretary, being confident
that the Society would benefit from his efficiency, commitment and
enthusiasm. Derek thanked Janie on behalf of all the members and Ray
Sheridan, a past Chairman of the Society, spoke warmly of the work
and dedication that both Janie and Jean had displayed on behalf of
the Society. Janie was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
At
the close of business the meeting heard from Councillor Brian Oxley,
Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, who spoke to the theme of
‘Brighton & Hove – The Way Forward.’.
Cllr. Oxley’s comments included emphasis on the importance of
Brighton & Hove sustaining its economic life as well as
protecting the environment. A growing economy covered many aspects
(including some controversial decisions such as the proposed King
Alfred development) and a welcome part of it was working together
with other authorities, e.g. with Crawley in respect of employment.
However, economic advances alone were insufficient if the environment
is not good. In that respect Brian thought that in Brighton &
Hove it was a case of ‘pushing at an open door’ as there was a
council commitment in respect of environmental improvement, e.g.
recycling. He referred to the importance of making good use of
public money, with a three year financial framework in place and the
lowest percentage rise in council tax this year since the City
Council was created. Value for Money reviews were held and Debt
Collection had been improved. The reduction of economic inequality
was desirable but 75% of people suffering deprivation live outside of
the Neighbourhood Renewal Areas where resources are currently being
targeted.
Brian
stressed his wish that the Council should be an open and effective
organisation. In that respect, the Government was compelling Brighton
& Hove to change from its current committee system (which he
personally favoured) to a Cabinet with Leader system. This would
take effect in May of this year (although the Government decree would
have allowed the change to be delayed until May 2009. It was pointed
out from the body of the hall that the later date would have allowed
for more public consultation. This was in contrast to Cllr. Oxley’s
view that the new system needed three years to ‘bed down’ before
the next local elections). Cllr. Oxley felt that the best of the
committee system would be retained. Cabinet meetings would be open to
the public with letters heard and debated. Councillors could attend.
This was in contrast to other local authorities where Cabinets met in
secret.
In
question and discussion time it emerged that the Cabinet would
consist only of councillors from the majority party on the council
(currently Conservative). There would be 9 Cabinet Members, plus the
Leader who would appoint them. The planning and licensing committees
would be retained with a cross-party membership. Scrutiny Boards
would be set up that would also be cross-party. When asked to
summarise the main role of councillors under the new system, Brian
opined that they would have lots of opportunities to bring forward
issues, e.g. to the Scrutiny Boards that were intended to get to the
heart of an issue, working in a collegiate manner. They were not
about ‘point scoring’. Given Brian’s apparent commitment to
openness and involvement under the new system a concern was raised as
to whether a new Leader would have the same attitudes. He was able to
confirm that although, for personal and professional reasons, he had
decided to resign as Leader at the close of the current local
authority year members had signed up to the new ideas which were
documented, written into a constitution.
Apart
from enquiries about the new cabinet system a range of questions and
viewpoints ensured some lively input. Inevitably, alas, some
perennial problems had to be raised such as the lack of effective
enforcement in Brighton & Hove, in respect of both planning and
licensing. This lack adversely affects the quality of people’s
lives. Communal bins were discussed with differing views emerging
from members. It seemed clear that ‘location, location, location’
was a key issue with much more caution and opposition understandably
being apparent in sensitive, heritage areas. In other busy spots the
bins had proved advantageous in cutting down the amount of rubbish
left on the streets.
Concerns
about high rise development and development at the Marina were
raised. Our President pointed out that the waiving of the Marina Act
to allow developers (Brunswick) to build a 40 storey tower was
restricted to that development – it was not a general lifting of
the legislative requirement not to build above the cliff line. It
was expected that the Chairman of the Environment Committee would
take steps to ensure that height boundaries are respected. One
member voiced a widely held view that the nature of the Marina was
being changed and that the changes would not meet housing needs.
The
sad and worrying state of the seafront was brought up – see
separate item below.
It
is impossible to refer to all the items raised but hopefully the
foregoing gives a flavour of some matters that are of concern –
some are new, such as changes to the running of the council, or
new-ish, such as communal bins. But others are hardy annuals that one
despairs of ever getting off the list of concerns, such as lack of
enforcement, noise, the use and appearance of the seafront.
Cllr.
Oxley was warmly thanked for coming to the AGM and for his
contribution. He was able to stay for informal mingling after the
meeting had been closed, which provided the opportunity for further
informal discussion with him.
