Brighton and Hove Greens decide key jobs for the coming year
Brighton and Hove Green Party has named the councillors being put forward for key posts for the coming year.
The announcement comes as Jason Kitcat is due to take over as convenor – or leader – of the local party on Friday (4 May) from Bill Randall.
Councillor Kitcat is expected to be confirmed as the new leader of Brighton and Hove City Council at the council’s annual meeting on Thursday 17 May.
Councillor Randall is expected to become the new mayor on the same date when the current mayor – Labour councillor Anne Meadows – will become deputy mayor.
The key roles will involve chairing committees after the council voted last week to replace the cabinet with a return to committees. The vast majority of councillors regard the committee system as more democratic, not least because it involves more people in decision-making.
There will be seven policy-making committees and two regulatory committees.
The party expects the most important committee, Policy and Resources, to be chaired by Councillor Kitcat with Leo Littman as deputy.
The proposals for the other six committees are that
- Adult Care and Health will be chaired by Rob Jarrett with Mike Jones as deputy.
- Children and Young People will be chaired by Sue Shanks with Ruth Buckley as deputy.
- Economic Development and Culture will be chaired by Geoffrey Bowden with Phelim Mac Cafferty as deputy.
- Transport will be chaired by Ian Davey with Matt Follett as deputy.
- Housing will be chaired by Liz Wakefield with Stephanie Powell as deputy.
- Environment and Sustainability will be chaired by Pete West with Ollie Sykes as deputy.
Christopher Hawtree is expected to take over the Planning Committee with Christina Summers as deputy.
And Ben Duncan is expected to chair the Licensing Committee with the current chairman Lizzie Deane serving as deputy.
The Conservative group held its annual meeting on Monday. Geoffrey Theobald was re-elected leader with Garry Peltzer Dunn and Denise Cobb remaining as deputy leaders. Andrew Wealls keeps the treasurer’s job and Ann Norman stays on as secretary.
Councillor Theobald has criticised the Greens for building in a majority for their party on each committee even though it doesn’t have a majority of seats on the council. It holds 23 out of 54.
He said last week that previous minority Conservative and Labour administrations did not have a majority on committees, reflecting the wishes of local voters.
The Labour group is due to hold its annual meeting on Tuesday (8 May).
