• ​​​​​​Statistics show Labour and Greens have spent 76% of their debate time raising national issues instead of council matters
• Debates include nuclear weapons; misogyny; the national voting system and refugees in the Middle East and North Africa
• Conservatives say this is further proof that neither Labour nor the Greens have fulfilled the role of an Opposition which they have been paid to carry out

Conservative Whip Robert Nemeth has today released statistics that show the extent of time Brighton & Hove City Council has wasted discussing national and international issues it has no control over since the May 2019 election.

The statistics show that since the May 2019 election the Labour and Green groups have spent over three quarters of their allotted time for debating notices of motion at Full Council meetings discussing national and international matters.

This includes:

• Over 8.5 hours lost on debates on national and international matters (76% of their time)
• 25 motions including 6 Joint Labour-Green motions
• Instigating over 25 letters to Government Ministers

Conservative Group Whip Robert Nemeth, who initiated the research after Labour triggered a ludicrous debate on nuclear weapons at December’s Full Council meeting, said that the statistics showed that Labour and the Greens were failing to fulfil the basic duties they were elected to fulfil.

“These statistics show that Labour and Green Councillors are confused as to what their role as Councillors actually is” Cllr Nemeth said.

“Local Councillors are elected – and paid – to manage the City’s £777 million annual budget on behalf of local taxpayers.

“Councillors are not elected to pontificate about national and international affairs which they have no influence over.

“Residents will rightly wonder what is happening at their council and why nuclear weapons get debated but basic issues such as overflowing bins are not.

“The Conservative Group has taken a stand and will not participate in these national debates in future” he added.

Councillor Nemeth said the statistics also showed that neither Labour nor the Greens had properly fulfilled their role as the ‘Official Opposition’, which both have been paid to do since the election.

“The role of an Opposition is to hold the administration to account and scrutinise the council on behalf of residents.

“These statistics quite clearly show that Labour and Green Councillors have not been fulfilling this task for residents” Cllr Nemeth said.

ENDS.