Tony Janio: A grown-up approach to setting the budget

I received looks of incredulity, and it transpired that I was wrong.

The meeting lasted until 8.05pm. I was out by three minutes!

So, how did I get it so close?

The Conservatives took the lead with a grown-up approach, sensible approach to the budget-setting process.

With Labour council leaders across the country resigning, is clear that Momentum is tightening its grip on Labour nationally.

Warren Morgan, the local Labour leader, has resigned, saying that he would have continued, but then tacitly admitting that Momentum had forced his move.

Whatever our political differences, this is no way to end the leadership of a major city.

It is clear that under Labour our city is in crisis. They are a divided party at war with themselves.

This is why, with the possibility of the government being called in to sort out a Labour Budget, we acted responsibly amid a hard-left takeover of the Labour Party in our city and voted, reluctantly, for Labour’s inflation-busting budget: ensuring services across the city will not be interrupted by Labour Party infighting.

There is more. Under the Conservative Government, most children now study in much improved schools and have the best reading skills in a generation.

A minority of children across our city, through no fault of their own, need some extra help to reach their full potential, which is why local Conservatives fought for an extra £460,000 in the budget to provide enhancements to ‘youth services’. Local Conservatives are proud of this achievement.

Three minutes out in predicting the end of Budget Council, I have another prediction. A divided Labour Party at war with itself cannot act effectively or responsibly.

Our city deserves better.

In 2019 the city can have the fresh start it desperately needs and deserves: a Conservative Administration.

Cllr Tony Janio is the leader of the Conservative Group on Brighton & Hove City Council.