A "secret" committee set up by the new Conservative administration is discussing the future of Brighton and Hove's public buildings, it has emerged.

Labour councillors are concerned that the asset group, which meets behind closed doors and is formed of ruling Tory councillors, has been created to determine which land and buildings should be sold off.

But the Conservative councillor who chairs the meetings, Ann Norman, has rejected the accusation, claiming that the newly formed council is simply ensuring the city's assets are being well run and important sites protected.

The Tories took control of the council after the May election this year, promising to look at all council departments to ensure the public was getting value for money.

Speculation that this will mean cuts and sell offs has been consistently rejected.

Minutes of a Stanmer Park stakeholders meeting have emerged revealing that the group had been set up and chaired by Councillor Norman, who is also chairwoman of the council's finance committee.

The minutes reveal that the future of properties including a grade-one listed barn at Stanmer House were being discussed by this group.

The report reads: "The council has commissioned an architect to draw up a plan of the building to enable the asset group (a new council group chaired by Councillor Ann Norman) to propose and consult on possible uses."

The council owns a string of homes, shops and land stretching well beyond the city boundaries, including land at Poynings and farms scattered across the countryside.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, the leader of the Labour group on the council, said: "Despite assurances by the Conservatives that they want to run an open and transparent council, this group has been set up in secret.

"We are obviously worried that this is in fact an asset-stripping group and are concerned that plans to evaluate council assets, including buildings that may be dear to the general public and part of Brighton and Hove's heritage, are being secretly considered for disposal."

Conservative councillor Ann Norman said: "There is no dark scheme here.

"Any proposal that we come up with will have to go to committee to policy and resources or an another committee.

"We want to see whether we have got the best out of the portfolio and that we are protecting the assets of the city."

The Labour group has submitted a question to the full council meeting on October 18 asking for an explanation about the remit of the committee.

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