MadEd Theatre is looking to develop a play for performance at The Brighton Festival in 2015/2016, that addresses the concerns of the older LGBT community.
The theatre performance is intended to fit the genre of ‘Verbatim Theatre’ which takes the words of real life stories and situations and then fits them around a dramatic frame for performance.
Stories are not changed or enhanced, but a range of material edited together across the same theme.
The working title of the project is currently My Old Man and they are looking for any contributions from a range of backgrounds across all genders and identities including some from the 40 – 60 age bracket, but in the main the over 60s.
The producers are happy to come and talk to a group of interested potential participants, or meet with contributors one to one. They cannot, of course, guarantee that if you tell them your story they will use it, but they promise to treat the stories you share respectfully and not pass these on to any parties outside the creative partnership of MadEd Theatre.
Craig Hanlon-Smith
Craig Hanlon-Smith (the main writer behind the project) has worked extensively across Fringe Theatre and written, produced and performed work in London, Edinburgh and Brighton. Craig has contributed articles for GScene magazine for more than ten years in Brighton and can be contacted at craighanlonsmith@gmail.com or craig@madedtheatre.com
It has been revealed that local traders are being charged up to £795 to advertise their services in a Council-funded publication for private landlords which is being designed and printed by a company in Rochdale, Lancashire.
Cllr Graham Cox
A local trader raised the issue with Westbourne Ward Councillor and prospective parliamentary candidate for Hove and Portslade, Graham Cox, after receiving a letter from the Council asking if he wanted to advertise in the publication, entitled Landlords – A Good Practice Guide.
The Guide will be distributed to all private landlords and letting agents in the city early next year.
Brighton and Hove has the second highest proportion of private rented housing stock in the country outside of London, accommodating over 35,000 households.
Cllr. Cox said:“Councillors from all parties are quite rightly committed to helping our local traders so I am at a loss to understand why the contract for this significant piece of work has been awarded to a company from Rochdale. There are numerous outstanding design and printing companies in Brighton and Hove which I’m sure could have done just as good a job. It also seems pretty mean-spirited of the Council to be trying to at least partially fund this publication through charging local traders what appears to be a market rate for advertising. I would have thought this was an ideal opportunity for the Council to back up its fine words on keeping it local with some slightly more supportive actions.”
The GMB union say Mears, a major contractor to the city council, intends to derecognise unions after they refused to sign away the right to negotiate pay and conditions.
Nancy Platts, Labour parliamentary candidate for Kemptown, Purna Sen, Labour parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion and Peter Kyle, Labour parliamentary candidate for Hove and Portslade, have written to Mears expressing their concerns that the company are seeking to derecognise trade unions for negotiating and collective bargaining of staff terms and conditions in their contract with Brighton and Hove City Council.
In a letter to Lucas Critchely, regional director at Mears Group PLC, they wrote:“We write to express our concern that Mears are seeking to derecognise trade unions for negotiating and collective bargaining of staff terms and conditions.
“It is our understanding that when Mears was awarded the contract five years ago and staff were TUPE transferred from the housing department in Brighton and Hove City Council, collective agreements were already in place. We believe that derecognition of the unions contravenes the basis on which the contract was awarded and it is not acceptable to us that Mears is attempting to deny trade unions the opportunity to represent their members.
“We are opposed to the action being taken to derecognise the trade unions and as a first step we must insist that you immediately rescind the threat of formal derecognition and instead outline your plan to restore effective employee relations at Mears.”
GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said:“GMB members didn’t ask for or want this potential dispute but neither will we shy from doing what’s right to protect the terms and conditions of our members.
“Mears have consistently failed to abide both by the content and spirit of the agreement from the start and have through this and other actions clearly indicated that they don’t have the inclination or will to work with unions on any occasion.”
Gary Palmer, GMB Organiser, added:“The failure of local managers to comply with the current agreement, and their attempts to bully their way to changes as an alternative to working with us, are unacceptable and have left us, as joint unions, potentially with one choice in reacting strongly to this unfair act if they don’t remove the threat.
“We will of course sit and discuss the matter with Mears, but not with the threat of derecognition on the table. Unfortunately, because we no longer trust local management, we would expect that commitment in writing from them before we do so.
“Going forward I feel it really is time that the council look to not only cancel the housing repair contract with Mears but to then look to take the provision back in-house. Only then, perhaps, may staff be both respected and treated fairly with their terms and conditions protected.”
Mears executive director Alan Stone said:“We do have a recognition agreement with unions in Brighton and I would emphasise that we do want to continue our relationship with them.
“We have asked for some points in the current agreement to be updated, as it is almost five years old. It was agreed by both parties in a June meeting that a review was required.
“We very much hope that the unions continue to discuss these points with us rather than the rather strange use of Twitter that they have employed.”
Cllr Ruth Buckley
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Ruth Buckley, said:“We are very concerned about the reported threat of derecognition of trade unions by Mears Group Ltd.
“Such action represents a major breakdown in industrial relations. This helps no one and we are keen to help resolve it.
“We are looking into the situation, and urge both parties to go back to discussions for the benefit of staff, the wider organisation and residents who rely on the services they provide.”
Brighton needs a large lyric theatre for operas and musicals and it has one – the Hippodrome. However, planners have chosen to allow it to be chopped up into a new multiplex cinema, despite us having two already (one just 250 metres from the Hippodrome).
If we did need a purpose built cinema, we also have one, the Astoria. However this is to be demolished to make way for more offices and a few expensive penthouse apartments.
Now why not put the cinema in the cinema and allow the Hippodrome to become a new venue that means we do not have to travel to London to see musicals, operas, ballets and other spectaculars? Let’s take this opportunity to put in place infrastructure to enhance Brighton’s reputation as a centre for the arts, not offer more bland offices and another two-thirds empty, popcorn, multiplex.
Police are appealing to anyone who might have information about a man who was found unconscious on Brighton seafront.
The 20-year-old man was found outside Harvester on Marine Parade around 1.20am yesterday, Thursday August 7, with a head injury.
Detective sergeant Simon Dunn said: “A member of the public returned to their vehicle and found a man with a head and facial injury nearby. At this time we are still trying to work out how the man came by his injuries and need to talk to anyone who might have seen what happened earlier on in the evening. The man is in hospital in stable condition.
“If anyone has any information please contact police on 101 or email 101 quoting serial 151 of 7/8.”
GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said: “GMB members didn’t ask for or want this potential dispute but neither will we shy from doing what’s right to protect the terms and conditions of our members.
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