Frustration as residents ‘always told no’ in bid to improve council estates

Bexhill Road where houses need fencing and lighting in Woodingdean

Money to improve council estates seems to be unavailable for those living in houses, according to a tenant representative.

Woodingdean Tenants and Residents Association representative Janet Gearing was told that the cash was for publicly accessible housing land and shared community facilities owned by Brighton and Hove City Council.

She said that she was frustrated with her unsuccessful attempts to bid for cash from the ‘estates development budget’.

Tenants and communities are encouraged to bid for a portion of the cash for improvements.

Mrs Gearing was particularly frustrated that the money cannot be used to pay for fencing, despite being available in the past.

She told the council’s East Area Housing Panel that when she went around the area to find other ways of using the cash for improvements, she was always told no.

She said: “We’ve got so many individual houses in Woodingdean and they need fencing.