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Cash boost for library wi-fi upgrade

Brighton & Hove public libraries are getting a free upgrade thanks to a £33,750 grant from Arts Council England.

Jubilee Library
Jubilee Library

The money has been awarded as part of an Arts Council funded project to ensure that over 98% of public libraries have easily accessible Wi-Fi.

The Brighton & Hove funding will upgrade the current public Wi-Fi in all libraries to fibre broadband and also bring the Wireless Access Points (WAPs) up to the new standard.

These improvements will increase the speed and capacity of the Wi-Fi in each library so that library users get a better service. The work will take place before March next year.

The funding will also help libraries extend their services and tackle digital exclusion by making it easier for people to develop their digital skills.

Council Connect volunteers are available in all Brighton & Hove libraries to support people with their digital skills.  Sessions are tailored to each individual customer and are intended for those new to computers or who need extra help.  Details of the sessions can be found on the Library web pages.

Cllr Alan Robins
Cllr Alan Robins

Councillor Alan Robins, deputy chair of the Economic Development and Culture Committee said: “Over the years our libraries have evolved from places to borrow books to providing a doorway to the World Wide Web. I’d like to thank our library officers for securing this money which will help us to update and improve our services and continue to offer high-speed internet access, which is valued by so many of our library users.”

 

Have your say on future waste sites in Brighton and Hove

Views are being sought on a waste strategy which will virtually eradicate the need for landfill in the East Sussex area.

East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and the South Downs National Park Authority will be asking people to have their final say on the joint Waste and Minerals Sites Plan during an eight week final consultation from Wednesday, October 28 to Wednesday, December 23.

The Plan, which has been updated following public consultation last year, identifies further potential recycling and recovery sites to meet the need for increased waste treatment capacity and so eradicate the need for landfill in the East Sussex area.

The last landfill site in East Sussex, at Pebsham, closed in November 2013 and only a relatively small amount of municipal material is now sent to landfill sites out of the county.

Identified sites, none of which would be used for landfill, include specific waste sites and new development areas which could accommodate recycling and recovery facilities. Some extensions to existing sites and certain industrial estates are also identified as being suitable for waste facilities.

Sites on the list have been chosen to avoid impacts on environmentally sensitive areas and none of them fall within the South Downs National Park.

Cllr Carl Maynard, East Sussex County Council’s lead member for transport and economy, said: “In East Sussex and Brighton and Hove, we have already made huge strides in encouraging more people to recycle, but to enable us to achieve the high targets we’ve set for ourselves, we need more recycling and recovery sites.

“Virtually no household waste now goes to landfill and the proposals in the plan would serve mostly commercial and industrial waste. The consultation is the final opportunity for people to have their say on the plan before it submitted to the Secretary of State for public examination.”

The three authorities have identified a capacity gap for waste management facilities equivalent to around five major sites or 15 smaller sites.

Cllr Gill Mitchell
Cllr Gill Mitchell

Cllr Gill Mitchell, lead member for environment and sustainability at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “Along with every local authority in the country, Brighton & Hove is planning for the city’s potential waste management needs over the next 20 years.

“Waste management is an area where technology is improving all the time and, where waste facilities are required, this is helping to hugely reduce the impact on sites and surrounding areas.”

Two allocated sites in the city, Hangleton Bottom and Sackville Coal Yard, have been saved for waste management use since the 2006 Waste Local Plan. No decisions have been taken to put waste facilities on either site; they have been assessed as being suitable, in principle, for waste treatment and are part of the planning for potential future need.

Tim Slaney, director of planning for the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “We’ve worked closely with East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council to establish the requirements for minerals and waste sites across the county, including the recycling and modern processing facilities that are required over the next 13 years.

“One of the criteria of the adopted Waste and Minerals Plan is to ensure that new major waste sites are away from sensitive areas and for this reason there are no proposed sites within the South Downs National Park.”

Members of the public are invited to comment on the soundness of the plan and whether it is legally compliant.

All comments received will be submitted, together with the Plan, to be considered by an independent Planning Inspector during a Public Examination process.

To comment, click here:


A series of drop-in sessions are being held across East Sussex to allow people to find out more about potential sites for waste recycling and recovery.

Wednesday, November 4: Bexhill Library, Western Road, Bexhill on Sea: 10.30am-2.30pm

Friday, November 6: Hastings Library, Brassey Institute, 13 Claremont, Hastings: 11am-3pm

Monday, November 9: Newhaven Library, High Street, Newhaven: 10.30am-2.30pm

Wednesday, November 11: Brighton Customer Service Centre, Bartholomew House, Bartholomew Square: 10am-2pm

Tuesday, November 17: Hove Town Hall, Customer Service Centre, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove: 10am-2pm

Wednesday, November 18: Lewes Library, Styles Field, Friars Walk, Lewes:  9.30am-1pm

Tuesday, November 24: Eastbourne Library, Grove Road, Eastbourne: 10am-2pm

Wednesday, November 25: Uckfield Library, High Street, Uckfield: 10am-2pm

Friday, November 27: Hailsham Library, Western Road, Hailsham: 10am-2pm

Transgender women sent to male prison in Bristol

Organisers of Bristol Pride call on Bath Magistrates to see sense and review the placement of a Trans women from Bath to a male prison in Bristol.

