Parking annual report 2023 to 2024

It is my pleasure to welcome you to Brighton & Hove City Council’s Parking Annual Report for 2023 to 2024.

This year’s report details what has happened within Parking Services over the last financial year, along with an overview of the financials including how the income feeds back into transport related initiatives.

Parking and traffic management is an important public service, which provides access and safety benefits for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and the wider community. Those benefits include maintaining road safety and access to jobs, goods and services and ensures better access for all to the city including for blue badge holders and wheelchair access along pavements and crossing.

As the Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking & the Public Realm, I am keenly aware that parking can be a highly emotive subject that has a significant impact on the daily lives of our residents, businesses and the millions of visitors we welcome to our city each year.

We are proud to host a wide range of events, large and small which is one of the joys of living here. Events like Brighton Pride, Brighton Marathon and Brighton Half Marathon can attract hundreds of thousands of visitors over a weekend, almost doubling the city’s population.

It takes months of planning to ensure that cars are only parked in the right places. That there are clear suspension signs in place advising where not to park and that vehicles are relocated if necessary.

Our parking teams are critical to managing these peaks in demand for parking and ensuring visitors can access these events so that they can take place safely and smoothly for all to enjoy.

We recognised that parking zones and tariffs had ‘evolved’ over the past 2 decades; with new controlled parking zones added expanding from the centre over this period.

Tariffs have increased, most notably over the last 3 years (2020 to 2023) where price raises were significantly above inflation, with further increases baked in. It was time to step back and review. To see how parking fitted together across the city; how it might be simplified and better serve the city. This is why we commissioned a comprehensive and holistic Parking Review.

A Parking Review for a fairer parking service to better serve the city, its residents, businesses, visitors and environment.

Significant progress on our comprehensive Parking Review took place in 2023 to 2024.

Parking Services continues to be at the forefront of new and relevant parking initiatives. This includes the installation of more public EV charge points to keep up with the growing demand in the city and from our visitors and businesses for EV vehicles whilst supporting our commitment for the council to be carbon neutral.

Our parking service has also been focussing on social value with its newly procured enforcement contract a great example of how the council is working with suppliers to ensure we get the best value for our supplier contracts.

Thank you for taking the time to read the annual report which we hope you find interesting.

- Councillor Trevor Muten, Chair of the Transport & Sustainability Committee

The purpose of this report is to provide financial, statistical and performance data relating to parking in Brighton & Hove City Council and covers the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

In the Parking Services Team, we've introduced changes to our services to ensure Brighton & Hove City Council remains forward-looking and customer-focused, all while adhering to current budget constraints impacting local authorities nationwide.

Our core objectives are to:

• enforce illegal parking
• protect the designated bus lanes and gates, ensuring a smooth flow of traffic and safeguarding our roads so they remain safe and accessible for all road users

What we've achieved from 2023 to 2024

From 2023 to 2024, we have:

• improved signage and real-time parking space information for off-street car parks
• increased the number of electric vehicle charging points to support the growing number of electric vehicles
• reviewed our parking schemes to find more space and availability
• conducted a review of parking enforcement, working with our external Parking Contractor NSL
• taken action taken against Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel Fraud
• actively responded to customer feedback and used this information to enhance our services
• reduced parking rates at London Road and Chapel Street Car Parks during December and January

These changes are part of a comprehensive initiative to modernise parking, enhance the customer experience, and manage budget constraints.

Our goal is to be a forward-thinking service that:

• develops innovative solutions
• promotes best practices
• provides effective parking solutions for the city

We continue to strengthen our excellent working relationships with our partners:

• Sussex Police
• East Sussex County Council
• Brighton and Sussex Universities
• VisitBrighton
• local businesses and contractors
• Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club

With their support, we can address the issues caused by careless or inconsiderate parking.

Becoming a Carbon Neutral City

We've installed 350 electric vehicle (EV) charge points across the city, plus 3 on-street rapid charging hubs for e-taxis and public use. As a result, we've seen usage of EV chargers increase, with Brighton & Hove being named as one of the UK’s top 5 councils for EV infrastructure.

By 2024 to 2025, we estimate 500 charge points will have been installed.

Our Paid Parking Contractor NSL began using biodegradable Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). The bag is made of crystal glassine paper, which is made from wood pulp, making it 100% recyclable and degradable.

