Candidate profiles – Thirteen stand for three seats in Goldsmid

Thirteen candidates are standing for three seats in Goldsmid on Brighton and Hove City Council in the local elections next month. They answered questions sent in by the public via social media.

Why do you want to be a councillor?

Brighton and Hove Independents candidate Linda Elisha is the director of a technology company. She said: “There are so many things I love about this city but the council’s management of it isn’t one of them.

“It feels like a lot of things have been ‘done to us’ in recent years, without any real consultation. I could complain on Nextdoor but I’d rather try to be part of the solution. I want the city managed competently.

“My goal is to make sure that Goldsmid residents are informed and canvassed for their views on things that affect our daily lives and have those views represented coherently within the council, without passing through the lens of party-political dogma.

“I live and work in the Goldsmid ward so I really have skin in the game. This is my home.

“I may not be able to tackle all the issues across Brighton and Hove and the UK but I can work with my neighbours in Goldsmid to make sure that we get our voices heard.

“I will work diligently to make sure that residents feel engaged and listened to. It’s the residents whose opinions matter most.

“Simply put, I want to make sure that Goldsmid gets the resources the residents need to improve the fabric of our neighbourhood.

“Goldsmid is undergoing a massive transformation with around 2,000 new homes under construction and plans for more. Essentially a good thing, as we need more housing, but it brings with it a slew of issues.

“Will services cope? Will the ancient sewage system fail and cause sea pollution? Shops and amenities will be stretched and traffic worsened.

“With weeds cracking our pavements, the place already has an air of decrepitude. Tagging and rubbish is known to breed more anti-social behaviour and we’re adding several thousand more people into the area.

“Care and resources are needed to manage the change positively.”

Green candidate Rebecca Duffy, 50, is a lecturer, copywriter and coach. She is on Twitter @becsduffy.

She said: “I am proud of what the Green councillors have achieved in the last three years, having taken over from Labour in the midst of the covid pandemic at a time of brutal funding cuts inflicted by years of Tory austerity.

“Brighton and Hove is diverse, tolerant and creative and we need everyone’s ideas to solve the huge challenge of tackling climate change and meeting our commitments to net zero by 2030.

“As a Green councillor, I would be proud to be part of this effort and look forward to listening to residents and their ideas for Brighton and Hove.

“I have lived or worked in the Goldsmid area for many years and clearly it’s an area that is undergoing substantial changes currently.

“While talking to residents on the doorstep, I’ve welcomed their ideas and views because we need to hear from as many people as possible to find the best solutions both in the ward and in the city as a whole.

“So the variety and diversity in Goldsmid makes it an exciting place to represent and I would be proud to be selected by residents to do so.”

Green candidate Alexander Sallons, 28 is a barista. He is on Twitter @sallonsax. He said: “I want to effect change in the city so workers like myself can move around the city safely, live in properly affordable high-standard and sustainable housing and breathe clean air.

“The only party showing this through action is the Green Party.

“I live in the ward and see the potential for investment in active travel here so I want to be involved in driving that change and improving the lives of residents.”

Green candidate Ollie Sykes, 56, is a climate change consultant. He is on Twitter @brunswick_green. He said: “I was a councillor previously for eight years and know both how challenging the role can be and how rewarding.

“The current Green administration received control of the council from Labour at short notice in July 2020 – mid-covid pandemic – and I think Greens have done an amazing job in very difficult circumstances.

“Facing a national government that is frankly hostile to public services, we need a strong experienced council administration that can do its absolute best for all residents of Brighton and Hove and I would be proud to be part of that Green team again.

“I’ve lived in or very near Goldsmid ward for most of the past 15 years, including the eight years when I was councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide ward, and know the area well.

“It’s an amazing place to live and not without challenges, with major new developments across the ward creating new communities and change.

“Goldsmid is a large diverse ward, with engaged and passionate residents who care deeply about their part of Hove, and I would love the chance to work with them to pursue opportunities to improve Goldsmid’s public spaces and services.”

Rebecca Duffy, Alexander Sallons and Ollie Sykes said: “The cost of housing is a massive issue here – as it is across the city – and homelessness is an issue people care about deeply.

“Residents want to see more and better recycling facilities, including food waste collection, and they want to see their council tax working in terms of clean streets and pavements.

“The new developments around Hove station and along Cromwell Road have created immediate concerns during construction and longer-term worries about the impact on services, parking and traffic.

“It’s part of the role of councillors to ensure these impacts are minimised and also communicated fully to residents.”

Labour candidate Birgit Miller, 60, is a classical singer, pianist and music teacher. She is on Twitter and Instagram @birgit4goldsmid.

She said: “Cancer treatment in 2015 gave me time to re-evaluate my life. I decided that merely complaining about injustices and issues was no longer sufficient. I started volunteering for different local charities and became an active member of Labour.

“But I gradually realised that standing for council myself was the only way that I could properly contribute to driving the change that our city needs.

“As a neuro-diverse person, I also felt that I had a duty to be a representative for this community and to help ensure that inclusion is at the heart of the policy-making process.

“As a Goldsmid resident since 2016, I wanted to represent my neighbourhood, and the whole of Goldsmid, since I first decided to try for selection to become a Labour council candidate.

“Although I love all of our wonderfully inclusive, welcoming and exciting city, the friendliness and sense of community in Goldsmid makes it particularly dear to me.

“I also want to ensure that Goldsmid’s many new developments will make it an even better place to live, both through working to improve our built environment, but also through building on the community spirit which Goldsmid already has in abundance.

“Every time I speak with voters, three local topics are mentioned again and again. Many talk about the dangerously uneven state of the ward’s pavements which are full of weeds and impacted by tree roots.

“Others mention inadequate recycling collection, the lack of food waste collection and composting facilities and irregular rubbish collection.

“And everywhere, residents are concerned about the impact of the many developments on Goldsmid’s infrastructure.”

Labour candidate Trevor Muten, 55, is an environmental scientist and geologist. He is on Twitter and Instagram @Trevmu10 and Facebook facebook.com/Trev4Goldsmid.

He said: “As a proud Hove resident for over 24 years, passionate about social and environmental justice, I strongly believe in valuing our diverse communities through the provision of effective public services.

“Our local community matters and, as a Labour Party candidate, I humbly seek to become an effective voice on the council for the most vulnerable and improving environmental services, transport, housing and development for all.

“As a chartered environmentalist with three decades of environmental and resource management, I bring sound environment, public funds and services stewardship to help make Brighton and Hove a better place to live for all.

“In such a vibrant and diverse part of our city, the communities of Goldsmid ward deserve a strong voice on the council prepared to represent their interests.

“Some of Hove’s largest and tallest developments are being built in Goldsmid and Labour is committed and best placed to ensure the essential services, amenities, wellbeing and environment for all residents are enhanced alongside the increased housing.

“I intend to make a positive difference, working alongside the many community groups, charities and businesses to establish Goldsmid as an excellent place to live and ensure council services meet the communities’ needs.”

Labour candidate Jackie O’Quinn is seeking re-election to the council. She is on Twitter @jacquelquinn and Instagram @jackiequinn10 and Tiktok @user200282920236

She said: “In 2015 I stood as a councillor, and was elected, because of my involvement in my local community which I found to be warm, welcoming and diverse and my desire to make a positive contribution to the lives of people in the city.

“I have been a Goldsmid ward councillor for eight years now and I wish to restand as my love of this dynamic and tolerant city has deepened.

“It has been a privilege to serve as a councillor working hard on different committees and in different organisations where I have learnt much and used that knowledge to good effect. I wish to continue making a difference as a councillor.

“I have lived in Goldsmid ward for 28 years now and I can honestly say that it is a wonderful and interesting ward to live in.

“I have become deeply embedded in the ward due to having been a very active councillor for the past eight years, working with different groups and organisations such as the Vallance Community Centre, Honeycroft Nursery, Hove Station Neighbourhood Forum, Hove Gold, Friends of St Ann’s Well Gardens, Friends of the Field and the Clarendon and Ellen Resident’s Association.

“Goldsmid is a large ward and has very diverse communities with a range of issues so it’s good to know that you can make a positive difference to them.”

Jackie O’Quinn and Trevor Muten said: “The biggest issue facing the ward at the moment is the amount of development especially now that the boundaries have changed and the Moda and KAP developments now lie within the ward.

“This will have a significant impact on the already stretched infrastructure of the ward, GP surgeries, parking, public transport, etc and we are working with developers to mitigate any impacts.

“Maintenance of pavements, gullies, tree roots and wet leaves is another issue that comes up regularly as they make the area look scruffy and also unsafe for pedestrians.

“Recycling and rubbish collections need to improve, especially the green waste collection service which is erratic to say the least.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Chandler is a developer. He said: “I spent 10 happy years as a councillor in Worcestershire before I moved to Brighton in 2002.

