I'm glad Councillor Bob Carden acknowledges it is the coalition Government forcing councils to increase fees and charges for the use of football pitch changing rooms (Letters, March 8).

It’s not something we want to do, but massive cuts to funding sadly do force the issue.

However I was astounded by Coun Carden’s claim that the budget proposals were only understood a week before the budget council meeting.

The lead finance councillors for each political group on the council, including Coun Carden’s Labour group, first sawthe draft proposals in mid- October 2011. The budget was published for all to see on December 1, 2011 – the earliest a full budget has ever been published here, and in greater detail than ever before.

The fees and charges were also discussed at a public cabinet member meeting on January 24 this year, which opposition group leaders attended.

OnFebruary 23, nearly three months after the public consultation began and almost five months since councillors first sawproposals, the council voted on budget matters for the coming financial year.

Coun Carden, along with all his Labour colleagues, as well as the whole Conservative group, voted for the budget, which included these changes to changing room fees.

To claim that somehow these fees were last-minute or unexpected is hard to believe.

If Coun Carden was so vexed by them at the last minute, why did he vote for them?

The Government’s broken plans are damaging communities and failing our economy.

The Greens are working hard to meet this challenge in the fairest way possible.

Perhaps a new committee system of decision-making will help opposition councillors participate in open processes more than they have done so far.

Councillor Jason Kitcat, cabinet member for finance and central services, Brighton and Hove City Council