Residents and businesses received discounts on their permits for using or owning low-emission vehicles. Our permit data indicates that residents are increasingly shifting away from higher-emission vehicles.

The electric vehicle charging network continued to grow throughout the 2023 to 2024 financial year. According to the Department for Transport (DfT) figures, there were currently 3,080 electric vehicles registered in Brighton & Hove by December 2023.

Brighton & Hove is at the forefront of electric vehicle charging. Field Dynamics has named the city the local authority with the best on-street charging coverage (outside London) in the UK.

According to an independent report from Field Dynamics and Zap Map, 83.1% of residents with no off-street parking now live within a 5-minute walk of a public charge point.

In September 2024, we were awarded £2.865 million from the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which will support the installation of at least 1,650 new charge points over the next 3 years.

We're procuring new lamppost chargers, in addition to fast and rapid charge point operators, to expand the current EV charging network.

We'll also work with local stakeholders and communities to find the best sites for this new infrastructure and hope to begin installation next year.

We'll be adding more charge points to the network during 2024, providing an additional 120 charge points. It will take the total number of charge points in the city to approximately 500 by the end of 2024, supporting over 3,000 electric and hybrid cars now registered in Brighton & Hove.

By the end of this reporting period, our charging network consisted of:

• 250 lamp column chargers
• 101 fast chargers
• 18 rapid chargers

We're installing 2 more rapid charging hubs at Elm Grove and Pankhurst Avenue.

Map of electric vehicle charge points

The below map shows electric vehicle charge points in Brighton & Hove.

Amount of kilowatt hours delivered through EV charge points in the past 4 fiscal years and GHG (Greenhouse Gas) savings

2020 to 2021

kWh charged: 84,000.

GHG savings assuming zero carbon electricity (tonnes CO2e): 78,000.

GHG savings adjusted for electricity supply scope 2 emissions (tonnes CO2e): 58,000.

2021 to 2022

kWh charged: 538,000.

GHG savings assuming zero carbon electricity (tonnes CO2e): 498,000.

GHG savings adjusted for electricity supply scope 2 emissions (tonnes CO2e): 384,000.

2022 to 2023

kWh charged: 1,227,000.

GHG savings assuming zero carbon electricity (tonnes CO2e): 1,135,000.

GHG savings adjusted for electricity supply scope 2 emissions (tonnes CO2e): 897,000.

2023 to 2024

kWh charged: 1,415,000.

GHG savings assuming zero carbon electricity (tonnes CO2e): 1,308,000.

GHG savings adjusted for electricity supply scope 2 emissions (tonnes CO2e): 1,015,000.

The CO₂ savings of 1,015 tonnes are equivalent to:

• 677 flights from London to New York - round-trip, per passenger
• 4,614 trees planted and grown for 10 years
• 2.5 million miles driven by a typical fuel-powered car - equivalent to travelling around the Earth's equator 101 times

Our goals remain to:

• ensure high-quality delivery and reliability of the existing infrastructure
• continue a rolling program of infrastructure installation to ensure we remain ahead of demand from both residents and the growing number of visitors using electric vehicles to visit the city

The Blue Badge and Concessionary Travel Team supports applicants when applying for and renewing Blue Badges and bus passes.

The team has been streamlining the processes to support all applicants through the application process, both by telephone and in person.

The team received 43 compliments about their work from 2023 to 2024. They received the most in November (9) and June (7).

They dealt with 6 formal complaints in the year, of which 4 were closed at Stage 1, and 2 went on to Stage 2. Of the 2 complaints at Stage 2, one was upheld, and feedback was given to the team, while the other was not upheld.

Blue Badge applications

In 2023 to 2024, we saw applications increase by 43% compared to 2022 to 2023, and Blue Badges issued increased by 8% during the reporting period.

Concessionary travel bus pass and taxi voucher applications

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme allows older and disabled people free travel on buses. Brighton & Hove City Council issues bus passes to:

• people over 66
• disabled residents who meet specific criteria

Number of bus passes issued per financial year

2021 to 2022

Number of new bus passes issued: 2,780.

Number of bus passes renewed: 6,485.

2022 to 2023

Number of new bus passes issued: 3,493.

Number of bus passes renewed: 4,659.

2023 to 2024

Number of new bus passes issued: 3,010.

Number of bus passes renewed: 3,570.

Number of taxi vouchers issued per financial year

2021 to 2022

Number of taxi vouchers issued: 48.

