Decision - Lifeguard Service 2023

Brighton and Hove Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee Decided 9 Mar 2023 for determination GET /api/coverage

Decision maker

Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee

Report author

Toni Manuel

Published

9 Mar 2023

Reference

6889

As published

the council's own words, unedited

A report setting out the proposed approach to delivering the Lifeguard Service in 2023.

RESOLVED: That Committee: 1. Noted the risk-based approach to prioritising the beaches that will have lifeguard stations for the 2023 summer season (May – September). 2. Agreed to focus core lifeguard resources on four beaches during the 2023 season, as outlined in para 4.2, based on the findings and control measures identified through the beach risk assessment process. 3. Agreed that additional lifeguards during the six-week school holiday period will be stationed on three further beach areas, as outlined in para 4.5, following the same risk-based approach. 4. Agreed to progress a review of options for the longer-term delivery of a sustainable Lifeguard Service, including options to increase funding through sponsorship and/or for the RNLI to deliver the service on the Council's behalf.

Parsed from the document

gpt-5.6-luna-2026-07-09 · 4628/1192 tokens · 10611ms · parsed 9 Sep 2026 11:56

Everything below was read out of a PDF by a model It is useful and it is not authoritative. The document it came from is linked in the rail, and where the two disagree the document is right.

The report proposed a risk-based Brighton & Hove beach lifeguard service for May to September 2023 after the service budget was reduced by £100,000. It recommended four main lifeguarded beaches, three additional locations during the six-week school holidays, and a review of longer-term delivery options including possible involvement by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Recommendation

Note the risk-based approach; focus core lifeguard resources on West Street / Seafront Office, Palace Pier West, Palace Pier East and King Alfred; provide additional lifeguards at Saltdean, West Pier / Bandstand and Hove Lawns during the six-week school holiday; and review longer-term delivery options, including sponsorship and delivery by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Financial impact

The new budget for running the Lifeguard Service is approximately £0.218 million (£218,000), following a £100,000 reduction. A one-off £60,000 allocation towards maintaining tourism facilities, including the Lifeguard Service, will support additional risk mitigation and safety measures during 2023.

Ward affected

city-wide

Decision maker

Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee

Date in document

9 Mar 2023

Stakeholders named

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Beachgoers and water usersBrighton & Hove residentsTourists and visitorsChildren and familiesPeople experiencing mental health crisisDisabled people and other protected groupsLifeguards and Seafront Team staffRepresentative community groupsSeafront stakeholdersEmergency servicesRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

Next steps

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Operate the interim 2023 lifeguard service from May to September, with service delivery ready from 25 May 2023.
Continue recruitment, testing and training for seasonal seafront coordinator and experienced lifeguard posts.
Share planned service changes with key agencies in the Safety Advisory Group.
Engage representative community groups and seafront stakeholders about the impacts of the reduced service.
Develop and report options for a more sustainable long-term Lifeguard Service for summer 2024.

Precedents

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