Council Leader Jason Kitcat invites Labour leader for a chat andĀ calls on Labour to let the people, not the Tories decide about a 4.75% rise in council tax.
Labour’s rejection of a referendum to agree a 4.75 rise in the council tax and their call for a vote on no confidence in the GreensĀ was described as ādeeply disappointingā by the Leader of the Council, Jason Kitcat who is calling for other parties to “trust the people of Brighton and Hove to make this decision”.
The proposal by the Brighton & Hove Green minority administration for a citywide council tax referendum was rejected by the Brighton & Hove Labour Party within fifteen minutes of the announcement. The Greens say they intend to hold the vote on the same day as the forthcoming European elections to reduce cost and they claimĀ a majority of households in the city would pay an extra Ā£5.30 or less a month if the proposals are passed and say an extensive discount scheme is in place to help households on low incomes.
The Greens maintain that Labour’s plan to table a motion of no confidence in the Greens and set up an all-party coalition for Brighton and Hove would guarantee bringing the Conservative back into power locally.
Council Leader Jason Kitcat said:Ā “It’s deeply disappointing to see the Labour Party locally reject our proposals out of hand so quickly. Clearly little proper consideration or consultation can be done in fifteen minutes – but Councillor Morgan now has another six weeks to think again, discuss these issues with his colleagues and the unions, and with those vulnerable residents we are seeking to protect with this change.ā
āThese are responsible, carefully costed budget proposals which we have legitimately proposed as the largest party and the council administration. They deserve thoughtful consideration by opposition councillors.ā
He continued: “If as their motion suggests, the Labour Party simply wants to work with the Conservatives, Councillor Morgan is of course free to form a new red-blue administration for Brighton & Hove. We on the other hand have no intention of entering into a coalition with the Conservatives under any circumstances.
āEven the Tory Minister for local government took a more considered position, saying yesterday that ‘we should trust the people’. That’s our position too, and we’ve received a lot of support for it locally from service users, trade union members and other residents.
“There’s a lot of heat in the current exchanges, but not much light. I invite Councillor Morgan to come and meet with me, to look at the specific services which this measure would protect and the way the sums work. I would also encourage Labour members who think it might be more constructive for Greens and Labour to work together on this to make representations to the leadership locally. I’m sure there will be many in the local Labour Party who would support the idea of giving local residents the choice between protecting our public services or Westminster’s austerity agenda.”
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