🌳ACORN asks acceded to, abuser prosecution follow-through, inequality plan sneak preview and more💰

Good morning, and welcome to this week's Seagull briefing! It's bloody hot, isn't it? Perfect time to cool down with some fresh news, courtesy of your favourite news provider. On with the news!

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Councillors agrees to ACORN demands

Last weekend, ACORN Brighton held a public renter's meeting, Priced Out, to discuss issues facing tenants on benefits and low incomes.

As part of this this they made a list of demands for Brighton and Hove City Council, alongside renters across the city, Shelter, and Citizen's Advice.

In a post on Facebook, they said:

We're pleased to report that the leads on the Housing Committee from both Brighton and Hove Green Councillors and Brighton and Hove Labour Party agreed to all of our members' demands! Importantly, they also agreed to meet with ACORN to discuss their manifesto pledges ahead of next year's Council elections.

The demands included:

• Adopt a policy opposing benefits discrimination, including 'No DSS' policies but also practices such as charging rent upfront and asking for guarantors of tenants because they are on benefits.
• Support victims of housing discrimination in accessing justice and track and monitor cases to inform future policy.
• Support ACORN's campaign and sign our open letter to landlords and agencies.
• Join ACORN members when they visit letting agencies in person next month to take a pledge not to discriminate against tenants on benefits

First person charged under new domestic abuse laws

A man accused of strangling a woman in Portslade has become the first person charged under new domestic abuse laws by Sussex Police.

Non-fatal strangulation and non-fatal sufffocation are two new offences introduced into the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 on Tuesday 7th June, and have a maximum five year prison sentance attached to them.

Jeremy Bird, 25, has been released on bail with strict conditions, pending trial on Wednesday 17th August.

Superintendent Adele Tucknott, Sussex Police’s lead for Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

Domestic abuse has devastating, life-long effects on victims, who are often left with little or no visible marks.

That should in no way detract from the seriousness of these offences and we understand that the impacts of domestic abuse go far beyond physical injuries.

This new legislation gives us more power to protect victims and their families and Sussex Police will continue to do everything in its power to safeguard victims of domestic abuse and bring perpetrators to justice.

🖋 NIBS 🖋

• Tomorrow, councillors will hopefully be approving the next steps in making Brighton and Hove's first liveable neighbourhood. If the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee approve the current design proposals, this being the preferred design, it will go to full public consultation for the next two months.
• Approximately 14,000 people took part in the London to Brighton bike ride, a 54-mile route from Clapham Common to Brighton, organised by The British Heart Foundation. Well done to everyone who took part!
• It's going to be mad hot at least until Thursday, with very high UV and pollen levels. Slip, slop, slap!

This edition of The Brighton Seagull is sponsored by Cybersyn, a friendly digital analytics consultancy based right here in Brighton.

‌What's happening? A three-year plan to tackle inequality across the city has been given the go-ahead by the council.

What is it? A Fairer Brighton & Hove is a council-developed framework in collaboration with professionals, families and community groups, which will give guidance on how best to support those at risk of disadvantage.

Who is funding this? The council was recently given up to £1 million from the government to develop family hubs, something we reported on here.

How will the framework work? It's a three-year programme:

• Year one will focus on new strategies for families, children and schools in specified areas of the city
• Year two will expand the strategies to a wider area of the city
• Year three will expand it to the whole city

The family hubs will mean those in need of support won't have to reapply for different means of help—they'll 'only have to tell their story once' as services will work together.

Green councillor Hannah Clare, chair of the Children, Young People and Skills Committee, said:

Ttoo many families do not have access to the same opportunities as others. The framework, family hubs and early intervention support will ensure we’re delivering the right support and services to the right families or individuals at the right time.

We've spoken and listened to a wide range of families, young people, community groups and professionals and have built the framework and family hubs model on the feedback.

This includes the timing of support they receive, where services are based and how they’re designed, the types of services people like and want more of, and what works well currently.

🎶Gigs: Lamb, Mancunian electronic music duo, will be tearing up Chalk on Tuesday (21st June). If that's not your scene, maybe you'll like Pip Blom, at Resident on the same day (for fans of The Lovely Eggs and The Big Moon). Also, go and see Soccer Mommy, who are at Resident too, this Saturday (25th June).

‌🎥Cinema: Lamb (note: not the same as the band), being shown at The Old Market's film club, "one of the most atmospheric and idiosyncratic horror films of 2021", very spooky; Tuesday 21st June at The Old Market, tickets here.

🖼 Exhibitions: Goal Power! Women’s Football 1894-2022, an exhibition about women's football, opened this weekend—and until next Wednesday (29th June), it will feature the Women's Super League cup on display, loaned by the FA; the exhibition runs until Sunday 25th September at the Brighton Museum, tickets here.

📚Books: Brighton Book Festival—Brighton's new community book festival, "aimed at making the marginalised mainstream"; begins Friday 24th June and runs over the weekend at venues across the city, tickets here.

Swoop in

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☕️ Where to eat? 🥪

☕️Coffee: Oeuf, on Third Avenue, relatively new to the Hove cafe scene, is a beautiful space and has all kinds of delightful drinks (coffees from White Cloud and teas from Hoogly, both Brighton-based), plus all sorts of food including Frumpets (French toast battered crumpet).

🍱Dinner: Lost Boys Land, on York Place, the first non-pub outing for the Lost Boys chicken gang, brings their incredible wings and sauces (whether meat, veggie or vegan) into dangerous proximity of Seagull HQ.

🍻Pint: The Battle Of Trafalgar, on Guildford Street, is a lovely snug little boozer with a lovely big garden just outside the station. If you've just got in from London, why not stick your head in and have a drink?

🔜 Next Time 🔜

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