Number of taxi vouchers renewed: 438.

2022 to 2023

Number of taxi vouchers issued: 59.

Number of taxi vouchers renewed: 444.

2023 to 2024:

Number of taxi vouchers issued: 67.

Number of taxi vouchers renewed: 412.

Blue Badge enforcement update

Enforcement and Investigation Officers investigate Blue Badge misuse across the city. In 2023 to 2024, they continued to have monthly joint action days with Sussex Police as part of Operation Bluebird.

The ongoing aims of these joint action days are to:

• ensure Blue Badges are being used correctly by the named badge holder
• educate those who are abusing the scheme
• take appropriate action where necessary

The officers wear body cameras as part of their uniform, which are activated for interactions with people regarding Blue Badge misuse. This footage may be used as part of the investigation that is passed to the legal team.

A new dedicated Fraud Team has been created within Parking to look at fraud and misuse, including Blue Badges, concessionary travel passes, permits, and car parks.

The number of misuse cases over the past 3 years

In 2023 to 2024, there were 27 controlled parking zones across Brighton and Hove, divided into 2 categories:

• 18 full schemes
• 9 light touch schemes

Across all controlled parking zones, Brighton & Hove had a total of 47,349 bays.

Total number of bays across all controlled parking zones in Brighton & Hove

Graph showing the total number of bays across all controlled parking zones in Brighton & Hove.

Design, implementation and review projects

Controlled Parking Zone 11 (Hallyburton Road area) was implemented in September 2023.

Controlled Parking Zone 12 (Withdean Road area) was implemented in February 2024.

Reviews of Light Touch Zones, L, P, S, U and W were conducted in December 2023 and January 2024. No changes to these zones were made following the consultation.

A consultation took place in Southall Avenue to establish whether residents wanted to join the existing neighbouring Zone U. The detailed design was approved in March 2024.

A review of Controlled Parking Zone 10 (Surrenden Road area) was carried out in April 2023. No changes were made following the results of the consultation.

Surveys were carried out within Full Scheme parking zones to identify opportunities for additional on-street parking. This included areas of excessive double yellow lines and redundant vehicle crossovers.

In total, 98 parking spaces were created, making it easier for residents and visitors to park.

Citywide regulatory sign maintenance and relining maintenance projects

The Parking Design and Implementation Team maintains all road markings and regulatory parking signs within the city.

Number of sign orders per financial year

2022 to 2023

April: 29.

May: 24.

June: 47.

July: 45.

August: 30.

September: 67.

October: 44.

November: 77.

December: 18.

January: 49.

February: 55.

March: 15.

2023 to 2024

April: 110.

May: 53.

June: 63.

July: 78.

August: 46.

September: 83.

October: 59.

November: 111.

December: 80.

January: 83.

February: 77.

March: 90.

Sign maintenance work budget and actuals

2022 to 2023

Budget: £186,920.

Actual: £182,895.

2023 to 2024

Budget: £188,820.

Actual: £197,837.

Relining projects across Brighton & Hove

Planned maintenance of Zone L (West Hove), Zone W (Wish Park), Zone A (Preston Park) and Zone E (Preston Park North) between May and October 2023.

Future Relining Maintenance Projects

Planned maintenance of Zone Z (Central Brighton) between August and October 2024.

Planned maintenance of Zones N (Central Hove) and Zone R (Poets Corner) between May and September 2025.

Line maintenance work budget and actuals

2022 to 2023

Budget: £272,950.

Actual: 138,590.

2023 to 2024

Budget: £275,650.

Actual: £246,618.

Number of design and infrastructure applications

Number of Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs)

Issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs)

There are currently 75 full-time equivalent Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) patrolling the city, checking for parking contraventions.

On-street enforcement includes all roads with parking restrictions.

Off-street enforcement refers to the 5 barrier car parks, 5 surface car parks and 3 parks across the city.

Number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued in the last 3 financial years, divided according to higher and lower fee banding

Number of PCNs paid and paid at a discount

Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) in the community

CEOs play a pivotal role in the fabric of our communities, often going beyond their day job to ensure the wellbeing of the public. 