SEAFRONT
IRONWORK (item submitted by a
member)
A
committee member recently looked along the Madeira Terrace colonnade
to check on the progress of the paintwork that began several months
ago. The exterior of the Madeira Lift and the Shelter Hall at its
base had been painted, as had a lengthy section of sixty-eight arches
immediately to the west of the hall and lift. The remainder of the
arches, by our reckoning forty-eight at the western end and
thirty-four at the eastern end, had not been painted. Of the
railings, shelters and seating along the whole stretch, some painting
had been completed on the middle level but very little along Marine
Parade. With the sky above overcast but the late afternoon sun
blazing from a clear sky in the west, the effect on the painted
stretch of the colonnade was gorgeous. The unpainted ironwork was
conspicuously and miserably rusty.
At
the society’s AGM, during questions, guest speaker Councillor Brian
Oxley, leader of the council, was asked if it was the plan of the
present council administration to pursue that of the previous
administration regarding the future of this part of the East Cliff
Conservation Area: that is to say, following the completion of the
seafront works at the western end of Brighton, to set up a project of
consultation leading to a strategy for the improvement of this
eastern stretch of seafront. The reply from Councillor Oxley seemed
more in the nature of a double negative than a positive one: there
was no reason to think that any major change in such a policy had
been made. He commented that one of the shelters had been vandalised
soon after its renovation – the sort of spectacle we are all too
familiar with.
Your
committee’s long-held and fervent view is that this stretch of
seafront should remain a peaceful area with small-scale family
amenities and practical support services associated with the shingle
beaches, playgrounds and cliff. This is in contrast to the more
intense and commercialised central area between the piers; the policy
accords with the council’s local plan and local development
framework; and is in agreement with most of the recommendations of
the conservation officers’ admirable local area character study.
Your committee believes that the council’s priority in this respect
should be a search for a permanent and reliable means of regular
maintenance of the defining structures and historic decorative
features of this area. However dispiriting it may be to see certain
improvements reversed by thoughtless or anti-social behaviour,
nevertheless it is vital to the dignity and popularity of this area
of the city that its overall appearance is of a high standard.
[R.E.
11.4.08]
PLANNING
MATTERS
24
St. James’s Street
– the site of the old camping shop on the corner with Dorset
Gardens. It is some time since permission was given for the site to
be redeveloped with a mix of residential, retail and A3 (restaurant).
A recent application to amend the permission has been refused for a
variety of reasons, including that the original planning unit has
been artificially sub-divided by means of a series of planning
applications, with the increase now requiring an affordable housing
percentage which has not been put forward: additionally there was a
failure to meet Lifetime Homes standards in respect of the housing
element. A proposed reduction in size of the retail unit was such as
to make it unviable. The refusal reasons seem very creditable.
Meanwhile, the corner remains something of a blot on the landscape.
114-115
St. James’s Street – previously Sussex Stationers
– is undergoing renovation prior to opening as a Starbuck’s
coffee shop. There are some (of whom this writer is one) who think
that we need another coffee shop in St. James’s Street like we need
a hole in the head. But there are many (including the writer) who
are much relieved that the premises have not been taken over for the
purposes of late night opening and/or sale of alcohol. (The
Starbuck’s hours are quoted as 7.30 a.m. to 8 p.m.) But wouldn’t
it have been nice to have had a quality retail
outlet in that prominent corner site?
Planning
Applications – change in viewing opportunities.
Several
members have expressed concern that it is no longer possible to view
paper plans at Bartholomew House, thus necessitating a journey to
Hove Town Hall if such viewing is required. Whilst there is much
appreciation of the detail of applications contained in the register
of planning applications that is updated weekly on the council’s
web site (home page), we are informed that drawings cannot be scaled
from the information provided there. Thus, your Society is making
representations to the Council to ask that Brighton residents can
enjoy a resumption of the facility to view plans on paper at
Bartholomew House, as has been the case for many, many years.
LICENSING
MATTERS
112-113
St. James’s Street
– Prowler has had its sex shop license renewed for a further year.
Joogleberry
Playhouse, Manchester Street .
- An application is
pending for an extension of closing time from l a.m. to 3.30 a.m.,
with the sale of alcohol and playing of music until 3 a.m., seven
days a week. Several representations objecting to the extension have
been submitted, certainly unless stringent conditions to control
noise nuisance are laid down – not least the escape of music, which
has been a problem for residents according to the submissions. The
date of the Hearing has been set for 2 p.m. on Thursday 1 May.
Hearings (held at Brighton Town Hall) are open to the public.
