As we see the dust settle from the local elections in Brighton and Hove, none of the parties saw the results we were all hoping for.
Labour didn’t become the majority administration. The Greens didn’t become the minority administration. The Conservatives didn’t even remain the largest opposition party.
So all in all, we are having to have a complete reset as a council.
It is important that we listen to the residents of the city and deliver on their wishes and what they have said to us on the doorstep.
It is time now for us as a collective of local politicians to discuss and find the common ground on these issues and then deliver them as is the will of the people.
There are many policies which we all support and agree need our action from housing needs, rough sleeping and homelessness, school funding and places, adult social care, health and wellbeing, essential frontline services and reducing traffic and pollution.
I am sure that once we sit round the table and have collective discussions we will hopefully find more policies or ideas that we can all work together to achieve.
As we see a time of uncertainty in the country as a whole, we need now to accept our responsibility of our elected offices and work to improve the lives of every one of our residents and those who work in the city.
As we look to the summer months coming, we will see tourists visiting our city and it is important that we make them feel welcome, safe and that they have a good experience in a clean, vibrant and energised city which will encourage them to return in the future.
I am immensely proud that my group members placed their trust and support in me to become their group leader at this time and I need to honour that trust.
It is the same for the city as I can say that we in the Conservative group will support all that is right with this “no overall control” council and will support the policies that will deliver for the city.
Councillor Steve Bell is the leader of the Conservative group on Brighton and Hove City Council.
