A COUNCIL leader in a neighbouring district has branded Brighton a “dump:”

Adur leader Councillor Neil Parkin launched a tirade against the city at a meeting held yesterday afternoon.

Responding to questions from an opposition leader, Conservative Cllr Neil Parkin, who represents St Nicolas Ward in Shoreham, said: “I’m staggered at the leader of the opposition in Worthing quite blatantly having a pop at Worthing, for in her words ‘not looking particularly nice’.

“She obviously hasn’t been to the socialist republic of Brighton and Hove and seen what a dump that is.

“Can I just say that as someone who travels to both places very regularly, Worthing’s quite lovely most of the time.

“Winter’s a bit grey, but most of the time it’s quite lovely.

“Brighton is a dump nearly all year. In fact, all year. Thank you.”

The Argus:

Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell Moyle hit back at the remarks, praising the work of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Labour administration.

He defended his constituency by branding Shoreham a “spill-over of Brighton” and questioned whether anyone elsewhere in the country would have heard of Adur.

He said: “There are many things we need to improve further; action on homeless and street begging, making roads more friendly for people to walk around and shop, and creating more housing.

The Argus:

“But I look at the Shelter Hall development, the kiosk on the seafront, the restored shelters and arches around the i360, and the plans for Black Rock.

“What we are doing is catching up for years of abandonment.”

He added: “To say Brighton is a dump – Shoreham is nice, but really it’s a spillover of Brighton.

“And if I went anywhere in the country and said Adur thinks they’re nicer than Brighton, people would say ‘where?’”

Brighton and Hove Council Leader, Councillor Nancy Platts has demanded an apology to the people of Brighton and Hove.

Cllr Platts said: “I have been working very constructively with other council leaders across the region to lead on the economic recovery for all of us - recognising that people work and live in different towns and cities within the Greater Brighton area.

“Councillor Parkin’s comments are not only damaging to Brighton and Hove as the major city in the region which delivers hundreds of thousands of jobs and millions of pounds to the local economy; but also to the whole region.

“I’m proud of our city and what we are doing to recover from the Covid pandemic and would not dream of making derogatory comments about a neighbouring area – especially at such a sensitive time.  I hope that Councillor Parkin will now apologise to the people of Brighton & Hove and withdraw his unfortunate comments.”