Greens secure backing for “a budget with recovery from crisis at its heart”

Brighton and Hove’s City Council has approved the ruling Green councillors’ budget for 2021-22 this evening (Thursday 25th February 2021).

Brighton and Hove’s Green Council has approved its budget for 2021-22, featuring £27m investment into climate action, as well as new investments in equalities work, housing and homelessness and economic recovery.

At the city’s budget council meeting on Thursday 25th February, both Labour and Conservative councillors voted to approve the budget, following negotiations of a three-party compromise amendment.

The Green budget also included a recent addition of extra funds for domestic violence services, with £50,000 in recurrent funding, along with an additional top up this year increased from the Greens’ original proposal.

This year’s budget is the first since the Green Party became the council’s largest party in July 2020. In July, the council was predicting more than £30 million overspend in services but is now projecting an underspend of just over £4 million.

Councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, Leader of the Council commented:

“Since taking control of the council in July 2020, in the midst of the health crisis, we have worked tirelessly to plan a better future out of the pandemic for our city.

“We are pleased that opposition parties have voted for the Green Council’s budget for the city – which has put recovery from this crisis at its heart.”

Councillor David Gibson, Joint Finance Lead said:

“Our priority was for a fair budget – while austerity cuts and the impact of the pandemic has forced councils across the country into bankruptcy, we have focused on keeping core services on their feet. The budget protects jobs and prevention services putting the city in the best possible place to bounce back.”

“We are thrilled that other parties have come together to put the needs of the city first and voted through our budget for 2021-22.”

Councillor Tom Druitt, Joint Finance Lead added:

“Now we can continue our focus on tackling the city’s three crises – the climate crisis, the housing crisis and the economic crisis as we recover from the pandemic. After a year of one damaging health crisis, it is not an option for us to allow residents to bounce straight back into another.

“Greens remain determined to ensure a Green recovery to tackle the challenges ahead.”

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