Council leader launches The City Innovation Challenge

Councillor Warren Morgan launches The City Innovation Challenge today, asking residents, businesses and community groups for innovative ideas to save money, bring a benefit to your neighbourhood or community, or ways to generate income to fund services.

Leader of the council, Cllr Warren Morgan, said:  “I’m looking for bold and creative suggestions as to how the city council can bring in new revenue to fund services and invest in our city and its communities. I know that there is the talent, imagination and innovation in this city to overcome the challenges we face and find new ways of making Brighton and Hove better.

“The council is already innovating, making savings and adapting to delivering services in a different way and this challenge seeks to take things further. Our Libraries Extra trial is a good example of this. Through this trial registered library users in Woodingdean and Portslade can use their local library outside the regular opening hours when they can browse the shelves, borrow books and use the computers without any staff being present.”

The City Innovation Challenges asks residents, businesses and community groups for ideas and winning ideas could win a cash prize of £1,000. All prizes are sponsored by partners. 

The council is facing unprecedented cuts in funding from government which means that it will have to review services are delivered. The council needs to save around £68 million and the budget proposals for 2016/17 outline how initial savings plans.

Entry categories

There are five categories for entries:

  • young people,
  • individuals,
  • community and voluntary groups,
  • businesses and
  • council staff.  

Chris Farthing, Advice Cloud said: “We are delighted to sponsor the business award of the challenge. It’s a tough environment for public services at the moment and if this challenge can encourage our businesses to get involved, then the whole city could benefit. I’m sure that there are lots of brilliant ideas out there.”

Closing date and sponsors

The competition closes on Friday 19 February 2016.

Sponsors include:  

  • Advice Cloud,
  • Brighton and Hove Buses,
  • ESpark
  • Natwest RBS,
  • Hilton Metropole,
  • the University of Sussex and
  • Midnight Communications.

Ideas will be considered by a judging panel and prizes will be awarded at a ceremony in the spring. The winning ideas will be taken up and implemented alongside the recommendations of the independent Fairness Commission.

For more details and how to enter, go to The City Innovation Challenge webpage.