A petition signed by more than 300 people has called for a code of conduct for event organisers using parks and green spaces.
Derek Wright, who has campaigned to save the Madeira Terraces, presented the Save Our Green Spaces petition to Brighton and Hove City Council this afternoon (Thursday 24 October).
The petition, signed by 322 people, asked for close collaboration with affected residents and businesses in Kemp Town, Valley Gardens, Preston Park, Hove Lawns and Hove Park.
It said that people in those areas did not feel that they were sufficiently consulted about events.
Mr Wright’s petition said: “Residents’ rights, needs and safety must form a fundamental part of any outdoor events strategy.
“These rights must be upheld by elected council members, officers, council services, council leader and, specifically, the outdoor events management team.
“We the undersigned residents and businesses welcome outdoor events. However, we demand that changes are applied to the procurement and management of these outdoor events by drawing up a specific set of guidelines (or) code of conduct in close collaboration with residents.
“The residents and businesses events guidelines must be adhered to in conjunction with the council outdoor events policy.
“These guidelines will be used to determine the most appropriate commercial and community events that are desired by the community.
“Importantly, events should be best suited to the location, venue structure, safety and wellbeing of residents as well as the surrounding environment.”
The guidelines requested would cover declaring the income, type of events, locations, notifications and durations, community benefits, number of people taking part, noise levels, business cases and damage limitation measures.
The council’s cabinet member for sport and recreation, Alan Robins, said that the council had controls in place to ensure events were safe.
And major events, he said, were scrutinised by Sussex Police, the NHS, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, the South East Coast Ambulance Service and the RNLI.
Councillor Robins said: “In recognition of the evolving needs of our community, we are introducing additional controls this year covering various aspects such as the procurement process, types of events and environmental considerations through advanced environmental and quality impact assessments.
“These measures are designed to enhance our existing framework and further ensure that residents’ rights, needs and safety are given paramount consideration in all decisions relating to outdoor events.
“We are currently drafting a new strategy. We are confident the strategy will contain the contents of your petition and include specific guidelines and a revisited events charter, with co-operation with affected residents and businesses.”
Derek was very keen on getting his petition 1,500 signs to force a discussion. Regardless, it is a reasonable request that events do make extra efforts to protect the green spaces and ensure remedial work.
Derek makes a very good point, especially with the picture shown of the Old Steine, which in my young day were pristine gardens and flower beds, and coloured lights in the trees! That was around the time Abba won Eurovision at the Dome.
These are public spaces. it would be interesting to know where all the income goes from renting them out to private events and who gets it.
The council
Obviously, goes into the council. You can see specifically on their website about incomes and how they are spent.
It goes into the events budget and any surplus into the general budget .
A great initiative! The way events have been run over the last few years is terrible. We give away public spaces so generic events can make millions for a few promotors, who leave a mess behind them. We need a code of conduct to force the council to professionalise a bit. if we are a party city, we need to learn to do it properly.
Every year the green spaces are churned up and just when they seem to be recovering another event is placed on them.St Peters Square is a prime example.There used to be seats in the Square in front of the Church .They have all disappeared because they were unbolted to make way for Event equipment and never seen again. Why not just concrete the whole area over and it would be fit for purpose.
The state of the level at the moment is a disgrace, the circus that was there for a few months wrecked the grass ,not a word about it.
Exactly
The event spaces are given away for a few thousand in secretive deals and the promotors make millions. They pay for a superficial clean up but a council official told residents at a consultation that it would be unreasonable to expect the promotor to pay as they would make less money.
That what is needed to change , so that residents where the events are held benefit
These events both provide entertainment for residents and visitors, and the space rental gives our cash-strapped council some extra income.
The city also needs these events to fill the hotels and to attract day visitors.
It’s unfortunate that two rainy summers have meant the damage to grassed areas has lasted longer than expected. But in other years that might not be the case.
It’s also unfortunate that the council no longer have an in-house gardening department to quickly resolve grass re-seeding issues.
I don’t think we want to cancel these events, but the problem is really about how much you can pass on gardening costs to event organisers.
It wasnt about cancelling events but managing them better so that we get the right event in the right place accessible to all and that the local community benefit. At the moment that dosent happen
It’s a good challenge Billy, I think you could put that into an agreement. I would argue it isn’t too much of a novel idea, as that’s pretty common with any sort of hire agreement to “make right” after use. Even renting a house is like that too.
The rental income is less than 5% of the promoters profits in most cases. For On the Beach last year, they rented the beach for £60k, while the revenues were around £2.4m, with likely profits of 40/50% (unless the companies involved are run by idiots…which is possible). If we are going to rent public spaces to help private companies make money….they should at least try to get a proper commercial rate and run the events professionally.
The event organisers pay city parks to reinstate the grassed areas , where that money goes is a mystery
In areas that are often used for events all weather surfaces should be installed, by this i mean plastic gauze where the grass grows through. In the Lake district where i was born loads of carparks have this. Then when the grass is covered for a while it quickly comes back plus avoids all the mud.
Lots of option to protect the grassed area but the council is not interested in changing their ways
The meshes were something I was looking at for some bits in my area. I’d say they could use the EIB to fund it as well.
The event spaces are given away for a few thousand in secretive deals and the promotors make millions. They pay for a superficial clean up but a council official told residents at a consultation that it would be unreasonable to expect the promotor to pay as they would make less money.
Personally I find it that there are quite a number of comments agreeing that ( green spaces) ought to/ should be used for all types of venues,i totally disagree,,what used to be really lovely and attractive, are nothing but ruined uncared for eyesores, and the council ought to hang its self in shame,.once the star attraction the water fountain in the Stein,with its splendid gardens,very well kept I may add is now like a war zone,but it seems there is no pride left here in Brighton, just inept,money wasting,grubby fiscally incompetent people including commentators that it’s ok there are none more blind that can see.
All that changes in VG3, no flower beds and more resin gravel surfaces for events to take place
Please tell your councillors what you think , its they that have the power to make changes . The more different people ask about the same issue the better . Try to go along to a surgery and see them face to face
Old Steine has been neglected by this council and those that claimed to care before. Look at it, just take a moment to go there and look at it. VG3 will do nothing to help, artists impressions and “consultations” mean nothing. The council do not know what they are doing and the awful state of our green spaces continues whilst councillors bury their heads and pretend it is not happening. Shame on the council and shame on all those who turn their backs on the city centre
Thanks for putting up Save our Green spaces posters I left at reception