Tara Hudson: Photo: Artur Lesniak
Tara Hudson: Photo: Artur Lesniak

Tara Hudson from Bath was sentenced to serve 13 weeks in a Bristol male prison last Friday after pleading guilty to an assault that took place in Bath last December.

Tara was assigned male at birth but has lived her adult life as a women, has undergone several chest reconstruction surgeries and takes regular hormone injections.

Daryn Carter
Daryn Carter

Bristol Pride Director Daryn Carter, said: “This is clearly a sensitive issue but there is guidance available from the Home Office on this matter and yet Bath Magistrates have decided to sentence Tara, a women, to a male prison.

“We believe the issue is because Tara may not have a Gender Recognition Certificate but common sense should prevail and has again highlighted the shocking inequality that exists for Trans people.

“Member of the LGBT community in Bath and Bristol have jumped to action including Bath’s Gender Equality Network and the regional Trans Network and I am also really please by the number of people who do not identify as being gay or trans condemning this action.

“The general public can clearly see that Tara does not belong in a male prison so we are calling on Bath Magistrates to use some common sense, regardless of the absence of a certificate.”

A Gender Recognition Certificate is issued by the government for those who want their gender to be legally recognised in the UK when they transition.

An online petition launched by Bath’s Gender Equality Network has received over 3600 signatures in less than 12 hours including being signed by Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett.

To sign the petition, click here:

 

Curry Capitol of Britain® – Brighton comes third

Bradford won the crown for Curry Capital of Britain® for the fifth time in succession with Glasgow coming second, just 5 points behind and Brighton taking third spot. Restauranteurs complain of lack of support from city council for their bids.

National Curry Capitol

Founder of Curry Capital of Britain® Peter Grove, said: “Winning Curry Capital of Britain is a long and arduous process and all the restaurant teams have to be commended on their efforts. Unfortunately, some councils take the event more seriously than others, which means fewer points in the final analysis for content.”

Each city enters four restaurants to the competition. Points awarded include the judges’ scores for each team of four restaurants, health and hygiene from Scores on the Doors, public votes, a council submission and finally, any fundraising for charity is also taken into account.

Peter explained: “The underlying concept of the event is Community Cohesion through Curry – not necessarily which city has the best restaurants.”

“I realise some restaurateurs will feel aggrieved, but council support is part of the process and if that is not there, there is little we can do.”

Leicester managed to pip self-styled curry capital Birmingham to fourth place, with Birmingham fifth and London South and London Central joint sixth. The two London teams also achieved the excellent record of being the only 100% health & hygiene scorers amongst all the teams.

Brighton put up a very spirited challenge in only its third year in the competition and surprised many by being in the top three again. There was excellent support from local restaurants and local PR man George Shaw, although concerns have been raised about the lack of support and interest shown by the city council. Brightons representative restaurants were:

♦ Indian Summer

Chilli Pickle

Blue Mango

Curry Leaf Cafe

Leicester provided one of its best challenges since they won in 2007, beating rival Birmingham into fifth place. Birmingham scored the second highest restaurant marks after London South and London Central but unfortunately received little council support. The same applied to the two London teams which both only dropped two points each out of a possible forty-four.

For a full list of the places in 2015, click here:

 

London Gay Big Band release debut album

London Gay Big Band (LGBB) team up with thirteen leading vocalists to record their debut album, BRAVE, at the iconic Abbey Road Studios in London.

BRAVE

The album is a unique collaboration between the LGBT community group and some of the UK’s finest voices from the jazz scene, West End stage and TV.

Entitled BRAVE, the album was released on Sunday, October 25 2015 on the independent label, Mood Indigo Productions, and features thirteen vocal tracks, each performed by the LGBB and a different vocalist including:

Clare Teal, Claire Martin, Ian Shaw, Emma Hatton, Sharon D. Clarke, La Voix, Ria Jones, Paul Robinson, Sarah Moule, Rachel Weston, Stephen Duffy, Lara De Belder and Crawford McInally-Kier.

London Gay Big Band

Produced by veteran award-winning producer Chris Marshall, from Rhythmshop Productions, the album is intended to bring the concept of London Gay Big Band & Friends to life in an exciting and modern production, allowing each singer’s distinct tone and personality to shine through, whilst partnering with the signature LGBB rich and sumptuous sound.

Stefan Doering, the LGBB’s manager said: “Recording at Abbey Road, in the world-famous Studio 2, was like a dream come true for the band. To be able to work on such a project is something we could never have imagined when we founded the group four years ago. Working in an environment so steeped in musical history, standing on the shoulders of some of the greatest artists of all time, this album recording firmly puts the LGBB on the map and is a momentous milestone in our journey.”

Peter Jay, Musical Director of the LGBB, added: “The idea behind the album was to create an entirely unique offering that has never been done before on the traditional jazz scene. Bringing together vocalists from so many different genres and musical backgrounds on one album has resulted in a completely fresh and distinct record, unlike anything else on the market today.”

BRAVE is available now for download on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play and other leading online retailers.

London Gay Big Band

For more information, click here:

 

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