The Green Party has called for an inquiry into the wholly inadequate response by Brighton and Hove City Council to the Arctic weather gripping the city.

Green Parliamentary candidates Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion), Ben Duncan (Kemptown) and Ian Davey (Hove) have united with city councillors in making the call.

Caroline Lucas said, "With 100 people in hospital with broken limbs and many domestic streets still impassable, it is clear that the council has no strategy for this weather apart from clearing the main roads.

"As a result, many older and disabled people are trapped in their homes.

"Many of those who have ventured out have come to grief, as the hospital toll shows. Others have struggled to bus stops, only to find that buses are not running.

"The lack of a comprehensive strategy has a huge cost for the city, the local economy, the NHS and those people who have suffered serious or minor injuries.

"City Clean staff are working very hard to open up more roads and make pavements safe, but an overall lack of direction has made their task very difficult.

"With climate change producing more episodes of extreme weather conditions, it is essential that a thorough inquiry is held and a strategy produced to make sure that next time this happens the city is not brought to a standstill with so many people ending up in hospital."

Green Party Convenor Cllr Bill Randall said:"I have been inundated with calls from older and disabled residents unable to get out of their front doors to get to the shops or the doctor's surgery.

"Some are running low on their medication because chemists have been unable to deliver.

"They deserve better than this and have been badly let down by the Tory administration, which has no excuse for being unprepared. The Met Office warned several weeks ago that this could be the coldest winter for many years.

"The immediate priority must be getting the streets and pavements passable again, and ensuring the safety and welfare of all residents, especially those who are older or otherwise especially vulnerable.

"Meanwhile, I have written to the City Council's Chief Executive, John Barradell, calling for an inquiry by the Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny Committee as a matter of urgency."

For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766670.