Caroline today accused the Conservatives of blatant inconsistency between Tory leader David Cameron's claims to support voluntary groups and decisions taken by local Tories on Brighton and Hove city council - which could leave Brighton's leading care organisations facing potentially steep rent increases.

Caroline announced this week she is to formally write to the Standards Board of England & Wales over a suspect decision by Tory members of Brighton and Hove's planning committee.

"The Conservative Party have been trumpetting their commitment to volunteers during this election," she said, "but here in Brighton they seem to have been doing everything they can to strangle one of our leading charities which provides offices for many of our care organisations."

Caroline has waded into the row over two decisions by the Conservative controlled Brighton and Hove City Council which will cost Community Base, the charity which houses the organisations, some 10% of their budget. She will be asking the Standards Board to rule if the decisions breached national guidelines on councillors' behaviour.

"These two moves by the city council to refuse to allow Community Base to continue using an advertising hoarding which brings in vital income, and also to review the long standing waiving of business rates, has come as the Tories have been making great play of their commitment to voluntary organisations." said Caroline.

She has also signed Community Base's petition calling on the council not to withdraw the rate relief, and urged others to do so.

"The Conservatives in this election have been stating they want to support voluntary work, yet down here in Brighton, Tory councillors have made two blatantly political decisions which will cost Community Base over £36,000 a year - and they will have no choice but to make it up from the rents of the organisations in their building in Queens Road.

"The organisations potentially affected include the Brighton & Hove Volunteers, the carers centre, Cruse Bereavement Care and Mencap.

"These are all organisations I'm sure everyone in Brighton would want to support.

"I understand there is a webcast of Tory members of the city's planning committee talking critically about a hoarding on the Community building which publicised the Green Party. The councillors were warned by the council's legal officers that it was not legal for them to consider what the hoardings advertised as this is not a legal planning issue.

"The application was then refused because of its impact on a conservation area - but there is already much advertising there, including the council's own poster sites.

"Ironically I also understand that an approach was later made to Community Base asking to use the hoarding for a Conservative poster - which they would have accepted.

"In response to a complaint about the decision, councillors are to be sent for more training on planning law, but this is clearly an inadequate response and more action needs to be taken so such a suspect decision is reversed."

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