At a recent Brighton and Hove City Council’s People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, it was reported that tenants in Brighton and Hove often feel unsafe reporting hate incidents or anti-social behaviour, fearing dismissal or being labelled a nuisance. Councillors highlighted that despite official consultations, participation was minimal, reflecting deep mistrust rather than satisfaction. Officers indicated that under-reporting, community voices stress that many residents remain silent due to fear, inadequate support, and inconsistent enforcement of existing measures.
Conservative councillor for Patcham and Hollingbury ward, Anne Meadows, highlighted the lack of response to the consultation. She warned that the silence from tenants should not be mistaken for approval, but at how the council is handling hate crime and anti-social behaviour.” Councillor Meadows said: “Residents will talk to each other. They won’t respond to consultations, especially formal ones, if there’s any way of being identified. They just won’t do it. “If someone reports problems within blocks or on estates and everyone goes to them to report the problem, they’re constantly reporting. They’re then made to feel like they’re a nuisance. “They are told: ‘We can’t deal with you any more. We can’t talk to you because you’re taking up too much time.’ “I feel that’s a wrong approach. There are many tenants who won’t talk to housing officers. If you’re lucky, you’ll get them to talk to a councillor. “The majority will talk to someone they feel safe with but then they’re left out in the cold for being ‘a nuisance’.”
