Sarah Booker-Lewis

The number of Brighton and Hove community groups opting out of council glyphosate weedkiller treatments has risen to 123 streets, compared with 40 last year. The council is using targeted controlled-droplet applications, limiting treatment to weed hot-spots and reducing the number of main treatment cycles. It is also trialling hot foam and an electric weeding machine, with a new weed-control policy expected later in the summer.

The completion of a children’s play area at Theobald House in central Brighton remains delayed because essential repairs to the tower block have not been completed. The building has been scaffolded for five years due to falling concrete, and residents have reportedly been told that major work may not begin until 2028. Councillor Ellen McLeay criticized the seven-year delay and highlighted unsuitable conditions, safety concerns and anti-social behaviour affecting families. Housing cabinet member Gill Williams said specialist surveys, design work and Building Safety Regulator approvals had extended the timetable. The council is considering temporary play facilities, working with Sussex Police on anti-social behaviour, and aims to appoint a principal contractor before submitting an application expected to take a further 40 weeks.

Brighton and Hove households living in temporary accommodation reached a five-year high of 2,292 at the end of June, up from 2,170 in November and December the previous year. Nearly 50 households a week were assessed as homeless and in need of housing during the first six months of the year, with private tenancy losses, loss of family or friends’ accommodation and domestic abuse among the main causes. Temporary housing is forecast to overspend its £14.6 million council budget by £1.3 million, driven by rising demand and expensive nightly booked accommodation. The council aims to reduce nightly booked households from 444 to 181 by next March and will use £16.4 million in government funding to purchase homes for temporary accommodation, while pursuing homelessness prevention and more affordable council-owned housing.

Green councillor Kerry Pickett asked what Brighton and Hove City Council is doing to prevent flooding after the current drought, warning that parched ground and a history of flooding in Preston Village could worsen the impact of heavy rain. Cabinet member Trevor Muten said gullies near properties at risk of surface-water flooding are now cleaned twice a year, while other gullies are serviced according to their silt levels and assessed risk. The council also monitors access problems caused by parked cars and plans a data-led review of gully-risk classifications and cleaning frequencies despite financial pressures.

Brighton and Hove City Council missed thousands of bin collections during the first six months of the year, despite emptying more than 98% of rubbish bins in 12 of 26 weeks. Severe winter cold and summer heat contributed to lower rates, while food-waste collections performed better than general rubbish and recycling. Councillors said roads at the end of collection routes were repeatedly missed and that residents lacked clear catch-up arrangements. The council attributed failures to weather, vehicle breakdowns, staffing and access problems, and said it was investing £1.3 million in vehicles, mechanics, management and contractual support to improve reliability.

Families and carers are opposing Brighton and Hove City Council’s proposal to close Wellington House learning-disability day centre, a move intended to save £400,000 and affect 21 vulnerable adults. Lou Vaughan argues that closure would undermine dignity, continuity and support, particularly because service users have already been moved between placements repeatedly. She questions why the council still needs to make the saving despite increased core funding and a £15 million Exceptional Funding Grant, and says the Wellington House Parents and Carers Group has alternatives for improving the service. The council has promised replacement support, while a petition against closure has attracted more than 3,700 signatures. A scrutiny committee and the council’s cabinet were scheduled to consider the proposal in September.

Hove resident Owen Williams received a court summons over £88 in council tax arrears covering the period after his mother’s death, despite saying he had not been notified of the bill. He also reported problems with subsequent council tax bills and a direct debit arrangement, including an alleged abrupt phone call with the council. Brighton and Hove City Council investigated the case, issued a revised bill and said he could continue paying without further action.

The Planning Inspectorate dismissed KDS Developments’ appeal to operate 42 Tidy Street in Brighton’s North Laine as a holiday let. Brighton and Hove City Council had refused permission because the change would remove a residential home and create an over-intensive use, with potential noise and disturbance for neighbours. The applicant argued there was no verified evidence of complaints and proposed conditions including occupancy limits and quiet hours, but inspector J Davis gave significant weight to neighbours’ concerns and concluded that the holiday let would harm nearby residents’ living conditions.

Varndean School in Brighton has received permission to install a 500-metre-long, 3-metre-high mesh fence around its playing field. Thirty-seven people objected, citing the loss of green space, reduced access to the school’s 3G pitch, the fence’s height and land-ownership concerns, while six supported the plan. Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee approved the application by seven votes to one, with one abstention. Supporters cited safeguarding requirements, while opponents questioned the evidence for an urgent need and criticized the fence’s visual impact.

Brighton and Hove City Council accidentally published the full names and addresses of campaigners and supporters who submitted questions to its Health and Wellbeing Board about the NHS investigation into WellBN surgery in Hove. The document was removed within 24 hours after campaigners raised concerns, including fears about intimidation and personal safety. The campaigners also asked whether the council had reviewed its own safeguarding arrangements in light of findings that children had received hormone treatments without adequate information about fertility risks. Board chair Paul Nann said the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was the appropriate forum. The council apologized, notified its data protection officer, required staff to retake information-governance training, and said its processes had been updated.

Brighton and Hove City Council rejected Hafiz Jarabanda’s application to extend alcohol sales at Lewes Road Convenience Store until late at night. Sussex Police cited 190 violent crimes within 400 metres of the shop over the previous year, with crime peaking between midnight and 1am, along with concerns about The Level and the area’s existing concentration of late-night off-licences. The licensing panel concluded that exceptional circumstances had not been demonstrated to justify departing from council policy.

Brighton and Hove City Council obtained a county court injunction requiring Juliette Mottram to hand over the keys to her mould-affected temporary flat in Ventnor Villas, Hove, so repairs could proceed. Mottram, who has lived there with four of her children since 2018, says prolonged mould exposure has damaged her family's health and fears their belongings could be contaminated or destroyed in storage. The council said it found no mould on the belongings and argued that the family's temporary Airbnb accommodation had cost more than £60,000. The judge ordered the property to be filmed and itemised during removal, required the belongings to be stored separately, and directed Mottram to leave the Airbnb for council accommodation in Peacehaven or find another rental. A possible contempt-of-court hearing was adjourned.

Bahaaeldin Abdelalim, owner of Lebanese Grill on Queen’s Road in Brighton, is applying for permission to serve food and soft drinks until 1am daily for dine-in customers and deliveries. A neighbouring business objects, citing potential increases in noise, litter, antisocial behaviour, smoke and cooking fumes. Abdelalim has previously been refused licences for later hours and was ordered to pay £6,000 in council legal costs after losing a court case. Brighton and Hove City Council and Sussex Police have agreed draft conditions covering food service, outdoor furniture, CCTV visibility for delivery drivers and door staff before the licensing panel considers the application.

Brighton and Hove City Council responded to 74.2% of Freedom of Information requests within the statutory deadline in the first quarter of 2025-26, meaning more than a quarter were late. Opposition leader Steve Davis attributed the performance to staffing shortages, sickness, vacancies and nervousness among officials about releasing information or granting exemptions. The Information Commissioner's Office considers compliance below 90% unsatisfactory. Council leader Bella Sankey said she supports transparency, was unaware of the resourcing problems and alleged pressure on staff, and promised to examine the issues.

Plans for Varndean School in Brighton to install a 500-metre-long, three-metre-high mesh security fence around its playing fields have been recommended for approval by Brighton and Hove City Council planning officers. The school says the fence would create a secure boundary and improve pupil safety, while residents have raised concerns about the loss of green space, restricted access to the 3G pitch, the fence’s height and its positioning. The council’s planning committee is due to decide the application at a meeting at Hove Town Hall.

Brighton and Hove City Council is not yet considered ready to introduce fortnightly bin collections because of persistent missed rubbish, recycling and garden-waste collections. Conservative leader Alistair McNair criticised the poor service in Patcham and Hollingbury, while Labour councillor Tim Rowkins apologised and attributed a recent backlog partly to extreme heat affecting staff. Rowkins said reliability must improve before fortnightly collections begin. The council is also ordering ten replacement refuse vehicles, expected by December, to improve resilience in its ageing fleet.

Cin Cin owner David Toscano criticised a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing review as a costly and damaging process after neighbours complained about noise from the restaurant's extractor fan. The noise issue was resolved and the complaints and related noise-abatement case were withdrawn, but the council was legally required to hold a hearing on the licence review. A council lawyer said the application was legitimate, and the licensing panel was preparing to close the case without further action.

Brighton and Hove City Council has unanimously approved a referendum on the Coldean Neighbourhood Plan, expected to take place in September. The 16-policy plan seeks to encourage more family homes, limit the spread of student houses, improve traffic and design, and protect green spaces and wildlife habitats. Councillors praised the Coldean Neighbourhood Planning Forum’s five years of volunteer work, while some raised concerns that consultation had reached too few residents. The plan will take effect if it secures a simple majority of votes.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee has proposed 15 measures to improve the care, funding and community management of local heritage assets. One recommendation supports installing a sculpture in the Royal Pavilion Gardens commemorating the Indian soldiers treated at the Pavilion during the First World War. Other proposals include reviewing trust models, supporting community-led maintenance, improving heritage trails and ticketing, seeking more government funding, and considering Brunswick Square’s pavements for local-list protection. The recommendations reflect concerns about the high cost of maintaining historic sites, council budget pressures, planning restrictions and climate change, while promoting greater collaboration with community groups. They are expected to be considered by the council’s cabinet in the autumn.

