In papers released today, the Brighton & Hove Green administration revealed their final budget proposals after the most extensive budget consultation the city has seen.

Initial proposals were published at the beginning of December.

For the first time the council produced two-year budget proposals and new 'carbon budgets' accompanied by the most extensive equality impact assessments yet.

In addition to changes announced two weeks ago, further amendments have been made, including more money to bring empty properties in the private sector back into use; new funding to support those who will be most affected by council tax benefit changes; and management and administration expenditure reduced by an extra £250,000.

Councillor Bill Randall, Leader of the Council, commented, "As promised, we opened the biggest budget conversation the city has seen.

"Residents have come forward and offered constructive suggestions for what they would like to see in the budget, and we've taken those into account.

"We've sought to protect as many services as possible from government cuts, particularly those for the most vulnerable, and among the protected services are homelessness, eligibility for social care, and youth services.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet member for Finance & Central Services, added, "The other parties have been quick to use the consultation process to criticise, but have fallen short on offering any alternatives.

"The Tories and Labour have already said that that they intend on uniting to impose a further £5.4m reduction in services on the city by taking the government gimmick grant, so they should come clean about what services or jobs they're cutting to fund this."

The final budget amendments include:

2012/13

*£200,000 extra to be spent on bringing empty private properties back into use.

*£100,000 to be restored to bus service subsidies.

*£31,000 set aside to phase in an increase in allotment fees over two years

*£22,000 set aside to smooth transition from RNIB audio book service.

*£750,000 to support a shift to a localised Council Tax Benefit scheme, as the government has not made clear how costs will be funded.

*£1,239,000 one-off funding to support the ‘Workstyles' programme which focuses on improving customer access, saving money and reducing carbon footprint through better use of buildings and office spaces.

2013/14

*£308,000 restored to the Supporting People budget.

*Management and administration expenditure reduced by a further

£250,000.

*£250,000 new funding to help support those who will be most affected by changes to localised council tax benefit.

*The proposed food waste pilot still to go ahead and will now be funded by efficiencies in CityClean and bids to external funding sources. £500,000 re-allocated to other budget amendments.

Notes

For more on the consultation please see:  http://www.brightonhovegreens.org/localsites/bh/news/green-led-council-listens-after-biggest-ever-consultation-on-council-budget.html

*The full details can be viewed in the papers for the Cabinet meeting on Thursday 9th February, here: http://present.brighton-hove.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=120&MId=3229

*Brighton & Hove City Council's budget will be agreed by all councillors at the annual Budget Meeting on Thursday 23rd February.

It was always assumed that Brighton and Hove Conservatives would vote for a council tax freeze in the city, supporting their national party policy.

But for the first time yesterday (Thursday 26 January) Brighton and Hove Labour councillors formally declared themselves in alliance with the Conservatives, saying they would likely reject the Greens' proposals for a 3.5% council tax rise.

They chose instead the Tories' tax 'freeze' and the £5.4m in cuts to council services that would accompany such a freeze.

The council motion carries no weight and has no effect on the budget proposals themselves: it was just indicative of party feelings.

Green cabinet member for finance, Councillor Jason Kitcat said, "City politics have gone in a bizarre direction for the Labour Party to be uniting with the Conservatives to impose an additional £5.4m in cuts on the people of Brighton and Hove.

"We already face huge austerity measures from the Conservatives in Westminster and now Labour says it will be helping the Conservatives to make things even tougher in our city.

"These 'blue Labour' councillors have spent the last two months criticising the Greens for what they call frontline cuts.

"Now they're declaring that if they had their way, they would impose a further £5.4m reduction in services.

"Yet they don't seem to know how they would fund the £5.4m that the tax freeze would cost. So we call on the Labour councillors to get their act together and reveal their cuts in detail.

"We gave the city plenty of time to look at our proposals and suggest amendments, to which we listened.

"It's only fair on the people of our city that the both Labour and Conservative councillors should reveal their cuts or admit that they don't actually know how they would balance the books.

"It's time for them to put up or shut up."

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party press office on 01273 766 670.

The Brighton & Hove Green-led council administration has announced proposals to relaunch the quarterly business and trader parking permit schemes, under which a business permit may be renewed every three months for just £85 while a trader's permit is only £160.

Councillor Ian Davey, cabinet member for transport, said, "We know how important cashflow is to any business so we're ensuring that no business need lay out more than £85 at a time to park a vehicle near their place of work, while just £160 a time provides a trader's parking permit, under which a vehicle can be parked in any zone across the city, near their site of work.

