COUNCIL promises to clean up the city and tackle the homeless crisis have not been kept, say residents.

Nancy Platts, the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, made the pledges in the wake of the party’s success in May’s local elections.

Three months on, residents have expressed their disappointment at the lack of progress.

Housing was at the top of the list for many.

Labour’s manifesto for the May city council election promised to “tackle the housing crisis”.

But many people think there has been no change.

Kim Guetteche, who works at the University of Brighton, thought housing was too expensive for the city’s workers.

“Normal working-class people can’t afford to get on the ladder,” he said.

“If you’re only earning £8 an hour, how are you going to be able to afford £1,000 a month rent?”

Even Labour Party members are disappointed by the lack of progress.

Dawn Draper said the party’s housing promises were “just manifesto pledges”.

But the 62-year-old said Brighton’s housing crisis was not the city council’s fault.

She said: “The money from the Government is being slashed every year and they still expect councils to do more.

“But building 200 flats won’t get rid of homelessness.

“There are addiction problems and mental health problems, so we need services for those.”

Many saw rising homelessness as a symptom of the city’s housing problems.

Duncan Lindsell, 47, from Brighton, called the situation an “epidemic”.

Meanwhile Londoner Yemande Kuku, who commutes to Brighton, said the problem had “got worse”.

“I can’t even count the number of homeless people I’ve seen while walking from Brighton Station to Churchill Square,” she said.

Another Brighton resident, Julie Evans, said the city council needed to consider people’s wellbeing.

She said the council needed to “support and develop the potential of young people”.

Litter was another major concern.

Melanie Barnes, who lives in London Road, said she had seen “no change” to the rubbish in the street. It’s just the same as before,” she said.

Others said more police were needed on the streets, which “threatening” at night.

Brighton and Hove City Council was contacted for comment.