Brighton and Hove City Council
Arms of Brighton and Hove City Council
Coat of arms
Brighton and Hove City Council logo
Corporate Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1997
Preceded byEast Sussex County Council
District councils
Leadership
Mayor of Brighton & Hove
Jackie O’Quinn
since 25 May 2023
Leader of the council
Bella Sankey, Labour Party
since 5 May 2023
Chief Executive
Will Tuckley
Structure
Seats54 councillors
Brighton and Hove City Council composition
Political groups
Administration (36)
  Labour (36)
Opposition (18)
  Green (7)
  Conservative (6)
  Independent (3)[1]
  Brighton and Hove Independents (2)[2]
Joint committees
Greater Brighton City Board
Length of term
4 years
Elections
Plurality block voting
Last election
 4 May 2023
Next election
 6 May 2027
Meeting place
Brighton Town Hall
Hove Town Hall
Website
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk

Brighton and Hove City Council is the local authority of the city of Brighton and Hove. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It provides a full range of local government services including Council Tax billing, libraries, social services, processing planning applications, highways, waste collection and disposal, and it is a local education authority.

History

After the 2023 Brighton and Hove City Council election, it was revealed that the council was facing bankruptcy according to new council leader Bella Sankey.[3] In December 2023, two councillors Bharti Gajjar and Chandni Mistry were removed from the Labour group after allegations concerning the councillors' places of residence.[4] In March 2024, Jessica Gibbons will become the new chief executive. Gibbons is currently at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.[5]

Powers and functions

The local authority derives its powers and functions from the Local Government Act 1972 and subsequent legislation. For the purposes of local government, Brighton and Hove is within a non-metropolitan area of England. As a unitary authority, Brighton and Hove City Council has the powers and functions of both a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. In its capacity as a district council it is a billing authority collecting Council Tax and business rates, it processes local planning applications, it is responsible for housing, waste collection and environmental health. In its capacity as a county council it is a local education authority, responsible for social services, libraries and waste disposal.

Museums service

The council's museums service takes the name Royal Pavilion & Museums, and operates the Royal Pavilion, Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, Hove Museum and Art Gallery, the Booth Museum of Natural History and Preston Manor.[6]

Political control

The current makeup of the council is:[7]

Party Councillors
Labour 38
Green Party 7
Conservative 6
Brighton and Hove Independents 2
Independent 1

Since the first election to the council in 1996 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[8]

Party in controlParty in minority lead
Labour1996–2003
No overall control2003–2023 Labour2003–2007
Conservative 2007–2011
Green 2011–2015
Labour 2015–2020
Green 2020–2023
Labour2023–present

The Green led council from 2011 to 2015 was the first of its kind in the United Kingdom.[9] The Greens regained control of the council in 2020, after the incumbent Labour administration collapsed and made way for a Green minority administration.[10] Labour later retook the council during the 2023 England local elections.

Councillors and wards

Ward of Brighton and Hove Borough Council 1996–2003

When Brighton Borough Council and Hove Borough Council merged in 1996 the wards were carried over from the respective councils who had both been under East Sussex County Council. There were originally 26 wards each with three councillors each, totalling 78 councillors in the newly created Brighton and Hove Borough Council: Brunswick and Adelaide, Goldsmid, Hangleton, Hanover, Hollingbury, Kings Cliff, Marine, Moulsecoomb, Nevill, North Portslade, Patcham, Portslade South, Preston, Queens Park, Regency, Rottingdean, Seven Dials, St. Peters, Stanford, Stanmer, Tenantry, Vallance, Westbourne, Westdene, Wish, Woodingdean

Results of the 2003 elections with new ward boundaries

The 2001 boundary review[11][12][13] reduced the wards to 21 wards with a mix of two or three councillors each totalling 54 councillors for the then city council. These boundary were used in the 2003 election for the first time with the following wards: Brunswick and Adelaide, Central Hove, East Brighton, Goldsmid, Hangleton and Knoll, Hanover and Elm Grove, Hollingbury and Stanmer (which then became Hollingdean and Stanmer in 2007), Stanford (which became Hove Park in 2007), Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, North Portslade, Patcham, Preston Park, Queen's Park, Regency, Rottingdean Coastal, South Portslade, St Peter's and North Laine, Westbourne, Wish, Withdean, Woodingdean.

Duke and Duchess of Sussex debate

In December 2018 Brighton and Hove City Council held a debate in response to a petition on behalf of residents which called on the council to reject the usage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex title, which is "disrespectful to the county of East Sussex".[14]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23966132.brighton-two-labour-councillors-expelled-party/
  2. ↑ "Your councillors and local politicians".
  3. ↑ "Brighton & Hove City Council finances perilous, says leader". BBC News. 2023-12-02. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  4. ↑ "Brighton Labour councillors expelled after residence claims". BBC News. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  5. ↑ Benn, Dan (2023-12-08). "New Chief Executive appointed to council". Public Sector Executive. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  6. ↑ "Who we are". Royal Pavilion and Museums. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Your councillors and local politicians". www.brighton-hove.gov.uk. Retrieved 2023-03-31.
  8. ↑ "Brighton & Hove". BBC News Online. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  9. ↑ "Go Green for first Green-led council in UK". www.greenparty.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
  10. ↑ "Greens tipped to run Brighton council after 'anti-Semitic' resignations". BBC News. 22 July 2020.
  11. ↑ "The City of Brighton and Hove (Electoral Changes) Order 2001", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/4055, retrieved 4 October 2015
  12. ↑ "Your Local Councillors". Brighton & Hove City Council. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  13. ↑ "Councillors & Meetings". Brighton & Hove City Council. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 8 October 2009.
  14. ↑ Hardy, Jack (9 January 2020). "Harry and Meghan's Sussex title was 'unfairly acquired' and should be ignored, Brighton and Hove council to consider". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
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