The Level Redesign - consultation continues through Jan

The Council are proposing some exciting improvements to The Level and are asking people for their views on two different options. Visit their website to find out when the various consultation events are. They continue right through January so there's still time to take a look.

There are two separate parts to the development - the garden and park element, a Heritage Lottery Fund application, and the skatepark, which will be funded separately. There are different views, particularly on the location of the skatepark, which in an earlier proposal was in the north part of The Level on what is currently the large grassy area. The two current options have the skatepark just to the north of the Rosewalk and just to the south.

See also Friends of the Level for more info.

It's important that as many people as possible have a say on this - not just current users of the space but those who may use it in the future.

Bus Service Subsidies Cut - Petition

Update: there's now an online petition to sign to show your support for buses in this part of the city:

http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=180&RPID=843218

School Sports - continuing the campaign

The Government's recent announcement on School Sports Partnership still represents an 80% cut in funding, and the measures announced are only short term. We would like to see more done to keep SSPs going.

So we are still collecting signatures across the city. Even in blizzard conditions! See this photo of sturdy campaigner Anna outside Elm Grove School on the last day of term as the snow came in. That's dedication for you.

The petition will be presented at the Council meeting on 27th January. If we get enough signatures it will trigger a debate, so please do sign up if you haven't already. We'll be doing more on this in the New Year. The SSP in Brighton and Hove was highly successful, and we'll do everything we can to keep as much of it in place as possible.

Attack on the young

Canvassing in Bonchurch Road, off Elm Grove, yesterday, I was struck by how many people reported how they were personally being affected by the cuts in services for young people. It is almost as if there is a war on the young being waged by this government and Brighton and Hove council. As a governor at Varndean School I see it from the inside too as cuts in services such as Connexions, which offers a whole range of advice and help for young people, begin to bite. Now we have the plan to cut the Schools Sports Partnerships, which have helped so many schools in our area. If you want to do something about this then sign the petition on the council website at:
http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/mgePetitionListDisplay.aspx?bcr=1
If enough people sign it then the city council cabinet will be forced to debate and justify this move openly.
Leo Barraclough

Patch Winter Warmer

This was a great afternoon event to brighten up a winter's day - a couple of fires to huddle by, a live band, pyrotechnics and a nice bit of mulled wine. Here's me trying not to look cold!