COUNCILLORS have agreed to spend part of a cash windfall on weeding overgrown pavements, with complaints also proliferating since local politicians approved a herbicide ban.

Some of the extra money will fund a park and ride feasibility study, start up costs for a car co-op pilot scheme for electric vehicles and a tidy up team to tackle litter and graffiti.

The “windfall” or end-of-year surplus arose because Brighton and Hove City Council budgeted cautiously during the coronavirus pandemic and received more government support than expected.

The council ended the financial year – at the end of March – with an underspend of almost £10 million. This was almost £5 million more than finance chiefs had previously forecast.

But about £5 million will still be spent in the way that it was originally budgeted for last year – except that the money will go out in the current 2021-22 financial year.

And because officials drew on the council’s reserves – or corporate savings – during the pandemic, they now plan to put about £2.4 million back in the pot.

There are other one-off costs that the spare cash is expected to fund, such as the £317,000 bill that the council faces when Moulsecoomb Primary School becomes an academy.

Labour and Conservative councillors pitched ideas to the Greens as the council’s Policy and Resources Committee discussed the modest underspend yesterday (Thursday 1 July).

Councillor Carmen Appich, the joint Labour opposition leader, wanted £259,000 allocated for a park and ride project feasibility study, an electric vehicle car co-op pilot set up costs and more staff to catch up with pavement weeds. She also said that money could go towards a tidy up team funding to lead with litter and graffiti, support for a 20mph city, a feasibility study into 20-minute neighbourhoods, investment in parks, a women’s safety survey, a marriage notices fee waiver until next March and one-to-one catch up tuition for children with low attainment.

Councillor Appich said: “Park and Ride has been on and off the table for a number of years in the city. I know that as a resident.

“We’ve got a transport plan that’s being developed – and to enable us to have a proper transport plan, which includes all methods of transport we have in the city at the moment, I think we really do need to look at the feasibility of a park and ride scheme … one or more park and ride schemes.”

She also said that weeds were the “bane” of the city but backed the continuing ban on using the weedkiller glyphosate, also known as Roundup.

The ruling Greens gave their backing to Labour’s suggestions.

Conservative group leader Steve Bell said that the council should be looking towards the city’s recovery.

Councillor Bell said that the underspend was good news but the added that the council ought to repay £1.5 million to reserves rather than £2.5 million.

He called on the council to spend the other £1 million by allocating £100,000 for a professional fundraiser to support the Madeira Terraces, £50,000 for a feasibility study for an ice skating rink and £850,000 for Black Rock, the eastern seafront and the Madeira Terraces regeneration fund.

Councillor Bell said that the money should be invested in “the future” – to boost the economy, especially tourism and hospitality, and to improve people’s wellbeing.

Green councillor Phélim Mac Cafferty, the leader of the council, said that he agreed with much of what Councillor Bell had said.

But he was also mindful of the words of  former Conservative Chancellor – George Osborne – who said that the time to mend the roof was when the sun was shining.

Councillor Mac Cafferty said that he had spoken with council leaders across the country who agreed that there were financial storms ahead.

There were significant worries about the long-term financial fallout from the pandemic, with 2022-23 looking particularly “hairy” for local government.

Councillor Mac Cafferty said: “We have been clear for quite a prolonged period that we need to be financially prudent. We need to put the city council on the best possible footing for the next budget year.

“We’re still facing the impact of cuts, Covid-19 and the prospect of a significant deficit next year.”

Some of the underspend looks likely to be allocated to new trees, more parking zones, the drive to become carbon-neutral and work needed on museums and heritage sites.

And some will be spent on tackling homelessness, reviving the seafront and environmental improvements.

A detailed set of proposals were approved and will go before a meeting of the full council at Hove Town Hall on Thursday 15 July.