"We believe the quarterly payments go a long way to offset the proposed rise in permit costs because they minimise the effect on cashflow.

"Relaunching quarterly payments, coupled with our recent reduction to our proposed business permit prices, shows that we are listening to businesses and doing what we can for them, despite the huge pressures of central government cuts and rising congestion in the city.

"With business parking at less than £1 a day and the ability of traders to park in any parking zone across the city for less than £1.80 a day, our proposals offer a significant boost to the business community."

Ian also pointed out that some newspapers are continuing to print a price of £400 a year for business parking whereas the correct figure is £300 a year.

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

Trader parking permits are designed for those businesses that work on varying sites across the city, in multiple parking zones, and need their vehicles nearby.

They may be used in any city parking zone. Under Green administration proposals, such parking freedom would cost less than £1.80 a day for all traders who obtain the permit, and need not involve an outlay of more than £160 a time.

Businesses that need only to park consistently near one place of work, in a single parking zone, should buy a business permit which, under post-consultation Green proposals, would cost £300 a year, or £85 a quarter, which amounts to less than £1 a day.

It is proposed that the new parking rates would start in April 2012.

They will also be proposed as leader and deputy leaders of Brighton & Hove City Council, to serve for one year from May 2012.

All fully signed up members of Brighton & Hove Green Party will have a vote.

Candidates must be members of the Green Group on the council.

Nominations have been opened, candidates' names will be announced on Saturday 18 February and the results of the ballot will be announced on the afternoon of Sunday 4 March 2012.

This will allow plenty of time for successful candidates, especially if new to their forthcoming posts, to shadow the present leadership team before taking up office themselves.

The new Green leader, deputy leaders and the mayor-elect will be proposed for formal election at the city's Annual Council on Thursday 17 May.

The present deputy leaders, councillors Amy Kennedy and Ian Davey, will reach the end of their annual terms on that day, as will the present council leader, councillor Bill Randall, who has been selected by the Greens and the whole council to serve from then for a year as Mayor.

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

Shocking statistics provided by the Campaign to End Child Poverty show that nearly 60% of children living in poverty have at least one parent who works, compounding the belief that too many jobs in the UK are poorly paid.

Tower Hamlets has the highest percentage of children living in poverty in London (almost half) with other London boroughs including Islington, Camden and Hackney also having a high proportion of children living in poverty.

This means that their family's income generally falls below 60% of the average income of £25k. 

Some neighbourhoods in Brighton and Hove also have some of the poorest social indicators in the country.

Greens say the government appears again unable to deal with poverty levels in some of the most deprived areas of the country.

The commitment of the government to help children in these areas will be brought into question as cuts are likely to make many families as much as £1,250 a year worse off by 2015.

Britain continues to be socially segregated with the "life chances of millions of children damaged by poverty and inequality'' claims campaign executive director Alison Garnham. (1)

"Public sector cuts have taken away part of the capital's safety net for those struggling financially and increased the strain on families struggling to stay afloat.

Many of the parents of these children are in work but don't earn enough to ensure a high standard of living." said Jenny Jones, Green Party London Assembly Member

Notes

For more information, please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

1)   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16483257

Pic: Bill Randall, Green council leader, sets out proposed council tax plans for Brighton & Hove December 2011.

The branch secretary of the big GMB trade union in Brighton and Hove has come out in support of the Green city council administration's 3.5% council tax increase to protect frontline services.

The GMB represents many council workers.

Speaking in a personal capacity, GMB branch secretary Mark Turner said, "The GMB agrees that the plans to increase council tax by 3.5% this year are in the best long term interests of the city.

"The Coalition government offer of a freeze in council tax is a bribe that would quickly leave the city much worse off, and less able to provide the services that residents expect and need.

"It seems that Brighton Labour and Conservative parties have not grasped the financial realities of the long term damage taking the council tax freeze would create.

"The city already faces extreme challenges because of the Coalition's huge reduction in the grant to the council - taking the freeze offer would make the situation even worse.

"While the increase may seem unfair to residents, the truth is that we will all be much worse off without it, not just the council staff who will lose their jobs, but the whole city would suffer as services deteriorate needlessly."

Green finance councillor Jason Kitcat said, "We are delighted the branch secretary of the GMB has come out in support of 3.5% Council Tax.

"Like the GMB, we agree that frontline services and jobs come first. 

"The Tory government has been joined in the last number of days by the Labour Party in attacking jobs and pay.

"The GMB and Unite the union leadership have both a growing rebellion against the Labour leadership's mistakes.

