Greens: their first year report in charge of Brighton and Hove

But on the eve of stepping down to become the city’s mayor, he said he will miss the role.

This is despite controversies over travellers, parking charges and struggling to meet the party’s pledge to resist all Government cuts.

A disagreement with Brighton and Hove Albion over land for a temporary car park, the construction of cycle lanes and the introduction of widespread 20mph zones will also be remembered.

But Coun Randall, who passed over the reins as head of the minority administration to finance cabinet member Jason Kitcat as he became Brighton and Hove’s non-political ceremonial figurehead today (May 17), said: “I think we have lived up to the hype in a lot of ways and have moved a lot of things forward.

“We have learned a great deal and that will help the group in future years. I think Jason will do a really good job as leader.

“I think the other parties expected us to wobble and we have not.”

BUDGET

Setting the 2012/13 council budget, in Coun Randall’s eyes, was the “most difficult challenge”.

With about £18 million of savings to find due to Government cuts, the Greens had as a cornerstone to their plans a 3.5% increase in council tax.

However if the council froze the rates it would receive a one-off £3 million grant from the Government.

About 8,000 people responded to an Argus poll on council tax with the majority asking for a freeze in the rates.

This was secured after the Conservative and Labour groups united to vote to amend the plans and take the Government grant.

Coun Randall said: “No one wants to increase charges for allotments or football pitches but we were committed to protecting the homeless and the most vulnerable and we feel we managed to do that.”

Coun Kitcat, who as finance cabinet member was responsible for much of the budget, said: “It did get amended but if you look at any other minority administrations across the country that goes with the territory.

“It was a really good start given that we began from a standing start.”

He added that the Greens were determined to get more people involved in having their say for future budgets.

TRAVELLERS

One of the more contentious issues in the Greens’ first year has been illegal encampments in the city’s parks and open spaces.

Official figures show that there were more travellers in the city last summer than in previous years, while critics claim groups have not been evicted quickly enough.

However this is rejected by the Greens, who remain committed to their “firm but fair” approach to illegal encampments.

Coun Randall said: “The issues with travellers and gypsies we will have again this summer. It is a real challenge for whoever is in power.

“We have not significantly changed the way we as the council deal with the issue and we have identified a permanent site [at Horsdean].

“Meetings like the one in Patcham [where hundreds of people attended a public meeting about the planned site] were always going to happen wherever we decided it should go in the city.”

PARKING

Since April 1 and a raft of changes to tariffs, scores of residents and traders have contacted The Argus asking for the local authority to Park The Charges.

But Coun Kitcat said: “It should come as no surprise that as the country’s first Green council, parking charges were something we were going to look at.

“All of the money raised will go towards transport schemes, largely concessionary bus fares.

“We want to make sure that people visit areas that are not currently being used. Car parks cost us money whether they are being used or not.

“We did respond to people’s feedback and we introduced a middle tariff for the charges in Madeira Drive. At the moment it seems to be working but we will review it again properly in the next six months.”

Coun Kitcat added: “I do not accept comments that Greens do not get business.

“I moved specifically to Brighton as I thought it was a good place to start a business.”

MAJOR PROJECTS

Sites which have sat empty for a long time, such as Anston House in Preston Road, Circus Street market and Preston Barracks in Lewes Road, have all progressed in the last year.

Plans for the council to loan £14 million to help start the i360 on Brighton seafront are also being discussed.

There is also hope to develop the 47 hectares of greenfield site known as Toad’s Hole Valley in Hove, which is opposed by hundreds of people in the nearby area but supported by business leaders and the voluntary sector.

Coun Randall added the council was also building homes on corner plots and other vacant land in local authority-owned estates.

Coun Randall said: “I think the mindset in the city has changed from the outset.

“People now believe that Brighton is open for business again when the feeling was it was not for a time.”

INEQUALITY AND COMMUNITIES

One of the earliest decisions by the council was the introduction of a living wage of £7.19 an hour for 350 of the lowest-paid council workers.

However, plans to extend this to businesses in the city have been met with some opposition.

Coun Randall said: “We do understand that it’s difficult for some parts of the city’s economy to do it.

“With the living wage we have started a process and we have not finished it.”

The publicly subsidised Bright Start nursery has also been saved from closure, while the city’s first two neighbourhood councils, which are aimed at giving residents more control over their areas, will be set up this summer.

GREENEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY?

Among more controversial measures have been the construction of a cycle lane in Old Shoreham Road, plans to create a bus lane in Lewes Road and the planned introduction of widespread 20mph zones.

This, along with revised parking charges, has resulted in an armful of complaints from motorists.

But both senior councillors said transport had been one of the areas the administration had been most successful in.

Coun Randall said: “We have won £8 million in extra funding for transport which has gone towards cycle and road improvements.

“Generally I think there is a recognition that if people give us money we will do something with it.”

Coun Randall added that the council would be pushing ahead with the bid to create a UN Biosphere in the downland while making the city a gateway for green tourism to the South Downs National Park.

But he admitted the plans to install solar panels on buildings had been made “very difficult” after Government changes to subsidies.

OPPOSITION PARTIES

The Greens (23 council seats) have faced fierce opposition from the Conservative (18) and Labour (13) groups on the council.

Some of their rivals openly criticise members of the minority administration as the “loony left”.

But with a return to the committee system, which will see all councillors take a more active approach to making decisions, Coun Kitcat admits there will be times when the parties have to find common ground.

However he added: “I think they really fear us setting a good example.”

Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald said: “After a year in office it is becoming increasingly difficult to find anyone who says they will vote Green again. Their main achievement seems to have been to alienate and upset most residents and businesses in the city, whether it be by their massive parking charge hikes, increasing charges for using sporting facilities or by welcoming travellers, squatters and assorted protesters.

“With all this going on I’m not surprised that Coun Randall is getting out to become mayor.”

Labour group leader Gill Mitchell said: “We have seen a year of missed opportunities and broken promises, with the Greens failing to get to grips with the key issues facing the council and the city.

“The Greens came to power promising to implement their aspirational policies. However, in the cold light of day and with the responsibility of running the city, they have found that reality doesn’t always mix well with their ideology.”

But Coun Randall said: “It’s in the interests more than usual for both parties to discredit us.

“You look at Labour and they used to have three MPs and ran the council and now they are down to 13 councillors and a life peer.

“If we succeed in these four years then it’s very difficult for them to come back, while the Tories disagree fundamentally about much of what we believe in.”

How would you assess the Greens’ first year in power in Brighton and Hove?