Councillors have been inundated with complaints about parking permit problems, rubbish and recycling, litter and fly-tipping, overgrown weeds blocking pavements and graffiti.
Labour councillor Gary Wilkinson said that “these are clearly systemic issues” and urged the Greens to admit that there was a problem.
But Green councillor Amy Heley said that the issues raised included areas with policies made under the previous Labour administration.
The exchange took place when Brighton and Hove City Council met at Brighton Town Hall last night (Thursday 21 October).
Councillor Wilkinson had intended to propose a formal motion asking for a dedicated working group to be set up to address the problems.
But the meeting of the full council was abandoned when a Labour member received a positive coronavirus test result.
Councillor Wilkinson said:
“Over recent months my inbox has been inundated with a high volume of complaints from residents angry about basic council services failing to deliver – and I am sure most councillors are receiving similar complaints.
“From delayed parking permits resulting in fines, rubbish and refuse bins not being emptied for weeks on end, pre-dating the bin lorry drivers’ strike, and general dismay with the maintenance, upkeep and cleanliness of many parts of our city.
“I recognise the challenges the pandemic has presented and commend the hard work council staff have undertaken during this time.
“These are clearly systemic issues, not the actions of individual council staff.
“But with graffiti becoming the norm on our once-beautiful streets, residents having to navigate fly-tipping obstacles and the fear of rats, litter on our streets, beaches and in our parks, does the chair of the ETS (Environment, Transport and Sustainability) Committee agree with me that we have a problem?”
Green councillor Amy Heley, who chairs the committee, said that the issues raised included areas with policies made under the previous Labour administration.
The committee had received regular updates, she said, on issues such as improvements in Cityclean, the refuse and recycling service, and in the parks service, Cityparks.
Councillor Heley also said:
“Last week members saw briefings on the next steps taken to address the current IT problems with the parking system.
“Of course, all councillors want to see excellent services in the city, and I look forward to working with you and the rest of the council to deliver services for our residents.”
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