Since winning an extra council seat at the Brunswick & Adelaide by-election in Hove on 4 July, Green councillors have been due to receive an extra seat on the council’s committees.

Despite multiple attempts to meet with the Labour administration and discuss where this allocation should be, Greens were told yesterday (19 September) that their new seat will be on the non-political Licensing Committee, rather than the Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) which helps to oversee the wider performance of the Council.

Greens claim the move is a politically-motivated one, designed to avoid proper scrutiny from the official opposition to the Labour administration.

Currently, Greens have just one seat on the Place OSC – having a second would give them enough councillors to put forward Notices of Motion and propose amendments to items on the agenda, giving them a louder voice and more opportunities to drive the Committee’s agenda.

Earlier this year, Labour changed the council’s governance system from Committee to Cabinet, putting decision-making powers in the hands of 10 Labour Cabinet Members despite making no reference to this in their local election manifesto.

As part of this process, two ‘Overview and Scrutiny’ Committees – ‘Place’ and ‘People’ – were created to scrutinise Cabinet Member decisions.

Steve Davis, Leader of Green Group said: “This is a clear attempt by the Labour administration to stifle democracy and shut out opposition voices. Their switch to the less democratic Cabinet system earlier this year had no mandate from residents, and now they are trying to avoid proper scrutiny by blocking opposition members from the very committees that are supposed to keep the administration in check.”

“It’s more obvious than ever that Brighton & Hove Labour reflect the increasingly authoritarian nature of their national party and are not remotely interested in proper debate and scrutiny. Despite what [Labour council leader] Cllr Sankey may think, people in this city who didn’t vote Labour still deserve their voices to be heard, and to be properly represented within this council.”

Notes

One of Labour’s own councillors, Joy Robinson, is currently under investigation after appearing to brag about Greens having “no voice” in the council, in a now-deleted tweet: https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2024/09/18/here-are-the-reasons-for-the-latest-complaints-about-councillors/

Seats on committees are allocated based on the number of councillors of a political party. Prior to the by-election on the 4 July, Greens were allocated eight out of the total 63 seats – their win at the by-election increased that number to nine.

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Luke (pictured) and Ricky say that residents are frustrated by the poor performance of CityClean and that the toxic culture exacerbated by previously sacked workers being re-employed is one of the causes of this poor service.

They echo Green councillors who recently called for a ‘root and branch’ reform of the way employment appeals are managed and the relationship between councillors and union representatives. 

An independent report by senior barrister Aileen McColgan KC commissioned by the council last year concluded there was a culture of bullying, misogyny, homophobia and violent intimidation in the CityClean workforce at its main Brighton depot.

Labour councillors who were members of the GMB union which represents many waste service workers served on employment appeal panels to consider cases where the GMB appealed a decision on behalf of one of its union members, which could be a conflict of interest.

Greens say that it cannot be right that Labour councillors who were members of the GMB Union, including some who made declarations about receiving donations from the union, played such a significant role in employee decisions about GMB representatives who had been accused of unacceptable behaviour at the depot. 

The KC report makes clear that allegations of political interference extended beyond member appeal panels and it is not acceptable for Labour councillors to refuse to address conflict of interest concerns that have impacted on such an important service in the city.

Three CityClean employees were reinstated by Labour councillors who served on a personnel appeals panel, despite the Labour Party’s close links to GMB union. 

Luke Walker: “There are questions to be answered by Labour on its councillors’ union affiliation and possible biased decision making when serving on these employment appeal panels which the McColgan report was very clear needs addressing”

Queen’s Park Green candidate Luke Walker said, “Greens will defend workers’ rights. We strongly support trade unions and their members. With CityClean, the evidence of a prejudiced workplace and bullying culture identified in Aileen McColgan’s report must be sorted. We believe this goes to the heart of the poor performance of the service over recent years.

“We welcome the decision to end the practice of councillors voting on employment appeal tribunals given the potential for conflict of interest.

“Councillors should not be involved in an employment dispute where they are linked to one side or another by political, professional membership or other affiliation and did not recuse themselves from participating.

“But we need to go further. There are questions to be answered by Labour on its councillors’ union affiliation and possible biased decision making when serving on these employment appeal panels which the McColgan report was very clear needs addressing.

“As Labour are now running the council, they have a duty to be transparent about their links with unions and other interested groups and what that means for workers’ welfare and for people’s waste and recycling services in the city. 

“These independent reports into the actions of Labour councillors, which Labour tried to cover up and are only now emerging through Freedom of Information requests, show that there is a public interest to know more about the relationship.”

Luke added, “We also urge the Labour-run council to publish a 2019 union investigation into workplace culture at CityClean (the Doherty report) which we believe may help the council address some of these workplace problems. So far the Labour administration has refused to release the report. The waste depot’s workplace culture is failing and the city deserves full disclosure if public confidence is to be restored.”

ends 

The KC report into the CityClean workplace culture is available at: https://www.11kbw.com/knowledge-events/news/brighton-hove-investigation/

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2 April 2024 – Ricky, 45, is a community campaigner, disability sports teacher and a dad. Brighton-born, he has lived in the city for most of his life and in east Brighton for the last eight years. 

