This is my last Brighton and Hove News column as leader of the opposition ahead of me handing over at Annual Council on Thursday 20 May.
It’s been a real honour to have led the city I call home, both as leader of the council and 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’ll also always take pride in playing my part in seeing the city through the initial stages of the covid-19 pandemic, overseeing the building of more council and affordable homes, and setting up the city’s first ever climate assembly.
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.
I will remain a very active and vocal member of the Labour group and will continue to work towards delivering Labour’s Corporate Plan in the best interests of the city.
Councillor Nancy Platts is the outgoing leader of the Labour opposition on Brighton and Hove City Council.
And thank you also for forming a coalition with the Greens that meant we lost any semblance of an opposition party and democracy.
Also, the Pesticide Ban that only affected one herbicide, introduced without consultation, and 2 years later we still do not have an effective alternative.
And we mustn’t forget your support for the A270 cycle lane extension (and the original total closure of Marine Parade) that cyclists avoid and just causes congestion, delays and increased emissions from traffic avoiding the area.
Cheers Nancy!
Maybe we should list all your failures too?
Is the comments section large enough?
A time to step back and apologise would be more fitting.
Bike lanes healthy commercial success. Yea right…
The woman is still living in Cloud Cuckoo Land if she really believes she fostered a healthy dialogue with people across the city. She and the rest of her cronies on the council have constantly ignored the complaints and requests by local residents, and have just carried on with their own disastrous agenda. “Best interests of the city”? Hmm! Give us a break.