Gscene News Archive

The Tory led City Council is making drastic cuts to community work in the deprived areas of Tarner and Eastern Road. The Tarner Area and Eastern Road Partnerships will both suffer due to redundancies being made by the council in the Neighbourhood Management Team, leaving just one token person in post.

The partnerships bring the council, police, schools and other agencies together with local people to ensure issues such as; the isolation of older people, youth activities, drug dealing, employment, housing, anti-social behaviour, racism, fly-tipping and much else are addressed using the knowledge of local people.

The results pf the partnerships have been impressive leading to an increased sense of community in these deprived communities.

Demonstrator supporting the petition of over 1000 signatures was delivered to the council today by Councilor Gill Mitchell , leader of the Labour Group, calling for the investment to be continued.

Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Brighton Kemptown, that includes Tarner and Eastern Road, Simon Burgess said;
"I have found my time on these partnerships to be incredibly productive. They are examples of best practise with staff that have shown enormous commitment and are universally appreciated by the communities they serve. To make them redundant is a tragic waste that will have long lasting negative consequences for the communities. This is a dark day for those who believe in helping deprived communities to help themselves. If the council prioritises this exceptional service it can easily afford to maintain it - frankly it can't afford not to."

He continued expressing his concern about the impact of the cuts on St James’s Street saying,
"This comes at a terrible time for the St James's Street Area Action Group (SJAAG), just as it is being revived, the help of this team will be greatly missed. They have gone out of their way to offer help and support. I am saddened at the indifference of the Tory council to the deprived communities in the area"

Simon Burgess is the acting Chair of SJAAG. SJAAG is holding its AGM on February 4, at 6.30pm in Dorset Gardens Methodist Church.

All local business people and residents are welcome.