Thirteen candidates are standing for three seats in Hanover and Elm Grove 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 Beverley Barstow is a painter and decorator. She said: “I want to be a councillor to give a strong voice to my local community on decisions that affect our daily lives.
“Councillors of the main political parties toe the party line. As an independent, I want to put the community first, not party politics.
“Brighton is getting dirtier and this needs addressing as a matter of urgency. We are plagued with graffiti tagging, constant overflowing bins, weeds, general cleanliness issues and neglect.
“I want to bring about change so residents of Brighton and Hove enjoy good value for money council services – and tourists enjoy the beauty of our diverse city.
“I have lived in Hanover for 29 years. Some of the candidates who are standing in Hanover and Elm Grove don’t even live here.
“I’ve been involved and invested in the local community and local projects for years and know the main issues affecting residents and businesses.
“I want to be in a position where I can do something about it though. I have seen different ward councillors come and go over the decades.
“All have neglected to resolve the issues in the area and improve it. I aim to bring a refreshing non-partisan alternative to the mainstream political parties.”
She said that the key issues in the ward were
- Bins – unsuitably sized bins were limiting pedestrian access on narrow pavements
- Re-cycling boxes – too small, with no lids, causing litter to be blown around. Alternative bins with lids needed
- Communal bins encourage fly-tipping, were always overflowing and subject to graffiti tagging. We need a long-term solution to all bin issues
- Pavements – old broken paving and uneven tarmac made pavements unsafe
- Street lighting – needed to improve
- Graffiti tagging – constant on private homes and businesses. Swift removal of tagging is required and council assistance is required
- Elm Grove road – buses unable to pass creating congestion and air pollution
- Low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) – detrimental and undemocratic
Friends of Brighton and Hove Independents candidate Laura King is a property manager and customer service manager. She said: “I want to bring back public servants who want to put the Brighton and Hove first.
“I have known Hanover and Elm Grove all my life and two generations of my family have lived here.”
She said that the key issues in the ward were low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), the cost of housing, weeds and graffiti.
Green candidate Wai Lee, 49, is a former buildings facilities manager. She said: “I have been lucky to have grown up in Brighton and appreciate that many have chosen to move to this city or remain here due to its diversity, inclusivity, as well as being close to the South Downs and by the sea.
“I understand that our home and environment we live in play a huge part in our mental health and wellbeing. Therefore I want to be a councillor to continue to restore its vibrancy, safety and keep its uniqueness alive.
“I want to influence positive actions for the city and help represent the community for the benefit of all.
“I am standing in this ward because I have lived in this part of the city for over 16 years, having previously lived in other parts of Brighton and Hove.
“I know this area well and love its community spirit and the creativity of the people who live here.
“I am a progressive thinker and I’m hoping to make an impact locally to improve the look of the area, its cleanliness and promote a circular economy to minimise wastage.
“I also want to help support the residents in local issues and advocate for them with any concerns they may have.”
Green candidate Steph Powell, 51, is a witness care officer for Sussex Police, in Brighton, and is seeking re-election to the council. She is on Twitter @Steffingtonheg.
She said: “I have been a councillor for eight years. I pride myself on being an excellent advocate for residents and for following through on casework.
“As the co-chair of the Tourism, Equalities, Communities and Culture Committee, I have led the anti-racist strategy, the accessibility strategy, and the violence against women and girls strategy and have worked successfully cross-party to do the best for the city.
“Being a councillor is varied and interesting. I’m known in the area and trusted to get things done. It’s by far the best thing I have done and, with your support, I wish to carry on.
“I have lived in and around the area for 19 years. I currently work in Queens Park. I know the area extremely well and have built good relationships with residents and resident groups alike.
“I am known and am visible, am trusted to follow through on casework and, more importantly, to listen to concerns and to speak up for residents.
“I worked previously as Caroline Lucas’s senior caseworker in 2016. I love this community, and all that it offers, and wish to continue to do the good work that I have done in representing the area since 2019.”
