Mike has written to Penny Thompson, Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council, to request ten specific responses which relate to complaints that about the number of planning applications that are turned down at the last minute, despite seemingly being deemed acceptable to planning officers.

Information requested from Brighton & Hove City Council by Mike:

• Number of planning applications submitted each year since 2000.
• Number of approvals by Officers each year since 2000.
• Number of approvals by Committee each year since 2000.
• Number of refusals by Officers each year since 2000.
• Number of refusals by Committee each year since 2000.
• Number of applications sent to Committee each year since 2000.
• Number of appeals each year since 2000.
• Number of resubmitted applications each year since 2000.
• Number of applications not determined by target decision date each year since 2000.
• Number of planning applications submitted each year since 2000 that are actually built.

Commenting, Mike said: “Numerous unrelated complaints have been put to me by local builders about the Planning Department at Brighton & Hove City Council dragging its heels and holding back development in the city. Brighton & Hove desperately needs new construction of homes, businesses as well as Major Projects, which will help boost our local economy. I hope that the responses that I receive shed some light on how effective the Planning Department is. I am keen to get to the bottom of this matter.”

Stop Cyberbullying Day has been organised by The Cybersmile Foundation in order to draw attention to the difficulties which are faced by countless victims of cyberbullying every day. The Cybersmile Foundation is the first and only UK charity that is dedicated to the victims of cyberbullying.

The charity, founded by Brighton & Hove resident Scott Freeman, is committed to helping educate people to use social media safely; providing valuable information and guidance for all areas of cyberbullying; and offering urgent one-to-one counselling to the victims of cyberbullying. For more information on Cybersmile, please visit www.cybersmile.org.

Commenting, Mike said: “Cyberbulling is an increasing problem for both children and adults, which is why it is important to raise awareness of the issue and highlight that there is an organisation out there that can help people who are experiencing online bullying. I am pleased that this issue is now receiving national attention and I look forward to working with Cybersmile in the future.”

Ofsted has recently published results which show that Deepdene has been awarded an Outstanding grade for its latest inspection. Schools are evaluated in six key areas – Pupils’ achievement; Pupils’ behaviour & personal development; Quality of teaching; Quality of curriculum; Pupils’ welfare, health & safety; and Leadership & management. Deepdene was rated ‘Outstanding’ in each category. For more information on Deepdene, visit www.deepdeneschool.com.

Commenting, Mike said: “This Outstanding Ofsted report is a fantastic result for Deepdene. I know that parents of children at the school are very proud of this achievement, which is down to the hard work and dedication of both the teachers and pupils. I want to pass on my congratulations to everyone at Deepdene and hope that other schools in Brighton & Hove, and around the country, can learn from the excellent standard that they have set.”

Mike was one of a number of eurosceptic Conservative MPs who indicated his support to back an Amendment to the Queen’s Speech, which expressed regret at the speech not including an EU Referendum Bill. However, the Prime Minister has now decided that the introducing legislation is necessary and will seek to put before Parliament, in the form of a Private Member’s Bill, a commitment to hold a referendum on Britain’s relationship with Europe in 2017.

Commenting, Mike said: “I am pleased that the Prime Minister is now backing a solid commitment to holding a referendum on Europe. Over the years Britain has been pushed into accepting a raw deal with Europe. This cannot go on and I very much hope that serious negotiations can provide an acceptable outcome. However, the ultimate say will, rightly, be left with the public in 2017.”

Following widespread opposition from residents to the proposals to build on the fields by Old Shoreham Road, Mike has arranged to meet with his ministerial colleague Lord Nash. In the meeting Mike intends to highlight the lack of school places within Brighton & Hove, but also outline why the site that has been selected is not suitable.

Mike is extremely disappointed that the Department for Education was forced to intervene in this matter, as a result of the Green administration, which runs Brighton & Hove City Council, failing to deal with the school problem.

Commenting, Mike said: “While I am meeting with a Minister from the Department for Education to discuss plans for a new school in Hove, it must be remembered that Brighton & Hove City Council face considerable responsibility for the position that we now find ourselves in. The Green administration is ideologically opposed to Free Schools and has wasted a huge amount of time in finding suitable locations within the city.”

