We’re delighted to have won support for our range of proposals to improve the Brighton & Hove City Council budget for the year ahead.

At this evening’s Budget Council meeting, Labour Councillors won support for amendments that tackle disadvantage and support those struggling to get by, restore basic council services, and combat the climate crisis while fostering a healthy, active city.

Labour achieved this by working cross-party where possible and providing effective and constructive opposition.

Labour Councillors secured funding to:

• Roll out free swimming for under 18s across Brighton & Hove
• Abolish library charges for children in favour of an incentive model where children pay off their ‘fees’ by reading more library books
• Hire more street cleaners to improve the appearance of our city
• Maintain the bulky waste service discount for those on low incomes
• Reverse proposed cuts to youth services
• Provide additional food provision and support for local community organisations
• Improve public toilets, particularly on our busy seafront
• Improve roads, and invest in our city parks
• Support community planting schemes to support biodiversity
• Increase resources for the Housing First programme to tackle homelessness
• Provide annual hardship alleviation funding including holiday vouchers for children on free school meals
• Freeze concessionary charges for sports facilities in the city
• Freeze parking charges in our city’s parks
• And more…!

Labour’s successful amendments were funded by protecting the most vulnerable and securing funds from those more able to afford it.

Co-leader of the opposition and Labour’s finance lead, Cllr Carmen Appich said:

“Our priorities when approaching this budget have been crystal clear; tackle disadvantage, protect the vulnerable, support those struggling to get by, restore basic council services that have been failing to deliver, combat the climate crisis and foster an active city of health and wellbeing.

“Our constructive amendments aimed to improve the budget by focussing on those priorities, and I’m delighted they were all successful meaning we’ve secured some big wins for residents.

“From free swimming, to abolishing library charges, to investing in cleaning up our streets, to protecting and supporting the most vulnerable through this Conservative Government-induced cost-of-living crisis, our amendments will improve the lives of our residents, and I’m proud of our cross-party work to get them through.”