Election lines have been drawn as opposition councillors united to overturn the ruling Tories' budget plans.
Police had to be called into the chamber to marshal the marathon meeting which last night saw Brighton and Hove City Council's Conservative administration forced to accept their rivals plans in how to slash £34 million from its budget.
At the centre of the arguments was a pot of £765 million which will fund key services such as schools, street sweepers, libraries and elderly care for the next year.
Key to the Tory plans was a 1% cut to council tax, a 5% drop in parking permits and spending up to £1.1 million on removing a cycle lane in Hove.
Rivals described it as a cynical ploy to win over the electorate ahead of May's crucial local elections, and voted to scrap the ruling party's headline-grabbing proposals.
Don't miss today's Argus for a full report and pictures of the dramatic meeting.
Have your say on what the decision could mean for the local election below.
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