How is it December already? 2024 has been a busy year with many changes, some good and some not so good.
Obviously, Julie and I are delighted with the change in government. We Labour councillors have started to build a solid and positive relationship with the new team in Whitehall and are confident that a Labour government and Labour administration in our city can deliver the best results for Brighton & Hove and Westbourne & Poets' Corner.
Recent events in the US have caused concerns among our American residents in the ward and Julie and I want to offer an opportunity to talk about these world events, knowing that these things can have an impact in our neighbourhood. As an American myself, I know how frustrating this uncertainty can be.
October was a particularly exciting month as we teamed up with the Friends of Stoneham Park to organise a Halloween party for the whole family. Around 50-60 pumpkins were carved, and the kids had a great time.
The park cafe was decorated and offered a special pumpkin spice latte for the day and I baked my ghoulishly scary Halloween cupcakes.
Thanks to the volunteers who made it all happen.
We want to make sure that a Halloween celebration becomes a permanent fixture in our community calendar.
In terms of local issues, we are aware of the seasonal problem of blocked drains. We have alerted the team, and they are trying to address this issue throughout the city as soon as possible.
We are also aware that some of you are not happy with the appearance of parts of our neighbourhood. Julie and I have met with Helmut Lusser to talk about greening up the area. We will have more details to share with you in the near future.
Julie is also focusing on the abandoned phone boxes, which don't really contribute to a tidy look and feel.
The new Hove Beach Park is now partially open and is a wonderful addition to our neighbourhood. After months of uncertainty about the project, we are delighted to have delivered the new park.
Finally, we would like to thank everyone who has contacted us, given us feedback and highlighted issues. We value every single email and work hard to deliver results for Westbourne & Poets' Corner.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
