Agenda item - Chairs Communications

3.1       The Chair welcomed all to the meeting stating it was a busy time of year and that she would like to use her Chair’s Communications to thank the wonderfully diverse communities, and community and voluntary groups of Brighton and Hove for their hard work and dedication and their efforts make our city the amazing place it was, so she wanted to thank:

Blindveteran’s UK

3.2       Blindveteran’s UK for organising such a successful and well attended Armed Forces Day the previous day; demonstrating the city’s gratitude to the dedication of our armed forces and their families. Also to the WW1 centenary planning group for organising such a moving interfaith and drumhead service Sunday 24^th to commemorate the end of WW1.

Collaboration of Local Groups for World Refugee Day, 20 June 2018 and On-going Work

3.3       There had been a wonderful collaboration of local groups – Sanctuary on Sea (the local group of the national Cities of Sanctuary network), the Crossing Borders music festival, the European and Mediterranean Resources Network the Hummingbird Project and the local Syrian community group for a fantastic range of music, performances, and film showings to mark Refugee Week and in particular World Refugee Day on 20 June. The purpose of both the day and Refugee Week in the UK was to commemorate the strength, courage, and perseverance of millions of refugees. It also marked a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee and for the promotion of events which brought together refugees who had settled in a new country with other residents.

3.4       The largest events had taken place at Brighton Dome and at Brighton Museum also on Sunday 24 June. Called ‘Together’, this free community led event had been part funded by the City Council and had also formed part of the national “Great Get Together” which honoured the memory of Jo Cox MP. A ‘Refugees Welcome’ parade started the event and inside the Dome, workshops, performances, stalls and activities provided opportunities for people from all backgrounds to get together. On World Refugee Day the City Council had also announced that it had signed an international statement of solidarity for refugees, joining 50 other cities from around the world who signed up to the UNHCR statement.  The Council had also agreed to continue its participation in the national refugee resettlement programme for refugees from Syria and others who were in very difficult and unsustainable situations in the Middle East and North Africa. The Council had also renewed its appeal for private landlords to provide self-contained properties at affordable rents for the refugees when they arrived in the city.

Building a Stronger Britain Together Bids

3.5       Earlier in the year the council’s community co-ordinator had supported 10 community groups from Brighton and Hove in applying for Home Office funding under the “Building a Stronger Britain Together” programme, to develop projects which tackled hate and built community cohesion. Whilst the bids were still in the process of being assessed, the Chair was pleased to announce that we there had been an early success with the announcement that Brighton Table Tennis Club had been awarded funding. They were one of 10 sports-based bids nationally that had been announced as successful and this funding would allow them to roll out their successful approach in bringing people together through providing table tennis in schools; she wanted to place on record her congratulations to the club. Also, “Brighton and Hove Faith in Action” had been successful in its bid for £75,000 worth of in-kind communications support including website development and branding to help them maximise their reach with positive inter-faith messaging.

            Volunteers Week

3.6       Early in June as part of Volunteers Week a cross sector celebration event had been held for a few (100) of the many 100s of volunteers in the city it was but a small thank you for their time and kindness in providing support for many organisations and initiatives in the city on a regular basis.

            Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Funding

3.7       The Chair stated that she would also like to thank officers, members and the council’s partners for their hard work in successfully securing £495,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to reduce rough sleeping in the city. The money would fund:

            3 additional outreach staff (1 to focus on women)

            A Hub for outreach staff to take people who are rough sleeping (building and staffing costs)

21 bed temporary accommodation service (staff)

Post to support the expansion of the Churches Winter Night Shelter

Expansion of the psychological support service to focus on people rough sleeping with personality disorder, trauma and complex needs

An Occupational Therapist to support re-ablement when people move into accommodation

A floating support worker to work with people in emergency accommodation (in city and out of area) at risk of rough sleeping

Dedicated funding to support reconnection work

3.8       The Chair stated that she would like to conclude by looking forward and offering thanks to all those working hard on the city’s 4th Annual Trans and Non Binary conference and its 5th Annual Trans Pride event. As Chair of the NICE Committee, she believed she had support of all other committee members when stating:

“I want everyone – Trans, non-binary, cis – to know they are welcome in our city and we will do our utmost to provide a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone, and we understand that anti-Trans hate speech is harming both individuals and wider communities and we commit to challenge the narrative of exclusion and hatred at each and every opportunity. We will not tolerate bullying and harassing behaviour in our city.

Some days it’s easy to only see and hear the negative and the sad and the frustrating but there is so much good and kindness that I wanted to use my privilege as Chair to take this opportunity to say thank you.”

3.9       RESOLVED – That the content of the Chair’s Communications be received and noted.