Opinion

The stakes for Brighton andHove taxpayers are high as the council makes decisions on the mounting debts of the Brighton i360. The struggling attraction has once again failed to meet its twice-yearly loan repayment to Brighton and Hove City Council ­­­­­­and recently the Labour administration...

Thursday 25 June marked an unwelcome milestone for Brighton and Hove. According to our beach cleaning staff, some of whom have worked with us for 15 years, we saw the largest amount of rubbish ever collected in a single day from our beaches. The average collection at this time of year is around...

The dreaded scenes from Leicester this week demonstrate the poverty of information that Brighton and Hove, like areas around the country, has been getting from Conservative ministers, despite claims that councils have been provided with detailed data. It’s absolutely appalling that it has taken...

The debate about whether statues of Cecil John Rhodes, slave owners and even former kings and queens should be pulled down made me think of a very small piece of paper that I possess. It was issued to me in 1978 shortly before I left South Africa. Under the Population Registration Act, 1950,...

As a response to Amazon’s unbelievable decision to continue selling “Blue Lives Murder” merchandise and the hostile, biased media, I’ve taken the very unusual step of writing this response. If some of the words seem familiar, that’s because others have written along similar lines but these...

During lockdown, while we adapted almost every part of our lives, it was virtually impossible not to notice the sudden drop in traffic levels and pollution. In Brighton and Hove, we saw a 70 per cent drop in traffic. Roads that were once a polluted gridlock became free for everyone to enjoy. We...

Two weeks ago, I sat on the council’s inaugural “i360 Member Working Group”. The i360 is in the ward – or neighbourhood – that I represent and, having followed its development closely from the outset, I know that if there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s the “Marmite” nature of it. There...

The covid-19 pandemic has made digital inclusion ever more important, with digital technology keeping people connected while shielding, isolating or staying indoors. In a crisis where digital access and skills are even more essential to get support, food, medicines, benefits, go to work and...

Chaotic changes to home to school transport – and the unnecessary harms inflicted on some of our most vulnerable children – have exposed worrying shortcomings in the council under Labour. Conservatives spoke out before the catastrophe. We spoke up as it unfolded. And we have spent a huge amount...

Beyond the coronavirus pandemic, we are acting on housing recovery and regeneration. And the response to covid-19 points to actions that could end homelessness and provide truly affordable homes. Despite the social distancing guidelines, the coronavirus has enhanced our reliance on and...

As Conservative group Leader, the public safety of residents in Brighton and Hove is always my No 1 priority. Whether it is public safety in relation to crime, anti-social behaviour or the health of vulnerable people, this is something that our Conservative councillors will never shy away from...

More than 10,000 people took part in a peaceful, physically distanced, Black Lives Matter protest in Madeira Drive in Brighton last weekend. As someone who was proud to be there, I can testify it was a moving and powerful event. The Black Lives Matter movement has rightly shone a spotlight on...

Council-built or purchased social housing has grown since restrictions were relaxed on the use of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) – the account that all council tenants’ rents are paid into. We promised to provide a minimum of 800 additional council homes over the next four years and we are...

We have all experienced dramatic changes to the way we travel around Brighton and Hove in the past few months. People are cycling and walking more and, due to massive changes to the way we live since lockdown, the number of cars on our roads has fallen significantly. In normal times, travel and...

The Conservative government has given a £259,000 grant to provide the opportunity for the safe reopening of Brighton and Hove’s high streets. The money is being given to Brighton and Hove City Council – additional funding to support commercial areas to get our local economy back on its feet....

In normal times, we welcome visitors to Brighton and Hove. We have a large tourist sector that helps drive our local economy and we’re proud of the local businesses, attractions and events that bring people to our city year after year. But we are still nowhere near to being back in normal...

I welcome the comments from the chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board indicating that she thinks care workers in Brighton and Hove are underpaid. Councillor Clare Moonan must now back these words up with action and address a discriminatory council pay policy that adversely affects care...

We are working hard to ensure local businesses get the vital financial support they are entitled to help them stay afloat through this public health crisis. Our local businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and a key part of what makes our city special. I understand how difficult these...

One of the huge positives caused by the decrease in motor traffic during the lockdown has been the ability of families to use the road space in our residential streets not only for walking and cycling but also for play. Skipping, chalking, scooting, kids simply running down the middle of their...

We have 65 fantastic schools in Brighton and Hove and the council is very proud of all the hard work their staff have put in during an extremely challenging time. Nearly all our schools have been consistently open for the children of key workers and the most vulnerable since lockdown. I know...