Faith in Partnership - Evening with Cllr Bella Sankey
September 11, 2025
As part of national Faith in Partnership Week, BHFA hosted a celebration of the Faith Covenant and between the faith communities and the council in Brighton and Hove. Twenty local faith leaders from a broad range of faith communities gathered for an evening of open conversation with Council Leader Bella Sankey and senior council officers. We were hosted by Richard Merrick at the beautiful Chapel Royal in central Brighton. The conversations were warm and wide-ranging as we sought to explore the welfare of our city together, and here we present some notes and images from the evening.
Council Leader’s Address (Bella)
The Council Leader emphasized the council’s commitment to strengthening relationships with faith communities, acknowledging their vital role. Key points included:
Faith Covenant: Acknowledged as a milestone demonstrating commitment from both the council and faith communities, with a call to actively enliven this relationship beyond mere signing.
Strategic Alignment: Stressed the importance of working strategically with limited resources to address significant needs and challenges within the city.
Personal Background: Shared her passion for Brighton & Hove, stemming from being born and raised there, and her extensive career in human rights, asylum, and refugee advocacy.
Local Politics: Highlighted her role as Council Leader since May 2023, leading the first majority council in 20 years.
Central Government Relations: Noted improved relations and a "clear reset" with central government, leading to better responsiveness and delivery on local government lobbying efforts.
Funding Challenges: Identified funding as a persistent difficulty due to the national economic situation, despite recent positive budget allocations for local government.
Housing Crisis: Described the acute national housing crisis in Brighton & Hove, detailing council efforts such as:
* Utilizing housing allocations policy.
* Purchasing temporary accommodation.
* Building and acquiring council housing (e.g., buying back one property a day to counter "right to buy" depletion).
* Vision to eliminate homelessness, aiming to return to single-figure rough sleeping levels seen in 2010.
Asylum and Refugee Support: Reaffirmed Brighton & Hove’s status as a City of Sanctuary, with faith communities forming the backbone of this movement.
* Council is pursuing formal recognition as a Local Authority of Sanctuary.
* Involvement in government resettlement schemes (Universal, Afghan), welcoming families.
* Presence of an asylum hotel and dispersed accommodation.
* Application for a new pilot scheme to bring asylum accommodation back under local authority control, moving away from private security firms. This is seen as a more sensible approach, leveraging local authorities’ community knowledge and service provision.
Community Cohesion: Identified as a top priority, especially in response to rising far-right activity and divisive initiatives.
* Council’s firm stance against such activities, including removing divisive flags.
* Responsibility to prevent radicalization among those feeling aggrieved.
* Appointment of a new Head of Community Cohesion to actively ensure strong, resilient, co-existing communities.
Council Culture: Emphasized a "learning council" approach, open to feedback, acknowledging mistakes, and striving to be a "responsive council" by actively listening to residents and faith leaders.
We were joined by senior council officer Anna Gianfrancesco who introduced us to her colleague Richard Tusset, the new Head of Community Cohesion. Richard’s focus is on:
* Reconfiguring services to maximize support for communities.
* Adapting to changing political views and societal noise.
* Ensuring the safety of vulnerable people.
* The role brings together community safety, prevention work (related to refugees/asylum seekers), and support for the third sector.
Questions and Discussions
Housing and Accommodation
General Hospital Site: A question was raised regarding the potential use of the General Hospital site for affordable housing. The Council Leader confirmed that discussions are underway with the Trust, with the aim of bringing forward a housing development that includes a significant amount of affordable housing. Community engagement is a key part of this process.
Emergency Accommodation: Concerns were raised about private firms running emergency accommodation for profit and the conditions within these facilities. The Council Leader stated that the council is advocating to the government to transfer these contracts to local authority control and is actively seeking new ways to invest in and acquire its own temporary accommodation to reduce reliance on third-party providers.
Community Spaces and Assets
Council Assets for Community Use: A question from the Sikhs of Sussex highlighted the lack of funding and safe spaces for minority communities to practice faith and unite. The Council Leader confirmed that council spaces are available for rent and that an internal review of council assets is underway to ensure best use, including for community purposes.
Libraries as Community Hubs: Anna reiterated that libraries are excellent community assets with rooms for hire and "Library Extra" access (unstaffed hours via library card) for quiet meetings, encouraging their use beyond just books. A consultation on library hours and potential closures is ongoing, and community input is encouraged.
Industrial Space Redesignation: A question about redesignating industrial space in areas like Moulsecoomb for community use was raised. The Council Leader explained that such redesignations are part of the city plan process and encouraged direct engagement with ward councillors. The council is conscious of the need for community spaces, which are unevenly distributed across the city.
Engagement and Consultation
Grassroots Representation: A concern was raised about ensuring proper, meaningful consultation that includes grassroots communities. The Council Leader acknowledged that while challenges exist, the council is actively working to improve engagement, citing successful outreach in school catchment consultations. She emphasized the council’s "learning" and "responsive" culture, inviting faith leaders to help facilitate responses from their communities.
Asylum, Refugee, and Integration
Support for Vulnerable Newcomers: A question addressed how to support vulnerable newcomers, particularly those from LGBTQ+ communities, who may be disenfranchised and fearful of accessing services. The Council Leader acknowledged the distrust some communities have of the state and stressed the importance of supporting grassroots organizations that have the trust of marginalized groups. She also highlighted the council’s efforts to improve internal diversity to better reflect the city’s population and build trust.
Integration Support: The council’s library service was cited as a "welcoming space" for newcomers, and efforts are being made to make council services more accessible. The council facilitates connections to various community groups and activities to aid integration and prevent mental health crises for those who have experienced trauma. A needs assessment study on the migrant population is informing an upcoming action plan.
Interfaith and Inclusivity
Promoting Interfaith Movement: Questions were raised about promoting the interfaith movement, especially during Interfaith Week, and ensuring greater visibility on social media. The Council Leader acknowledged the importance of interfaith dialogue, particularly in light of recent polarization. She stated that the new Head of Community Cohesion role is specifically designed to drive forward interfaith work and bridge communities. A commitment was made to discuss with the communications team how to support Interfaith Week.
Inclusion of Non-Faith Groups: A humanist representative raised concerns about the term "interfaith" excluding non-faith belief groups. The Council Leader affirmed the council’s commitment to engaging with people of all faiths and no faith, stating that they do not discriminate. The council is working on a broader definition of "faith" for civic action that aims to be inclusive.
Education
Religious Literacy and School Access: A question was posed about improving religious literacy among council staff and how community organizations can gain access to schools to deliver programs. The Council Leader acknowledged the importance of this issue, particularly concerning community cohesion in schools, and committed to discussing this with the education team to explore opportunities for greater engagement from faith leaders and groups.
Council Commitments and Action Points
* Continue discussions for affordable housing development at the General Hospital site.
* Proceed with the internal review of council assets to identify spaces for community use.
* Encourage public participation in the ongoing libraries consultation.
* Explore and implement strategies to better reach and support marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ refugees.
* Advocate for and pilot the transition of asylum accommodation from private firms to local authority control.
* Increase vocalization and pride in Brighton & Hove’s status as a City of Sanctuary and its commitment to LGBTQI+ rights.
* The Head of Community Cohesion (Richard) and other council members will work on a strategy to promote the interfaith movement and ensure its visibility, especially during Interfaith Week.
* Council will investigate opportunities for community organizations to deliver religious literacy and other relevant programs in schools.
* Implement the action plan derived from the migrant population needs assessment study.
* Continue efforts to diversify council staff to better reflect the city’s demographics and build trust with residents.
