I was particularly pleased to see the Government’s Water Bill progress, as this is the first legislation in years to get a grip on how water companies have been ripping off customers. I’ve heard it constantly on the doors from residents, so many in our own community have had enough of the reckless behaviour. We’ve seen this all too clearly with Southern Water – with rising bills, poor service and sewage spilling into our lakes, rivers and seas. This is one of the issues constituents raise with me most often, especially in Saltdean, Rottingdean and Peacehaven. This Bill is a big step forward – but I know much greater reform is needed to get bills down and clean up our waterways.
There was also an important announcement this week on the next stage of devolution, which could have a really significant impact on Sussex. It’s something of an anomaly that Sussex remains a “devolution desert” – with no real devolution of powers or resources across our region. This is a great chance to address that, and to ensure Sussex can punch its weight and drive growth, jobs and new services. The detail of the devolution settlement is still being finalised, but the Government has now set a clear direction – and in the New Year, we’ll have a chance to capitalise on it.
Boost for local homelessness services
The housing crisis is the single biggest challenge facing Brighton, my constituency and much of the south east. Rising homelessness is perhaps the most visible sign of this, with Brighton and Hove now in the top ten local authorities across the country for homelessness. It never used to be like this when I was growing up in Brighton, and I worry that homelessness at this kind of level is now almost taken for granted in our city. But this isn’t inevitable, and I was delighted that on Thursday the Government announced Brighton and Hove will receive an extra £3 million for local homelessness services.
This is part of the £1billion set aside in the Budget to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, and will be accompanied by a new Government homelessness strategy to put real focus and resource behind this.
I know this extra £3 million will make a real difference in our community, and this is especially welcome with the Christmas period and winter fast upon us.
I’ve recently visited several local charities providing support to those who are homeless or in temporary accommodation in our area, including Brighton Housing Trust (BHT) and the Clock Tower Sanctuary. The work they do to support those most in need is nothing short of extraordinary. A number of local charities, including BHT, Whitehawk Food Bank and The Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service will be expanding their services over the festive period to ensure everyone can get the help they need. The Brighton Women’s Centre and the Peacehaven Community School are also hosting a number of local community events in the coming weeks. If you’re struggling this Christmas, or know someone who is, please reach out to one of these local services.
Tackling barriers to education
Brighton is a wealthy city, but it’s also a profoundly unequal one. Nowhere is this clearer than in our schools. Kids from the poorest parts of my constituency are twice as likely to be excluded from school, three times more likely to be placed outside mainstream schooling, and half as likely to get good GCSE grades. So, if we want to tackle inequality, we need to do so at its roots. Brighton and Hove Council’s new policy to prioritise those on free school meals in admissions is a first across England, and a huge step forward for our community. I’ve also been calling for a change in rules on school transport, which would mean more children – particularly those in Whitehawk and who can live over an hour’s walk from their nearest secondary school – would be able to travel for free. I’m working with local campaign group Class Divide on this as well as the Department for Education – and I’m hopeful we can make progress on this in the new year and work towards tackling this inequality together.
Christmas Break
With Christmas just around the corner, many of us are getting ready for a well-earned break. For me, it’s a particularly special time of year as two years ago I got married on December 28 at the height of winter – so we’ll be having a double celebration and going away for a few days. The only downside is that this makes getting to Albion games over the festive period a little more tricky!
I hope everyone manages to enjoy the Christmas period, and I’ll speak to you all in the new year.
Chris Ward MP
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