"The GMB in Brighton and Hove and the Green administration are joined by an ambition to protect frontline services."

Notes

For more information, please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

After an extensive consultation period with residents and businesses, the Green administration on Brighton & Hove City Council has revised its budget proposals, with good news for the council's popular Music & Arts Service.

Initial budget proposals were published over two months earlier than usual, outlining how the administration intends to protect services for the most vulnerable despite the Coalition government's unprecedented £35m cuts to Brighton & Hove.

The draft proposals for consultation did not touch the core government funding for Music & Arts but phased out the council subsidy.

However, as council proposals were being drawn up, the government revealed that in addition to cutting council funding, they were also cutting their core grant to the music service, creating an unexpected ‘double whammy'.  

The Conservative-LibDem government has also shifted some of the funding from councils to academies.

In response to feedback from community groups during the consultation period, the Green administration yesterday announced revisions to the initial proposals, reinstating a full council subsidy to the service in 2012-13 and 75% of the council subsidy in 2013-14.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet Member for Finance & Central Services, commented, "We published proposals over two months early as part of our pledge to involve residents as much as possible.

"We have been able to make changes to the areas people told us they were particularly concerned about, and these include the highly popular Music Service.

"Our thanks to all who have participated in the consultation process and given us their opinions.

"We've listened and we are very pleased to be able to tell them that council funding is now being protected in the coming financial year and there will be plenty of time to prepare for a reduction the following year.

"We always wanted to protect the most vulnerable from these ideological cuts, so it was crucial that the service would continue to provide subsidised tuition and instruments to those from the least well-off backgrounds.

"However, I'm delighted that the additional funding we are putting into the service means that it will also continue to provide other events, schemes and programmes."

Notes

For more information, please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

*The draft administration budget was published on the 1st December - earlier and in greater detail than any budget previously, to allow for an extensive consultation period. This unprecedented move meant everyone in the city had more information and time than ever before to contribute to the discussion.

*The service previously received two thirds of its funding from a ringfenced core grant from central government, and another third from bonus funding the council granted.

 *In addition to the above-average cuts of a third over four years to Brighton & Hove City Council's grant, the government announced it would cut the core grant to the Music Service by approximately 38% by 2015.

*In response, £160,000 is being put into the Music & Arts Service, reducing the originally proposed saving by three quarters.

*In response, £160,000 is being put into the Music & Arts Service, reducing the originally proposed saving by three quarters. In 2012/13 there will now be no reduction in council subsidy, and in 2013/14 the subsidy will be reduced by 25%. 

The Green administration on Brighton & Hove City Council has modified its budget proposals to deal with Coaliton Government cuts in response to consultation feedback.

The draft budget was published earlier and in greater detail than any budget previously, to allow an extensive consultation period.

For the first time the council produced a two-year budget to allow for long-term planning, new ‘carbon budgets' and the most extensive equality impact assessments yet.

This radical and unprecedented move meant everyone in the city had more information and time than ever before to contribute to the discussion.

Through social media, an online budget simulator, public meetings, a webcast chat, letters, petitions, councillors speaking with residents, and media debate, Greens have extensively engaged with residents and groups in the city

Councillor Bill Randall, Leader of the Council said, "We pledged to give residents a full and proper consultation. We kicked off the conversation, we listened and we have responded. Our thanks go to the residents who participated, making this the biggest budget conversation the city has seen".

"In response we are changing some of our proposals. Residents have spoken, in contrast to the dearth of meaningful proposals from the opposition parties. In a time of unnecessary austerity measures backed by the Conservative and Labour parties, we are proposing a fair budget"

The following changes have been made to the budget proposals:

* £160,000 is being put into the Music & Arts Service, reducing the originally proposed saving by three quarters. We will shortly publish the details of how Music and Arts will benefit.

* A number of public toilets will remain open, including those in Saunders Park & Vale Park.

* Charges for traders and business parking permits will be reduced from the originally proposed levels.

- Traders currently: £350, original proposed £750 - new proposed level £600;

- Business currently: £175, original proposed £400 - new proposed level £300.

* The parking tariff for the Eastern end of Madeira Drive will now be put into low price zone all year.

* Highways 2012/13 will receive an additional £30,000 to enable us to maintain lines and signs.

* City in Bloom will be provided £25,000 one-off transitional funding to help them reconfigure into a group with a sustainable, independent future.

* Shopmobility will be provided £29,000 one-off funding to help transition the service to a new funding model.

* The proposed £55,000 saving will no longer come out of the small grants fund in 2013/14, meaning help for many groups across the city that apply for small grants, often as seed funding to enable bigger projects.

