Labour: Our positive policies

This is the year the crisis in local government funding hits home. Local authorities up and down the country have made huge savings to cope with tens of millions in cuts by the Conservative-led government. Now, services will be hit - and some smaller councils may go bankrupt entirely.

With annual cuts of more than Â£23 million, totalling about Â£100 million by the time the planned cuts end, Brighton and Hove City Council is facing a decimation of the services it provides to residents. The situation is not sustainable. With councils taking on growing costs in public health and social care, and government funding to councils being cut, a new solution to local government finance is needed.

The Green Party proposals to increase council tax by 6% won't stop the cuts - but they would, if approved in a referendum, push many more city residents into poverty. That they have chosen children's services for cuts to blackmail people into backing their 6% increase is appalling. Some Greens have said they won't even vote for 6%. Voting down their own budget just to win votes for Caroline Lucas would only bring in Eric Pickles's bureaucrats, guaranteeing privatisation and deeper cuts.

The Conservative Party's 'council-tax freeze' would mean even more cuts this year and in the future. If they can't get a freeze, they've hinted at backing a referendum on a 6% increase, which would cost almost a million pounds if the result was a 'No' in May. They and the Greens say 'let the public decide'; if you don't elect councillors to set a budget, what are councillors for? It's time to take some responsibility for tough decisions, and it's time for some leadership.

The city council has to approve a 'substitute' or 'threshold' budget in May, based on a 1.99% increase in council tax, even if the 6% referendum budget were approved. It is the least-worst option on the table, and the one Labour will back. It isn't ideal, but we have a range of positive policy proposals and ideas to deal with the challenges we undoubtedly face, many of which we have already announced. Sharing services, using the third sector, better procurement, and growing our income are all things we can do more of.

Whether it is Militant-style illegal budget gestures, or council-tax freezes, both of the other parties have their focus on the elections rather than on what is best for the city. Their attacks on Labour, rather than each other, suggest they know who is most likely to win in May. The Greens have put off changes to council services, rather than work with the voluntary sector and local communities as Labour-run councils have done elsewhere. The Tories want to 'market test' services to see which are profitable and can be hived off to the private sector.

We need a Labour government in May, one that has pledged to save children's centres, create a National Health and Care Service to take the pressure off councils, and which will fund councils based on need, not politics, over a four-year period, not one. Locally, Labour has set out over 40 positive policies for the city which you can read on our website (www.brightonhovelabour.com).

Warren Morgan is leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group on Brighton and Hove City Council. For more information, visit: www.brightonhovelabour.com.

Greens: Fairness in tough times - Have Your Say

Conservatives: Reform is needed - Have Your Say

Labour: Our positive policies - Have Your Say

UKIP: Use all the council's resources - Have Your Say

Liberal Democrats: Creative ways to generate income - Have Your Say