Over 300 people gathered for the fifth and most powerful Brighton & Hove Citizens’ assembly yet.
Brighton & Hove Citizens’ UK members held their annual Accountability Assembly on April 25 at The Salvation Army Church, Brighton. Several lead councilors attended the gathering as well as both the Labour and the Green Party parliamentary candidates. The theme of the Assembly was “Building Power to Shape Our City for Generations to Come.”
The assembly's first goal was to congratulate councilors, particularly those who had committed to initiatives addressing mental health and those who had advocated for a real living wage in the city, following campaigns run by Brighton & Hove Citizens. Additionally, discussions focused on the pressing issue of affordable housing in the city, with poignant testimonies highlighting the profound impact on our communities of unattainable and in-affordable housing.
Brighton & Hove Citizens’ UK has existed since 2018 and has spent recent years listening to the concerns of their communities and then empowering leaders from within the community to organise to address the major issues. Citizens have allied with hundreds of people from universities, schools, charities, colleges, churches, and synagogues to engage with city decision-makers on the most important issues identified.
Mental health in young adults and real living wage have been two successful campaigns run by Brighton & Hove Citizens, and they pledged to continue their efforts in these areas. This year, Brighton & Hove will become the first city in England to publicly fund counseling services across all the city’s secondary schools.
On the issue of affordable housing, Nick Wells, a resident of Elm Grove and one of the lead organisers of the Brighton & Hove Citizens’ Assembly said: “We want the council to work with us on prioritising housing for key workers and ensuring private developers meet their affordable housing commitments made during the planning process. We are asking the council to work with Citizens UK to introduce stricter, clearer and binding planning rules for developers.”
Nick added: “It’s great that young adults and the student union are actively involved in our campaigns. Also, for students, affordable accommodation is one of their biggest challenges. I hope that the universities will organise and participate in campaigns for fairer and more affordable rents.”
Rebekah Fleming, a young adult participant with Brighton & Hove Citizens, argued that true democracy hinges on accountability. Still, young people feel excluded from the democratic process, which often results in disengagement and apathy. “We need spaces like these assemblies to show that change can happen when we are organised and have the platform, community and numbers.”
Rebekah continues: “Seeing a councilor or MP listen and commit to a demand that you have been part of making provides an important shift in the mentalities of young people. You have a voice, and you can create change.”
Cassidy, a student leader at Varndean School and Co-Chair of the Brighton & Hove Citizens’ assembly, said: “Over the past few months, over 10 families have left Varndean School. They left our city to go and live in affordable places”. Cassidy added: “I’m worried that this 10 will become 20 and soon 30.”
A significant impact of the assembly was the immense participation of students and young adults, especially, from Varndean School, where 50 young student leaders attended the assembly.
In addition, the assembly members sought clear commitments from the key officials present that they would meet at least three times a year with Citizens to review the priorities, and introduce other key members from the council to work with Citizens on the ‘common good’ issues discussed. Finally, the councilors agreed to join the next assembly in May 2025 to review the progress on the priorities highlighted at this assembly.
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