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Labour candidates demand action on HMOs

Labour council candidates in wards near the Lewes Road are urging the council to do more to enforce regulations concerning Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).

Tracey Hill
Tracey Hill

Nationally, all HMOs have to be registered and licensed. In addition, in some wards, conversion to a new HMO requires planning permission. But some landlords and agencies are managing to bypass the regulations.

In one street, Hollingbury Road, a 3-bedroom house was converted into an 8-bedroom house. Planning permission was refused but successfully appealed against, partly because the property had already been given an HMO licence.
Tracey Hill, Labour candidate for Hollingdean and Stanmer, said: “It makes no sense to give a property an HMO licence before it has been given planning permission to be an HMO. This case clearly shows that a council department is effectively undermining decisions made by an elected committee.”

Chris Taylor, Labour candidate in Hanover and Elm Grove, added: “Council officers will tell you that they do not have the funding or resources to effectively control behaviour in the wards most affected by problems which are exacerbated by the proliferation of HMOs. This is true. Government cuts have meant cutbacks across the city in all departments.
“Our proposal, if implemented, would effectively give more funding to the council in order to employ more staff in the areas concerned.”

Labour maintain a proposed cut-off date for applications for licenses for existing HMOs would galvanise landlords and letting agents into getting their properties licensed.
This would help both tenants and residents as more properties would be brought up to decent living standards, and from that point on, landlords would have to apply for Planning Permission before conversion to an HMO would be allowed. This in itself would stem the increase in HMOs within a saturated area.

Dressed for Success – vote for your favourite shop window this Christmas

Around 30 independent retailers across Brighton & Hove are receiving expert advice on how to make the most of their window displays, as part of a package of support for small businesses from Brighton & Hove City Council in the run up to Christmas.

Dressed for Success

TRADERS taking part in the council’s ‘Dressed for Success’ scheme receive one-to-one tuition from a visual merchandising specialist, aimed at helping them to attract more customers and boost sales. From December 4 shoppers can follow a trail of participating shops around the city.

To vote for your favourite Christmas window display, click here:

Voting closes at noon on December 23 and awards for the most popular displays will be presented in January.

The Dressed for Success scheme is now in its fourth year, with more than 130 independent retailers taking part since it was first launched by the council.

Retailers from Portslade to Kemp Town are taking part in this year’s scheme, selling everything from food, fashion and flowers to toys, gifts, homewares and wine.Tuition is provided by independent retail trainers, Metamorphosis, on behalf of the council.

Cllr Geoffrey Bowden
Cllr Geoffrey Bowden

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, chair of the city council’s Economic Development and Culture committee, said: “Brighton & Hove is renowned for its fantastic selection of independent shops and it is one of the attractions of shopping in the city. However, independent retailers usually don’t have the access to window dressing specialists that the big chain stores do, and that’s where the Dressed for Success scheme comes in – providing expert tips and advice to create fantastic eyecatching displays at Christmas and during the rest of the year as well.”

Adding: “The council is committed to helping our local retailers survive and thrive and Dressed for Success is one of a number of ways in which we support small businesses throughout the year.”

Other support for small businesses retailers includes: 

Small Business, Saturday (December 6)

The city council together with other business support organisations across the city is actively supporting Small Business Saturday. Maps will be given out at Brighton, Hove and Portslade stations to people arriving by train, promoting the independent retail areas, art installations and other activities going on during the day.

Ride the Wave business workshops

A business support programme providing local business people with free training, practical advice, and workshops to help them grow and create more jobs is being held from late November to March. Ride the Wave is funded and led by the council, and Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce who deliver the programme. For more information, click here: 

Free parking

Free parking will be available in five council car parks Trafalgar Street, High Street, Regency Square, London Road, and Norton Road on Saturday December 6 and Sundays December 7, 14 and 21.

Roadworks suspended

All major roadworks in busy shopping areas will be suspended or scaled down from December 1 to January 2.

