Since May 2015 Labour have been the administration of Brighton and Hove City Council.
This means in effect that we have been able to give direction to officers over the way in which our city responds to many of the pressures and challenges that we face.
However, Labour has also been a “minority administration”. This means that in 2015 we did not win enough council seats to be able to deliver against all our manifesto commitments.
And for getting decisions taken and policies changed we have required support from other political parties or independent councillors with no political party.
In around two weeks we will know the results of the city council elections on Thursday 2 May and which political party (if any) controls the city council – and so will be starting to deliver against their manifesto promises.
Obviously I am more than a little biased but I genuinely believe that over the past four years, given the lack of a Labour majority, and given the tens of millions of pounds removed by the Tory government’s austerity programme, Labour can be proud of a strong record.
But in reality people don’t always vote in elections for the promises delivered in the past.
They also vote for the hope and ambition that is demonstrated for the next four years.
Labour’s manifesto for the city, which is available online at brightonhovelabour.com, outlines a broad policy platform to ensure that our city retains its status as a great place to grow, live, work and visit.
We must meet the challenges of global climate change and the unaffordable nature of our housing supply and also find ways to protect our city from potential economic shocks like Brexit.
Labour’s team of council candidates, who all hope to be elected, are working hard across the whole city to seek your support and explain how we would meet these challenges.
They may already have contacted you or may be just about to knock on your door – please be kind. They are very committed people and would like to help drive the city forward for the many, not the few.
Councillor Daniel Yates is the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.
