'˜I would have liked to have done five years': Outgoing council leader on stepping down

After three years in the top job leading Brighton and Hove City Council, Warren Morgan is set to step down next week.
Cllr Warren MorganCllr Warren Morgan
Cllr Warren Morgan

In a final interview with the Brighton & Hove Independent, Cllr Morgan talked about what was next for him, and gave some advice for the new Labour leader Daniel Yates.

But he also addressed his reasons for stepping down ahead of next year’s council elections.

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Over the last three years running a minority administration, Cllr Morgan has not only has to battle with opposition parties, but he’s also been embroiled in a battle within his own party.

Seen as part of the ‘Blairite’ wing of the Labour Party, Cllr Morgan has seen fierce opposition from the Corbyn-supporting Momentum faction within the city.

He answered ‘yes’, when asked if he would have continued as leader if it wasn’t for pressure from Momentum.

“We could have carried on with this civil war or we could have lanced the boil, and ultimately it was me going that did that,” he said.

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“The party has changed beyond all recognition since the summer of 2015 and obviously the party as it is now does not feel I should be part of it.”

Cllr Morgan was first elected in East Brighton 15 years ago, becoming council leader in May 2015.

He said: “For all the pressures and all the difficulties and all the weekends with people shouting at me on social media, there is no better place to run a council. It is my home city. It was beyond my ambitions to become leader of the council and it has been a huge privilege.

“I would have liked to have done five years to be honest, to secure that majority and hand over some projects, to have handed things over in more of a complete state than I have been able to.”

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On the soon-to-become council leader Daniel Yates, Cllr Morgan said: “He comes to the role with more experience than I had as he has been in the leadership team of health and social care. He is extremely capable and someone I absolutely trust and support.”

His advice for the new leader was: “Switch off social media at the weekends. It can get really full on. On the other hand people said I was accessible. They could talk to me at the weekends. Even if people did not like what they hear, they know you’re being honest.”

Cllr Morgan will remain the councillor for East Brighton until May 2019 when he will stand down from politics. On what’s next, he said. “Taking a break and seeing what’s next for me personally, politically and professionally and I hope I can use the experience that I have gained in some other role to help people locally. I am going to take my time to find out what that is.”

Highs and lows

Cllr Morgan said among his greatest achievements as council leader were the successful campaign to start the renovation of Madeira Terrace, building new social housing, the joint venture with Hyde to deliver 1,000 affordable homes, and seeing the progress of projects such as Preston Barracks and Circus Street.

Lowlights included government cuts to council funding, the Brexit vote.