South Portslade candidate spotlight

South Portslade candidates explain why they want to be a councillor. They also answer questions sent in by the public via social media.

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Ten candidates are standing for the three Brighton and Hove City Council seats in the Brighton ward of Preston Park.

Why do you want to be a councillor?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie standing for the Conservatives is a medical student.

I have been working with several charities for a few years now, both locally and nationally.

I enjoy helping the community we live in and making a better place to live for all of us, but as an individual I am limited in the help and assistance I can bring to people.

Here in Brighton and Hove I have worked with Emmaus, and given up my Xmas Day for three years to help feed the homeless at the Salvation Army HQ near the level in Brighton, volunteered with the Martlets and the Food and Friendship Luncheon Club.

If I am elected and with the help of a political organisation behind me then I can do lot more to help and assist South Portslade and its residents.

Danielle Alice Harmer-Strange is also standing for the Conservatives.

Leslie Arthur Hamilton is a retired teacher standing for re-election for Labour.

I have lived in Portslade and has been a councillor for 47 years.

I taught in the city for 43 years and currently chair the Children, Young People and Skills Committee.

Marjorie Ann Leeds is a manager standing for the Liberal Democrats.

I live in Portslade and I have worked for our largest company in Brighton for over 30 years.

I am committed to improving the housing situation in Brighton and supporting local businesses.

Kenneth Nightingale is a retired printer standing for the UK Independence Party.

People feel remote from the council. I would like to keep them thoroughly informed of council business and make it easier for them to get access to council officers.

Ken Rist is a retired local charity volunteer standing for the Liberal Democrats.

I want to be a councillor for Portslade south as I am born bred educated as was my father before me here in Portslade.

It is an area that I feel should be independent as it used to be as a UDC it is now left at the bottom of the pack under the banner of Brighton and Hove.

Alan Robins is standing for re-election for Labour.

I am from Portslade and currently chair the Tourism, Development and Culture Committee.

I am Labour’s lead for tourism in the city.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver are standing for the Greens.

What are your views on the design, impact on traffic of the Valley Gardens phase three project in Old Steine which includes making Madeira Drive one way? Is this is suitable for a safe public area?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: I am vehemently opposed to the idea, the planning is seriously flawed and will cause more congestion, and in turn more of the pollution that this scheme is supposed to reduce.

It will have a negative effect on the environment and cause extended delays for motorists and businesspeople trying to go about their day.

I am all for regeneration and provision of space for cyclists and pedestrians but this scheme needs a rethink.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: The designs are currently being drawn up to a detailed design stage.

All comments and issues raised are being addressed and we hope to see a detailed scheme which meets the needs of all residents and businesses/ visitors expected.

Those detailed designs will have to ensure that the city keeps moving while addressing the impacts of the climate change emergency and supporting a modern city where sustainable transport routes are protected and enhanced.

Marjorie Leeds and Ken Rist: Making the road system one way will always speed the flow of traffic up but would be a retrograde step for other road users.

Marjorie adds: I personally find it quite difficult currently, getting across this section of the Steine at the bottom of Edward Street, it can be quite dicey and would likely be even more so with the additional lanes.

Any road scheme that involves less private motor vehicles in the town centre is always welcome but will this deliver that?

A good park and ride system would be more preferable for visitors coming by cars.

We are not a bucket and spade seaside resort but we have a beautiful seven mile prom for visitors to enjoy.

Kenneth Nightingale: Doing away with the roundabout at the Palace Pier end of the project will cause traffic chaos and the one way system will make it worse.

The answer is no.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: The Valley Gardens project was envisaged as a desperately needed green lung for the city centre and to improve walking and cycling.

Phase three covers the area that is the city’s ‘accident blackspot’ – it is a critical opportunity to cut serious injuries, many to cyclists.

The last Green council administration won £8 million of external funding to pay for the project. Labour’s delays to the scheme threatened this hard-won cash – and left the Council scrambling to get the project to completion.

In this late and rushed process, there was inadequate consultation with residents and local businesses.

Greens have pushed for better acknowledgement of the concerns raised.

There is a huge problem with dog owners leaving waste behind, either in bags or just out in the open in parks and street. What will you do to tackle dog owners not picking up poo?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: Possibly increase fines and maybe have a list of shame for owners who are persistent offenders that are caught allowing their dogs to foul the pavements and public spaces without picking up after their animals.

This could be published in the local paper every week, I think this would soon deter any errant dog owners.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: Our new enforcement officers who have been brought in-house are out and about in neighbourhoods, and targeting those whose antisocial behaviours are affecting all our lives.

We need to both educate and enforce our way out of this problem, and we want that message to get through to all who chose to leave dog mess across our city.

Marjorie Leeds and Ken Rist: We could start by providing free plastic baggies to dog owners and clearly directing them to the nearest waste disposal receptacle.

I feel that while dog waste is unpleasant there are more serious issues with illegal waste disposal in other areas.

Kenneth Nightingale: I will advocate dog owners who are caught leaving waste behind to be heavily fined and do a spell of community service.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: We need to ensure that the city’s enforcement officers (following the abandonment of Labour’s disastrous outsourcing experiment) make tackling owners who do not pick up their dogs’ waste a priority, alongside fly-tipping.

It’s not just about ‘sticks’ – we need more ‘carrots’ too.

More designated bins – especially in areas popular with dog walkers – will help dog walkers who intend to do the right thing.

The council is planning to roll out the installation of electric charging points. To what extent do you support this and will you commit to making these electric vehicle only parking spaces?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: I am fully behind the rolling out of electric charging parking spaces and will support the process wholeheartedly.

As someone who is closely involved with tackling climate change and reducing plastic pollution I firmly believe it is imperative we reduce the use of fossil fuels in this country very rapidly.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: We fully support the installation of electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs), and in fact it is the Labour council that successfully bid for £300,000 funding from the government to allow the installation of 200 EVCPs.

Test sites are already in operation.

It was noted at committee last June that the scheme might need to allow for mandatory parking bays for electric vehicle charging in the event, for example, it becomes clear that electric vehicle owners are having problems accessing advisory bays, or to adapting over time to increased demand.

Marjorie Leeds and Ken Rist: In some residential areas electric-only spaces might be unpopular until electric vehicles are more common.

There is enough resentment from residents over parking issues at present and I would like to see more fines for motorists parking on pavements and blocking access to peoples’ homes.

We also need a better park and ride system from the east and west as well as a major one in the north.

Kenneth Nightingale: Yes.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: We are fully committed to rolling out electric vehicle charging points, both on street and in car parks.

The speed and scale of the roll out needs to significantly increase.

Charging points need to be installed sensitively, so that they do not obstruct pavements or cycle routes – and we need to look at innovative options for using e.g. existing street lamps to act as charging points.

We support the policy of reserving spaces by charging points for electric vehicles.

We also need to put in place further incentives to help people switch to zero-emission transport, whether that it is by moving to an electric car, or by making journeys by electric bus, cycling or walking.

If you design with children in mind you also make it good for older people and create a healthier and more inclusive place that everyone can enjoy. How are you going to make the city safe and attractive for children to move around independently?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: More road crossings near to schools and close to public play areas and parks.

An improvement of public transport, possibly with the use of security guards on late night buses to make the travelling experience safer and more secure for young people.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: We need a range of measures to be delivered across the whole city – better protected cycling and walking routes are key to this as well as a safe reliable public transport system.

We are also committed to setting up a fund to support improved community safety and neighbourhood policing measures to give people confidence in the safety and responsiveness of their local communities.

Marjorie Leeds and Ken Rist: We should consult the elderly and the young who are less likely to drive about what would ease their travels through our city and improve safety at places like this Portslade. 

Ken Rist: this comes back to trying to make the city more car free.

We have an extremely good local transport system which can convey the older persons and families to our many good parks museums and places of interest safely.

Marjorie Leeds: I think for a start some traffic lights phases are too quick even for an able bodied person. Trafalgar Road in Portslade is a case in point.

There is only one light controlled crossing on this stretch of road and pedestrians are forced to run when the traffic has slowed down sufficiently.

It is almost impossible for older people to negotiate getting across it.

