Having grown up in and around Brighton and Hove, some of my favourite views are those you see coming in to the city, whether it is through the Downs and the pylons on the A23, along the seafront on the King’s Road in Hove or from the coast road at Roedean. Buildings both historic and new make up the panorama of the city against the backdrop of the sea.
I’m horrified that the Conservative-run Brighton and Hove City Council plans to sell off those views to the highest bidder, so advertisers can sell their products, whatever they may be, to visitors entering Brighton and Hove.
Anyone who drives along the road into Shoreham, lined as it is with commercial billboards, knows how depressing that can be. Well that is how the coast road and the London Road will look if the Tories get their way. As they are the only ones with a vote on this, only public protest would offer any hope of stopping them.
The Tories will say that this scheme to sell the city for advertising space will bring “value for money” to the taxpayer. I say it is to fund more consultants’ fees and is a “value for money” step too far.
Warren Morgan
Labour & Co-operative councillor for East Brighton
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