Council

Agenda Item 84 

Subject:                    Tourist Tax

Date of meeting:    29 January 2026

Proposer:                 Cllr Thomson

Seconder:                Cllr Miller

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Labour Group Amendment

That deletions are made as shown with strikethrough below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

This Council acknowledges that:

1. The Government announced in the Budget that Mayors of Strategic Authorities will be permitted to levy a tax on apply an overnight visitors levy;

2. Hospitality businesses are the beating heart of our local economy and that money raised through a future levy could be reinvested to boost the visitor economy already face financial pressure following increases to National Insurance and business rates;

3. There are concerns This administration has successfully may lobbiedy the government for the powers to implement an overnight visitor levy Tourism Tax in Brighton & Hove, helping the City to benefit from the significant continue to suppress visitor numbers to the city;

4. That the introduction of an overnight visitor levy Tourist Tax would be paid by visitors not will impose another financial burden on local hotels, B&Bs, and tourism-based businesses;

5. That revenue from an overnight visitor levy Tourism Taxwould allow continued progress in appearance of the city as recently hailed by the CEO of deter buyers for the Pavilion Palace Pier coming forward;

6. That a Tourist Tax would be passed directly onto visitors, increasing holiday costs during a period of high living expenses, undermining efforts to reduce the cost of living;

7. That local economies, particularly those dependent on seasonal visitors rely heavily on a thriving hospitality industry, and this additional revenue will enable tax risks making local areas less Brighton and Hove to remain competitive compared to other UK and international destinations.

This council therefore resolves to call for:

1. The Council to respond to the Leader to write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and LocalGovernment’s consultation expressing this Council’s concerns regarding the desire to be able to retain a significant proportion of the revenue raised by the visitor levy potential impact of this tax on local businesses and requesting the Government reconsider this proposal and

2. The Council engages with hospitality businesses and industry experts to assess the economic harm and potential alternatives. how the additional revenue could best strengthen the visitor economy

Supporting Information:

Brighton leader: ‘Tourism tax should come to councils’ | Local Government Chronicle (LGC)

Visitor levy in England - GOV.UK

Recommendations to read if carried:

This Council acknowledges that:

1. The Government announced in the Budget that Mayors of Strategic Authorities will be permitted to apply an overnight visitor levy;

2. Hospitality businesses are the beating heart of our local economy and that money raised through a future levy could be reinvested to boost the visitor economy;

3. This administration has successfully lobbied the government for the powers to implement an overnight visitor levy in Brighton & Hove, helping the City to benefit from the significant visitor numbers to the city;

4. That the introduction of an overnight visitor levy would be paid by visitors not local hotels, B&Bs, and tourism-based businesses;

5. That revenue from an overnight visitor levy would allow continued progress in appearance of the city as recently hailed by the CEO of the Palace Pier;

6. That local economies, particularly those dependent on seasonal visitors rely heavily on a thriving hospitality industry, and this additional revenue will enable Brighton and Hove to remain competitive compared to other UK and international destinations.

This council therefore resolves to call for:

1. The Council to respond to the Government’s consultation expressing this Council’s desire to be able to retain a significant proportion of the revenue raised by the visitor levy.

2. The Council engages with hospitality businesses and industry experts to assess how the additional revenue could best strengthen the visitor economy.