Monday, March 30, 2009
Tories abstain on vote to help homeless young LGBT people
Green Party Councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council have attacked Tories for failing to support proposals to try to improve services for homeless LGBT people in the city.After refusing to include a Green Party proposal for the Council to sign up to the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) National Quality Assurance Mark costing just £3,000 at the Council’s annual budget setting meeting, Tory councillors abstained when the Greens brought a proposal for the Council to work with AKT, who support young Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) homeless people, to full council last month.
It was carried with the support of Labour, Lib Dems and an independent councillor. The motion now goes to the next Cabinet meeting chaired by the member for housing, Maria Caulfield for a decision on whether to move forward with the proposal.
Tories argued there were already services in place with Allsorts and Hove YMCA, neither of who specialise in providing help to LGBT homeless people.
Cllr Bill Randall, the Greens spokesperson on LGBT issues said:
“For a modest amount of money, the Albert Kennedy Trust could bring their expertise to Brighton and Hove and improve services for this vulnerable LGBT Group”.
“Gaining support at full council takes us a step closer to bringing Albert Kennedy Trusts specialist services to the city".
"The motion must now be ratified by the Tory Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Maria Caulfield. The ball is in her court. We trust she will accept the will of the council, take our proposal forward and adopt the AKT Quality Assurance Mark, which offers a model of best practice to mainstream housing and homelessness organisations."
He continued:
“Our motion is not a criticism of the valuable services provided already by the Allsorts charity and Hove YMCA. AKT would complement their good work with a programme of training, policy advice, and practical support, which includes supported lodgings schemes, mentoring and befriending services.”
Pictured Bill Randall
For more information go to:
www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk
