The UK's first ever Green local authority budget will be published on 1 December - one day later than planned.
Though postponed by 24 hours, publication day is nevertheless a radical departure from previous practice in Brighton & Hove, being almost three months before the budget must be finally set. This is in order to provide for wide-ranging, transparent and unprecedented consultation with city residents and other affected stakeholders.
Leader of the Council and Green Group convenor, Bill Randall, said: "We are committed to making the first Green budget as transparent and accessible as possible, and it has become clear that this could not happen if the unveiling were to coincide with the public sector day of action on November 30th.
"We want our proposals to receive the fullest possible scrutiny, so we have decided to publish them on a day when residents, council staff and councillors are able to give them proper attention.
"We also recognise that the planned day of action is immensely important for public sector workers in the city, who are defending their pensions from the Government's ideological clawback. We recently stated our support for the day of action and will join our staff on the picket lines. We do not want to detract from the important action and debate taking place on that day."
The budget proposals will be discussed at a Cabinet meeting on December 8th, and will go on to become the subject of the largest public consultation process ever to be held on a Brighton & Hove budget. The consultation will last for three months before the budget is finalised in February 2012.
Bill Randall continued:
"The Green's open book approach to the budget is unprecedented. From very early, we involved Conservative and Labour councillors in looking frankly at the options we faced and we have met with union, community and voluntary sector representatives. Three budget workshops for the public have already been held around the city, about 500 people have so far used the online budget simulator* to set their own budget and another 1,900 have completed part of it. The budget will also be on the agenda for the City Assembly for council tenants on Saturday 19 November. More consultation will follow the publication of the budget papers.
"This is in stark contrast to a year ago, when the then Conservative administration published its proposals without consultation fewer than 4 days before the crunch meeting."
He concluded:
"It isn't the best of times to set a budget, with massive austerity cuts imposed on us by central Government, but we are working in consultation with residents and all interested sectors to mitigate the worst of the worst of Coalition cuts and protect the most vulnerable people in the city."
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