Gscene News Archive

Brighton and Hove Green party has called on the council to give 'cash back' to communities after an Audit Commission survey found city residents like living here, but want to get more involved in local decision-making.

The 'Place Survey' found that though 86 per cent of city residents are generally happy with the area, a growing number (39 per cent) wanted to be directly involved in making the decisions that affect them.

Queen's Park councillor Ben Duncan said the council should listen and allow local communities to determine neighbourhood spending priorities for themselves.

Cllr Duncan, who is also the party's Community Safety spokesperson, said:
"This just shows how important proper funding for community partnerships is to residents.

"Community cash back is used by councils across the country. In Lewisham (South London) each ward gets £100,000 annually, for example and we know that neighbourhood groups would welcome the money.

"Really it should be for local communities, not the council as a whole, to decide on local priorities, whether they are to cut or plant bulbs on verges, buy computers for communal use or even employ domestic violence workers."

He added:
"It's such a shame therefore that this council is doing just the opposite, and cutting funding for groups like the Tarner and Eastern Road partnerships.

"We need to look closely at using mechanisms like Local Action Teams (LATs) and community partnerships to improve democracy across the city - and introducing participatory budgeting wherever possible."

For more information about the Greens, view:
www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk