Labour proposals to support our high streets, public safety, the environment and to ensure local people are engaged in deciding the future of the district were rejected by the Conservative majority at Adur council’s budget setting meeting last week.

An opportunity to invest in our future was rejected.

The meeting also heard Councillor Jeremy Gardner, leader of Adur’s Labour councillors criticise the Conservative council leadership for failing to deliver on its promises. 

Jeremy began by commending excellent work being carried out by staff in so many departments across the council including Adur homes where staff are trying to turn things round for tenants after years of failure to  maintain and repair council homes.

He criticised the Conservative leader’s budget speech as failing to recognise issues facing local people. 

There are problems in our district, he said:

• for too many Adur Homes council tenants
• if you expect the water of our rivers and coast to be free of sewage 
• if you cannot afford to buy a home or to make progress on the social housing waiting list
• if you want new developments to include playgrounds and green space
• if you want to have decent police presence and response
• if you want your streets to be clean and flood free.

He said: “That is the real Adur. Too often a picture of neglect and broken promises.”

Broken promises from the Conservatives included their claims in their budget speech last year:

• Funding had been unlocked to transform cycling links through Lancing,  Shoreham, Southwick and Fishersgate. A year later not a pedal can be turned on a new cycle link. And future progress looks bleak. Not delivered
• On New Salts Farm, plans were being developed “hopefully” with funding from the national heritage lottery fund. Hopeful yes, realised no.  £925,000 was the estimated purchase price on that. Was that good value given where we are now? Plans for habitat restoration, sustainable energy, educational use have gone. The full potential of the project, not delivered.
• We were told last year there were 870 on the council homes waiting list but work was underway on new homes. It’s now 970.  Improvements not delivered.
• The Conservative leader last year detailed projects including the fabric project at the former police station in Lancing. This was to turn it into a community, charity and small business space. The company trying to make that work is leaving, they found it unaffordable. Undelivered as even a medium-term solution and the future of the building is uncertain once again. Not delivered.
• The long-awaited Albion Street development, which will include council homes, was mentioned this year as it was last year and the year before that. in 2017 the Conservative leader of the council said: ”I am very proud that we will see the first new social housing being built in Adur in many years at Albion Street.” Two years later, in 2019: “We are also building our first new council homes in 30 years in Albion Street with some of the 50 flats being offered to those on our waiting list.”  Jeremy said: 30 years was a long time to wait. Too long. Promised in 2017 –  still not delivered. And that affects people’s lives.

Three days after the  Conservative Leader’s budget speech last year Adur Homes was referred to the Government’s Regulator of Social Housing. The regulator found Adur Homes to be in breach of basic standards:

• One in five homes had not had a fire risk assessment.
• 200 communal areas had not had an electrical safety check.
• More than 1,500 properties had not had an electrical inspection in the last ten years.
• More than 50 asbestos checks of communal areas were overdue.
• 1,500 council homes did not have smoke alarms.

Jeremy said: “Adur Homes, presided over by this Conservative executive, failed to do the basics in terms of home safety, of essential maintenance. On the one hand the council has a health and well-being strategy on the other it puts at risk the health and well-being of hundreds of people, including some of those who are most in need of support, at risk through the most shocking neglect of the council’s basic duty.  This left people, including many frail and disabled people, living in unsafe, unhealthy and miserable conditions.”  A safe home for every tenant not delivered.

Work now underway with developers and utilities on the infrastructure issues for the Western Harbour Arm in Shoreham, were welcomed by Jeremy Gardner but he said this was long overdue.

He said that with 1,300 new homes being built at the harbour we needed more school places, GP practice appointments, sewage that stays out of our river and streets, active travel opportunities and better public transport . Mariner Point was approved in 2012. Free Wharf with more than 500 flats was approved  in 2018.  The decision to look seriously at infrastructure needs came in 2023. Frankly, that is another duty neglected and it’s the people of Adur who are disadvantaged. 

“And let’s not forget the new homes and residents in Lancing and Sompting too. Infrastructure (including a school) not delivered.”

“The IKEA site anyone? Jobs not delivered.”

Jeremy Gardner said: “It’s time to end Conservative neglect and failure to deliver. It’s time for a government that supports public services, that will allow local authorities to plan, that will devolve power and it’s time for a council that works with the community, delivers, gets the basics right for a fairer, greener Adur. 

Jeremy described Labour’s proposed amendments to the budget. He said ”These amendments are investments in the future – something to build on, investing in protecting our environment, in the well-being of our residents and in our democracy involving the community 

Things can be done differently in Adur; a Labour council would be in lockstep with the community, moving forward together. These amendments are the most modest start in a new way of doing things. 

Amendments rejected by the Conservative administration were:

• A clean up of our town and village centres where residents have the opportunity to help our district to be clean and green. 
• Improve marketing, signposting and a visitor trail across Adur to encourage local shopping, access to heritage and ecotourism destinations                                                                                                
• Ensure the voices of local people are heard in updating Adur’s Local Plan. The Adur Plan will frame how Adur develops in the coming years and will determine issues recognised as of importance by the local community including affordable housing provision, biodiversity and nature recovery.
• Identify further solar/air source heat pumps projects on council properties, storage and local use. A feasibility survey for consideration for inclusion in the capital plan for 2025/26.          
• Plant wildflower and ecological corridors on verges and open spaces
• Review of open spaces to identify greywater opportunities along with the development of rain gardens and other sustainable urban drainage solutions 
• A review of public spaces in terms of the safety of women and young people.

One Labour amendment was agreed:

• Devise and deliver an action plan with key partners to provide support to our most vulnerable residents during this cost of living crisis; further pop-up cost of living information sessions in accessible venues 

During his speech Labour leader Jeremy Gardner criticised the Conservative government for reducing funding for local authorities year after year. 

He said: “Government policy and funding leaves this council with little alternative but to set a 2.99% council tax increase. We will vote for the 2.99% but we do so with a forced hand, knowing that services will dwindle further if we do not.”

 He added “Let’s hope we get a government soon that will provide longer-term financial settlements to allow councils to plan better and to devolve more power to communities.” A Labour government.