At last Thursday's meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council, the Greens put down a notice of motion concerning the Open Market.

It didn't say anything new and was quite obviously party political opportunism, so I said so in no uncertain terms.

Councillor Keith ("gobsmacked") Taylor accused everyone else of scoring "trivial party political points" (The Argus, March 23). Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

The Greens evidently expected the other parties to fall in behind them. The trouble is, the Greens have done little to deserve other parties' support. When the problems of the Open Market canopy came to light, where were the Greens?

Others made the running. I was one of them, though I hesitated for a while because I thought the local ward councillors should take the lead but they didn't.

When a scrutiny panel was set up to investigate the problems, the Greens had another chance. I persuaded other Labour and Conservative councillors it would be right to co-opt a local St Peters ward councillor.

Councillor West attended only one meeting of the panel. For whatever reason, he simply didn't pull his weight. This is a really big local issue and the Greens were conspicuous by their absence.

Coun Taylor must realise he and his colleagues have a huge credibility problem - just talk to the Open Market traders.

I say all this with some regret. I have always been on friendly terms with the Green councillors and, politically, they offer genuine radical alternative policies I respect and even welcome.

But, alas, that is all too rare. Most of the time, it is strutting, posturing and the pettiest of party political opportunism.

-Coun Kevin Allen, (Labour), Brighton and Hove City Council