“It is a very worthwhile opportunity to make a real difference to our city and the lives of those who live here.

“I live in an adjacent ward to Goldsmid and know the area well. Although it is a prosperous and leafy part of Hove, it also has problems that need to be addressed.

“I believe that I have the commitment, experience and imagination to be of use in tackling those issues.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew England is a retired chemistry teacher. He said: “I enjoy working collaboratively with other people, often with people who have ideas that challenge my own, to find better solutions for problems.

“I love living in Hove but it has its problems and I would look forward to making it an even better city for its residents.

“Having recently retired, I now have the time to devote to helping others which I certainly did not have as a full-time teacher.

“I have lived in the ward for 39 years and have three children who attend schools in the area so it is only logical to want to represent it.”

Mr Chandler and Mr England said: “The fabric of the ward has been badly neglected. The public toilets in St Ann’s Well Gardens and Goldstone Villas need refurbishing.

“Our pavements are wonky, weed-strewn and made dangerously worse in places such as Holland Road by poor street lighting.

“Graffiti runs amok on garden walls and on vandalised, redundant telephone boxes.

“There is a shortage of NHS dental practices. There are hazardous road junctions.

“Sports facilities and playgrounds need improvement and some parks lack benches and litter bins.

“There is a shortage of affordable housing and problems with recycling and refuse collection.”

Liberal Democrat candidate Owen Sharp works in financial compliance. He said: “Participating in local government is important to the social and financial prosperity of the local community.

“I can either stand by and let others affect how our town is governed or I can be part of the decision process.

“By being a councillor, I will bring my experience and expertise to ensure that the people of Brighton and Hove have democratic and financial accountability.

“In the current ‘cost of living crisis’ I will ensure that both their social and financial wellbeing are at the forefront of any decision.

“Goldsmid ward is a varied and wonderful ward. It ranges from high-rise blocks of flats to single-dwelling four-storey townhouses.

“Consequently, a diverse and varied people live within the ward. By representing the ward, I will ensure that all spectrums are considered on a utilitarian basis rather than concentrate on the interests of small groups.

“The variety of life and people is important to me and this is why I want to represent Goldsmid ward.

“Financial and democratic accountability are important to Goldsmid. Everybody wants their voices heard and money spent correctly.”

He said that the key issues in the ward were

• redesigning the road junctions along Fonthill Road and York Avenue
• improving the recycling rate
• repairing the uneven and weed-strewn pavements and paths
• focusing spending on local projects rather than expensive vanity projects

…

The Conservatives are fielding three candidates Edward De Souza, David Lewis and Mark Long.

What is your view on spending council money on bike hangars?

Linda Elisha said: “Golly, once again the council is overpaying and there has been insufficient consultation.

“Bike hangers are certainly useful where there is a need but that should be decided street by street, not imposed irrespective of the views of the residents and more evenly funded by the users.

“Certainly, I oppose the removal of parking spaces anywhere that the council has already oversold car parking permits or where we’ve lost disabled bays.”

Rebecca Duffy, Alexander Sallons and Ollie Sykes said: “Bike hangars are a good thing, making cycling more accessible for people who don’t have sheds or gardens and aren’t physically able to take their bikes up stairs.

“Six bikes can be safely stored in a space that is smaller than a large car and, while being affordable, renting a bike hangar space brings in vital funds for the council.

“There has been a huge demand for bike hangars with over 500 locations suggested and all spaces in hangars installed so far now in use including seven hangars in Goldsmid. We want more bike hangars for everyone who needs one.”

Birgit Miller, Jackie O’Quinn and Trevor Muten said: “It’s a relatively small amount of money (£99,000 in 2023-24) out of a huge capital programme of some £25 million for local transport and serves a real purpose for residents living in flats who have no other cycle storage.

“It also makes cycling possible for those who may not be able to carry a bike in and out of their home due to age or disability.

“In the same way that we don’t restrict car use only to those residents with off street parking, we all need to ensure that any resident who wants to cycle can cycle.”

Paul Chandler, Andrew England and Owen Sharp said: “Broadly, bike hangars are a good idea and we should have more, especially for people living in flats. Carrying bicycles inside is hard work and so discourages new people from taking up cycling.

“At a cost of £50 a year it might take some years for the hangars to be self-financing but the exchange of one car space for six cycles seems to be a good deal from the taxpayers’ point of view. Of course, the position of the hangars needs to be sensible and the views of residents considered.”

