Brighton & Hove Green Party has condemned the Labour Government’s decision to extend the current term of Brighton & Hove City Council until 2028, denying local people the opportunity to elect a new administration in 2027.
Instead of electing a council with full democratic powers next year, residents will only be able to vote for a ‘shadow authority’, while the existing Labour administration continues to govern Brighton & Hove for a further year without seeking a fresh mandate from the electorate.
Voters expect their choices on polling day to take effect immediately. Yet, this decision means the people of Brighton & Hove – and those expected to join the expanded authority – will not see their council leadership change when they cast their votes. This creates what Greens are calling a “bizarre and entirely undemocratic” situation, where sitting councillors could continue to represent voters, regardless of how strongly they are rejected at the ballot box on the 6th of May.
Greens say the plans also show the Government has not listened to residents of Telscombe and Peacehaven, who will become part of the new “shadow authority”, despite widespread opposition. They claim that the 24,000 people who live in these four wards have not only been ignored throughout the consultations, but will now have their votes next year ignored as well.
Brighton & Hove Green Party believe the 2027 elections should proceed as planned, with those elected taking responsibility both for governing Brighton & Hove and overseeing the transition to the expanded authority. That would give local people the ability to hand out a genuine democratic mandate, rather than leaving an outgoing administration in office for an additional year, making decisions without a mandate to do so.
Cllr Steve Davis, Green Leader of the Opposition on Brighton and Hove City Council, said:“
It is absolutely ridiculous – though barely a surprise – that this government is fine with suspending democracy when it happens to benefit their friends in office. Residents here have been kept completely in the dark with delay after delay on what their future council will actually look like. Now, we’re being told that whatever we decide at the ballot box next year won’t actually change who runs the city for another twelve months.
“Not much could better sum up Labour’s shambles of false promises than for one of Keir Starmer’s final acts to be taking power away from local people, even though his manifesto promised the exact opposite. If Andy Burnham – their next hope for clinging onto power – truly believes in local democracy, his government must let the people we elect in 2027 actually represent us while also taking on the job of building the new-look Brighton & Hove.
“The people of Brighton & Hove are ready to reject Labour in nine months’ time and Bella Sankey’s administration needs to accept that real accountability means facing the voters, not using this transition to cling to power past their sell-by date.”