BILL RANDALL Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council

“Winning control of the council at the local elections in May was a defining
moment last year, giving Brighton and Hove the first Green council in the
country. It has enabled me and my colleagues to address issues such as more
and better housing for the most vulnerable people in our city through the creation of Brighton and Hove Seaside Community Homes. And we have made progress in closing the pay gap locally between those at the top of organisations and the poorest paid. The Living Wage Commission will build on this start.
“We are also working hard to create apprenticeships for young people and
local job opportunities generally at an incredibly tough time for the economy. The political and financial backdrop has presented us with our biggest challenge – trying to set a fair budget that protects jobs, services and vulnerable people while the government is cutting our grant funding by more than £30 million over two years. They have made it harder by offering a
one-off incentive to freeze Council Tax. It’s a “buy now, pay later” gimmick and I hope that the people of Brighton and Hove see through it.
“I’m looking forward to another first this year. I hope to become the first
Green Mayor of Brighton and Hove in May. I have built good relationships with many people and organisations across our extraordinary city while enjoying
the enormous privilege of being leader of the council. I hope to make the most of those relationships for the good of the city in my year as Mayor.”