Thousands of votes were cast across a range of different categories in last year’s competition, with positive feedback from participants taking part.

David Carmichael and Marco Wren of The Specky Wren opticians were among the winners last year. The opticians, based in Marshalls Row at the entrance to the newly restored Open Market in London Road, opened shortly before taking part in Dressed for Success and the competition helped to put it well and truly on the map. Since then they have gone on to feature more creative window displays – including a colourful summer design featuring origami flowers.

David said: “It was a great experience for us, we have a double fronted shop window and the tuition opened up our eyes to what was possible. The window has become a major focus for us now, it has got us thinking more creatively, and lots of people comment on our displays.”

PREVIEW: Viennese Strauss Christmas Treat for the family – Eastbourne

Be transported to the sparkling ballrooms of Vienna, the world’s undisputed capital of music, as the Viennese Strauss Christmas Gala waltzes into the Congress Theatre, Eastbourne on Saturday, December 20.

Viennese Strauss Christmas Concert

THE ACCLAIMED British Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will perform a wide range of favourites from the great Viennese composer Johann Strauss including: The Blue Danube, Vienna Blood, The Champagne Polka, Thunder and Lightning Polka and Klipp Klapp Polka.

The performance will also feature music from other celebrated Viennese composers Lehar, Kalman, Romberg and Stolz and pieces including The New Moon, The White Horse Inn, Die Fledermaus, The Merry Widow, The Gypsy Baron and many more.

To cap off the evening, the orchestra will play well-loved Christmas carols such as Silent Night, O Holy Night and O Christmas Tree, and invite the audience to join in a truly festive sing-along.

The orchestra will be conducted by Fraser Golding and will also include Leader Jeff Moore with soloists Marilyn Hill Smith, Andrew Forbes Lane and Jeremy Peaker.

The performance is written and presented by Malcolm McKee from BBC Radio 4’s The Archers.

Waltz into the festive season and catch this one-night-only performance of the Viennese Strauss Christmas Gala at the Congress Theatre on Saturday, December 20, 7.30pm.


 

Event: Viennese Strauss Christmas Gala with The British Philharmonic Concert Orchestra

Where: Congress Theatre, Carlisle Rd, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21

When: Saturday, December 20, 7.30pm

Tickets: £23

To book online, click here:

Or telephone: 01323 412000

 

 

Your vote counts! Make sure you are registered

The city’s electoral register is almost ready. The official Annual Revised Register for the year ahead is due to be published on December 1 2014.

Brighton & Hove City CouncilThere is still time to register and be eligible to vote in the 2015 General Election, even after the latest revised register is complete.

Residents are urged to register as soon as possible to ensure they are added to the rolling register, which is held on a database, and used to generate the poll cards for voters. The rolling register records can be updated until April 20, 2015. However residents are advised to sign up as soon as possible to be sure of inclusion.

The new register is the first to be published after major national changes to registration were introduced this summer.

A more secure system of Individual Electoral Registration (IER) was implemented to replace the old Victorian format where the ‘head of household’ registered everyone living in a property. Now, each individual will be responsible for registering themselves.

Many Brighton & Hove residents automatically transferred onto the new electoral register. However, some people were sent letters saying what they needed to do to join or remain on the register. Anyone who received a letter in July and has not yet followed the instructions should act now.

Penny Thompson: Chief Executive Brighton & Hove City Council
Penny Thompson: Chief Executive Brighton & Hove City Council

Penny Thompson, Brighton & Hove City Council Chief Executive and Electoral Registration Officer, said: “I would like to encourage all residents to sign up to the register so they are able to vote in elections in the city. This is especially important as we head into a General Election and Local Election year. Residents can register to vote using a quick and easy online process. Information is on our website and the Electoral Services team can also be contacted by email or telephone if anyone has any queries.” 

The changes to IER also saw the introduction of registering online. Again, the aim is to update Victorian record keeping methods by providing a 21st century solution.