“Every penny counts right now for schools, social care, charity, community and third sector organisations in the city. So, for Labour to spend a load of taxpayer cash on by-elections in the month that everyone (including me) has seen their council tax bill jump by 5% is wrong.”

Ricky said: “I have been involved with disability sports for years and have been campaigning to get better leisure centre facilities here in Brighton, with our public services, charity and community services being hit hard by cuts.

“I have felt for a long time that our elected officials locally and nationally do not represent people that rely on these public services. At a time when our public services are being stripped back with budget cuts, the people of Brighton and Hove are footing the bill for the by-elections here in Kemptown and in Queen’s Park, due to the previously elected people who won these seats allegedly not living in Brighton.

“Not only should the preceding councillors pay back any allowances or tax-payer money they received, but the party that selected them should pay all the costs to hold this by-election. Every penny counts right now for schools, social care, charity, community and third sector organisations in the city. So, for Labour to spend a load of taxpayer cash on by-elections in the month that everyone (including me) has seen their council tax bill jump by 5% is wrong.”  

Ricky added, “It should not have to be ordinary people  paying for these by-elections during our cost-of-living crisis and as child poverty and homelessness are rising in the city. If elected, you will find me in and around the community, at the end of an email or a zoom call to highlight the things that matter to all the people of Kemptown ward.” 

Ricky is passionate about protecting local services from the massive funding cuts to local authorities carried out by the Conservative government. He is critical of the decision by Brighton & Hove’s Labour-run council to close schools and axe vital voluntary and charity sector funding. In Ricky’s view, Labour have abandoned many of the promises they made to residents in last year’s local elections and residents in Kemptown deserve a strong opposition voice to hold the Labour administration to account. As a wheelchair user, Ricky also has first-hand knowledge of NHS services. 

The Greens were the closest challengers to Labour in the May 2023  local elections.

The Kemptown by-election is taking place due to the resignation of ex-Labour councillor Bharti Gajjar. Ms Gajjar was expelled from Labour last December alongside former Queen’s Park councillor, Chandni Mistry after the party investigated claims that the pair were living in Leicester. Both councillors have allegedly claimed thousands of pounds in allowances, despite barely attending any meetings; they are reported to have been unresponsive when contacted by residents. Questions still remain about how two individuals believed to be living outside the city were selected by the Labour Party. 

Ricky Perrin’s longer personal statement is below ‘Voter Information’ if of interest.

Ends

Notes

Voter information

• The election will take place on Thursday 2 May – polls to open from 7am to 10pm. Remember to bring valid voter ID.
• Voter deadlines: deadline for council to receive new postal vote or proxy vote applications is 17 April, 5pm. 
• More information from Brighton & Hove City Council Elections Department https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/voting-and-elections/kemptown-and-queens-park-elections-thursday-2-may-2024
• Residents in Queens Park ward who wish to vote in the by-election and need to register please visit https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• Or call council electoral services on 01273 291 999 (Monday to Friday 9:30am to 1:30pm) or email: electors@brighton-hove

To help with Ricky’s campaign contact the Brighton & Hove Green Party on our site: https://www.brightonhovegreens.org/contact/

Personal statement from Ricky Perrin

I was born in Brighton and have spent almost my whole life living in different areas of the city, living in east Brighton for the last eight years. In my early 20s, I had an injury that left me paralysed and using a wheelchair; my insurance did not pay out and I spent many years relying on the NHS, doctors, pharmacies, social housing, charities, and community services.

I have first-hand experience of needing our local services, and I feel they need protection so that if you or your family need them one day in the future, they are there for you in your time of need.

I am always getting involved in community bits and pieces, from food co-ops and food banks to community sports and community hubs; many people see me out and about walking my dog around the streets of Brighton, the seafront or in local parks.

Having always lived by the sea I get very upset by the levels of sewage being pumped into our rivers and sea and this led me to get more involved with the Green Party as they highlighted the issue. 

I have a teenage son, now 17. As he has grown up, I have become more concerned with climate issues, thinking about the world we leave behind us for future generations.

I currently work for a local disability charity in the mental health lived experience team. On my days off I take sports wheelchairs to schools and get children playing wheelchair sports like basketball, tennis and rugby. So if your child has returned home from school saying they did wheelchair sports in the last eight years then that could have been with me! I hope meeting them changed the perception of people with a disability they had before meeting me.

A year ago I missed out on being elected in the local elections in Brighton. While  I am really happy to have another go at being elected, I am upset about the reasons why these by-elections are being held! 

I hope that running as a candidate for a second time will inspire more people with mental and physical health conditions and disabilities to get involved in politics. 

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