A commitment to co-operative schools as a way to solve the place crisis has been voted down by councillors.

Brighton and Hove City Council’s Labour and Co-op group hoped the local authority would support the introduction of a not-for-profit school run by parents and the wider community as a way to meet the shortage in Hove.

It was argued that the model presented an alternative to the Government’s current policy of the only new schools being free schools or academies.

However, the Green and Conservative groups rejected the idea.

Labour and Co-op councillor Anne Pissaridou, said: “The Green administration seems devoid of any realistic policy aside from erecting new portable cabins at existing schools in an attempt to meet the rising demand for places.

“With our proposals we are putting the future of our city’s children and families first.”

But young people cabinet member Sue Shanks said: “We recognise the problem and have a strategy which we will bring to a cabinet meeting in November.

“We are opposed to the privatisation of education. Whatever you might call the Co-op Trust it’s a separate organisation.”