The originally proposed £120,000 saving will no longer be taken from the Youth Employability Service in 2013/14.

* An additional £142,000 will be put into Children's Centres, reducing the level of saving required in 2013/14.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet member for Finance & Central Services commented:  "We had a genuine, open consultation on our budget.

"We have been able to make changes to the areas people told us they were particularly concerned about.

"We remain open to input from the community as we continue to work in the face of the huge cuts imposed on us by the government."

Notes

*Fuller details on each of these changes will be published in the coming days.

*Members of the Green administration will be available for interview today (Wednesday 18th January) and tomorrow (Thursday 19th January)

*The complete revised budget will be discussed at Cabinet on 9th February ahead of the full budget council meeting on 23rd February.

For further information please call Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas wrote to the Guardian newspaper. Her letter is below.

To the Guardian newspaper editor:

In his interview with your paper on Saturday, Ed Balls effectively holds up a white flag and admits that Labour has given up any attempt to set out an alternative economic agenda (Beyond the hair shirt: Labour party can give Britain the tough love it needs, insists Balls, 14 January).

His capitulation before the Tory-led coalition's definition of economic credibility as meaning ever more fiscal austerity, and his jaw-dropping statement that "we are going to have to keep all these cuts" calls into question the very purpose of the Labour party.

Moreover, the choice he poses between higher public sector pay or growing unemployment conveniently ignores the fact that many public sector workers are on very low incomes, and falsely suggests that we can't afford to fund both.

It is investment in decently paid jobs that generates income, and thus the tax revenues to pay for credit or borrowed money, not the other way round.

 Instead of trying to outcompete the government in some kind of masochistic virility test to see who can threaten the greatest austerity, an opposition party worthy of the name would be making a far stronger case that austerity isn't working, and offering a genuine alternative.

A combination of more progressive taxation, a crack down on tax evasion and avoidance and, crucially, Green quantitative easing to deliver investment directly in the new jobs and infrastructure the UK urgently needs to make the transition to a more sustainable economy, would do far more to challenge the government than the Tory-lite policies set out by the shadow chancellor.

Caroline Lucas MP

Leader, Green party

Against a background of having to manage draconian Coalition government cuts to council funding, and in an age where many towns and cities across the country are permanently closing libraries, the Green administration has announced its 2012 budget proposals for libraries.

All 14 Brighton & Hove fixed libraries would remain open and, as previously announced, a new library would be built in Woodingdean.

Just two lower-use libraries would see a reduction in hours, but no libraries are to close.

Councillor Geoffrey Bowden, cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, said, "Given the swingeing cuts that central government is imposing on local authorities, it is an important victory for us to announce that we propose to keep all 14 Brighton & Hove libraries open.

"And at a time when so many other towns and cities are closing libraries, we're even building a new one in Woodingdean and improving Sunday opening hours for our flagship Jubilee Library, in response to public demand.

"Retaining all our libraries means a reduction in hours for just two libraries at their less busy times, but this is a small price in the face of the government cuts and shows the Greens' commitment to frontline services."

Jubilee Library's Sunday opening would be extended by an hour in the afternoon, balanced by closing an hour earlier on Thursday evenings, which is a time of low demand.

"Across the week, the total number of hours at Jubilee Library would remain unchanged.

"The two libraries which see proposals for reduced hours are Hangleton and Portslade, whose opening times would change from five and a half days to four days a week.

"After-school clubs would continue as before in both libraries and, in Portslade, the Gateway Children's Centre would carry on being supported.

Geoffrey added, "Our proposals for Hangleton and Portslade, together with general efficiencies, enable us to meet stringent budgetary targets yet continue to provide Brighton and Hove with an excellent service where virtually everyone has a library within walking distance and library services continue to be available seven days a week."

Under the administration's proposals, the city's mobile library service is to be withdrawn. 

Geoffrey explained, "The vehicle is getting increasingly expensive to maintain and would cost in excess of £120,000 to replace.

"However the most telling justification for proposing the withdrawal of the service is that nearly 70 percent of the registered users also use static libraries. 

"Of the remainder, Council figures show that just three people are housebound. 

"They and people who have significant difficulty getting to a library can still be served by our excellent Home Delivery service, so should not be disadvantaged."

"The mobile library will not disappear completely, though. 

"It will reappear in Woodingdean to provide continuity of library services for residents while the new library, more than double the size of the existing facility, is being built."

"The administration is also taking up a suggestion put forward by the Labour group to explore whether the third sector would be interested in running a mobile library service, since it sometimes can access capital funds needed to purchase a new vehicle.

