Former council boss Nancy Platts is to step down from her role as leader of the Labour opposition group on Brighton and Hove City Council.
Councillor Platts said that she had taken the decision because of the growing demands of her successful business.
She became the leader of the Labour group in May 2019 and served as leader of the council from then until July last year.
Her stint at the helm included steering Brighton and Hove through the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, pushing for more council housing and affordable homes – and setting up the Climate Assembly.
At the upcoming Labour group annual general meeting (AGM) next month, Councillor Platts intends to step down as leader of the opposition.
As well as devoting time to her growing business, she plans to focus on working with residents in her East Brighton ward and on her community and voluntary work across the city.
Councillor Platts said: “It’s been a real honour to have led the city I call home, both as leader of the council and leader of the opposition.
“I want to thank everyone who has supported me in my time as Labour leader, in particular – council officers, my deputy Councillor John Allcock and my fellow Labour councillors, as well as Labour Party members across Brighton and Hove.
“As Labour leader I sought to remove the barriers between residents and politicians by improving the way we communicate and fostering a healthy dialogue with people across the city.
“I want to thank everyone who has engaged with my columns, sent me your ideas and got in touch with your views – we took all of these on board as we set the direction for the city.
“I’m taking a step back for a short while as my business is growing and I’m somebody who likes to throw myself 100 per cent into everything I do.
“With my business taking off, I feel now is the right time to hand over the leader of the opposition role on Brighton and Hove City Council.
“This will enable me to spend more time in my ward, working with and supporting the residents of East Brighton who have been hit hard by the pandemic, with many struggling with housing costs and relying on food banks.
“I really love the work I do in the community where I am the co-event director of East Brighton parkrun, a member of GoodGym and a member of the Brighton Cooking Club.
“I have recently become involved in the set-up of Brighton Community Workshop and Tool Library – I’m really excited about getting this project off the ground to benefit the whole city.
“Whoever takes over as Labour leader will have my full support.
“I will remain a very active and vocal member of the Labour group and will continue to work towards delivering the Council Plan in the best interests of the city.”
Which Momentum councilor take over Allcock? Gill Williams? Daniel Yates has been waiting in the wing as a sort of Momentum/ sort of moderate candidate.
Can we please have some proper opposition at last?
I think it was Karl Marx who talked about politicians living in a ‘sphere of consciousness’ – where one self congratulatory group all head off in the same direction thinking it’s the right one, and unwilling to listen to others outside the group.
They end up in an ideological cul-de-sac, in this case with slogans like ‘never normal’ and ‘city of sanctuary’.
In the meantime, most of us just want the seafront bins emptied.
It’s high time the Green-Momentum coalition ended, and time that councillors listened instead to their electors and to other city residents.
The current administration is the worst we have seen for a generation. This lot seem like zoom-meeting students led by ideology and fantasy, over realities and practical solutions.
They generally fail to consult, and when they do they limit who they ask to fellow eco-warriors, or else avoid asking the obvious questions for fear of learning the truth. They then lie about the figures found, if that’s what’s needed to help them chase their mis-placed dreams.
Above all, they can’t admit when they’ve got something so badly wrong. And this has been going on for some time, now obvious to all.
Most of us adore this unique place, and would love to see a council that led the way with workable new ideas – but, sadly, the city’s basic housekeeping has never been so bad as it is right now.
Disappointed life-long Labour voter.
That might play well with the B&H electorate in both by-elections as the parry’s fruitcake jump ship!
This was very predictable. She has a history of total failure. Tried to get a closed-down GP surgery sorted-out (failed dismally), led the council (failed dismally) and in between all that tried to get elected (failed) as the Kemp Town MP – although she may possibly have been marginally better than the current incumbent, the totally invisible, far left, useless and uncaring Russell-Moyle.
The next thing we will see is that Ms Platts will desert her adopted Brighton for somewhere more amenable to her unacceptable leftie ideas. Russia?
I can’t forget that at some point she took a job working for Jeremy Corbyn.
I do think she cares about constituents (at least those who voted for her), but, sadly, she has never succeeded in anything she did here, so time for her to go, I think.