How will you help the hidden homeless, including sofa surfers, and those who are vulnerably housed?

Linda Elisha said: “It’s hidden so first we must understand the scale of the problem. Part of the solution is affordable accommodation – and the council can do more.

“It is sitting on a significant portfolio of property and land, some of it suitable for rapid development of affordable houses for our key workers – and I’d include hospitality workers in that too.

“A big issue I saw when leafleting was that we have a huge number of empty second homes and Airbnb-type properties in the area. We must disincentivise this and ensure that new properties have meaningful restrictions on purchase and rental.”

Rebecca Duffy, Alexander Sallons and Ollie Sykes said: “We will maximise affordable housing in private developments through the planning process and keep rents as low as feasible in the council’s own social housing.

“The Green council has built hundreds of new council houses in the last few years to very high environmental standards and at truly affordable rents.

“We will also maintain pressure on the security of tenure and treatment of tenants in the private rented sector through the landlord licensing scheme which will be rolled out soon to prevent people becoming homeless.

“This is all vital alongside work to help rough sleepers such as the ‘housing first’ approach.”

Birgit Miller, Jackie O’Quinn and Trevor Muten said: “Between 2015 and 2020, Labour councillors began a programme of building 800 council and 700 affordable homes.

“We will increase our housing stock, including re-purposing empty buildings as housing, increasing supported housing and assisting older residents to downsize, freeing up larger council properties for families.

“Existing powers will enable landlord licensing, regulating houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) and ensuring new developments can only be sold as principal residences.

“We will provide wraparound support for those on the streets, improve emergency and temporary accommodation, possibly bringing some in-house, and ensure that all are treated in accordance with the Homeless Bill of Rights.”

Paul Chandler, Andrew England and Owen Sharp said: “There is a terrible shortage of affordable housing in Brighton and Hove.

“It is very frustrating for those looking to be housed to see high-rise blocks of expensive flats going up or student accommodation that is out of their reach.

“Although the council has a policy of 40 per cent affordable housing being built, this policy is often relaxed or even bypassed by developers paying a contribution to building cheaper accommodation by the council elsewhere.

“Lib Dems locally support the building of more council housing and have identified a council-owned site that could easily accept 2,000 more homes.”

How will you tackle our broken and weed-infested pavements and the dangers that they pose?

Linda Elisha said: “Yes, it is dangerous and looks awful. There has been a total disregard for the needs of visually and physically impaired. Everyone knows someone who has tripped on our ghastly pavements.

“A shabby and uncared-for environment directly affects behaviour and is depressing. And this is meant to be a tourist destination. We want to foster civic pride – and that starts in our streets and public spaces.

“It’s not lack of money or inability to find a non-glyphosate weed killer that’s created the problem, just that the council had other priorities. It is shameful and I will fight to get this sorted.”

Rebecca Duffy, Alexander Sallons and Ollie Sykes said: “Work has begun to resurface broken pavements in our city and we’ll call for the worst affected roads in Goldsmid to be made a priority.

“Stopping the use of the bee-killing weedkiller glyphosate was the right thing to do but the then Labour council had not put in place adequate staffing capacity or an alternative method to keep our pavements fully accessible, especially during summer months.

“The availability of staff has been badly affected by Brexit but we’re pleased to see that recruitment rates in this area are improving and we will make it our priority to ensure this continues.”

Birgit Miller, Jackie O’Quinn and Trevor Muten said: “We all want to live in a city that looks good, with clean streets and safe pavements.

“Labour will safely wage war on the weeds that have been allowed to grow making streets difficult and hazardous, especially with children and for the elderly and people with reduced mobility.

“We won’t return to the use of harmful glyphosates but we will work with our communities on targeted environmental and sustainable solutions, protecting human health, enabling nature to flourish and ensuring streets are managed to a high standard and are accessible to all.”

Paul Chandler, Andrew England and Owen Sharp said: “High temperature water sprays have been used all over Europe.

“Within days, the sprayed plants and their roots die. There are many manufacturers of these machines for industrial use.

“One of the most effective is a combination of foam and water. Many public and private organisations use this method of weed control.

“It is safe, cost-effective and can also be used to clear chewing gum from the pavements.

“It is a herbicide-free solution for managing outside spaces. Understandably, the Greens did not want to use strong chemicals but to put no other solution in place was irresponsible.”

Polling day is Thursday 4 May. Photo ID is required for those voting in person.