For more information, click here:

If you are unsure as to whether you are registered, contact Brighton & Hove City Council’s Electoral Services office 01273 291999.

Or email:

THT launch HIV STIGMA statement

In the lead up to World Aids Day (WAD) on December 1, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the national sexual health charity launched a HIV STIGMA statement at their Brighton Office on Friday, November 28 in the presence of their Chief Executive, Dr Rosemary Gillespie, local politicians and health professionals.

HIV Stigma Statment

The statement reads:

“HIV is still a stigmatised condition and discrimination and prejudice remain issues of concern for people living with HIV.

HIV STIGMA Statement“Fear of stigma and experiences of injustice can have a profound effect on individuals, causing isolation for those affected , which in turn can have significant implications for society as a whole. Stigma prevents people being open about their condition and inhibits the kind of open discussion that is needed to challenge society’s lack of knowledge and understanding about HIV.

“People have been bullied, intimidated and even threatened with violence because of their HIV status. Stigma and prejudice can compromise personal relationships, and fear of disclosure can prevent people from accessing the kind of basic support that other people living with long term conditions can expect from family and friends. 

“The fear and isolation this creates can have a harmful effect on a person’s physical and emotional health. In many instances, people living with HIV can require more support in dealing with the stress and anxiety caused by HIV stigma, than with the physical impact of the virus. Mental ill health and depression in particular are common experiences for people living with HIV. 

“From a public health perspective, HIV stigma also acts as a major barrier to HIV testing. It discourages people from coming forward for testing and can be a barrier to doctors recommending tests to people who may be at risk. This undoubtedly has an impact on the numbers of people who receive a late diagnosis in the UK which currently stands at about 50 per cent of all diagnoses. 

“We can all play a part in tackling HIV stigma, by learning the facts about HIV and recognising that people living with HIV have equal rights and should not be defined by their HIV status.

We stand together to ensure that everyone has access to support, services, information and advice which can help to defeat HIV infection and HIV Stigma.”

Politicians attending the event included Cllr Jason Kitcat, the Green Leader of Brighton & Hove Council, Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, the leader of the Conservative Group on the City Council, Cllr Graham Cox, the Conservative Prospective Candidate for Hove & Portslade and Katy Bourne, the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. Simon Kirby MP for Brighton Kemptown & Peacehaven was not able to attend but sent along a message of support.

In her speech, Dr Rosemary Gillespie the newly appointed Chief Executive of THT said that everything was on course to sustainably defeat HIV within a generation and reminded everyone that THT was formed by a group of friends of Terry Higgins, one of the first people to die of the illness in the UK, who were outraged that he had died alone and frightened because of STIGMA surrounding HIV/Aids at the time by health professionals.

Three speakers from Positive Voice, told their poinant stories about how they had been affected by Stigma and how they had learnt to challenge it.

The meeting was hosted by THT’s Regional Manager Sue Peters and the presentation was delivered by THT’s Health Promotion Coordinator for Community Engagement and Outreach, Ross Boseley.

HIV STIGMA Statement
Ross Boseley, Dr. Rosemary Gillespie, Katy Bourne, Cllr Graham Cox and Cllr Geoffrey Theobald

 

 

First monthly flu vaccination figures released

Almost two months since the launch of the seasonal flu vaccine campaign, the first monthly  uptake figures show an encouraging start, but Public Health England (PHE) is urging all at risk people not to ‘put off’ getting the vaccination until flu is circulating more widely.

Public Health England

COMPARED to the same period last year, there has been a 4.2% increase in vaccination amongst pregnant women, a 2.2% increase in over 65’s, and a 1.8% increase for people under 65’s at risk.

For most healthy people, flu is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease with recovery taking up to a week. However for older people, the very young, pregnant women and those with a health condition – particularly chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease or those with a weakened immune system – are at particular risk from the more serious effects of flu. As a result these groups are offered a flu vaccination by the NHS – it’s free, because they need it.

