Pride Community Parade grant of £20,000 protected for another year.
AFTER failing to set a budget for 2015-16 at the Council’s six hour budget meeting last Thursday, (February 26), City Councillors reconvened today to try once again.
They took just 30 minutes to adopt Labour’s joint budget amendment proposals which will result in an increase of 1.99% in the Brighton & Hove element of the Council Tax.
The vote was 26 for the joint amendment, nineteen against with two abstentions.
The adopted budget tackles inequality and reflects the challenging reduction in funding from Government, protects services for residents, visitors and businesses, whilst continuing to invest in preventive work in social care and public health.
Councillor Warren Morgan, Leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group, said: “I’m pleased for residents that enough Greens ultimately saw sense and voted with Labour to set a Budget. Alongside our amendment to secure funding for children’s centres, voluntary sector organisations, domestic violence refuges, public toilets and more, we are pleased with the result that delivers the kind of outcomes residents have told us they want. We are disappointed that the Conservatives would not negotiate to back our efforts to freeze parking charges.”
“I condemn the Militant Greens and the Conservative Group for pushing us to the brink of handing control of our local services to Government-appointed commissioners, who would have inflicted cuts even deeper and faster than already imposed by this Conservative government. Once again common sense has prevailed and for the second year in a row, Labour has set the Budget. If elected in May we can get to work rebuilding a council that works for all residents and every neighbourhood across the city.”
Council Leader Jason Kitcat said: I’m very pleased that councillors have come to agreement and set a budget today. There are still challenging things in that budget that we need to do but also important services that have been protected and I look forward to moving forward. There are difficult times still ahead though.”
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald, Leader of the Conservative Group, added: “It is incredibly disappointing that, despite our council tax freeze budget getting the highest number of votes last Thursday, the Labour Party is still unwilling to compromise and work with us, despite them being the smallest Group on the Council.
“It is so depressing, though completely predictable, that Labour and the Greens have abandoned full reform and modernisation of Cityclean to put it on a proper business footing and also our proposed restructuring of senior management and the Assistant Chief Executive’s service.”
Among other things the budget settlement protects the Pride Parade grant of £20,000, saves the Mayoralty from being scaled down by the Greens and protects under threat children’s centres from closure.
You must be logged in to post a comment.