A
Cumulative impact policy
is now operative in Brighton & Hove and in respect of our area
the affected zone covers St. James’s Street from Old Steine to
Upper Rock Gardens, southwards to the high water mark and northwards
to Edward Street. We understand that the policy brings a shift in
emphasis so applicants would now have to convince that their wish,
for example, to extend hours would not add to public nuisance or
crime and disorder (the prevention of which are two of the objectives
set out in the Licensing Act 2003). Without a c.i. policy the ball
is on the other foot, so to speak, with objectors having to satisfy a
Licensing Hearing Panel that proposed changes would be contrary to
licensing objectives.
POLITICAL
ASSISTANTS FOR COUNCILLORS
Some
readers may have spotted an item in the Argus setting out the new
arrangement for appointment of political assistants in Brighton &
Hove to aid councillors in their work. Having checked with the
council’s Chief Executive we are informed that the appointments
will be in accordance with section 9 of the Local Government &
Housing Act 1989. This will be the first time such appointments have
been made in our local authority and, to quote from the Chief
Executive: - “The political assistants will enable
Members of different political groups to receive research and other
support that takes account of their differing needs. The role will
be to assist members in connection with their role as Councillors,
not party political interest unconnected with Council business.”
According
to the Act, political assistants are local government employees and,
with two exceptions, the regime restricting the political activities
of local government employees applies to them. The two exceptions
enable them to speak to the public with the intention of affecting
support for a political party and to publish or cause to be published
written work or other material intended to affect public support for
a political party.
We
are informed that political assistants are common for authorities of
the size of Brighton & Hove and, where they are introduced, the
Act requires the Council to provide one to each of the three biggest
political groups in the Council who have 10% or more of the seats in
the Council. This means that only the Conservative, Labour and Green
Groups qualify for political assistants in Brighton and Hove (in
addition to members of those groups there are two Liberal Democrat
councillors and one Independent). The advertisement for an assistant
to the Green Group has already appeared (with salary up to £34,000
per annum, just below the ceiling set by Government) and those for
the two remaining posts will be advertised by the Council shortly. We
understand that appointees will have some pension benefits.
We
do not know if any form of evaluation, for example as to cost
effectiveness, is built into the new system.
ECO
HOUSE – OPEN DAYS
The
Council is organising an Eco Open House event for the weekends of
28-29 June and 5-6 July. The aim is to showcase residents’ homes
in Brighton & Hove and how they are helping to reduce impacts on
the environment (there has been a recent appeal for people to put
forward their property for inclusion). The event will be similar to
the Artists Open Houses held in the city. The officer dealing is
Francesca Iliffe, Sustainability Officer, Brighton & Hove
Council. If you are interested, watch out for further press
information or contact the council (e-mail:
sustainability@brighton-hove.gov.uk)
SOUTH
DOWNS CAMPAIGN (SDC)
We
have been pleased to renew our subscription to the SDC. That
organisation has done, and is still doing, sterling work in
campaigning to protect the South Downs by its designation as a
National Park. It is confirmed from the latest SDC communication that
a lot has happened in the past 12 months, particularly the release of
the Inspector’s Report last July, the subsequent public
consultation and the re-opening of the South Downs National park
Inquiry on 12 February 2008. Much of the Campaign’s evidence has
now been submitted, although there are a number of papers still being
worked on. In general, the Campaign has focussed its energy on four
areas (the Western Weald, Ditchling, Lewes and the Inspector’s
proposed additional areas).
The
Campaign has now increased it membership to 145 groups, which can be
seen as a signal to the Inspector and to the Government about the
popularity of the National Park and the inclusion of the areas the
Inspector has recommended should be left out.
KEMP
TOWN IN BLOOM
The
launch of Kemp Town in Bloom 2008 will take place on Saturday
26 April. You are invited to go
along and meet Mayor Councillor Carol Theobald at St. George’s
Church lawn at 10 a.m. on that day. You may go provided with a bag
to take away a plant and some compost for your garden/window
box/hanging basket. Any enquiries should be directed to the
Co-ordinator, Ed Furey on 01273 267917
AND
LAST – BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT LEAST – A MESSAGE FROM OUR NEW
SECRETARY.
Janie
Thomas and Jean Penney have dedicated an enormous amount of time,
commitment and energy to the Kingscliffe Society, and over the years,
have made a positive and lasting impression on our community.
Today,
the Society is well placed to continue its commitment to the
community.
I
am absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to become involved in
the Kingscliffe Society, and very much look forward to working with
you.
David
Hainsworth (Secretary)
Secretary:
David Hainsworth, 6 Dolphin Mews, Manchester Street, Brighton BN2
1TY …..
Tel:
01273 600881 e-mail: david.hainsworth@googlemail.com
Web
site: www.kingscliffe-society.org.uk
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Charity
Number 291839
Member
of the Civic Trust
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Issue No. 1 Spring 2008
22 April 2008
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