Six Green Brighton councillors vow to vote against cuts budget: enough is enough

After last night's  fizzling out of a Brent Labour rebellion over Council Tax (apparently Cllr Duffy saw little point in a rebellion of one and subsequent disciplinary action) attention turns to tonight's budget meeting of Brighton Council.

In contrast to the massive Labour majority in Brent the Green adminstration is a minority one. There has been fierce debate about the budget in the local party and the Green group of councillors.

Today six Green councillors issued the following press release:

Six Green cllrs today have vowed to continue to vote against any budget containing cuts at today’s reconvened budget council following failed attempts to agree a budget for 2015-16 last week.

Cllr Philips stated "With women facing 85% of the ConDem Government's cuts, and vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities being disproportionately affected, it is time to say enough is enough and to refuse to implement further cuts coming down from central government".

Cllr Buckley said “Homelessness has risen 50% since Cameron has been prime minister, austerity has seen violence against women rise, suicides increase and parents having to face the stark choice to heat or eat at a time when corporations pay no tax. Many residents don’t agree with austerity measures and as such we are exercising our democratic mandate to say no to these savage cuts.”

Cllr Wakefield "As teacher for over 30 years, putting funding into provision for our next generation has to be the right forward-thinking approach. Cutting children and youth budgets is depriving our young people of much needed support, guidance and help'"

Cllr Jones added "Services provided by local government and the NHS are being undermined and dismantled by stealth because of the funding cuts and outsourcing favoured by this Conservative and Lib Dem Coalition government."

Cllr Mac Cafferty said "These cuts hurt the most vulnerable members of our society. As local Councillors we have a duty of care to our residents to reject further cuts to public service funding."