THE Argus reports over the past week that basic problems are not being attended to in the city.

It reports on Hove street lights broken for three months, which is having an impact on a resident, a cleaner, who gets up early to go to work ("Hove woman slams council for 'unsafe' broken street lamps in Brunswick Place"); regular mess around overflowing communal bins in Upper Lewes Road ("Concern over plans for communal bins in Brighton's Roundhill"); and only one fine issued for dog fouling in the year up to September 2020 that has prompted residents to take action themselves in Kemp Town ("Fuming residents flag dog poo left on streets in Brighton").

When you consider what our city council spends its time on, it becomes obvious why these issues are not being addressed.

Labour and the Greens combined have spent 76 per cent of their debating time on notices of motion discussing national and international issues it has no influence over as opposed to actual council issues.

That's a total of over eight and a half hours of precious council time wasted.

This included a ludicrous debate on nuclear weapons at the last full council meeting.

Nearly two years after the last council election, Labour and Green councillors seem hopelessly confused about what their job as an elected councillor actually is – which should be about properly running the services in the city that residents rely on day to day.

Robert Nemeth

Conservative councillor for Wish Ward