Greens and Labour turn on each other after budget vote

Brighton and Hove Green councillors have criticised their Labour rivals for abstaining in the vote on an amended budget at last night’s dramatic council meeting, while Labour has said the Greens acted ‘irresponsible’ in opposing it.

The parties combined forces to push through £2.7m worth of amendments to the budget, including the scrapping of a planned cut in council tax and overturning the plan to rip up cycle lanes in Hove, however, the amended budget was passed after only the Greens rejected the proposal.

Labour 'lost its nerve' says Cllr Randall

Green Convenor Cllr Bill Randall said: “Once again, Labour has shown all the courage of their abstentions. With their help we amended the budget to save the Hove cycle lane and to reverse the planned cuts in council tax and resident’s parking permits, which were clearly aimed at wooing voters for the May council elections. The money raised from our amendments will be put to good purpose protecting front line services. Together we could have wrung more concessions from the Tories.”

“Unfortunately, Labour fell at the first fence, leaving us as the only political group on the council to vote against what remains largely a Tory budget that imposes cuts of more than £23 million on the city and will increase the hardship faced by vulnerable and low income people of all ages while cutting more than 200 council jobs. We could have done so much more to protect them, if Labour had held its nerve.”

However, Labour responded by saying the Greens had acted ‘irresponsible’, as the two parties jostled for position as the strongest opposition party ahead of May’s local elections.

Brighton & Hove Labour Leader, Councillor Gill Mitchell, said: “I’m glad the Tories accepted Labour’s alternative budget. It is a fairer budget for tough financial times, which saves Brighton & Hove’s vital frontline services and local jobs at no extra cost to the taxpayer.

“The Tory budget cut jobs and slashed services to pay for a council tax cut and the daft removal of a cycle lane at a cost to the taxpayer of £1million. Labour opposed this outright.

“The Greens had been working with us to present an alternative budget but acted quite irresponsibly last night. For example, when the Tories finally accepted our alternative budget, the Greens voted against, thus voting down their own proposals, including perversely, to vote against leaving the Hove cycle lane in place.”

Related Posts:

• Greens fume at Labour as budget recriminations begin
• Opposition parties urged to see sense ahead of budget meeting
• Council tax rise confirmed in Draft Green Budget
• Council leader reflects on 100 Green days in office
• Greens and Labour to work together to review budget

Posted by Joseph Lewis on March 4, 2011. Filed under Featured,Green Party,Labour. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry