Phelim Mac Cafferty: Cuts mean dirty streets and rampant graffiti

Though when in opposition, Brighton and Hove Labour group leader Warren Morgan blamed council cuts on the Greens, he now appears to acknowledge the Tory Government’s brutal austerity policies. I would welcome his epiphany if it didn’t smack of hypocrisy (though more likely he’s anxious to look radical ahead of his party’s council candidate selection).

Opponents have long argued that austerity is a Tory government invention created to downsize the state. But just last week the local Labour leadership saw fit to draw up a political pact with the Tories on the council’s budget. You can’t oppose Tory cuts while sitting down with the Tories to conjure a budget deal.

Two years ago Councillor Morgan said council tax was “not something I’d impose on the city’s lowest income households.” Yet the Labour group will now usher in a six per cent hike across our city and in three years has raised council tax by almost 16 per cent.

The farce of Conservative councillors making deals to boost services crippled by their own Government is obvious. But the Labour leadership’s deals expose their comments against austerity as little more than rhetoric.

The council leader is hoping you believe his line that this isn’t a cuts budget. It is. £15m of cuts.

Although to less fanfare than previous years, cuts will hit respite care, children’s care, sexual health budgets, and hammer other vital services like social work.

In the next few weeks Greens will continue to try and reverse some of the worst elements of the budget.

We have challenged the council leadership for pursuing cuts that have gone too far, too fast and for failing to act for the most vulnerable. In key services such as Cityclean cuts are already visible in missed collections, dirtier streets and rampant unsightly graffiti.

Our city’s residents need serious opposition to cuts.

Councils struggling to meet rising demand are being brought to their knees and scandalously, residents reliant on local services will pay the price.

Phelim Mac Cafferty is the convenor of the Greens on Brighton and Hove City Council.