Brighton and Hove Fairness Commission asks for public’s ideas

The Fairness Commission, which was set up recently in Brighton and Hove, invited the public to come up with ideas today (Friday 11 September).

It wants answers to two questions

What can residents do to make Brighton and Hove a more fair and equal place to live for everyone?
How do you think the council and its partners can make Brighton and Hove a fairer place to live?

The commission was set up by Brighton and Hove City Council in response to a manifesto pledge by the incoming minority Labour administration. The commission is, though, independent of the council.

Over the next few months it will gather evidence of local people’s views and ask for their ideas about how things could or should change.

Its fact-finding campaign is aimed at giving council policymakers a fresh perspective based on evidence gathered from residents, agencies and community groups.

The council said that the Fairness Commission’s findings would help shape policies and budget priorities from 2017 to 2020.

For more information or to leave comments or ideas, click here.

The chair of the Brighton and Hove Fairness Commission is Vic Rayner, chief executive of Sitra, a leading national body championing excellence in housing, health, care and support.

She said: “We want to make sure everyone gets the chance to feed in their thoughts to us on making the city a fairer and more equal place to live.

“We’re looking for residents’ opinions on what they think should change and how they think these changes could be achieved.

“Our panel members will be looking to hold community events and make a wide range of visits to local agencies and groups over the coming months.

“We’re expecting to hear a very wide range of views over the coming months.”

The chair of the council’s Neighbourhoods, Communities and Equalities Committee, Councillor Emma Daniel, said: “We’re committed to tackling deprivation and poverty in the city.

“This means taking action in areas like health, housing, jobs, financial security and education.

“The general patterns of deprivation in the city have changed little in the past decade so we need to change the way we are doing things.

“The Fairness Commission will help us do this in a way that is, crucially, based on the evidence it receives from local people and groups.”

The Commission will run a series of five information gathering events from November to March.

In addition to Vic Rayner its members are

Martin Harris, the managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses
Ann Hickey, the general manager of East Sussex Credit Union
Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group
Imran Hussain, director of policy, rights and advocacy at the Child Poverty Action Group
Sally Polanski, chief executive of Brighton and Hove Community Works
Bill Randall, the former Green council leader who works as a writer, journalist and housing consultant
Dan Shelley, the vice principal of Sussex Coast College Hastings
Dr Katie Stead, GP and clinical lead for public health and for locally commissioned services and quality for primary care
Rachel Verdin, a GMB union organiser
David Wolff, director of the Community University Partnership Programme

Representatives of each of the council’s three political groups are acting as observers to the commission. They are