Below are some examples that highlight their invaluable service to the city:

• CEO 1035 saved the day for a cyclist when he was able to put his chain back on his bicycle
• CEOs 968 and 1204 helped a man whose sugar levels were low by supplying a cup of sugared water to help revitalise him
• CEO 1182 assisted a disabled woman who felt unwell, escorting her to a taxi rank, thereby securing her wellbeing and security
• Senior CEO 153 helped an elderly man by putting his hood up to shield him from the cold - this simple human kindness made the man’s day

Monitoring verbal abuse against CEOs

Every September, NSL surveys CEO abuse. This gives the Parking Contracts Team an indication of whether verbal abuse at all levels is reducing or increasing.

NSL asks the CEOs to log any instances of abuse on their hand-held computers as follows:

• Green – Low-level name-calling - low level means non-swearing, low level of aggression, aimed at the role rather than the person, for example, 'jobsworth'
• Amber – Verbal attack - profanity, aggressive in nature, hateful or getting personal, such as wishing the person or their family harm
• Red – Physical attack - any form of intentional physical contact

The level of abuse logs measured has fallen slightly to 143 cases by March 2024. The top 10 locations logged were all in Zone Z, in the central part of the city.

Incidents of abuse towards CEOs since 2022

School enforcement

During the school year, CEOs visit 4 schools each day across the city at drop-off and pick-up times. This is to ensure all parking restrictions, such as school keep clear signs, are enforced.

Parking Services collaborates with head teachers, the School Streets Team, the Road Safety Team, and Sussex Police to address parking enforcement issues at schools throughout the school year. There were 74 PCNs issued from 2022 to 2023, compared to 42 PCNs issued from 2023 to 2024.

These figures indicate that enforcement outside schools has been effective and necessary to ensure school street safety.

Bus route enforcement

NSL has a dedicated CEO who enforces all bus routes across the city, ensuring bus lanes and bus stops are kept clear to:

• enable the city’s buses to keep to schedule
• ensure residents and visitors can get around the city more efficiently

The number of PCNs issued and observed from 2023 to 2024

Parking bay suspensions and accompanying parking enforcement ensure that events take place safely and account for the rest of the city’s transportation needs. 

In 2023 to 2024, parking bay suspensions were organised for the Brighton Marathon, Brighton Half Marathon, and Pride. The Contracts Team initiated an event enforcement strategy, which involved making courtesy phone calls to residents about large-scale events. 

Brighton & Hove also welcomed back TV and film production crews, with productions such as The Death of Bunny Munro and Grace being filmed in and around the city.

The number of applications processed and bays suspended by year

Percentages of reasons why parking bays have been suspended, 2023 to 2024

Utility works: 38%.

Removals: 26%.

Skip: 10%.

Brighton & Hove City Council internal works: 8%.

Building works: 8%.

Special event: 6%.

Filming: 4%.

In the 2023 to 2024 financial year, the CCTV Enforcement Team went through an unprecedented period of change in the equipment used to capture and issue Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) via CCTV on the Public Highway. 

A review, upgrade and change in ownership of the CCTV network resulted in investment in a system that is fit for purpose. 

In February 2024, a new CCTV enforcement contractor installed new equipment, resulting in a slight drop in PCNs in February and March while the cameras were being installed, and the old units were removed. 

Once most of the cameras were installed, the number of PCNs issued increased. This was due to improved camera quality and the ease of use of the new reviewing system.

Number of CCTV and bus lane PCNs issued over the last 3 financial years

Map of the locations of bus gates and bus lanes across Brighton & Hove

Number of incoming appeals from 2023 to 2024

Graph showing PCN challenges received by month

The Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) and Appeals Team have decreased their backlog from 1,589 cases in April 2023 to 280 cases in March 2024, an 82% improvement.

The new PCN IT system provides clear evidence of the case through the customer interface, including all related photos and videos. This allows drivers to:

• examine why the ticket was issued
• make an informed decision whether to settle or challenge the penalty without needing to contact the service

This allows the team to focus on appeals, reducing call-backs and enquiries through our contact system.

Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) 

The Traffic Penalty Tribunal is an independent body that handles appeals against Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued by local authorities and charging authorities in England (outside London) and Wales. These PCNs can be related to parking, bus lanes, moving traffic violations, and other traffic-related penalties. 

If a PCN has been issued and felt to have been issued unfairly, this can be appealed directly to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. The process is designed to be straightforward and accessible, allowing the public to submit online and provide evidence to support the case.

The results of cases sent to TPT from 2023 to 2024

Brighton & Hove City Council won: 56%.

No contest: 26%.

