News: Tim Ridway
This week’s headlines from across the city
RATES RISE
It’s that time of year again.
No, not THAT time of the year. But the time when councils unveil their spending plans for the coming 12 months.
No surprise in Brighton and Hove as the Green administration wants to increase council tax by nearly 6%.
Council officers have recommended targeting council tax benefit claimants in a bid to plug a £26 million budgetary black hole.
With the Conservative group once again advocating a freeze, Labour – the council’s third party – will hold the decisive vote come budget-setting time in February.
ON THE UP
A rare day off meant I was able to head into Worthing last week.
And I was delighted to say that there’s something very exciting happening out west.
For those of you sneering and thinking the town is still God’s waiting room – I assure you, it’s not. It has become a thriving cosmopolitan area – with a range of quality, well-priced restaurants, a great relaxed vibe and with affordable parking.
My top tip is the Connaught cinema, where you catch a film for two for about a tenner – a total bargain.
TRAIN PAIN
Good luck to anyone wanting to get anywhere on the Brighton to London mainline over the next three years.
Refurbishment work at London Bridge over the next three years is set to affect tens of thousands of train journeys. Work is due to start from December 20.
In total, there will be 16 days when all trains will not stop at London Bridge while engineers work to open two new platforms and modernise 1970s track and signalling equipment.
So make sure you plan ahead.
’ELLO, ’ELLO, ’ELLO
It’s been two years since Katy Bourne became the Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex.
For those of you unsure as to exactly what this means, that means she is the elected person responsible for overseeing our police force.
In an exclusive interview with Latest TV, she spoke around the challenges the post has delivered. And also went into the what she wants to archive in the remaining two years in office.
In particular, she was proud of the work she’s done in increasing young people’s trust of officers, and in tackling violence.
But with the system at risk of being scrapped if Labour win the next election, is all the work she has been doing a short-term experiment?
BENEFITS BLAST
What would you do if you lost your job, applied for more than 1,500 positions and were still asked to report daily to your local job centre?
Well that’s allegedly what happened to Peter Styles, an unemployed local copywriter, whose blog about his experiences has gone viral.
Mr Styles claims the Government’s new benefits system is keeping people out of work. But officials hit back and said they were trying hard to get him back into employment.
COMMUNITY JOY 1
It was once a dilapidated and disused building. But following a community campaign, the fortunes of Crowhurst Hall in Preston village, Brighton have turned around thanks to a massive funding injection.
After attending the ribbon cutting last week, Latest TV is proud to report that the building is thriving after being given a new lease of life.
Following on from the campaign to restore Exeter Street Hall and with new centres in Saltdean and Coldean, it seems like community is far from dead in our city.
COMMUNITY JOY 2
After years of campaigning, Brighton’s very own comfy pub is preparing to open its doors.
The Bevy will become the UK’s first community-owned pub on a council estate.
And having followed this journey through from inception to ribbon-cutting, I’m delighted for all the volunteers and individual shareholders who’ve worked to see the ‘open’ sign go up on the door.
The launch will take place next week – meaning that thousands in Bevendean and Moulsecoomb will now have a local on their doorstep.
Offering community cooking lessons, a cafe and an edible garden, this is definitely more than just a pub.
CHRISTMAS STARR
It’s never too early to sign up for some Christmas spirit.
And this year two celebs will be coming together to raise money for a local charity.
Wish upon a Christmas Starr will see hundreds be entertained by ice skater Robin Cousins and special guest singer Bonnie Langford at the prestigious Hilton Brighton Metropole on December 7. All proceeds will go to the Starr Trust.