Green candidate Fiona Wright, 60, is a semi-retired public health doctor for the NHS and local government. She is on Twitter @fiawright.
She said: “I have wanted to be a councillor for years. As a senior public health doctor in the NHS and local councils I developed programmes and strategies with partners and communities addressing health inequalities.
“I have enjoyed engaging with people in voluntary work, as a clinician, teacher or manager. Now that I am semi-retired I will harness my energy and experience to give back to the city and community I love and call home.
“I stand for social justice – robust policies focused on those most in need, good-quality public services and practical support for local residents in challenging times.
“I live in the ward and am engaged in my local community. I love the mix of houses and communities in the area including the colourful Victorian terraces with murals, local pubs, housing estates and student houses.
“There is a rich community spirit and we have strong relations between councillors and community organisations to build on.
“I will be visible and engage with people in my own area on issues that matter to them such as recycling, housing, cost of living and access to services.
“Together we can improve people’s lives and the quality of our public spaces.”
The three Green candidates made a joint statement about the key issues in the ward. They said: “We work closely with local community organisations to keep in touch about the specific issues concerning our residents.
“Rubbish and recycling is particularly bad in our area due to narrow streets and many multi-occupancy properties. We have commitments in our manifesto to improve this.
“The low-traffic neighbourhood met with some opposition exacerbated by delays in releasing a post-consultation draft, in part due to Labour’s interventions in diverting finances. We pledge to do further engagement and evaluation.
“Unsuitable planning applications from developers for properties out of keeping with our area have been successfully objected to by current ward councillors.”
Labour candidate Ty Galvin is a retired electrical engineer and business owner. He said: “I have been involved in community activities for over 50 years and played an active part of the fabric of society in Brighton.
“I have had happy times here and want to give back to the city and the community now I am retired and have the time to do so.
“I have spent most of my life in this ward. It has a great sense of community and I would be proud to represent the people of Hanover and Elm Grove.”
Labour candidate Tim Rowkins, 44, is a record producer and mixer. He is on Twitter @rowkz and Instagram @tim_rowkins.
He said: “So much chaos and division has unfolded in recent years from Brexit to Boris, Trump to Truss and trickle-down economics.
“During those years, I have found myself so horrified that I’ve been left with two choices – bury my head in the sand and pretend it’s not happening or start trying to play a small part in making things a little bit better.
“This city is amazing but it is in decline. Inequality is turbo-charged and people are forgotten. Tenants are exploited by unscrupulous landlords and young people are forced to move ever further away. Enough is enough.
“Hanover and Elm Grove is my home. My son was born here and will go to one of our local schools.
“Our street came together spectacularly during the height of the pandemic, with us all looking out for each other, and I know other streets did the same.
“The community here is like how I imagine those in small towns and villages to have been in the past – close, connected and supportive.
“But there is also real need here. We have food banks – and NHS staff using them. Our ward needs visible, responsive representation that has roots in the community.”
Labour candidate Maureen Winder, 72, is a community campaigner for green spaces and improved quality of life in the London Road and Lewes Road area.
She said: “I believe strongly in a vision for our city and a voice for its residents. Everyone wishes for happiness and opportunity in our city, to feel supported and see improvements in the basic services they depend on.
“We need to breathe cleaner air, to live in streets to be proud of and have access to a well-planned transport scheme.
“Working together, as a diverse and inclusive community, I know we can bring new energy to making our vision a reality and achieve change through meaningful consultation and care for the needs of all who build their lives here.
“I have lived around Lewes Road for over 35 years and I know the Hanover and Elm Grove area well.
“It is a unique and exciting part of the city as a whole, with heart-felt concerns about local environmental issues widely represented.
“A richly diverse and socially active community often feels its views are unheard and some areas are urgently in need of significant improvements.
“I will offer a real voice to all those communities and campaign for investment in the improvements that are needed both locally and city-wide.”
The three Labour candidates made a joint statement about the key issues in the ward. They said: “For some months, unpopular proposals for a low-traffic neighbourhood were a huge cause for concern.