Brighton & Hove City Council lost: 15%.

Withdrawn: 3%.

In Brighton & Hove, using a car park is often preferable to parking on the street, as many roads are reserved for residents with permits. Our car parks provide access to the town centre and help reduce traffic and congestion.

Car parks also allow parking for longer periods and are accredited Park Mark.

The Park Mark scheme is a national standard for UK car parks that have low crime and measures in place to ensure the safety of people and vehicles. Each car park undergoes a rigorous assessment by specially trained police assessors, and a Park Mark is awarded to those that achieve the challenging standards.

The British Parking Association (BPA) manages the Safer Parking Scheme on behalf of Police Crime Prevention Initiatives Ltd, a subsidiary of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).

Vehicle and vehicle-related crime have been falling since their peak in the mid-1990s. The targeted approach the Safer Parking Scheme employs ensures incidents remain low to zero.

Since the scheme began, the proportion of vehicle crime occurring in public car parks has fallen compared with parking in other public spaces.

List of Brighton & Hove City Council car parks

Brighton & Hove City Council operated 5 barrier entry car parks in the reporting period:

• The Lanes
• Trafalgar Street
• Regency Square
• London Road
• Chapel Street

We also operated 5 off-street surface car parks.

Our car parks and their capacity

Since the publication of this report, the Chapel Street car park has closed.

Equalities Impact Assessment

Following the removal of Pay and Display machines in Brighton & Hove, we decided that the off-street barrier car parks would continue to provide a pay-on-foot option for customers who prefer not to use Pay by Phone or PayPoint services for on-street parking.

The Pay on Foot machines continue to offer on-site cash, card, and contactless payments.

Park Mark: creating a safe space

All of Brighton & Hove City Council’s barrier car parks are accredited with the Park Mark award.

In 2023 to 2024, we tackled anti-social behaviour when it arose in our car parks through 24/7 CCTV monitoring, mobile security patrols, and Police Liaison.

Disabled Parking Accreditation

All of our barrier car parks have achieved Disabled Parking Accreditation (DPA). The scheme recognises off-street parking facilities which are accessible to disabled people. The DPA is primarily aimed at improving parking for disabled people and reducing abuse of disabled bays.

Car parks that achieve the DPA also demonstrate to their customers that they are committed to creating high-quality parking facilities for disabled people, such as:

• easy access
• good lighting
• good signage
• accessible payment methods
• enforceable designated bays

Brighton & Hove City Council's Transport Control Centre

Our Transport Control Centre is a hub for traffic management and signal controls. Alongside this, it provides customer service to pay-on-foot car parks and 24/7 controls at all the barrier car parks.

Motorists in the car parks who require assistance can contact the Transport Control Centre via an intercom, and Officers can operate the barriers and pay machines remotely.

The Transport Control Centre is supported by a Mobile Maintenance Team and CCTV monitoring, and works closely with Sussex Police and local contractors.

Season pass website

A season pass website has been created to streamline the process of buying passes for the barriered car parks.

Monthly, quarterly and annual passes are available to give customers the most convenient way to pay. There's also the option to use a QR code to gain access, reducing the need for plastic passes.

The Permit Team has streamlined and improved the application and renewal process for all residents by implementing an auto verification feature in the permit system. Residents who are on the council tax register and successfully auto-verified are no longer asked to upload proof of residency.

This has reduced the time someone spends applying for or renewing a permit or purchasing visitor parking permits.

On average, 70% of visitor parking permit applications and 60% of all residential applications and renewals are now auto-verified through this improved functionality.

For our staff, the above facility has reduced the time officers take to assess an application, making it easier for officers to complete cases.

The number of Resident Permits issued in each zone

Waiting lists

Due to high demand, there are waiting lists for resident parking permits in 3 areas of Brighton and Hove: M, Y, and Z.

Demand increased significantly compared to 2022 to 2023:

• Zone Y: 547 increase
• Zone Z: 359 increase
• Zone M: 151 increase

Comparison between the number of residents on the waiting lists in parking zones Y, Z and M over the last 4 years

Our customer services are continuously reviewed and improved, and we work closely with the parking customer ambassadors and the customer feedback team on all customer journeys.

Compliments and complaints help us understand where we're working well and where there are issues. We actively monitor feedback to:

• help improve our performance
• plan service and council-wide improvements

Below is an overview of customer interactions with Parking Services during the financial year 2023 to 2024, focusing on how customer feedback shapes and improves service delivery.

