Brighton and Hove’s Green administration highlights One Planet Living as its flagship policy.

One Planet Living is a global initiative developed by BioRegional and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

WWF has the protection of wildlife and environments at the core of its programme, so is a fundamental strand of One Planet Living.

The Green Party was known as The Ecology Party from 1975 to 1985. Clearly ecology should be fundamental to its core values.

The council’s ecology officer has a vital role to play in seeking to protect sites crucial to our wildlife, and is consulted on any planning applications which could affect natural habitats, especially of protected species.

The council’s ecologist is leaving the council. The Green administration is not planning to replace him.

The council website states, “Nature conservation surveys should be carried out by suitably qualified and experienced ecologists.”

Yet this council, run by the former Ecology Party, will not be employing an ecologist.

We need a qualified ecologist who will get to know the area and work with the Brighton and Hove Wildlife Forum. The council should not be dependent on hiring expensive consultants from outside which will probably cost more than employing an ecologist and will lack local knowledge.

Following on from their now abandoned proposal to chop down a 150-year-old elm tree, one has to wonder just how green the Greens really are.

Councillor Les Hamilton, Labour and Co-operative Group for South Portslade ward