"I thought this was an interesting suggestion and I have asked both Labour and Conservative councillors to participate in discussions, should there be an appetite from the voluntary sector to take on this service," said Geoffrey.

"Sadly those discussions are unlikely to provide an answer in time for the council to agree its budget, but are certainly worth exploring".

The service for people with visual impairment is changing but in a way which, again, protects the vulnerable, with the present scheme (under which users' individual RNIB subscriptions are paid for them) being replaced by new arrangements with the charity Calibre Audio Library, together with implementation of the national Six Steps initiative, to ensure that users do not suffer in the provision of services.

 Notes

For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

Consultation on all library proposals begins on Monday 16th January and continues until 10th February 2012.

Proposed changes would begin in April 2012.

"A consultation leaflet about library hours will be available in all of the city's 14 libraries and can also be accessed via Brighton & Hove City Council's consultation portal.

"Letters to all registered users of the mobile library and all those currently accessing the RNIB talking books service are being sent seeking feedback on the proposed changes as part of the same consultation.

Pic: Louisa Greenbaum (C) JJWaller.com

Commenting on the result of last night's by-election in Westbourne Ward, Hove, Luke Walter, Elections Coordinator for Brighton & Hove Green Party, said, "Our excellent candidate, Louisa Greenbaum, fought a wonderful campaign but this is a traditionally conservative ward and Graham Cox is a popular candidate somewhat in the mould of his long-standing predecessor, Brian Oxley.

"The Greens are in the middle of a council budget in which we're forced to absorb an unprecedented £35m of Tory-Coalition cuts and, in these difficult times, we have chosen to protect our most vulnerable adults and children by proposing a small council tax rise of 3.5%.

"No tax rise is ever popular yet voters have remained loyal: last night's result is a re-run of May 2011, with the leading parties placed in the same order and the Greens continuing with a quarter of the votes.

"The people of Westbourne have clearly accepted the Green budget and the Greens' performance during our first seven months in office.

"We believe that as our budget proposals take effect next year and people are able to see how well the city fares compared to other councils across the country, the voters of Brighton and Hove will agree with our judgement and will continue to support us across the city."

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670. 

Full result 

Susan Patricia Collard  The European Citizens Party  13

Graham Cox Conservative Party Candidate          1027

Louisa Elly Greenbaum  Green Party  645

Nigel Jenner The Labour and Co-operative Party Candidate  826

Gareth Jones Liberal Democrat 45

Paul William Perrin   UK Independence Party (UK I P) 36

Pip Tindall  Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts  20

Pic: Green candidate Louisa (centre) meets mums in the Westbourne area. (C) JJWaller.com

Vote Green. Vote for a positive future In Westbourne On Thursday 22 December

Westbourne polling stations open 7am - 10 pm  Call 01273 766 670 for more info or help

Green candidate Louisa Greenbaum said, "Please consider going Green tomorrow in the Westbourne by-election.

"A Green vote will help us deliver change for a fairer, greener city - even in the face of devastating budget cuts from the Coalition Government.

"I have lived on Westbourne Street, in the heart of the ward for six years.

"I'm involved in community groups and my kids attend West Hove infant and junior schools.

"I understand many of the front line issues affecting families here and all over the country.

"If elected, I promise to be hard working, listening and understanding as a city councillor.

"Our canvass returns suggest we are in pole position to win a seat from the Conservatives.

"There's already a Conservative councillor representing you. 

"Another Conservative councillor won't change much.

"But a Green councillor will offer a grass roots voice for local residents in difficult times.

"If you want to soften the worst of the Coalition Government cuts to public services and help deliver a brighter, fairer future for the city, consider going Green and voting for me on Thursday."

Notes

For more information or to offer help please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party on 01273 766 670.

The Green-led council in Brighton and Hove is to be joined by at least three Labour councils in the North-east in setting a 3.5% council tax rise to offset the enormous cuts to local government.

Labour-run Darlington, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees councils are also looking at rejecting the Government's proposals because of the financial problems they create.

Last week the Government announced that any proposed council tax rise above 3.5% would be subject to a local public referendum.

*Brighton & Hove Greens proposed a 3.5% council tax rise earlier this Councillor Bill Randall, above, Leader of Brighton and Hove Council commented: "As predicted, more councils are recognising the problems the Government's gimmick creates.

"Taking the freeze would mean more cutsto public services. In Brighton & Hove accepting the £3m grant offer would cost £5.4m over two years.