“But, more recently, residents are talking in much broader terms about the state of the area and the city as a whole.
“One resident recently said: ‘I used to feel so proud of the city. Now I feel embarrassed when people come to visit.’
“That sums up how many people are feeling. Our basic services aren’t functioning properly, our recycling is poor, our streets are a mess. On top of that, people are saying they don’t feel like the council listens to them.”
Liberal Democrat candidate Samantha Waugh is a sustainability manager. She said: “I want to help everyone to thrive together as a community that is tolerant and inclusive, where we protect the planet and people but can also prosper economically and socially.
“I want to ensure we get better sustainable transport infrastructure, better recycling, more youth and community projects, better financial management and support for arts, culture and green spaces as part of a circular economy.
“We need to create a more liveable neighbourhood where we can recycle with confidence rather than having our streets littered with rubbish.
“We need to ensure that new housing isn’t just more tower blocks for students, make it safe to cycle between Lewes Road and the seafront and fund community-led initiatives to foster environmental and social cohesion.
“We need to hold the council to account for better use of resources and find ways to empower local residents to raise concerns so that we can all have more say about running the city we love.”
The Liberal Democrats are fielding one other candidate – Laura Mullin.
The Conservatives are fielding three candidates – Susan Ellerton, Kenneth Mills and Wayne Sturt.
What are your views on low-traffic neighbourhoods?
Beverley Barstow said: “I’m a member of the Stop the Hanover and Tarner LTN group and I oppose the introduction of an LTN.
“Taxpayers’ money should be carefully spent on improving the area, tree planting, pavement repairs, etc, as well as the many other issues local people would like to address.
“Limiting access in and out of the area is detrimental. The lack of democratic process throughout the rollout of the plan was woeful, with no option to say no.
“All three elected Green councillors endorsed and supported the scheme so those who had entirely reasonable concerns had no councillor representation.”
Laura King said: “Unnecessary as Hanover and Elm Grove is already a low-traffic neighbourhood.”
Wai Lee, Steph Powell and Fiona Wright said: “The city’s Climate Assembly 2020 put low-traffic neighbourhoods as one of the top three priorities.
“They are an effective way of cutting transport emissions and improving air quality, public health and road safety.
“We are therefore supportive as long as there is consultation and continual engagement to ensure the benefits are maximised for the community.
“As the proposed Hanover and Tarner liveable neighbourhood is the first in Brighton and Hove, it is particularly important that this pilot is shaped further by the community and thoroughly evaluated. We ensured investment into essential boundary road safety improvements.”
Ty Goddard, Tim Rowkins and Maureen Winder said: “Green politicians said that Labour’s budget amendment shows we are against low-traffic neighbourhoods and not committed to combating the climate crisis.
“Yet, Labour set up the Climate Assembly in the city and were clear that we must listen to and work with communities in delivering carbon reduction measures, such as LTNs and 20-minute neighbourhoods.
“We are not against the principle of low-traffic neighbourhoods. We’ve regularly backed residents in various calls for traffic-calming measures in different parts of the city.
“We just don’t support poorly designed LTNs in the wrong places where residents evidently don’t want them.”
Samantha Waugh said: “Broadly, Liberal Democrats support the concept of LTNs. It seems that the first attempt in Brighton in the Hanover area was botched.
“There was insufficient consultation with residents and then the funding was cut after a row between Labour and Green groups on the council.”
How will you improve our embarrassingly low recycling rates?
Beverley Barstow said: “We need to go back to basics and examine why the recycling rate is so low. People are confused about what they can and can’t recycle as this differs across the whole country.
“Many people also don’t know that low-grade plastics can’t currently be recycled in our city. We need a city-wide education campaign to reduce contamination.
“A few non-recyclable or unclean items in a bin means that the entire load is contaminated and can’t be recycled.”
Laura King said: “Look at areas with successful recycling rates and trial successful models with community buy-in.”
