1 week Ago
As we approach the halfway point of this council term, I’ve been reflecting on all the things this administration has done so far – but more importantly, all the things we still want to do for the city. Whilst I feel pride at many of the policies we’ve implemented, including things that were difficult and controversial, my overwhelming feeling is one of restlessness – how can we keep improving things in the city, and find ways to help unlock the potential of our residents and local businesses? From delivering new housing sites to improving sport and leisure facilities, from resurfacing our roads to cleaning up tagging, from delivering further stages of the Maderia Terraces renovation to unlocking development at Black Rock – there is so much scope for this city to continue improving and rebuilding. I have often been critical of the previous Green administration, who bristle and make excuses in response.
It is true that they faced difficult circumstances, with a global pandemic and tight finances. But my overriding impression was of a set of people who had given up the fight: well-meaning councillors who cared about the environment, but who didn’t seem to have any passion left for taking on difficult circumstances and improving the city. Because the truth is – even when money is short, an impatient but focused council can pull the right levers and deliver change.
That’s why, despite facing a larger funding shortfall in our first year than the Greens ever did, we neither proposed the closure of public toilets, nor overspent the budget. Indeed, we have been reopening public toilets and have delivered under budget – releasing money to support vulnerable residents with our Fairness Fund. Brighton & Hove has long been a city that ‘punches above its weight’, and we must never accept an attitude of managed decline.
We must continue to improve basic services, but also look to the future and be ambitious for residents. So – what should the city focus on in the coming years? There is no greater need in this city than for affordable housing. From the thousands of families on the housing waiting list, to the young people struggling to get a decent first flat, to the residents who tragically sleep rough – we know that there aren’t enough affordable homes in the city, and we must keep fighting to change this.
2024 saw the largest number of housing units delivered for over a decade (1,075) – but we need more. We have limited space and high land values in the city – so we need to be creative. That’s why, last month, I called on Sussex NHS Trust to work with the council and accelerate plans to deliver housing on the large general hospital site.
And we can go further – the council remains a large landowner, with commercial and operational buildings, as well as plots of unused land dotted around the city. Later this month we will be making decisions on whether to use some of those assets to deliver affordable homes for residents. An ambitious and progressive city must also invest in public assets and infrastructure.
It’s been wonderful to see Hove Beach Park take shape, and we must keep pushing forward with plans to build a new leisure centre at King Alfred. Every part of our Seafront can and should be a source of pride for residents, and a draw to visitors. Which is why we’ve created a new Seafront Development Board to drive improvements – particularly in the east of the city.
The site at Black Rock is finally ready to be used or further developed, and I believe it offers the city a golden opportunity to be bold and creative. Could we see the development of a spectacular modern arts centre and theatre, with panoramic views across the English Channel? Sitting above all these ideas is the question of local, and sustainable, economic growth. The reality is that most local councils are not major players in shaping their local economies.
This is very different to much of Europe, where local government has more power and money to drive economic development – which is why devolution is such an important step in unlocking the potential of our region. Whilst we look to the future and aspire for better, we must always remember the core job of a local council: to deliver basic services for residents. We know that the waste and recycling service has fallen below the standards we should all expect in recent weeks – and we are working hard to catch-up.
Residents and visitors deserve a clean city with waste picked up on time, and that is exactly what we are working to ensure. Brighton & Hove’s biggest asset is its creative and insightful population. Do you have ideas about exciting and ambitious projects for the city? If so – get in touch! Cllr Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader of Brighton and Hove Council · Deputy Leader of the Labour Group.
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