"Our local Labour party was quick to support taking the Tory bribe. Will they now condemn their colleagues around the country who are following our suit?"

He added, "The Government last week announced that any proposed rise of above 3.5% should be tested by a public referendum.

"They must believe that a rise of 3.5% is acceptable in the current circumstances. As more councils begin work on their budgets, we expect see more following our lead in trying to protect services."

Notes 

*Brighton & Hove Greens proposed a 3.5% Council Tax rise earlier this month with proposals for next year's budget. The consultation process has begun more than three months earlier than usual and is nunprecedented in scale and openness.

*Last month the Local Government Chronicle reported that a fifth of councils they surveyed were considering rejecting the government grant for freezing council tax, including authorities run by Conservative groups.

*The LGC has reported that three Labour councils - Darlingtonn Borough Council, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council -were planning on also raising council tax by 3.5%.

*The Department for Communities and Local Government announcement that any rises above 3.5% would be considered excessive and would be subject to a public referendum:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/2046485.

*A summary of Brighton & Hove budget proposals is available here:

http://bit.ly/BHBudgetSummary

*Additionally FAQs (http://bit.ly/BHBudgetFAQs) and Mythbusters

(http://bit.ly/BHBudgetMyths) on council tax are online.

"The council and the football club want the Albion to continue to flourish, bring Premiership football to Brighton and Hove, sustain and develop its highly successful community work, to expand the stadium by 8,000 more seats and create even more jobs. We are working together to achieve these goals.

"We have agreed that a travel survey for a 30,000-seater stadium will be produced by independent consultants for the Stadium Transport Management Group and funded by the Albion.

"The terms of reference will be produced jointly by the club and the council.

"As part of that work the consultants will consider the coherent provision of travel options for fans walking or cycling to the ground, using buses or trains and those using their cars.

"Ways of improving bus and car flow and lessening the impact of parking in local areas, particularly in Moulsecoomb and Coldean, will also be considered.

"The Albion has successfully encouraged fans to use public transport, and the fans have responded.

"More than two thirds of them travel to and from the ground by public transport on match days, which is about three times the average for other football league grounds.

"Together we want to build on this success to make it even easier for fans to get to and from the Amex.

"Some work is already in hand. Next week, for instance, the council is talking to the Department of Transport to discuss funding for bus priority measures in the Lewes Road, which could greatly help bus flow on match days.

"The council and the club are also looking at options for the demolition of the old Falmer School building and the provision of temporary accommodation for The Bridge Community Project, which is part of the fabric of East Brighton.

"Together we will also consider the long-term future of the Falmer Retained Land and find a permanent home for The Bridge.

"This is a vital piece of cooperative work for the football club and the city."

Councillor Bill Randall and Martin Perry

For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

You can find them here http://www.psa.ac.uk/

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party on 01273 766 670

More information on the draft Brighton & Hove City Council budget here.

Today, budget proposals were unveiled by the UK's first Green-led council, opening an unprecedented three-month long period of public scrutiny before the budget is set in February 2012.

Pic: Bill Randall explains the draft Brighton & Hove City Council budget at a press conference in Hove Town Hall.

At an event in Hove Town Hall this morning, the Green administration of Brighton & Hove City Council presented its plans for ‘A Fair Budget for Tough Times' against a backdrop of exceptional funding cuts by the UK's Conservative-led Coalition Government.

The proposals seek to defend services for the most vulnerable men, women and children in the city from government cuts.

Among protected areas are: homelessness services, support for carers, and community and voluntary sector grants.

They have been drawn up after months of consultation with partner organisations, other political parties, the community and voluntary sector, union representatives and residents.

Leader of the council Bill Randall commented, "The first budget produced by the UK's first Green-led council: this is a fair budget for tough times.

"The Tory-led Coalition has imposed cuts of at least 33%, at source, in the funding we receive from central government for this council term.

"This is above the national average at a time when our obligations to those most in need are increasing.

"Nevertheless, in this draft budget we have honoured our manifesto pledge to protect services for the most vulnerable men, women and children in the city as far as possible.

"Many city organisations, the other political parties and more than 2,000 citizens accepted our invitation to take part in the conversation that has helped produce this draft budget, through meetings and social media.

"Their participation in drawing up these proposals is unprecedented in the city and in most other local authorities.

"However we are only half way through the conversation. We urge anyone who has not yet participated to give us their views."

Councillor Jason Kitcat, Cabinet Member for Finance & Central Services, added, "We are breaking with tradition by presenting two-year proposals so that the council can plan more effectively and to ensure that the focus isn't solely on short-term savings.

