The majority Labour group on Brighton and Hove City Council elected two deputy leaders among more than half a dozen other officers last night (Tuesday 9 May).
The party won 38 out of the 54 seats on Brighton and Hove City Council at the local elections last week.
The new group first met straight after the count when Bella Sankey was elected leader – a post which also means that she is leader of the council.
Last night the Labour group held the first part of its annual general meeting (AGM), which is taking place over two nights, with the second due next week.
Gill Williams was elected deputy leader, Jacob Taylor became the second deputy leader and will lead on finance while Amanda Grimshaw was elected chief whip, with responsibility for morale and party discipline. John Hewitt and Jacob Allen will be deputy whips.
Veteran councillor Les Hamilton will be the group’s chair, with Paul Nann as his deputy, Jilly Stevens was elected secretary and Joy Robinson as treasurer.
A campaigns lead will be elected next week while those who will chair council committees will be chosen by Councillor Sankey in her capacity as leader, in line with Labour’s own party rules.
The council posts will be subject to ratification at the “annual council” meeting later this month.
Councillor Sankey said: “I am thrilled that Councillor Williams and Councillor Taylor have been elected as our deputy leader and finance lead respectively.
“Councillor Williams has transformative ideas for housing in our city. She has championed the need for landlord-licensing, social and supported home-building and requiring developers to build first – not second – homes.
“Equally, Councillor Taylor is a superb choice to lead our city through stormy financial headwinds. His outstanding financial experience, deep knowledge of our city and commitment to social justice means we could not be in better hands.”
Councillor Williams said: “I am honoured to be taking on the role of deputy leader and I am delighted to support our fantastic leader Bella in her duties.
“I cannot wait to get started on helping to deliver on our manifesto pledges.”
Councillor Taylor said: “I’m delighted to have been chosen as Labour’s finance lead and am looking forward to working with Bella and Gill to implement our programme for the city.
“Local government finances are in a challenging position all over the country – and that includes Brighton and Hove.
“I hope to use my professional experience to help better manage the city’s resources and deliver the basic services that Brighton and Hove residents so desperately need.”
But what will happen to MacCafferty and Allbrooke? Will they remain in politics, or does a career in toilet cleaning beckon?
Who cares – they’ve gone – but will be interesting to see who they choose as replacement party leads, as the remaining Green Party councillors aren’t very inspiring.
My money’s on the car hating driving instructor
Most important role for Bella to appoint will be Chair of ETS. We need a competent chair who is willing to get on top of the weeds situation and who is able not to be bullied by officers around transport plans. Less emphasis on cycling and more emphasis on walking and cheaper and improved public transport is key as well as listening to disability and old age groups when it comes to access.
I think the focus on cycling came from then Green Party ETS deputy Jamie Lloyd who had regular meetings with pro-cycling groups such as Bricycles, Brighton Active Travel, Sustrans, and Cycling UK, to decide plans.
You recall he was on the Jeremy Vine Show gushing about cycle hangars, and recently extolling the benefits of Beryl bikes.
You’d have thought that committee members would be unbiased and consider all road users, but with our Green friends they are all on “missions” – interestingly Jamie’s new Twitter handle, now he must also be looking for work, is @jslbikes 😉
I thought he still works for Sustrans?
Yes – those Beryl Bikes are real value for money. Another Green Win / another financial disaster for the local taxpayer
I asked him when he’d appeared with Jeremy Vine being pedantic about “road tax” and he said his contract with Sustrans had ended. He had another job listed on the council’s “register of interests” but I can’t remember what it was. Perhaps he’ll go back to Sustrans?
Thia is shaping up to be a strong team. Could we be about to start turning around the awful damage inflicted by the Green Party’s incompetence, arrogance and authoritarian inclinations?
They have been such a disaster.
Real test will be when it comes to the shake up of senior officers. Surely some must be for the chop?
Certainly the Transport Department at BHCC needs a damn good kicking. All we get is dogma driven pet projects and financial profligacy. Hopefully this will now change, as we don’t have the Green cycling zealots rubber stamping the crazy schemes
Hopefully Liz Loughran is picked for the transport committee as her experience will be put to good use there
I’ve got my doubts about Labour, but we’ll see how they get on. Personally i think their number one priority is to clear the scourge of graffiti, which as i travel around Brighton seems to be increasing on a daily, or nightly basis. A privately owned wall is neatly repainted and within 24 hours some moron has scrawled on it again. It also covers brickwork and stonework. It should be very easy for the police to catch them as it occurs on such a regular basis. We’ll see how their election pledges pan out. So for the moment, Not My Council#.