The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council's Green administration has pledged to carry on with plans for a referendum on its proposed 4.7% council tax increase, despite losing a motion of no confidence last night.

Both Labour and Conservative councillors voted in favour of the non-binding motion and it was carried by 29 votes to 21, with two abstentions. It was put forward by the leader of the Labour group, Cllr Warren Morgan.

The Greens' budget proposals will go before the policy and resources committee on 13 February and if successful, Brighton and Hove City Council will become the first local authority in the country to trigger a council tax referendum.

‘As all Labour councillors know, Cllr Morgan's motion is an utterly meaningless gesture,' said council leader, Cllr Jason Kitcat, speaking after the debate.

‘If Cllr Morgan is so keen to work with the Tories, they do have the power to form an administration together whenever they want to.

‘This was just a transparent attempt to distract from the real debate – the crisis in social care that is set to worsen as both Labour and the Tories are committed to yet more drastic cuts for many years to come.'