HAVING lived in Brighton and Hove for many years, I have seen many changes.

At the start I was impressed by what the city had to offer, with its well-presented gardens at Preston Park raising the expectations of visitors to a welcoming tourist attraction that exhibited a mixture of historic significance while offering leisure and amusement.

But as the years went by I witnessed its decline, thanks to the laissez-faire attitude of its administration. Today we have a shabby city that is difficult to navigate and whose exorbitant rents have seen the departure of good quality shops and parking costs have acted as a deterrent to visitors and locals.

So are things likely to improve under a Green Party that claims it isn’t just another political party?

In effect, its core values which, among other things, claim to recognise the need for society to be free from discrimination and prejudice and that the success of a society should take account of factors affecting the quality of life for all people, do not accord with these honourable objectives which we all support.

They are obsessed with environmental issues at the expense of reality and the rights of others, and like their pals in the Labour Party, they foster resentful emotions.

Most of us recognise that the city is spread out and hilly, so unless you live and work in the centre, you are likely to need a car for a variety of good reasons.

So what have we got? The area is festooned with cycle lanes that cause regular traffic problems and many thoroughfares have been provided with dangerously located parking bays.

Supermarkets are being built in already congested areas and numerous housing developments are to be located in areas that lack adequate infrastructure, thereby causing further chaos.

In the past, roads and pavements were in a good state of repair and grass verges were regularly cut. Today, unrepaired potholes in roads regularly cause damage to motorists’ tyres, pavements are uneven, creating tripping hazards, as grass has been allowed to grow between the slabs – which may be part of the Greens strategy – tree roots are exacerbating the problem and verges are being allowed to resemble the meadowland in Preston Park.

One of the city’s major assets has always been its promenade – a paved public walkway – and seafront. Today this walkway that gives access to the beach and other facilities for people’s pleasure has become a free-for-all.

Despite the display of notices indicating that cycling is not allowed and that dogs should be kept on leads, council employees make no attempt to impose the rules. Crowd control during the pandemic has been invisible and so-called athletes have been ever present, puffing and blowing in all directions. Rubbish is allowed to accumulate and the often-filthy toilets are being supplemented with unsightly portable toilets that doubtless will go the same way.

Although the city still has much to offer, so much more could be achieved by recognising things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.

Certainly there is a need to address environmental issues but not at the expense of reality. We need to engage in best business practices and encourage investment and pride in our city, with a view to becoming the city that is second to none. We will all benefit by raising our sights and recognising that with rights we have responsibilities, and thereby establish a quality of life that is fit for all people.

This will not be achieved by living in Neverland or making daisy chains in a meadow in Preston Park.

Neil Kelly

Tredcroft Road

Hove