Rottingdean Coastal 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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Twelve candidates are standing for the three Brighton and Hove City Council seats in the Brighton ward of Rottingdean Coastal.
Jane Frances Chetwynd-Appleton is a retired teacher standing for Labour.
I have lived in the Black Rock area of Brighton for nine years.
I belong to the Black Rock Residents’ Association and I am an active member of the Labour Party.
Lucy Catherine Curle is a research analyst standing for the Liberal Democrats.
I was fortunate to grow up in an era where centrist policies were the norm and young people reasonably expected to enjoy the same opportunities as their parents.
I would like to contribute to the reinstatement of a more centrist form of politics, where policy is reasonable and considered in practice while idealist in ambition.
I am standing as a Liberal Democrat because the party have always been on the right side of history, from their consistent stance on the Iraq war, to introducing equal marriage rights, to considerably raising the income tax threshold as a minority party in coalition.
Bridget Helen Fishleigh is an African Telecoms consultant who describes herself as “no party, 100% per cent independent and committed to residents”. Her website is: bridgetbythesea.com
Rottingdean Coastal ward has always been represented by Conservatives.
At the 2015 election they got more votes than all the other parties put together. I think it is time for a bit of variety and balance.
Paul Christopher Johnson has worked as a global strategist and is standing for Labour.
I have been a Brighton resident for more than 15 years first living in Kemp Town and now in Saltdean.
I have worked at three billion-pound corporations in C level positions (Al Jazeera Media Network, Endemol, Reed Elsevier) where I drove these companies global strategy.
My passions include how to prepare for the ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence.
I have created local motions on this issue so that it is clearly defined in the next Labour Party Manifesto.
I have also devised plans and strategies forBrighton to become the first truly sustainable city in the UK.
On a personal note, I cared for my 91-year-old mum in Sussex Square for three years before she died, so I know how this city is looking after its elderly.
But we need to do much more for those who do not have the support network like my Mum did.
Robert McIntosh is also standing for Labour.
Simon Kenneth Gamble is a professional TEFL teacher and standing as a Liberal Democrat.
Brighton has always played a big part in my life.
As a child I used to visit on day trips to the beach or for shopping. In my teenage years and beyond, I was a regular visitor to the old Goldstone Ground.
Now that I live here, I would like the chance to help shape the future of the city.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb are standing for the Green Party.
Mary Bridget Mears, Joe Miller and David Frederick Plant are standing for the Conservatives.
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?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: 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.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: One of the more frustrating elements of this project is the lack of transparency from the council in terms of contracts and the testing and consultancy procedures which underpin it.
This is further to public concerns regarding the potential impact on congestion elsewhere in the city, access to some areas, and delays to buses and taxis.
We would like to see all residents consulted prior to any major planning initiatives and more openness from the council on this particular project.
Without that it is difficult to support in its current form.
Bridget Fishleigh: The whole scheme is ridiculous and unnecessary. If elected, I will be seeking to stop all further work.
This city has bigger problems than spending millions on fixing a non-existent problem.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb: 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.
We have won assurances over new cycle lane provision and have heard that organisations such as Bricycles and Friends of the Earth are now on board.
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?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: 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.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: Firstly the council really should be enforcing the law which covers this issue.
In practical terms we would support the wider provision of bins (with bags also provided) for this purpose.
This would be a fairly economical and straightforward way to make it harder for the few dog owners who are not considerate of others to find excuses.
Bridget Fishleigh: I would provide more bins with plastic bags beside them.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb: We need to ensure that the city’s enforcement officers (following the abandonment of Labour’s disastrous outsourcing experiment) make tackling owners who don’t 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?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: 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.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: We wholeheartedly support the roll-out of electric vehicle charging points, reserved for that purpose.
It is incumbent upon the council to provide the infrastructure which will enable people to make the switch to more environmentally friendly means of transport.
That said, we would prioritise encouraging Brighton and Hove buses to adopt electric buses.
The parking shortage and overall congestion in Brighton and Hove is acute.
Electric buses would be environmentally friendly and reduce congestion at the same time.
Bridget Fishleigh: Tesla is funding the roll out of free charging points so I would explore this first before the council spends any money.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb: 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 eg 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?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: 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.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: We are fortunate that there are so many fun activities for children and teenagers to participate in across Brighton and Hove.
Reduced bus fares for under 16s, whether accompanied or not, would be very welcome, as well as some resurfacing work on the pavements around Brighton and Hove, which are a hazardous in many places.
The council should always be looking for ways to separate pedestrians and cyclists from cars in order to make walking and cycling a more pleasant experience.
This would encourage people of all ages to walk or cycle rather than taking the car.
Bridget Fishleigh: My boys have been using the bus to get to school since they were 11 and also use the bike lanes along the sea front.
I think we need to assess how we can tackle drivers who drive too fast in residential areas.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb: 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.
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?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: 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.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: We favour the proposed Hollingbury Golf Course development.
The land is council-owned and reducing the golf course to nine holes would be a reasonable compromise.
We propose building 1,500 homes on the site, at least 30 per cent of which wound constitute social housing, as well as further allotments and leisure facilities, subject to a thorough pubic consultation on what facilities residents
would most like to see in the remaining space.
The council should also consider the purchase of the Brighton General Hospital site (perhaps as a joint venture with the health authority and/or housing associations) for further social housing.
Bridget Fishleigh: If elected, I will press the council to carry out an audit of brownfield sites across the city – and identify properties that have been empty for a long time.
Ruby H Jackson-Hall, Florence Isobel Traini-Cobb and Matthew Thomas Traini-Cobb: 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 1,500 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
Congestion in Rottingdean is horrendous. What will you do to reduce the amount of traffic using the village as a cut-through?
Jane Chetwynd-Appleton, Paul Johnson and Robert McIntosh: The Labour council has been working really hard with Rottingdean Parish council and residents to tackle congestion and poor air quality.
We are pleased to say that a trial is now in place that includes three physical measures, and we are really hoping everyone will give their feedback as the trial is underway, and that hopefully the outcome of the trial will show reduced congestion and improved air quality.
However, if elected, we know tackling this and other traffic issues like cutting through will be really important for residents.
Lucy Curle and Simon Gamble: There was a report produced for local residents’ groups on precisely this question in 2016.
The report outlined the congestion quite neatly, however there was no consideration of where the traffic was coming from.
We would like to see proper consultation on this question.
The introduction of a permanent park and ride scheme at Mill Road would probably be effective in terms of reducing traffic moving towards the city centre.
Reduced bus fares and the creation of a residents’; car-share forum may be worth considering depending on what is found out regarding the patterns which contribute most to the congestion.
Bridget Fishleigh: The A259/Rottingdean High Street junction needs to be re-thought with input from people who use it every day.
Rather than spending millions on Valley Gardens, I would prefer the council to focus on the log jams that affect residents every day.
