In their current position of minority leadership government, Brighton and Hove City Council is the only one in the nation controlled the Green Party.
This is alongside the fact that they also play home to the only officially elected Green MP – Caroline Lucas representing the constituency of Brighton Pavilion.
What this means for Brighton is that with Green leadership it presents a unique situation where it is almost all by itself in terms of the policies and initiatives it can seek to employ.
It also allows the ability to avoid the infighting and party politics that caused the previous Labour leadership of the city to crumble as nationwide they fought against the apparent right-wing membership that did not represent their agenda.
One of the biggest benefits of this united green prosperity is the work that was seen prior to 2015 when the party previously held control.
The restoration of The Level park, the completion of the seafront viewing platform and the simplicity of fighting for a better planet via protests sees a community atmosphere that is lacking in any other governing party as its sheer size makes it more corporate than cohesive.
Various esteemed members of Brighton’s business community have revelled in the pragmatism, forward thinking and optimistic vision of the future that comes from a party that puts interest above money.
In a city as unique and as picturesque as Brighton, this is the perfect place to utilise this method of governance.
However, the issues with such leadership are the lack of real change or influence that such a small party can have.
Brighton may be its own almost self-ruled location, yet this translates poorly into affecting change or making things happen on a wider scale.
They also still have to abide by laws that make the way they lead very difficult, with the most right leaning party in the Conservatives currently governing the country, there couldn’t be a party whose ideological stance differed any further from their own.
The policy can also cause great discomfort with the current cycling lane push being well received by some and purely hated and opposed by drivers and other groups who see it as incredibly difficult to understand.
Green Party politics are also democratic, raising many questions on how effective leadership can truly be especially in times of crisis.
What this all means for Brighton is simply on brand for the city, as the unique and relaxed atmosphere makes the Green Party a natural fit.
The downfall of such, is that the scope of influence and the ability to sour is great, especially with such a narrow majority and the real possibility that labour will reclaim their seats once the next election rolls around.
Photo Credit: Andrew Coelho
