GILL MITCHELL leads the opposition Labour group on Brighton and Hove City Council

“One of the highlights of 2011 for me was the Brighton Festival with Aung San Suu Kyi as artistic director. She was an inspired choice and the Festival once again highlighted so much of what is great about the city. Despite the evermore gloomy economic news, the wealth of talent from individuals and communities on show and the ability of a lot of clever people working on shoestring budgets to attract visitors here was awesome.
“A low point has to be the realisati on of just how difficult things will get for a lot of people as the government’s austerity measures begin to bite,
especially for young people struggling to get jobs. Addressing this challenge
will call for strong leadership and a firm focus on economic priorities.”