Last week I was proud to talk at the council’s Policy and Resources Committee about the successful bid for the “Kingsway to the Sea” Levelling Up Fund bid.
An investment of more than £10 million in the West Hove seafront over the next three years will make a huge difference to our residents and visitors alike.
I can’t express in words how pleased I am about this project. It demonstrates that community activism, working together with councillors, council officers and a small amount of seed funding can result in levering in a huge amount of money from the government for a much-needed infrastructure project.
This week I went and had a look at the eastern seafront masterplan and talked with council officers about potential designs.
How great it would have been to have had a similar investment on the other side of our seafront too.
However, the plans look great and there are lots of positives including the boardwalk, which has already been delivered, and plans for a temporary pump track, sports facility and events space at Black Rock.
We talked about the possibility of delivering a transport link to the Black Rock site, perhaps via an electric bus or a mini railway.
Imagine if we could link Black Rock with the Palace Pier, we wouldn’t generate any more car traffic (with the exception of some disability vehicles) for any events taking place at the site.
Thursday 9 December was international anti-corruption day, which seeks to highlight the rights and responsibilities of everyone in tackling corruption.
Every one of us has a role to play to prevent and counter corruption in order to promote resilience and integrity at all levels of society.
To achieve this, policies, systems and measures need to be in place for people to be able to speak up and say no to corruption.
In this country we are very fortunate in that we have the right legislation and guidance in the Nolan principles and protection for whistleblowers.
I was impressed by the recent reports about the Afghan evacuation by Raphael Marshall and the subsequent hearing by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
Let’s hope that those responsible are held to account as a result and that such a situation will not be allowed to recur.
Councillor Carmen Appich is the joint leader of the Labour opposition on Brighton and Hove City Council.
Levelling Up Fund in Hove seafront? Hove? What about Moulsecoomb, Whitehawk, Hollingbury, etc. The local LP has severe lack of talent just look at its leadership.
So out of all the areas in Brighton and Hove, the area which requires the most funding is Hove seafront! Have the Labour councillors who are proud of this or their green partners, visited other parts of the city? Areas that do really need some levelling up from the levelling up fund.
It’s great that we are getting some central money. But likely we would have got this for whatever was proposed. So why on earth choose this?! A real example of the rich getting richer and the poorer areas getting poorer. And Labour are proud of this – wow!
Hove Seafront doesn’t look that bad already, although the eastern seafront is a total mess and has been for many years. Carmen Appich tries to promote the case that the eastern seafront has all these plans going on, but nothing significant has actually materialised in many years and is not likely to anytime soon. The Madeira Arches are still derelict and falling apart, through years of non- maintenance (I am local and in 20 years have only seen them painted once).
Total fail from Labour (and, of course, the Greens). Must do very much better if you want any votes next time round.
So you talked about pipedreams and issues abroad. what about dealing with real day to day issues in B&H!!!
Black rock is also already linked up to the pier with the electric railway. I wish they would level up western road and the commercial town centre. The town is looking a tip.