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 England language school director Gary Farmer, 54.
Why do you want to be a councillor?
It would be an honour and a privilege to be a councillor.
I have seen the neglect and abandonment by the Greens and Labour of our city, watched as the council squander our taxes and heard the disillusioned, disenfranchised voices of the people.
Our councillors are often emotionless mannequins without passion or conviction.
We’ve lost faith in politics, the current Labour administration has pushed back on promises, abandoning manifesto pledges, penalizing the vulnerable, the elderly, small businesses and working people.
I want to restore trust, represent with passion, improve our city, inspire our people and reset our relationship with politics.
Why do you want to stand in this ward?
Westbourne and Poets’ Corner is a vibrant community. When I speak to residents, I always receive a welcoming and warm reception.
It has a unique charm which makes it a popular place to be part of.
But the ward needs better representation. Currently, it is lacking a distinct voice.
Seen as a safe Labour ward, there is little ambition from the current and former Labour councillors to challenge their masters and promote the ward with the passion it needs.
Having a large Labour majority in council without scrutiny or effective opposition is unhealthy. Our councillors protect their political interests while doing little for the ward.
Westbourne and Poets’ Corner deserves so much better. This is a much-needed opportunity for change.
What are the key issues specific to this ward?
Of particular personal interest is road safety, having survived a near-fatal road accident 10 years ago. I am a keen advocate of addressing rat runs, accident hotspots, crossing points and the impact of parking overspill in the ward.
The King Alfred Leisure Centre development, further housing projects and the impact on the ward’s infrastructure, rubbish and recycling issues, cleaner streets, protecting green spaces, anti-social behaviour and of course potholes.
How will you ensure residents know who you are and how to contact you, especially the digitally excluded?
Initially, contact notifications would be hand delivered to all households by myself outlining my availability and contact details at no cost to the residents.
Contact details would also be displayed in churches, pubs and community hubs for accessibility.
Surgeries would be held every two weeks in the ward and I would ensure that I am involved in local ward events to increase visibility and remain accessible.
Working in education and the service industries I have great experience in interacting with people and knowing the importance of being approachable, engaging and understanding to all.
Finding somewhere to park can be hard in Poets Corner. How will you help residents and their visitors?
Parking can be challenging, initially look to improve and encourage the use of public transport in the immediate area.
This is not an option for all and I do recognise this.
Finding parking across the city is difficult for many, as the council focuses on reducing car journeys and limiting parking despite genuine concerns for those who rely on private vehicles for work and daily life.
I would look at current parking regulations, permits, visitor permits and disabled parking bays and hold focus groups in the ward to develop a workable strategy to petition the council to remedy this.
How will you champion the community’s wishes when the King Alfred Leisure Centre is redeveloped?
As a child I learned to swim at the King Alfred, I’d also go bowling there and it was an amazing venue in its day.
Redevelopment is an essential part of the regeneration of the area and the community’s wishes must be heard.
Many major projects have failed to genuinely consult, listening only to those who fit the council’s agenda.
An example being Valley Gardens, where genuine concerns were ignored in favour of a scheme blindly promoted by the Green and Labour administrations.
I’d chair meetings, push for engagement and demand answers in a process that historically shuts out communities.
Mr Farmer is on Instagram and Facebook as ReformBrighton.
Polling stations are due to be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 1 May. Valid photographic ID is required to vote.
I still don’t understand why the strategy of jumping around parties and wards.
The usual story, views becoming as a councillor as a way to further their own agenda.
He was an INDEPENDENT candidate in 2024, no PARTY affiliation, there is no “jumping around”. Meanwhile Labour and Greens etc. field the same party loyalists reading notes provided by their bosses saying nothing and doing nothing.
He stood for the B&H Independents twice. in different wards.
Once in the 2023 full council elections (in Regency) and last year in Kemptown for the by-election.
The B&H Independents are registered as a political party with the Electoral Commission.
Only because unless you are part of a party, individual Independents are discriminated against in terms of voting and committee rights. So for entirely practical reasons. To counter council discrimination.
Exactly right Chris – NOT A A PARTY, the system works against independent candidates and does now allow the same privileges as registered “parties”. The group of Independents each had their own views on a wide range of issues. there was no agenda, no manifesto and no leader. It is a group not a party, registering was the only way forwards. Check out the members and the history of the group and you will see this. Also in Kemptown 2024 he stepped in as the group’s Kemptown candidate of 2023 could not stand in 2024 and so gary stepped took on the challenge.
Until last year this would have been a good point, but under the Cabinet system it’s hard to see how it matters. There are no real policy committees anymore, and only the ruling party gets to have Cabinet seats.