"Because of the Conservative-led government imposing huge cuts in our funding, we have had to make savings across the council.

"However we have been led by our Green values to make this budget as fair to residents as possible.

"In the draft proposals we are seeking to make as many savings as we can from joint working, improved contract management, exiting excess buildings and IT efficiencies.

"We have worked hard to keep job losses to a minimum while protecting frontline services.

"There have been difficult choices and we welcome residents' views on the current draft of the budget.

"By reviewing subsidies and fees, and proposing a below-inflation 3.5% tax increase, we will be able to protect key services including those for carers and homelessness prevention, and to maintain levels of adult social care.

"We have also been able to maintain levels of support for the community and voluntary sector."

 Green proposals protect the following areas:

• We propose no reductions in support for carers nor any reductions for mental health provision. We want to see no changes in the eligibility criteria for adult social care, in contrast to Conservative-run West Sussex County Council which has removed support for those with ‘moderate needs'.

• In contrast to most councils, we plan to preserve youth services as a council amenity.

• Unlike Labour-led Hounslow Borough Council and Conservative-run Southampton City Council, we are seeking no reductions to staff terms and conditions in 2012/13. We are planning on consulting to simplify and consolidate our pay structures in 2013/14. We aim to resolve the web of complex, historic allowances, which make payroll difficult and result in pay disparities.

• Our commitment to a minimum, living wage of £7.19 per hour for council staff is protected.

• We are seeking no reductions in spend from the grant that prevents homelessness, and only small efficiency savings from the Supporting People budget.

    * In contrast to Labour-led Lewisham Borough Council, which has slashed community grants, we propose no reductions to the council's main grants programme to the community and voluntary sector.

Key Green priority areas supported by re-prioritising existing budgets include:

• To support our ambition of creating a more equal city, we will use £300,000 of one-off money to institute a three-year grant programme supporting community groups and the third sector in providing youth services.

• We will allocate £50,000 in recurring money to support the Downland Initiative and tie it in with our newly in-sourced management of the council's downland property portfolio. This will help improve access to the South Downs and enhance biodiversity.

• We plan to set aside £500,000 in the 2013/14 budget to fund a food waste collection pilot in the city, pending the outcome of various funding bids which we hope will significantly contribute to the cost. This will help the city boost its currently low recycling rate.

• We will allocate £150,000 in recurring funds and £35,000 in one-off funds to the Council's sustainability team. This is to replace grant funding which is ending and to ensure the Council is able to meet its targets for reducing its footprint and providing a leadership role in the city on sustainable policy.

Notes

For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.  

* The draft budget sets out a savings target of £35m from the council's general fund over the next two financial years. It is proposed to meet this through a mix of savings and new income.

* The 2012/13 proposals have a gap of £0.3m yet to be identified; this is primarily due to the government's recently announced cut to feed in tariffs for solar panels, which affects the planned income from the council's installations of panels.

* A summary of the paper, mythbusters, Q&As and other supplementary documents can be found at this page.

* Full council papers are available at the Brighton & Hove City Council website at http://bit.ly/vaekpR 

On the day before unveiling the UK's first ever Green council budget, the Green councillors at Brighton & Hove City Council yesterday called on their opposite numbers on the Labour benches to work with them in protecting vital services from the Coalition cuts imposed on local authorities.

This morning (Thursday 1 December 2011), the Green administration in Brighton and Hove presents its first budget in draft form, initiating the second phase in a four-month public consultation, before the budget goes to a final vote of the full council in February 2012.

This is the longest and widest-ranging budget consultation ever held in Brighton & Hove and has already included three public workshops around the city, together with an online budget simulator* which has been used by around 2,000 people so far.

In an open letter to the Labour councillors yesterday, the Green councillors wrote, "In the coming weeks we will be immersed in debating proposals for the next two years' worth of council budgets.

"This will be incredibly challenging as the coalition government is forcing massive cuts on our council.

"The council will have to reduce its spending by about £20m this year and £17m next year.

"The local Conservative party clearly support the cuts being imposed by the coalition government.

"They would like us to cut an additional £5.4m in services over two years to pay for a one-off council tax freeze.

"Greens believe in protecting public services. What does Labour believe?

"We call on Labour councillors to work constructively with us to set a budget which protects services and refutes Tory policies.

"Residents, staff and service users need a clear, orderly budget process in these difficult times.

"Will Labour councillors put tribal party politics to one side and work with Greens to protect vital public services, especially for the most vulnerable in our city?"

The letter was from the Green group of councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council.

