LATE-night talks to decide on Brighton and Hove City Council’s budget failed to create a result.

In a meeting lasting more than five hours, city councillors struggled to find common ground.

With the Greens proposing a referendum-inducing 5.9% rise and a Conservative freeze failing to gather enough support, it was the city council's third party Labour’s 1.99% rise which became the only likely outcome – but it did not happen.

Labour’s plans relied again on sufficient support from Green councillors, with leader Jason Kitcat attempting to convince enough of his colleagues to pass a budget on the night and avoid further delays and uncertainty.

The three budget options were all voted down at the first attempt.

Six Green councillors even voted against their own party’s budget, saying they refused to vote through any more cuts.

Councillors were then locked in talks for almost an hour and a half with group leaders first trying to hammer out a deal between themselves before trying to sell it to their members.

Chief executive Penny Thompson addressed councillors saying that productive talks were ongoing between the groups and independent members to support a 1.99% rise budget.

As they struggled to make a decision, councillor Jason Kitcat, leader of the council, told members to “grow up and face the facts” and put the city instead of politics.

He said: “Stop talking this place down. We have found innovative ways of making money with projects like the i360 and Preston Barracks.”

The meeting was beset by problems.

Councillor Jeane Lepper complained about the press filming the vote on a camera and other councillors raised fears the footage would pick up exactly how someone was voting. Officers said that legally, filming the vote was permitted and it was not a secret vote.

Problems with connecting to an electronic voting system, which allows councillors to vote on a keypad and for the results to be displayed on a screen, led to delays.

Members of the public gallery complained and said it would be simpler to use a traditional voting system of raising hands which was “clearer, quicker and cheaper.”

A problem with displaying the votes in the screen eventually led to a list of names and votes being read out.

Councillors voted down a proposal put forward by the Labour group to save all children’s centre services from cuts. There were 15 votes for and 37 against.

They voted to keep on funding political party assistants for each party and to protect the mayor's office from cuts.

They also voted to protect funding for Able And Willing, which looks after disabled employees.

However, the meeting was adjourned to reconvene on Tuesday.

Chief executive Penny Thompson said: “I am sorry people have been kept so long. It does look as though we will not be able to complete this tonight.

“We have had very constructive discussions.

“We have a potential joint amendment but there has not been sufficient time to give it due consideration.”