Wai Lee, Steph Powell and Fiona Wright said: “We recognise that we need to increase our recycling rates so will explore ways of collecting additional materials not currently allowed under the 25-year Veolia PFI deal signed by Labour, introduce food waste collection and increase kerbside recycling collections from fortnightly to weekly.
“Communication is key to making sure our residents recycle, knowing when their collections are, along with ensuring a more reliable service and creating more educational material about the separation and contamination to avoid recycling going to landfill.
“We wish to engage more with resident groups and liaise with council officers and Cityclean to identify issues and find solutions.”
Ty Goddard, Tim Rowkins and Maureen Winder said: “There are major guidelines attracting multimillion-pound funds expected from the government over the next few months.
“While we wait for these guidelines, we can improve out collection facilities as follows.
“Those who already have a garden waste collection facility should be encouraged to add their food waste – this is recycled together at the same facility and only not publicised because the council are not allowed to charge for food waste collection.
“Expand our community composting scheme via the Food Partnership who already run a number of successful composting schemes across the community run by volunteers.”
Samantha Waugh said: “If you want to improve your recycling, ask a Lib Dem councillor. All of the top six local authorities in England for their level of recycling are run by Liberal Democrats, according to the latest DEFRA figures.
“Meanwhile Green administered Brighton and Hove lies 303rd in the league table.
“If elected, I would campaign to finally allow Brighton residents to recycle juice and milk cartons and soft plastics like most other residents around the country can.
“I would also work with local organisations to reduce waste and single-use plastic and increase food composting.”
Young people are being priced out of living in their hometown. How will you increase the number of truly affordable homes for local people?
Beverley Barstow said: “This is a big issue and more affordable housing is desperately needed. We need to provide young people with affordable housing so they can live and work here.
“We need to identify council-owned land and properties that could be used for this purpose. We could also look at the feasibility of re-purposing unused office blocks into affordable accommodation.
“We need to have a grown-up conversation with the universities about their expansion plans. Most of the new purpose-built flats that have and are being built in our city are owned by for-profit businesses.”
Laura King said: “Refuse planning permission for new-build developers trying to buy their way out of 40 per cent affordable housing provision.
“Repurpose empty and heritage buildings as a greener and cheaper means of providing housing which already has infrastructure.
“Brighton General Hospital would be ideal when the NHS has finished with it. Look into community land trust models.”
Wai Lee, Steph Powell and Fiona Wright said: “We need to invest more into building affordable and sustainable housing and continue the council homes expansion scheme.
“We will maximise the use of planning controls to increase the building of affordable homes and curtail excess developers’ profit.
“We will regulate against rogue landlords by ensuring the planned landlord licensing scheme is rolled out here alongside additional licensing for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). It’s important to ensure we free up underused properties.
“We will also work with organisations representing young people to ensure they’re aware of available schemes to help them financially and address other barriers we hear from them.”
Ty Goddard, Tim Rowkins and Maureen Winder said: “Our new housing strategy will be developed in consultation with local people to serve the needs of our city.
“While the current housing crisis cannot be fixed overnight, there are measures we can take. We will establish partnerships to build new housing where most needed, available to buy or rent at genuinely affordable prices, and seek ways to re-purpose empty buildings into quality housing stock.
“We will ban the sale of second homes in new developments. Working in partnership with renters’ unions, including Acorn, we aim to protect renters from illegal evictions, improve rented accommodation and regulate short-term lets.”
Samantha Waugh said: “There is a shortage of affordable family homes in the city and insufficient brownfield sites.
“High-rise is not the answer. Are we to tell residents that their children will not be able to afford to live in the city?
“Are we to build houses on more greenfield sites? We would build social housing on the council-owned brownfield sites.
“Developers who have land-banked sites but not developed them after five years would have their planning permission withdrawn.
“As regards outdoor space, houses with large gardens are unlikely to be built these days hence the importance of improving our parks.”
Polling day is Thursday 4 May. Photo ID is required for those voting in person.
