THE CITY’S Labour Party has pledged it will build at least 800 new council homes to “eliminate the need of rough sleeping” in the next four years.

The party has launched its six manifesto pledges ahead of the local elections in May. The party’s Local Campaigns Forum (LCF) also has major ambitions to transform the city into a carbon neutral zone.

It also pledges to carry out NHS reforms, meaning it will create a “joined up local health and social care system locally to provide the best seamless care for residents”.

The party goes on to say it will “oppose any proposal for merger” which further privatises the NHS and fails to provide democratic oversight.

It warned that this is “not in the best interests of the people of our city.”

Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Daniel Yates, said: “Our six pledges highlight key issues facing our city that the next council must act on for future generations.

“Action on homelessness, the housing crisis, the climate change emergency, community safety and our NHS cannot be pushed into the long grass. Any genuine incoming administration needs to have robust plans in place to address these urgently.

“Alongside these we need to assure residents that where services are outsourced this is for genuine effectiveness reasons and not simply to reduce council staffing or support private profit from public services.

“Our city is in a strong position to deliver a better future for all. These pledges start to make those ambitions a reality.”

Jon Rogers, chairman of Brighton and Hove Labour Party’s Local Campaigns Forum, added: “Labour has launched six firm, achievable pledges as our commitment to the people of Brighton and Hove. Over the coming days and weeks, we will spell out in detail how a Labour majority Council will implement these pledges.

“Across Brighton and Hove our excellent, diverse team of candidates are already out campaigning for our policies. On Thursday May 2 Labour will offer local people the chance to vote for a socialist council which can make a real difference for our city.”

The party’s six pledges are:

l Taking action required to make our city carbon neutral by 2030, including delivering park and ride schemes

l Continuing to focus on the causes of homelessness and work towards eliminating the need for rough sleeping

l Providing a minimum of 800 new council homes over the next four years, bringing the total to more than 1,000

l Independently audit all outsourced services and bring services in-house if it will achieve a higher level of social value

l Establishing a fund to enhance the provision of neighbourhood services and community policing across the city

l Defending the NHS and work to create a joined up health and social care system locally to provide the best seamless care for residents. However, we will oppose any proposal for merger which further privatises our NHS, fails to provide for democratic oversight, or is not in the best interests of the people of our city.

The party also recently issued two further manifesto pledges promising to support all ethnic minorities as well as women’s rights across the city.