Mary Mears, the Tory leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, has given a warmish welcome to conference delegates, even though Labour has yet to notify her about the party’s arrival in the city – let alone invite her to attend.

Sources close to Mears say she is unhappy Labour is organising ministerial visits throughout the city without informing the council of its plans.

However, in a sprit of togetherness and hard cash, she tells The Argus: “Regardless of politics, it is fantastic to have any conference of this size coming to the city – as it brings in large sums of money to the local economy, roughly £10 million. It’s a shame that they will not be coming here again for at least five years.”

Political parties seem to have abandoned the tradition of inviting local council bigwigs – even from opposition parties – to give welcome speeches to conference delegates, after former Brighton and Hove Labour councillor Pat Hawkes gave the Tories a piece of her mind back in the 80s.

This year Labour plumped for its Brighton Pavilion candidate, Nancy Platts, who used her address to urge delegates to boost the city’s hospitality industry by doing what they do so well – drinking and eating.