Councillor Warren Morgan (The Argus, February 11) implies we deliberately postponed publication of our budget proposals. Coun Morgan suggests that we did so to foreshorten opportunities for the opposition to consider them.

“Late reports” are an accepted part of the democratic process of this authority. Our Constitution allows for late publication of data in exceptional circumstances. This function was used on many occasions by the Labour administration – indeed, budget papers for 2007 were late, but there was no outcry from us as the (then) opposition members.

The exceptional circumstances surrounding this budget are the unprecedented financial pressures we face. We have worked line-by-line through our spending to minimise the impact on front-line services and protect jobs. This takes time and throughout the exercise opposition members have had ample opportunity to question the administration using the scrutiny process.

There remain fully three weeks before budget council, time enough I am sure for all opposition members to engage in a frank and full debate that will do more to reflect the genuine concerns of residents than petty point scoring.

Councillor Mary Mears
Leader, Brighton and Hove City Council

I thought your report on Brighton and Hove City’s Council’s budget (The Argus, February 12) were biased and frankly ungrateful, considering the amazing job Mary Mears has done.

When one reads about the antics at Manchester City Council and other places, and remembers some of the past here, one can only thank the Lord for Mary Mears and her cabinet. They have published the most amazing budget – quite unlike any of the others we read about in the national press. It really should have got similar coverage for the good news it presented instead of all the carping.

What do people want? There was something in this budget for everyone. I thought it was brilliant and am grateful.

Pam Brickman Marine Drive, Brighton

With regard to the report that council tax is going down: I doubt if I am alone in having suspicions regarding this announcement. Brighton and Hove City Council never managed such a feat when the going was good – so why is it happening now, when all we hear about is cuts to central Government funding, redundancies and closures?

There’s a hidden agenda here for sure.

Wendy Tyler
Livingstone Road, Hove