The mastermind behind the 3.5% council tax rise for Brighton and Hove is set to become council leader.

Jason Kitcat is the only declared candidate to succeed Bill Randall as leader of Green minority administration on Brighton and Hove City Council with the job of overseeing a budget of more than £700 million.

This means the man who is currently the cabinet member for finance, who is a father of two, is likely to succeed Coun Randall when he steps down from the role to become mayor elect in May.

Despite being the only candidate to be convenor of the Green group on the local authority, Coun Kitcat will have to be elected by party members and his council colleagues.

The same election will also see the selection of the council’s two deputy leaders.

Current transport cabinet member Ian Davey will step down from the role and be replaced by either leisure and tourism cabinet member Geoffrey Bowden, licensing committee chairman Lizzie Deane or Christina Summers, who represents Hollingdean and Stanmer.

The other position, currently held by regeneration and planning cabinet member Amy Kennedy, will either be filled by communities cabinet member Ben Duncan or a job share by Coun Kennedy and planning committee chairman Phelim MacCafferty.

The election will take place using the single transferable vote system and all posts will be held for a year.

A spokesman for the Green Party said: “The results of the ballot will be announced on the afternoon of March 4.

“This will allow plenty of time for successful candidates, especially if new to their forthcoming posts, to shadow the present leadership team before taking up office themselves.”

He added the new Green group leader and deputy leaders, as well as the mayor, will be proposed for formal election at the city’s annual council meeting on May 17.

For the full story see today's Argus.