7 Days of Headlines with Phil Mills

Council plan to raise tax, Sussex Chief Constable cleared, road closures & stabbing at Shakedown

Brighton and Hove Council leader Jason Kitcat wants to increase local taxes by 3.5 per cent for 2013 but his Greens may be stymied by a new Government cap of 2 per cent – which means if the council wants to bust the limit then it will have to hold a costly local referendum.

The Tories are demanding a tax freeze and are hoping Labour will join forces to scupper the rise. The fight is destined to be headline news for months to come. It’ll be a baptism of fire for the city’s new chief executive, Penny Thompson CBE, former head of the General Care Social Council which closed last month. She was formerly chief executive of Hackney Borough Council and takes over from John Barradell, who left last month to run the City of London Corporation.

Sussex Chief Constable Martin Richards has been cleared of wrong doing. An investigation into an allegation of misconduct found he has no case to answer. The Independent Police Complaints Commission launched the inquiry following an anonymous allegation from a force staff member or officer that Mr Richards used undue influence over an operational policing issue.

Burgers have been given the boot: a mobile catering business near the Amex Stadium has been ordered to shut by a government inspector. The proprietor was running a take-away service in a rear garden near Albion’s ground. He appealed against a council closure notice but lost due to change of use rules and because of complaints from neighbours about food smells.

Work has started to improve The Level. The project includes a new playground, ‘dancing’ fountains, tables for board games, a new café, and CCTV cameras to deter anti-social behaviour. Work is being carried out by the council with a £2.2m Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund grant, and an Aiming High Grant of £65,000.

The council say it intends to continue improving the environment and is going ahead with road closures, namely; the junction of Ship Street and North Street, East Street to all vehicles between 11am and 7pm daily, Boyces Street to through traffic while maintaining access for residents and businesses, and Prince Albert Street to traffic between Ship Street and Black Lion Street.

A crash caused miles of tailbacks. A driver suffered a medical episode and collided with an oncoming vehicle on the A27 near Middle Farm, Firle. No one was hurt but easterly traffic backed up almost to Brighton.

Shakedown Festival at Stanmer Park was hailed a big success but there was one ugly incident when a 21-year-old man was stabbed. He was taken to hospital for treatment and police appealed for witnesses. Two men, aged 19 and 20, have been arrested. And police investigating the rape of a 19-year-old woman on Brighton beach in September have arrested two men. Both have been released on bail until November and officers are appealing for witnesses.

Finally, the Paralympics are still weaving magic: Alexandra Rickham showed off her bronze medal during a lecture to teaching students at the University of Brighton. She was invited by education senior lecturer Sue Lynch, whose son Marcus coached Alexandra and her sailing partner Niki Birrell. Alexandra, injured in a shallow diving accident, spoke of life as a disabled child, a young adult at school and her experiences in the workplace. Sue said: “Students were in awe of her achievement.”