Agenda item - Deputations from members of the public.

A list of deputations received by the due date of 12noon on the 12^th October 2018 will be circulated separately as part of an addendum at the meeting.

30.1      The Mayor reported that four deputations had been received from members of the public and noted that two had been taken earlier in the meeting as part of the debate on the IHRA definition for Anti-Semitism.  She noted that the remaining two deputations would now be considered and invited Ms. Ortiz. as the spokesperson for the first deputation to come forward and address the council.

(1)  Child Refugees

30.2      Mr. Al Yousef thanked the Mayor and stated that he was attending on behalf of Ms. Ortiz and would like to start by thanking Brighton & Hove council for welcoming him as a refugee and for the brilliant work done already in supporting refugees.  Our council have really shown leadership on refugee resettlement by resettling 28 refugees (as far as I know) through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.  You have taken on the serious responsibility of working with families and supporting them to create a new life here.  Thank you for taking the decision to transform the lives of families.  You've also supported young people like me to come and make a new life in Brighton -- I've been able to make a home here -- so thank you for helping to make that happen.

This year is the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport, the scheme through which Britain welcomed 10,000 child refugees over two years.  This anniversary marks the best of what Britain is about:  helping those fleeing war and terror make a new life.

As part of this anniversary, we are joining a national campaign led by Lord Alf Dubs, himself a Kindertransport child, to call on central Government to start a fully-funded scheme for 1,000 child refugees to be resettled in the UK every year.  If the UK were to take 1,000 children a year, spread across the UK, each local authority would support just three children.  

We want to recreate now what happened then.  People like me from across Britain are speaking to councils over the UK, from Perth and Kinross in Scotland down to Lewes, to ask them to offer places for child refugees in a new fully-funded scheme.

We think local authorities like ours, who represent welcoming places, can show leadership on the issue and offer more than three places a year.  Hammersmith and Fulham Council have offered 100 places for child refugees; Scotland's Perth and Kinross Council have offered 20 places; and Barnet has pledged 30 places for child refugees.

We think in Brighton and Hove we are a welcoming place, so we want to work with our Council to resettle 100 child refugees over 10 years -- just 10 children every year.  So we are here to ask one question:--

1.  Will Brighton and Hove City Council commit to resettle 10 child refugees a year if central Government were to create a new fully-funded scheme?

We would be happy to support the council to make this happen.  It would help newer refugee children and children currently in care find a home.

We would be happy to meet with the Council to discuss how we could support you in this.

30.3      Councillor Daniel thanked Mr. Al Yousef for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation.  She stated that Brighton and Hove was proud to be a city of sanctuary and she was grateful to all the organisations involved in supporting refugees and was happy to commit to receiving 10 unaccompanied children per year as part of the Dubs Scheme.  She noted that the city had already received a number of asylum seeking children and spontaneous arrivals; however the biggest barrier was the need for foster carers and funding for mental health services to support children and families arriving in the city.

30.4      The Mayor thanked Mr. Al Yousef for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation.  She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to the Neighbourhoods, Inclusion, Communities & Equalities Committee for consideration.  The persons forming the deputation would be invited to attend the meeting and would be informed subsequently of any action to be taken or proposed in relation to the matter set out in the deputation.

(2) THE IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism

30.5      Note: The deputation had been taken earlier in the meeting and is detailed under Item 27 in the minutes.

(3)   Transparency, Accountability & Community Involvement

30.6         The Mayor invited Mr. Parry as the spokesperson for the deputation to come forward and address the council.

30.7         Mr. Parry thanked the Mayor and sated that, “It is 12 months since the Brighton and Hove Housing Coalition was launched and the Committee is aware of questions and deputations submitted over this period together with wider activity on the housing crisis generally and within our City in particular.

There is no doubt that issues of importance have been raised, the political agenda influenced, and interesting information made available. Examples of specific areas of concern raised by the Coalition are noted below as background information.

However, we must express our concern at the absence of meaningful responses to many questions, “Yes Minister” turgid replies, and a generally defensive attitude to proposals, new ideas, and open informed discussion. The current procedure appears to prevent involvement of the committee as a whole and does little to encourage community involvement. The Chairperson reading a prepared response and, usually, being unable to answer any supplementary question is not constructive.

The style and length of the committee agenda together with the time allowed for public scrutiny is not conducive to accountability and transparency.

We must also highlight the abysmal record of the Housing Department in relation to Freedom of Information requests and the underlying impression of the department’s desire to withhold information rather than share it. Initial viewing of data shows B&HCC to have one of the worst records in the country for refusals, time taken to respond, and non-compliance with FOI legislation.

The Coalition requests the Committee initiates a review of its procedures dealing with questions, deputations, petitions and FOI requests with the objective of establishing an example of good practice that highlights transparency, accountability and community participation.

Further, the Coalition urges the Committee to hold a special meeting in May 2019 on this issue to discuss detailed proposals for change.

We suggest BHHC submits a detailed document to the Committee by 3 May based upon information, advice, and ideas from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), mySociety, the Campaign for Freedom of Information, and community based groups throughout Brighton & Hove. The Coalition also seeks to involve a representative from each group on the Council to work with the team drawing up the submission.”

30.8         Councillor Marsh thanked Mr. Parry for the deputation and stated that it had raised a number of interesting points which she intended to take to the Constitution Working Group for consideration and review.  Any recommendations would then be referred to the Policy, Resources & Growth Committee and full Council as appropriate. She also stated that the Council complied with freedom of information requests and regular reports were submitted to the Governance Board on departmental performance in relation to FOI requests and Subject Access referrals.

30.9         The Mayor thanked Mr. Parry for attending the meeting and speaking on behalf of the deputation.  She explained that the points had been noted and the deputation would be referred to the Constitution Working Group for consideration and its recommendations would then be reported to Mr. Parry as the Spokesperson in due course.

(4)  IHRA Definition

30.10   Note: The deputation had been taken earlier in the meeting and is detailed under Item 27 in the minutes.