Brighton among worst hit areas for austerity in south east

Centre for Cities revealed its annual review of UK city economies, which said local government spending in Brighton and Hove has reduced by 22 per cent since 2010.

It was the second hardest-hit city after Slough, which had seen a 23 per cent reduction in council spending.

Andrew Carter, chief executive of Centre for Cities, said: “Cities Outlook 2019 shows that the cities most affected are economically weaker and have been less able to absorb the loss of central government funding.

“Councils have managed as best they can but the continued singling-out of local government for cuts cannot continue. There is a very real risk that many of our largest councils will in the near future become little more than social care providers.”

The change per head in Brighton is minus £490, whereas the national average is minus £287.

Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “People in Brighton are dealing with a housing and homelessness crisis, local schools are cutting staff, the council has slashed sexual health services and people are struggling to make ends meet on shrinking welfare payments. These are the very real consequences of a decade of brutal government cuts - and the fact that our city has been hit harder than more affluent areas only adds insult to injury.

“Last year Theresa May announced that austerity was coming to an end. Her ministers must use the upcoming spending review to boost Brighton’s budget by at least 22 per cent to reverse the cuts, so the Council can restore basic services to health.”

A spokesperson for the Labour-run Brighton and Hove City Council said: “As with other cities in the UK, Brighton and Hove has responded by becoming leaner and more efficient. The city’s economy continues to perform well.

“In 2018 Brighton and Hove was voted the best place to start a small business, has one of the best qualified workforces in the country, and, as this report notes, is one of the leading cities for broadband connectivity.”

To find out more about Centre for Cities’ research, visit: www.centreforcities.org/about