Author: Besi

The Brighton and Hove section of the national organisation, Hope Not Hate (HNH), launched today, with 27, 000 newspapers being delivered across the city.

Supporters from all quarters came to give their help, producing one of the biggest HNH campaigns seen in the UK to date.

With the Euro elections approaching, the campaign sends out a clear message that voters should not use their vote to support parties promoting racism and xenophobia. Rather people should vote for parties who work for a more tolerant, fair and open society.

Brian Stone, local Hope Not Hate spokesperson, said: “This has been one of the most extraordinary of days I have ever experienced. We have had people of no political allegiances work along actvists from the Greens, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. We have had the support of unions like GMB and Unison. People who weeks ago did not know each other, today came together in the shared opposition to the politics of hate”.

Hazel Nolan, a national campaigns organiser for HNH, added: “This has been one of the best turn outs for HNH campaign days I have ever seen. It looks like Brighton and Hove Hope Not Hate is now well and truely established”.

To find out more about the organisation and it’s plans locally, a meeting has been arranged for Thursday, May 8, from 6 – 7:30pm at the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street in Brighton.

If you can help deliver the remaining newspapers contact Hazel Nolan on 07539 902975.

HOPE not hate seeks to challenge and defeat the politics of hate and extremism within local communities, building resilience against the politics of hate and fear, at a national and grassroots level.

For more information, CLICK HERE:

To contact Brighton and Hove Hope Not Hate campaign:

Write to: Brighton and Hove Hope Not Hate: c/o: GMB Brighton & Hove office, 49 Church Road Hove BN3 2BE

EMAIL: 

To like their Facebook Page, CLICK HERE: 

Campaigners from the Home Sweet Home campaign held a public action to ask a local letting agent to meet with them to improve their business practices to make sure their customers get a consistently good service.

The Home Sweet Home campaign is made of a broad alliance of people and institutions across the city, including students, residents, labour members, Brighton Housing Trust, churches, students unions, landlord associations, and letting agents ran the action to get the attention of G4 Lets owner, Mark Shields.

The campaigners have a number of suggestions they would like to put to G4 Lets in order to improve business practices and make sure their customers get a consistently high standard of service.

Following the action, the group came away with an agreed date to meet with Mr Shields, on June 2.

Chris Henry, from Home Sweet Home, said: “Today we came away with the exact result we were looking for – a date in the diary to meet with Mr Shields. Now we have to see what changes can be made when we have that meeting.”

Since July last year, the Home Sweet Home campaign has been talking to renters, landlords, and agents in Brighton and Hove, and uncovering stories of poor practices in some areas of the private rented sector.

In recent months, campaigners has been working to turn their stories and research into practical changes to improve private rented housing in Brighton and Hove.

Helena Mardon, Home Sweet Home leader, said: “We’ve been running this campaign for nearly ten months now, and we’ve heard so many stories of terrible conditions that renters are putting up with. Often tenants feel like their agents and landlords don’t want to help.

“We’ve heard stories of broken appliances such as ovens, microwaves, showers, and even central heating going un-repaired by management agencies for as much as three months. There have been stories of broken windows not getting fixed and that tenants have been getting electrocuted because of water leaks. Throughout all of this, the recurring theme has been one of agents that don’t pick up the phone or answer emails, and even if they do, it’s another three months before the repairs get done.”

Last month campaigners met with Brighton Students Union and agreed to work together to launch a new ‘tenant guide’ to better inform students of their rights and responsibilities when renting. They produced this with the help and advice of the Residential Landlord Association.

Candice Armah, President of Brighton Students’ Union, said: “Brighton Students’ Union decided to take action today for the thousands of students residing in conditions unfit for study. Students are collectively paying thousands of pounds in rent a week, yet are expected to accept living in unhealthy conditions. Today’s action is just part of an ongoing campaign to improve the living standards of not only Brighton students but all those living in the private rented sector – G4Lets are just one of many letting agents who could be doing a better job for people in our city, and we’d like to meet with them to talk about how they can provide better for our students and their customers.”

Lydia Snodin, from Home Sweet Home leader, added: “It’s important to note that we’re not talking about all agents or landlords. We asked to meet G4 Lets because we have suggestions, based on the stories and evidence we’ve collected, on how they could improve their customer service. We wrote them a letter, and tried calling them, but unfortunately got no reply. We ran this action to make sure they got our request to meet”.

Representatives of the campaign have also been meeting with the Chair of Housing, Bill Randall, at Brighton and Hove Council, to work on what more the council can do to support renters and improve the situation city-wide.

Purna Sen, Labour PPC for Brighton Pavilion, concluded: “For me this is one of the big issues which need tackling in our City. High property prices in Brighton and Hove mean private renting is the only option for many local people. Congratulations to Home Sweet Home for highlighting the shoddy deal that far too many tenants – not only students – are getting from some unscrupulous letting agents. Failure to carry out needed repairs, a refusal to accept their legal responsibilities to tenants and simply ignoring complaints completely are all too common in this City. It really is time for letting agents and rogue landlords to clean up their act. Local people living in privately rented homes deserve a better deal.”

Fantastic deals in home compost kits are available for Brighton & Hove residents as the council celebrates International Compost Awareness Week next week (May 5 to 11.)

Compost bins are being offered to residents at greatly reduced prices, as part of a special ‘Share and Save’ offer promoted in partnership with getcomposting.com

The Buy One Get One Half Price offer means residents can team up with a family member, friend or neighbour to each get a compost bin from just £5 (plus delivery).

Once put to use, household organic waste can be recycled into fantastic peat free compost, that will not only improve the quality of home grown fruit and vegetables but increase yield.

Councillor Pete West, chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said: “More than 30% of the average household bin can be composted and although many households already compost at home, we want others to get involved.

“This is a great incentive to encourage more residents to get composting and set up their own composting communities, sharing the rewards.

“Once you get started, you will be surprised at just how much daily household waste can be composted – not just grass cuttings and unwanted plants but organic kitchen waste, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags coffee grounds and even the contents of the vacuum.

”If you don’t have room for a bin, why not join one of the 30 community composting schemes in Brighton & Hove? Around 800 households have already composted 6 double decker buses worth of food waste, mainly used for allotments and urban food growing projects.”

He added that home composting also helps to cut carbon emissions and reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill.

A range of compost bins are available to suit new recruits and seasoned gardeners.

To order, CLICK HERE:

Or telephone: 0844 571 4444.

The Buy one Get One Half Price Offer is available on selected products. A one off delivery charge of £5.49 applies.

For advice on reducing food waste, see the council’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign, which helps residents to learn how to waste less food, compost more, and eat healthily while making savings on their household food bill. CLICK HERE: