BRIGHTON and Hove’s new Labour administration has confirmed that the Mazda fountain will be retained in the £18 million revamp of Valley Gardens.

The council administration say they have “listened to the people” by retaining the 80-year-old following a campaign to save it.

Under previous plans for the overhaul of the city centre, the Green administration had planned to remove the fountain and replace it with a series of new ones.

They claimed the fountain cost twice the amount to run as a modern replacement at £9,000-a-year and needed £30,000 investment to its lighting.

The newly elected Labour administration have also vowed to make sure the final designs keep traffic flowing at peak times, make the design fit with the “growing Brighton and Hove of the future” and put the most senior people at the council in charge of the project to minimise disruption following discussions with council officers.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, set to be confirmed as chairwoman of the environment, transport and sustainability committee this afternoon, claimed the previous administration had not given the project the focus it requires.

He said: “In order to make sure that the scheme will be delivered on time and on budget, we have asked for the most senior people at the council to take charge of the project.”