A community group seeking to preserve New England House for creative businesses may gain the opportunity to bid for the property if its application for asset‑of‑community‑value status is approved by Brighton and Hove City Council. Councillor Jacob Taylor said he would welcome the designation, which would give the Friends of New England House a year to make a first offer. The building was closed after fire safety concerns, and refurbishment or redevelopment is estimated to cost up to £97 million. Questions were raised about past government grant funding as the council moves forward with plans to sell the site while offering alternative workspace elsewhere in the city.

Brighton and Hove City Council faces a projected £37 million overspend for the 2026-27 financial year, driven largely by rising demand in adult and children’s social care and increasing placement costs. Green councillor Ollie Sykes criticised the Labour administration for lack of clarity in its budget reporting and for seeking additional exceptional financial support from the government. Labour deputy leader Jacob Taylor defended the new reporting format, citing national economic pressures and demand-led services as key challenges. Significant budget risks include an £11.3 million adult social care overspend, £3 million in children’s residential placements, and £1.3 million in temporary housing costs.

High temperatures caused Brighton and Hove bin crews to cut rounds short, creating a backlog that council leaders say exposed a lack of resilience in the waste service. Councillors highlighted mechanical issues with older vehicles, the need for catch‑up crews, and a £1.3 million investment to hire additional staff and vehicles. Concerns were raised about missed collections, particularly ahead of a planned move to fortnightly pickups, while leaders stressed that these changes will not proceed until the service is stable and food‑waste recycling is fully embedded.

Planning permission has been granted for Hove Micro School to convert a house on Carden Avenue into an additional site to meet rising demand for specialist education for children with SEND. Supporters highlighted the value of small, therapeutic learning environments for autistic pupils and those struggling in mainstream settings. Founder Rachael Ammari welcomed the approval, which will allow the school to expand capacity from 22 to 50 pupils and extend provision to key stage 4. The council attached conditions including restricted operating hours and requirements for parking and cycle storage plans.

Senior councillors are expected to approve the closure of Hove Park School’s Valley Campus, enabling the site to be sold, likely for housing. Falling pupil numbers and a £1.8 million deficit have driven the proposal, with all students planned to move to the Nevill Campus by 2028 following £7.6 million in building work. Despite two public consultations showing majority opposition, the council argues full school closure would cause excessive disruption. Proceeds from selling the Valley Campus would remain with the council, pending approval from the Education Secretary. A decision will be made at a cabinet meeting on 16 July.

Brighton and Hove City Council rejected plans by MBNL on behalf of Three and EE to install additional mobile phone masts on the roof of St Margaret’s in Rottingdean after 32 objections raised concerns about visual impact and increasing mast numbers. Supporters argued the area needs better mobile coverage and that temporary infrastructure requires replacement, while councillors debated the balance between improving emergency service connectivity and preserving the appearance of a locally listed building. The application was refused by seven votes to three.

Councillor allowances and expenses in Brighton and Hove rose 5.5 percent to just over £1 million for 2025–26, marking the second consecutive year the total has exceeded £1 million. The highest payment went to council leader Bella Sankey, whose allowance and expenses totalled £53,705. Deputy leaders Jacob Taylor and Tim Rowkins received more than £33,000 each. Only two councillors claimed dependent carer expenses and two claimed travel or subsistence. The figures outline the distribution of basic and special responsibility allowances, deductions for bus passes or parking permits, and comparisons to senior officer pay.

Opposition councillors criticised Brighton and Hove City Council for reduced transparency after licensing reports and enforcement updates stopped being shared following a shift to cabinet decision-making. Councillors questioned missing meeting agendas, cancelled sessions and the absence of statutory reports. After concerns were raised, the new Licensing Committee chair agreed to review the issue, leading the council to reinstate reports in line with guidance. Opposition members said the reversal highlights the importance of transparency and proper oversight of licensing matters.

More than 1,000 unresolved equal pay claims have created financial uncertainty for Brighton and Hove City Council, according to an external audit report noting that liabilities remain unquantifiable as the council prepares legal defences. The GMB union lodged the claims in 2023, and officials say analysis and legal review could take up to two years. Comparisons are drawn with Birmingham City Council’s costly equal pay settlement, while current council data shows a gender pay gap favouring women due to higher average hourly earnings among female employees.