Overview of complaints:

• 192 Stage 1 complaints were received, a decrease from previous years
• 30% (58) of the complaints were upheld or partially upheld
• 94% of complaints were resolved within the 10-working-day target, with an average response time of 5.7 days
• 89% of complaints were closed at Stage 1, reflecting a high rate of resolution without escalation
• Overall, we have received fewer complaints in 2023 to 2024, compared with the last 2 fiscal years

Overview of compliments:

• 99 formal compliments were received, highlighting customer appreciation for helpfulness, efficiency, and kindness
• 25% of compliments were related to the helpfulness of staff, and 20% praised kindness and efficiency

Freedom of Information cases

Everyone has the right to ask to see recorded information held by local authorities. In 2023 to 2024, the Parking Services Team received 90 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

The top 5 FOI requests the Parking Services Team received in 2023 to 2024 were:

1. PCN issuance.
2. Bus lane issuance.
3. Bus gate issuance.
4. Parking revenue.
5. Permit issued in Zone M.

Off-street expenditure and income

The off-street barrier car park income and expenditure from 2023 to 2024

The Chapel Street car park (previously known as High Street) figures are after a contribution has been made to Brighton & Hove City Council housing revenue account.

Income by source

Income sources over the past 3 financial years

The total income for 2023 to 2024 decreased by 0.64% compared to 2022 to 2023.

Any surplus of parking fees must be invested in transport and highways. This is a legal requirement.

In 2023 to 2024, after direct costs, there was a surplus of £18,540,578, a 5% reduction compared to 2022 to 2023.

A year-on-year comparison of how surplus income was invested back into the city

Use of surplus income from parking charges and penalty charges is governed by section 55 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Once the need for off-street parking provision and making good deficits to central funding has been met, the use of surplus is currently confined to the provision of public transport services or to road, air quality, and environmental improvements.

Supported bus services

In 2023 to 2024, the Brighton & Hove City Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan provided funding from HM Government for capital and revenue schemes to support bus services across the city.

This allowed for the provision and enhancement of socially and economically necessary bus services across the city. These services were previously funded through our Public Transport budget in the financial year 2022 to 2023, and earlier.

School routes are exempt from this and remain funded through the Public Transport budget.

Concessionary bus fares

A nationally mandatory bus concession for older and disabled people has been in place since 2001. The scheme has gradually been extended since its introduction and, since April 2008, has provided free off-peak local bus travel to eligible older and disabled people anywhere in England.

A large proportion of Parking Services' financial surplus is spent on providing free travel for both the elderly and disabled citizens. In 2023 to 2024, we continued to pay bus operators at pre-pandemic levels, adhering to guidance from the Department for Transport.

We spent £9,644,448 on this service in the financial year 2023 to 2024.

We have a statutory requirement to consider economic, social, and environmental well-being in connection with public service contracts.

We aim for the millions of pounds spent on public services to give the maximum positive impact for our residents.

Our enforcement contractor (NSL)

Below are some of the actions our enforcement contractor, NSL, is undertaking to promote social value.

NSL has partnered with Spear Brighton, a respected charity offering a year-long youth employability program for young adults aged 16 to 24 facing barriers to work or education. Spear combines expert coaching with job skill training and addresses psychological barriers, boosting motivation and commitment among participants.

NSL participates in Spear's "Hire Me" events, where they meet candidates and share insights. As a result, NSL has successfully hired and supported 3 long-term unemployed individuals. Additionally, NSL volunteers on the Spear External Panel share industry knowledge and personal career journeys to inspire young people. These sessions provide valuable insights into the working world, helping to set realistic expectations for future careers.

Brighton & Hove City Council's Fairness Fund

This year, the PCN and Appeals Team have been focusing on social value, and we've been working with our colleagues and enforcement contractors to see how we can provide much-needed help to those in need in our community.

During the reporting period, £65,000 was raised towards our Fairness Fund, supporting grassroots community action.

The funds were raised following negotiations with the providers carried out by the chair of the Corporate Debt Board. We're optimistic that a further £20,000 will be secured.

Pay by Phone - Meters for trees

In 2023 to 2024, 280 trees were delivered to CityParks as part of the PayByPhone carbon reduction initiative, Meters for Trees, to improve the environment. The 140 trees will offset 140 tonnes of CO2.