Budget highlights the challenge of deciding spending priorities

As a Labour minority administration we are heading into the busiest part of our year.

With final budget setting meetings just weeks away, we have to hope that our proposals, after months of work, can meet with the approval of a majority on the council.

Given that this is an election year, this may prove even more complex than usual.

Over recent years we have had to find more than £100 million to meet the twin challenges of reduced central government funding and the upward costs of some council services – especially children’s services and adult social care.

We have had to take many tough decisions about how to modernise services, where to invest our limited resources and for whom the greatest additional protection is required.

Each year this problem is becoming tougher and the choices more stark.

However, we have been able to identify some small but important changes to our initial budget proposals.

Firstly, we have been able to propose an additional £250,000 to establish a year-round night shelter for rough sleepers.

Having seen how successful our current winter night shelter provision has been, working alongside our hubs and partners, it’s important to ensure that those who end up rough sleeping have a safe place and access to the services and support that will help them get back into secure accommodation quickly.

Our other plans for ensuring the availability of move-on accommodation and in-house temporary accommodation continue to progress also.

We have also been able to find extra funding to avoid even a small cut to our services for those affected by violence against women and girls.

In a time when families and relationships are increasingly under pressure from financial and other issues, it is right that we ensure that those who too often face the direct effects are given support, safety and protection.

Lastly, we have funded the development of a cycling and walking infrastructure plan.

This will allow us to better understand the city’s needs for additional sustainable transport infrastructure and make sure we can better access the funding needed to deliver it.

Choosing these issues above many others which are competing for such a small pot of “late” available money isn’t easy.

But defending the importance of these to the city and to the most vulnerable in the city is something that I am happy to do.

Councillor Daniel Yates is the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.