A councillor has admitted that an online survey to gather views on council finances mistakenly included a proposal to impose a tourism tax.

The online survey from Brighton and Hove City Council asks residents to give their priorities for how the local authority should fund services.

It says the views will be taken into account when councillors are making decisions about the budget.

But councillor Geoffrey Bowden said the inclusion of an option to vote for a tourism tax was a mistake.

Pressed by The Argus to explain the reason for the proposal he replied via Twitter: “I didn't see it and have no idea how it crept in under the radar. Mea culpa for not spotting it and killing it at birth.”

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