News: Brighton and Hove City Council leader Jason Kitcat

In the coming weeks the city council will have to decide its budget. This will be the culmination of a process which began in July 2014 when councillors asked officers to develop proposals to meet the £26 million budget gap we face in the next financial year.

Since then there has been a huge amount of debate, consultation, research and hard work. Lots of information has been provided online at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/bhbudget and surveys have also been sent out to a representative 1,000 citizens. Budget information has been presented to public meetings of the business community, voluntary sector, residents associations and more.

It is an incredibly challenging time for all councils. Recent analysis by the Financial Times confirmed that councils have been by far the worst cut part of government, with budget cuts amounting to 55% in real terms. Our services are seeing rising demand due to our growing population, people living longer and a baby boom. This means our public services will need to change to deliver more for less.

It’s a very difficult, uncertain time for staff and service users waiting to know what will happen. I think the level of government cuts to councils are totally wrong – they are counterproductive and risk harming those who most need help. Privately many councillors of all parties that I meet around the country feel the same way. But in the end all councillors have a legal duty to set a balanced budget for their council. They are obliged to make do with diminished resources.

There will be big political arguments and points of principal in the coming weeks. Yet ultimately, across party lines, we will have to find agreement and do the absolute best we can for our city in the toughest of times.