The Brighton and Hove Green Party has called on council leader Jason Kitcat to stand down as soon as possible.

The Green leader of Brighton and Hove City Council said last year that he would not be standing at the local elections on Thursday 7 May.

Yesterday (Saturday 17 January) the local party passed a motion at a general meeting asking Councillor Kitcat to make way for someone who had “a stake in the election”.

The move was reported today (Sunday 18 January) by the Brighton and Hove Independent newspaper.

The paper’s website said that the general meeting – “the sovereign body that frames Green Party policy locally” – passed the motion.

It said that the meeting at the Brighthelm Centre was attended by 55 members. This met the requirement for 5 per cent of the local membership to be present.

The motion said: “Brighton and Hove Green Party notes the hard work over many years that the current convenor of the Green group and leader of Brighton and Hove City Council has done over many years, and the many successes of the Green-led administration as a result of this work in partnership with the rest of the Green group.

“The party notes further that the convenor is not standing in the local elections this year and is concerned that it could very easily damage the party’s electoral prospects if the Green group is not led by a convenor who has a stake in the election and can lead the group through the election and potentially beyond.

“With this in mind, the party asks that the convenor steps down at the earliest possible opportunity to allow for internal elections to take place for a convenor who can be the primary public figure in the campaign and lead the Green group towards the best possible result.”

The motion was proposed by Paul Philo and seconded by Alison Plaumer.

Councillor Kitcat, who became leader three years ago, was not present at the meeting yesterday.