Latest news with #JacobTaylor
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Future of Brighton city centre tower block in question
The future of a city centre tower block is in question as a council decides whether to tell tenants they have to leave over fire & Hove City Council said vacating the building would allow New England House to be "refurbished or redeveloped" to address the fire risks were identified at the building in November 2024 and the authority put safety measures in place, including on-site fire wardens and the removal of LP were told via email that they needed to shut at the time, with some telling BBC Radio Sussex the closure had disrupted Christmas trading. "We could have told you [the council] 10 years ago that there were problems, but nobody came forward and helped," said Ms Rivers-Cripps, who had been working in the building for 15 years."It's an incredible place, but ultimately, it has been left to fall into disrepair."Deputy council leader Jacob Taylor said the local authority did not "underestimate the impact of asking businesses to relocate"."However, it's vital that we ensure the long-term future of New England House, and the affordable business space it provides," he council said emptying the building was the "safest and most practical option", adding that remedial works would also cause noise, vibration and access tower block would need to be vacated by 30 September if the decision was approved, the council said.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed changes to school admissions approved
A council has approved plans to change school admission arrangements in an attempt to address falling pupil numbers in Brighton. The changes include reserving up to 5% of admission places in each of the city's community secondary schools for children from single-school catchment areas and prioritising children eligible for free school meals, up to 30% of admissions. Labour-led Brighton & Hove City Council voted through the changes with support from some Greens and independent councillors, while the Conservatives voted against the recommendations. The proposed changes will affect children starting in year seven in September 2026. Deputy council leader Jacob Taylor said admission arrangements in Brighton & Hove had been largely unchanged for the past 18 years. "These carefully considered decisions will allow us to build a better future for children and young people in Brighton and Hove," he said. The authority will be changing the published admission numbers (PANs) at Longhill High School from 270 to 210, at Blatchington Mill School from 330 to 300 and at Dorothy Stringer School from 330 to 300, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. It will also amend the catchment area boundaries for Longhill High, Dorothy Stringer School and Varndean School. Four preferences, rather than three, would be offered when applying for a secondary school place. Conservative councillor Anne Meadows said: "We understand the need to reduce places as the number of children going to our schools is declining. "The 30% for each school to take free school meals children, plus an additional 5% as part of the open admissions, is premature, impetuous and rash." Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. School admissions changes to go before councillors Parents protest over school intake changes Schools plan may leave 200 pupils without places Brighton and Hove City Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Brighton: Proposed changes to school admissions approved
A council has approved plans to change school admission arrangements in an attempt to address falling pupil numbers in changes include reserving up to 5% of admission places in each of the city's community secondary schools for children from single-school catchment areas and prioritising children eligible for free school meals, up to 30% of Brighton & Hove City Council voted through the changes with support from some Greens and independent councillors, while the Conservatives voted against the proposed changes will affect children starting in year seven in September 2026. Deputy council leader Jacob Taylor said admission arrangements in Brighton & Hove had been largely unchanged for the past 18 years."These carefully considered decisions will allow us to build a better future for children and young people in Brighton and Hove," he authority will be changing the published admission numbers (PANs) at Longhill High School from 270 to 210, at Blatchington Mill School from 330 to 300 and at Dorothy Stringer School from 330 to 300, according to the Local Democracy Reporting will also amend the catchment area boundaries for Longhill High, Dorothy Stringer School and Varndean preferences, rather than three, would be offered when applying for a secondary school councillor Anne Meadows said: "We understand the need to reduce places as the number of children going to our schools is declining."The 30% for each school to take free school meals children, plus an additional 5% as part of the open admissions, is premature, impetuous and rash."
BBC News
28-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Brighton and Hove City Council to raise council tax by 4.99%
Brighton & Hove City Council has voted to increase council tax by 4.99%, as members backed a budget totalling about £1.1bn for the 2025/26 financial increase includes 2% ring-fenced for adult social care, the biggest single area of council from the Sussex police and crime commissioner and East Sussex Fire Authority take the average band D council tax bill to £2,455, more than £200 a month up from the previous Labour-run authority said it had managed to reduce its predicted budget deficit by £20m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Deputy leader Jacob Taylor said the council had forecast a £36m budget gap – the difference between how much it expected to spend and its the government's autumn statement had reduced the hole in the budget to £16m. The Green leader of the opposition, Steve Davis, described the budget as having "more cuts – but with a different coloured axe".Meanwhile, Conservative leader Alistair McNair criticised the national government for slowing economic growth and criticised the effects of increased national insurance contributions for hurting businesses, charities and also argued that money spent on equality, diversity and inclusion could be used to fund libraries threatened with closure or cuts to their opening Greens and Conservatives put forward a series of amendments to the budget, but they were voted down.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School admissions changes to go before councillors
Proposed changes to secondary school admissions across Brighton and Hove are due to go before councillors next week. Brighton & Hove City Council wants to reduce the intake at three secondary schools, introduce an open admission policy and increase the number of preferences that families can make. While the original proposal was to allocate 20% of places for pupils who live in single school catchment areas, this drops to 5% in the modified plans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. An eight-week public consultation in December and January received almost 4,000 responses, while concerned parents staged a protest last month. Five per cent open admission for pupils from single-school catchment areas Reduce the intake in year 7 by one class or 30 pupils at Blatchington Mill and Dorothy Stringer, and by two classes at Longhill Offer four choices rather than three when applying for secondary school Give priority to children eligible for free school meals up to 30% of admissions Move part of Whitehawk into the Dorothy Stringer and Varndean catchment area and Kemp Town into the Longhill catchment area The open admissions policy would give children living in four secondary school catchments – BACA, PACA, Longhill and Patcham High – a better change of a place at schools such as Stringer, Varndean, Blatchington Mill and Hove Park. Deputy council leader Jacob Taylor said the recommendations had been "shaped by the responses we received during the consultation stage". Separately both Brighton MPs have raised concerns about the impact on children with SEND, particularly those without an education, health and care plan (ECHP). Chris Ward, Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, is concerned that the current catchment proposals "could result in some children with SEND having to travel a long way and potentially via multiple forms of transport" to go to school. The proposals will go before councillors on 27 February. Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Parents protest over school intake changes Consultation on school changes to be discussed Brighton & Hove City Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
