Westbourne and Poets’ Corner by-election profile – Labour

Eight candidates are standing in a by-election in Westbourne and Poets’ Corner for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council on Thursday 1 May.

The seat became vacant when Labour councillor Leslie Pumm resigned because of ill health.

The eight candidates are Gary Farmer (Reform UK), Keith Jago (Independent), David Maples (Independent Socialist), Georgia McKinley Fitch (Independents for Direct Democracy), Tony Meadows (Conservative), Sam Parrott (Labour), Geoff Shanks (Green), Michael Wang (Liberal Democrat).

Each candidate has answered questions about local issues and why electors should vote for them.

Here are the responses from counsellor Samantha (Sam) Parrott, 60.

Why do you want to be a councillor?

As a proud West Hove resident for over 20 years, I am passionate about social and environmental justice.

Our local community matters very much to me and I firmly believe being a councillor is about connecting with residents and businesses and the day-to-day issues facing them.

I am passionate about listening and engaging with residents, working alongside them to make a difference to improve our local environment.

I firmly believe that my experience as a counsellor will also enable me to engage with and help support residents in Westbourne and Poets’ Corner living with disabilities and poor mental health, not forgetting those who care for them.

Why do you want to stand in this ward?

Westbourne and Poets’ Corner is part of West Hove and my home for the past 20 years. It’s where my family live, work and play and my son was educated in his early years.

It exemplifies all that is good about our amazing city. Like everywhere, there are problems and things that need to be improved but Westbourne and Poets’ Corner is a place that offers so much for so many.

I would welcome the opportunity to represent Westbourne and Poets’ Corner residents on the council, working with them to address the issues that matter to them and to continue the work of improving the neighbourhood.

What are the key issues specific to this ward?

From speaking with residents, I believe some of the key issues that matter to them include

• Road safety. High volumes of traffic passing through the Poets’ Corner and Pembroke areas of the ward and the need for further traffic-calming measures. But also unauthorised parking creating added problems for residents.
• Hove Infants and Juniors – though the amazingly successful community campaign halted the academisation proposal, nervousness remains that governors may look to resurrect this once more.
• Anti-social behaviour and drug use around the Stoneham Park area remain a problem which the neighbourhood police team continues to monitor.
• The King Alfred development is an amazing opportunity for improved sports provision. However, residents living close to the seafront have shared their concerns about disruption while it is being built.
• Occasional acts of fly-tipping in parts of Westbourne and Poets’ Corner continue to be a nuisance, blighting specific areas.
• The condition of some pavements, particularly in roads leading to the seafront and tree stumps is something I know to be of concern to residents.

How will you ensure that residents know who you are and how to contact you, especially the digitally excluded?

If I am elected, I shall be visible and available to residents on the streets of Westbourne and Poets’ Corner, with regular street surgeries complementing the established Stoneham Park ones.

Active engagement with community groups and businesses I believe to be an essential part of being in touch, aware and available.

Social media is an important way of connecting with residents and I will also use this to connect with our diverse community, for whom this is their chosen pathway for information and connection.

Finding somewhere to park can be hard in Poets’ Corner. How will you help residents and their visitors?

Westbourne and Poets’ Corner is continually busy with traffic passing through to the western and central parts of Hove which also adds to the parking congestion.

I don’t have a quick-fix solution to the complex problems of parking but do believe it’s important to engage with residents to find out what they need and the frustrations they experience. And work with them towards some positive outcomes for the community.

Public transport extensions could form part of a solution in reducing parking congestion as well as making the area more conducive to safe cycling and walking.

For residents’ visitors, it’s crucial to ensure the issuing of permits is as quick as possible and complemented with a fair availability of parking meters.

How will you champion the community’s wishes when the King Alfred Leisure Centre is redeveloped?

This new sports and leisure facility will serve the West Hove area and beyond and I believe my role, if elected, is to listen, learn and engage with the many communities that use the King Alfred to ensure their voices are heard.

If elected, I shall work hard to ensure that residents in Westbourne and Poets’ Corner are given the opportunity to comment on the planning application to ensure that everyone in our community has their say on this.

Mrs Parrott is on Facebook as Sam Parrott and Sam Parrott Counsellor, Instagram as @mrssamparrott and tweets as @samp060465.

Polling stations are due to be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 1 May. Valid photographic ID is required to vote.