Conservatives on Brighton and Hove City Council have called for future policy changes ahead of the Council debating Labour’s budget.

Although the Conservatives have been told scrapping Valley Gardens There cannot be formally part of their budget amendments, they have included it as a call for future policy change.

Cancelling the divisive project would see the council having to return grant funding and lose money already spent, but the Conservatives believe the Labour Council are now throwing good money after bad.

By scrapping the project nearly £1 million could be freed up to invest in other transport related issues such as road resurfacing or pedestrian crossings.

Cllr Anne Meadows, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group, said “How much money are Labour going to keep throwing at Valley Gardens Three before they realise that it will only make matter worse. We are facing enough financial issues without continuing to spend and borrow to fund Valley Gardens Three.

“If we scrap it now, we can cut our loses and have around £817,000 to invest in our roads. That sounds like a better idea to me, and I’m sure many residents would agree.”

Labour are also planning to spend £125,000 next year on maintenance of on street cycle hangars, which when introduced were sold to Councillors as a cost neutral venture. The Conservatives feel that this should be the case and that the £1 a week fee is clearly too low.

Any decisions to increase the price of the use of cycle hangars would be subject to negotiation with the service provider in future years and therefore would not impact on the 2024/25 budget, the Conservatives are therefore calling for this price increase to be brought in as soon as possible going forward.

Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Alistair McNair, said “£125,000 is certainly not cost neutral.

It is evident that the £1 a week fee is too low if it will not even cover the cost of maintenance and taxpayers are having to pick up the bill.

“We in the Conservative Group feel that those using these cycle hangars should cover this cost. An increase in the fee to £5 per week would more than cover the cost of maintenance and allow investment in more cycle hangars, if wanted by residents.

“Taxpayers should not have to fund luxuries like cycle hangars for other residents who are then getting a bargain deal for using them. It shows a lack of fairness when seen against a backdrop of cuts to services used by the disabled, children, the elderly, and the vulnerable.”