BRIGHTON and Hove’s refuse and street-cleaning would be run in the mould of a John Lewis mutual if the Conservative group win an overall majority in May’s elections.

The proposal to turn CityClean into an “employee-led and owned mutual” are among 13 key pledges the city’s Conservatives have made to voters as they launch their election manifesto.

The party has also pledged to freeze council tax, and an end to “rip-off parking charges” by reducing by parking charges on the seafront, near London Road shops and in underused car parks.

A pledge has also been made for 21st century swimming, sports and leisure facilities at the King Alfred with a 50 metre pool – if possible.

Other promises include an increase in street sweeping and coordination with rubbish collection, a garden waste collection service, 200 more on-street parking spaces asd well as cheaper parking charges in the winter and on “rainy summer days”.

More traffic innovations include a rapid transport system to a new proposed conference centre at Black Rock, the removal of speed bumps and 200 unnecessary traffic signs, more proposed shared space schemes, increased competition on bus services and a purpose-built coach park.

In launching the manifesto, Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald said his group were determined to make Brighton “beautiful again”.

Councillor Warren Morgan, leader of the Labour and Co-operative Group, described the Conservative plans for Cityclean as “a thinly veiled disguise for privatisation”.

He added: “This is a set of populist and un-costed policies that they know they won’t be in a position to deliver.

“There is nothing in the manifesto about tackling poverty and homelessness, and nothing on what front-line services they would cut to pay for their promises.”

The Green manifesto will be launched this Thursday.