We have rescued our seaside town from decay (April 2007)

Julie Burchill's criticisms of Brighton are unfounded. The city is now thriving, says Vince Meegan. This article was written for the Guardian published on 28 March 2007 and is reproduced below in full.

Julie Burchill says that she "moved to Brighton, then Hove, in 1995 and spent the next 10 years squabbling with the New Labour council" (Look what they've done to my town, Guardian March 17). As her local Labour councillor for the past six years, I have never heard a single squeak from her on any issue, even though she lived less than 100 yards away from me.

I would also add that I am an ordinary working man, and have never met or spoken to Simon Fanshawe or any other of the supposed "Labour luvvies" Julie is so obsessed with.

While revisiting the painful experience of an industrial dispute between a refuse contractor and employees, Julie doesn't mention that the privatised refuse collection service was later taken back "in house", with a dramatic improvement in performance. But she was probably too busy to attend any public meeting and find out for herself how the city is run. A five-minute walk and she could have heard councillors debate in full council at Hove Town Hall, or attend the regular environment committee meeting.

I didn't notice her when there was a serious problem with admissions at the local secondary school within sight of her then residence - a debate that escalated to national prominence. That residence, incidentally, has been sold and demolished to make way for an apartment block that will house more of the "London luminaries" she complains about.

In the period since Julie arrived in Brighton and Hove, she has seen the area prosper. In the immediate vicinity of her home she may have noticed four sites - derelict for years - transformed. Something like 300 new homes have been built - many of them affordable - with a brand new doctor's surgery and dental practice within a stone's throw.

She would have witnessed the regeneration of nearby Western Road, the main shopping thoroughfare that used to have scores of vacant and run-down shops.

The truth, for those who don't have political myopia, is that thousands of people are coming to this city to enjoy a prosperity unprecedented for generations. There are at least a dozen multi-million pound developments in the pipeline; institutions and investors are confident in the city's future.

The Labour group has had the vision and determination to revitalise what was a decaying seaside town and transform it into the thriving dynamic place it is today, despite the reactionary opposition of Tories and faux socialists.

Culture expenditure is around 2% of our total budget and is deliberately targeted at attracting that kind of business to the city. We have nothing to apologise for. Yes, we have problems, but they are mostly the problems of success.

If Julie seeks to find a place closer to her tastes and aspirations she can always move to Southend or Margate. These were in a similar condition to Brighton in the 1980s. Both are in the same proximity to London and both have Tory councils. 'Nuff said.

Vince Meegan is Labour councillor for Goldsmid Ward, Brighton & Hove City Council

vince@goldsmid.com

If you have any queries about this article please email info@goldsmid.com.