Kenneth Nightingale: I would seek to prevent cyclists riding on the pavements with those caught doing so to be heavily fined.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: Improving pedestrian routes, road crossings, cycle routes and bus services all make the city safer and easier for children, older people and others with mobility difficulties to navigate.

We would also like to see better enforcement of speed restrictions on our roads – cars are the number one cause of death and serious injury for children and young people and we would like to see our streets made as safe as possible for everyone.

In addition, tackling anti-social behaviour and drug related activity give children, parents and older people more confidence that moving around the city independently is safe.

Children in Portslade should have playgrounds that are working and safe. Too many have old or damaged equipment. What do you plan to do to support young children in the city enjoy play equipment in our parks?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: Invest money into the regeneration of public play areas and parks for children.

For older children I was thinking of maybe setting up a boxing club or something similar in South Portslade if I get elected.

Too many young people are going down the wrong path because they are bored or have nothing to do and thus finding themselves on the wrong side of the law, this initiative would hopefully reduce that possibility.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: Under a Labour government the value of play was recognised, and Labour gave significant funding to local councils for playground equipment. Locally Brighton and Hove got £2m.

This was great news, but since then government commitment has not been the same.

So the council had a report in 2016 looking at how we could keep our playgrounds as great places to play despite funding pressures, and many playgrounds across the city have been benefiting from improvement works, from Victoria Recreation Ground in Portslade to Saltdean Park.

Marjorie Leeds and Ken Rist: Playground equipment in Portslade has been recently been upgraded all thanks to hard working local people forming groups like the Friends of Vale Park.

We need more initiatives like this.

Kenneth Nightingale: It would be handy if community support officers were visible. I would support the allocation of funds to repair all the damaged children’s play equipment.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: Our playgrounds are a vital resource for families.

For all those of us with children and no garden or a small garden they are a regular and essential part of our lives.

If equipment is left broken for long periods of time this is disappointing for children at best, and at worst can be dangerous.

We need to understand that this is not a trivial issue and respond much more quickly when play equipment needs to be repaired or replaced.

There is a general lack of council housing available across the city and many people who cannot afford market rents. How will you help people get access to a council house or flat?

Jamie Rutherford Gillespie: Basically, we need to build more affordable homes, and social housing. Not with the use of greenfield sites and impacting the environment and the scenic countryside but with the use of brownfield sites.

I would also seek to prioritise Brighton, Hove and Portslade residents who were born here, too many local residents are not given the priority they need and require in the shape of social housing allocation.

Leslie Hamilton and Alan Robins: We are committed to building an additional 800 council owned homes for the lowest possible rents within the next four years.

This comes on top of our living wage housing scheme with Hyde Housing, and our innovative ‘right to buy back’ scheme, where we are buying back council homes that were lost under Mrs Thatcher’s Right to Buy scheme.

Ken Rist: There is a lack of affordable accommodation in the Brighton and Hove area due to the sell-off in the 80s and the limited amount of council housing should be allocated fairly. Also on new build by private developers a good percentage should be made affordable AND the council should keep them to it!

Marjorie Leeds: Affordable housing is a major issue in many cities. Nationally we want to allow councils to double council tax on empty homes and I would support using these powers if available and these additional funds could be ring-fenced for housing projects. I am totally against land banking.

Kenneth Nightingale: I would support an new programme of building council homes, giving local people priority and put an end to queue jumping by people from outside our area.

Fiona Kaye Bennett and Simon Gulliver: The Green council (2011-15) built Brighton and Hove’s first council houses in a generation, oversaw the delivery of 508 affordable homes and set in motion construction projects that are still transforming the city today, including the new homes in the North Laine.

In addition, we renovated council homes to make them more energy efficient, saving residents money, and we installed solar panels on 300 council homes.

We will improve on that legacy by developing 1500 homes over four years on mostly brownfield sites including those above car parks and shopping centres. We will seek to buy the Brighton General Hospital site to avoid its privatisation. We will also:

• spend unused borrowing resources towards delivering 600 new council houses (the current Labour council has built fewer than 200)
• increase the help available for those struggling with housing costs
• increase the social housing stock by buying off-plan from developers.