Each winter hundreds of thousands of people see their GP and tens of thousands are hospitalised because of flu. Last winter, PHE received reports of 904 people admitted to intensive care or high dependency units with laboratory confirmed flu and 98 deaths.

This figure doesn’t account for the many deaths where flu is not recognised or reported – estimates of the annual number of deaths attributable to flu range from 4 to 14,000 per year, with an average of around 8,000 per year.

Since 2013, 2 and 3 year olds have been eligible for flu vaccination with a newly available nasal spray, and this year the spray is also being offered to 4 year olds.

As of October 31, 17.3% of 2-year-olds have received the flu vaccine while the 3-year-olds uptake rate is currently 18.7%. Amongst 4-year-olds, who have been offered the flu vaccine for the first time in 2014/15, uptake is currently 14.1%.

Dr Richard Pebody
Dr Richard Pebody

Dr Richard Pebody, head of seasonal flu surveillance at PHE, said: “People with certain long-term health conditions are at much greater risk of becoming seriously unwell if they catch flu and sadly, many end up in hospital. The best way people can protect themselves from flu is to take up the offer of free vaccination from their GP as soon as it becomes available.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated, and we urge anyone who is eligible but hasn’t yet received their free flu vaccination to contact their GP.”

 

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus are ‘Putting on the Ritz’ tonight at the Theatre Royal

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus strike up ‘bromance’ with Adam Ant.

Adam Ant

BRIGHTON Gay Men’s Chorus has received a message of support from Adam Ant conveying his best wishes for their upcoming show Putting On The Glitz at the Theatre Royal, Brighton tonight, November 30 at 7.30pm.

The Message was prompted after Adam Ant heard that the Chorus will be performing a special arrangement of his hit song Prince Charming during the show.

Adam Betteridge, a trustee for Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, said: “Thousands of volunteer hours go into maintaining both the charitable and performance activities of our Chorus. The wonderful messages of support that we receive from time to time really help to boost the morale and confidence of both our members and supporters – who together put so much of their free time and effort into the smooth running of our organisation and events. I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone, including Adam Ant and Universal, on behalf of all our members for you’re kind and invaluable support!”

The Chorus has promised Putting On The Glitz will include songs from a variety of musical genres, including pop classics such as Dolly Parton’s Here You Come Again, Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now and a sprinkling of blockbuster show tunes – with many of the numbers being arranged in-house.

A bucket collection will be made on the night in support of the Rainbow Fund, a Brighton and Hove based grant-giving fund for local LGBT and HIV/AIDS organisations.

Brighton Gay Men's Chorus

To purchase tickets for the show online, click here:

Or telephone Theatre Royal Box Office: 01273 709 709

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus will also be performing alongside various other local LGBT music groups as part of We All Live Together: A Concert For World Aids Day on Monday, December 1 at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Church.

For more information about We All Live Together, click here:

THT launches World AIDS Day quiz to improve public understanding of HIV

Terrence HIggin TrustThis World AIDS Day (December 1), HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is challenging the public to take an online quiz to test whether their understanding of HIV is up to date.

People are being invited to answer six ‘true or false’ questions about HIV, including how the virus is (and isn’t) transmitted, and what a diagnosis means for a person’s life. The quiz will then compute which decade their understanding of HIV sits at: the ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, or – for a perfect score – 2014.

To answer the questions, click here: 

Are You Stuck in the ‘80s? has been created to challenge some of the common myths and misconceptions that have persisted around HIV throughout the last 30 years. Last year, a THT study revealed that more than nine out of 10 people living with HIV think the public’s understanding of the condition needs improving, with more than six out of 10 describing it as “poor” or “very poor”.

The study also reported that 83% of people living with HIV could think of a time when they had wanted to disclose their status but didn’t feel able to, mainly due to concerns about people’s negative reactions.