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade, is to host a public meeting on the future of the King Alfred, on Friday 24th May at Hove Town Hall.

Mike recognises that one of the most pressing issues within his constituency is the redevelopment of the King Alfred Leisure Centre. Keen to hear what residents have to say about what they want from a new leisure centre, Mike has decided to host a public meeting to gauge public opinion. Speakers on the panel of the event will be announced shortly. A summary of the event details is below:

Friday 24th May
Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove, BN3 4AH
Doors will open at 1pm for a 2pm start
Please just turn up – no need to book. Refreshments will also be served.

Commenting, Mike said: “Brighton & Hove desperately needs a new first-class leisure centre to replace the crumbling King Alfred and I want to hear directly from residents what they want from this new multi-million pound facility. For too long local people have had to put up with inadequate facilities that are certainly not fit for the 21st Century. I want a state of the art leisure centre that will be the envy of local authorities from around the country.”

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade, and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Leisure, has met with footballers at a reception in the House of Commons in a bid to promote women’s football.

On display at the parliamentary event, where Mike met with a number of women footballers and sports representatives, was the impressive UEFA Women’s Champions League Trophy. The initiative was supported by Business in Sports & Leisure in conjunction with UEFA. For more information on the UEFA Women’s Champion’s League, click here.

Commenting, Mike said: “Unfortunately, the number of women’s footballers in the UK is quite behind when compared to our European counterparts. Locally though we’ve got some great new sporting facilities, especially with the newly completed Amex Stadium, so I hope that will help boost the popularity of women’s football in Brighton & Hove.”

Mike is pictured with footballers Carly Telford (Chelsea) and Dunia Susi (Chelsea & England) and the UEFA Women’s Champions League Trophy.

Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 made it a criminal offence to squat in a residential property from 1st September 2012. Unfortunately, a knock-on consequence is that squatters are now targeting commercial properties, which are not covered by the new legislation.

Mike was instrumental in the criminalisation of squatting in residential properties. As a consequence of Mike’s role in passing the new law, squatters have led a vitriolic campaign against the Member of Parliament on Twitter and routinely call for Mike’s death. A whole website has even been created to monitor Mike’s death.

Commenting, Mike said: “I was delighted that Mike Stimpson from the Southern Landlords Association could join me in delivering my letter to the Prime Minister. For too long squatters have run roughshod over the wishes of local communities. The law criminalising squatting in residential properties has been a real success. Now we need to extend it to commercial.”

Mike added: “The Prime Minister was very supportive of the initial legislation so I am confident that he will back criminalising squatting outright.”

The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Prime Minister

RE: CRIMINALISING SQUATTING IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

I write as Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade to ask for your support for the law to be extended to protect commercial properties from squatters, following the recent criminalisation of squatting in residential properties.

As I am sure that you are aware, last year, Section 144 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing & Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 made it a criminal offence to squat in a residential property. While the law has been a tremendous success, the consequence has been that squatters are now deliberately targeting commercial properties.

A salient example of this was seen within my own constituency just two months after the law had come into effect when a bunch of squatters broke into a former school that was just about to be let as a refurbished office suite. The squatters caused significant misery and distress and left an appalling mess after themselves.

I am pleased that our colleague the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Justice, has shown a tough approach to squatters and hope that you will be able to convey your support for all properties to be protected from squatters.

I thank you very much in advance for your assistance and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter.

Yours sincerely

MIKE WEATHERLEY MP

Universal Credit is a fundamental reform of the welfare system that will revolutionise the way that people experience the welfare state. It will make it easier for people claim what they are entitled to, but more importantly, it will make it easier for people to move off benefits and into work.

Commenting, Mike said: “Universal Credit is part of the Government’s important reforms. It’s a big shake-up that starts in October this year and will be phased in over a number of years, hopefully to be completed by the end of 2017. I am pleased that welfare system is being simplified, but that there is also an emphasis on helping to get people back into work.”