Notes

For more information please contact Brighton and Hove Green Party on 01273 766 670.

* The budget simulator may be found at

http://www.budgetsimulator.com/brightonandhove

A survey published last week by the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) shows that a range of councils across Britain, including two Tory-led districts, plan to follow the Green administration's decision in Brighton & Hove to reject the Coalition government's plan for council tax freezes and instead to increase their council tax for 2012/13.

One fifth of Britain's councils seem in a mood to refuse Eric Pickle's freeze subsidy, with six councils having decided to reject the deal outright, while the rest are undecided.

It is not known which councils these are, as they answered the LGC survey on a condition of anonymity, but the LGC itself reports that two of them are Conservative.

Brighton & Hove, the UK's first Green-led council, announced in June that it would increase the 2012/13 council tax by 3.5%. Now it seems that up to 20% of councils may follow this lead.

Brighton & Hove will be formally confirming its proposed council tax when it launches its budget on 1 December.

Jason Kitcat, below, Brighton and Hove Cabinet member for finance and central services, said: "In the House of Commons, David Cameron criticised Brighton & Hove Greens for rejecting what amounts to little more than a cynical bribe from the Coalition government.

"Now we find that two Conservative councils are among those who think we've got it right and the government has got it wrong, with more perhaps to follow."

He continued: "One major reason we have for declining the deal is that it only lasts for one year which means that the following year councils would either have to implement larger tax rises, and a larger shock to tax payers' pockets, or cut services even more deeply.

"The LGC survey shows that even councils that will implement the freeze agree with us on this and are very uncomfortable as a result.

"Another reason is that our approach enables us to defend vital services against Coalition-imposed cuts.

"Our plans give us an additional £5.4m in the budget over the next two years. We intend to spend it on safeguarding services and protecting the vulnerable. Councils who take the Coalition bribe won't have that."

He concluded: "And the cost is bearable for tax payers. The government has claimed that the freeze will save an average £72 per household but we don't know where they get this figure.

"Our calculations show that our increase next April will cost our council-tax payers around 57p a week extra for an average city home, which is £29.64 per year.

"We think that's a fair price to pay if we can preserve vital services which would otherwise have to be axed."

You can read the article here:  http://www.lgcplus.com/finance/full-take-up-of-council-tax-freeze-unlikely/5038086.article

For further information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party on 01273 766 6700

Mother of two and local resident Louisa Greenbaum, of Westbourne Street, Hove, is to be the Green Party candidate for the 22 December by-election in the Westbourne area of the city.

Pictures (c) JJWaller.com

The UK's first ever Green council budget will be published on 1 December.

The publication day is a radical departure from previous practice at Brighton & Hove City Council, being almost three months before the budget must be finally agreed.

The Green-led council says it wants to provide for wide-ranging, transparent and unprecedented consultation with city residents and other affected stakeholders.

Green Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council Bill Randall said, "We are committed to making the first Green budget as transparent and accessible as possible.

"It has become clear that this could not happen if the unveiling were to coincide with the public sector day of action on 30 November.

"We want our proposals to receive the fullest possible scrutiny, so we have decided to publish them on a day when residents, council staff and councillors are able to give them proper attention.

"We also recognise that the planned day of action is immensely important for public sector workers in the city, who are defending their pensions from the Government's ideological clawback.

"We recently stated our support for the day of action and will join our staff on the picket lines.

"We do not want to detract from the important action and debate taking place on that day."

The budget proposals will be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on 8 December, and will go on to become the subject of the largest public consultation process ever to be held on a Brighton & Hove budget.

"The consultation will last for three months before the budget is finalised in February 2012.

Bill added, "The Greens' 'open book' approach to the budget is unprecedented.

"From very early, we involved Conservative and Labour councillors in looking frankly at the options we faced and we have met with union, community and voluntary sector representatives.

"Three budget workshops for the public have already been held around the city, about 500 people have so far used the online budget simulator* to set their own budget and another 1,900 have completed part of it.

"The budget will also be on the agenda for the City Assembly for council housing tenants on Saturday 19 November.

"More consultation will follow the publication of the budget papers.

"This is in stark contrast to a year ago, when the then Conservative administration published its proposals without consultation fewer than four days before the crunch meeting."

Notes

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.

* The budget simulator may be found at http://www.budgetsimulator.com/brightonandhove

In addition, as part of the corporate plan, the city's Medium Term Financial Strategy is laid out with useful budget projections and FAQs at http://corporateplan.brighton-hove.gov.uk/medium-term-financial-strategy