Sonya Trivedy, Fundraising Director at THT, said: “HIV today is in a totally different place from where it was in the 1980s, so it can be frustrating that public attitudes to the condition seem to lag behind. This World AIDS Day, we wanted to do something that didn’t just draw attention to declining awareness but actually provided people with clear facts to bring their knowledge up to date. Please help us by taking the quiz, and sharing it with your friends online.”

In 2013, there were nearly 100,000 people living with HIV in the UK, a quarter of whom were unaware they have the virus.

World AIDS Day is an international event that has been running since 1988 and is dedicated to raising awareness of HIV and AIDS.

 

 

Organisers of Eurogames Stockholm 2015 to visit Brighton

The team organising the Eurogames in Stockholm in August 2015 will be visiting the UK next week, touching down in London, Manchester and Brighton between December 4-7.

Eurogames Stockholm 2015

THEY WILL be visiting Brighton on Saturday, December 6 to attend a reception hosted by The Mayor & Mayoress of Brighton & Hove, Cllr Brian and Mrs Nora Fitch in conjunction with BLAGSS, LGBT Sports Society.

The reception will be in the Mayor’s Parlour at Brighton Town Hall 3-4.30pm.

The Eurogames is a LGBT sporting and cultural festival which takes place in Europe for three years out of every four. The fourth year is the Gay Games/Out Games which is often stages outside of Europe.

The team will be in Manchester at the Taurus Bar for a fundraiser for Manchester Pride, on Friday, December 5 at 8pm. For more information: click here:

The Team will be London at No. 5 Greek Street @ Green Carnation in London on Thursday, December 4 at 6.30pm. For more information: click here:

Jakob Jansson, President of EuroGames Stockholm 2015, said: “We want to make the UK contingent the largest one at the games –  beating France and Germany. The UK has such great heritage and strength at sports and we know its LGBT teams and individuals will really enjoy Eurogames in Stockholm.”

To register for the Eurogames Stockhom 2014, click here:

For more information about BLAGSS, LGBT Sports Society: click here:

If you wish to attend the Brighton reception, email:

Eurogames Stockholm 2015

Arts council funds new play by local author

Rose Collis
Rose Collis

Brighton-based writer and performer Rose Collis has been awarded funding from Grants for the Arts, supported by the Arts Council England, to create a new stage play about 50s media stars Nancy Spain and Gilbert Harding.

The Research & Development project will culminate in two ‘script-in-hand’ performances in late February 2015 in both Brighton and London, to which theatre industry professionals and other interested groups and individuals will be invited.

Collaborative partners for the project include Shelley Silas, Kinny Gardner, Thea Bennett, Keith Drinkel, the Marlborough Theatre (Brighton), Bread and Roses Theatre (London) and Sussex young people’s organisation Blueprint 22.

Rose Collis, said: “In the 1950s, Gilbert Harding − a guilt-ridden and unhappy gay man who lived in Brighton − was the most famous personality on British television who loathed his fame. Nancy Spain – an ex-Roedean pupil − was the most famous female all-media personality, at ease with her sexuality and her celebrity status. I’ve always thought their unlikely friendship – including the long-running and hilarious rumours that they might marry − was a subject worthy of dramatisation.

 “I’m enormously grateful to the Arts Council for this grant – the first public funding I’ve ever received – and also to the Peggy Ramsay Foundation, which contributed vital match-funding. I am also thrilled to be collaborating with project partners of the highest calibre who will make valuable contributions to the creative process and the outcomes.”

Rose Collis created the critically-acclaimed Trouser-Wearing Characters, in 2012, the first one-woman musical cabaret show written and performed by a female author. Since making its world premiere at the Brighton Fringe 2012, the show has appeared at festivals and venues throughout the UK.

In spring 2013, the show completed a successful five-week tour of four major arts festivals in New Zealand and Australia.

For more information about Trouser-Wearing Characters, click here:

For more information about Rose, click here:

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