Six candidates are standing in a by-election in the Rottingdean Coastal ward for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council on Thursday 5 May.
The seat became vacant when Conservative councillor Joe Miller resigned.
The six candidates are Libby Darling (Green), Lynda Hyde (Conservative), Robert Mcintosh (Labour), Stewart Stone (Liberal Democrat), Stephen White (Independent) and Alison Wright (Independent).
Each candidate was sent questions submitted by voters. Below are the responses from Robert Mcintosh.
Why do you want to be a councillor?
I care deeply about our community, a place I’ve called home for 20 years now, but we have been let down by Tory austerity and local mismanagement. I will work with our Labour MP and councillors across the city to get a better deal for our residents.
What do you think you could bring to the role?
I worked in adult education, specialising in special education needs. I have held management positions. I will bring to the role of councillor experienced and principled leadership.
What is your vision to deal with issues such as congestion, parking and pollution?
I’ll push for the expansion of park and ride trials for the city. We need a mixture of safe transport solutions, including properly designated cycle lanes, better-regulated buses and improvements to the A259.
Do you support the plans for the ward in the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan known as the LCWIP?
It’s a good plan on paper. However, experience has shown that the provision of cycle lanes can be badly planned and inappropriately located. In the Undercliff Walk, for example, there must be a shared safe place for all users – pedestrians, children, dog-walkers, café users – as well as cyclists.
Do you support the gasworks redevelopment?
I oppose the gasworks development as it stands. We need housing in Brighton and Hove but it has to be appropriate to our needs. That’s why I support Labour’s plan to ban second homes and push instead for the provision of properly affordable homes in new developments.
The east Brighton end of the ward often feels neglected. How will you engage with us?
I can see from the Tories’ election leaflet why you might feel this way. Nearly all the “claims” are to do with Rottingdean and West Saltdean. The needs of our varied communities differ. I will work for all residents in the ward and, in particular, by scrutinising the council’s Black Rock regeneration plans.
How would you push for more “social” housing rather than so-called “affordable” housing in areas like Rottingdean?
With severe limits to local budgets, councils are, of course, not in charge when it comes to the provision of social housing. However, Labour councillors, when in administration, expanded provision wherever possible. It set itself a target of 10,000 new homes. We will continue to champion new high standard social housing.
What can you do to bring business back to Brighton Marina?
We need some new thinking here around the provision of “attractions” for both adults and children. A new exhibition centre/art gallery is one idea. The Black Rock development plan should include the Marina, and Marina residents should be fully involved.
What would you like to see at Black Rock now that plans to move the conference centre there are dead in the water?
See above. We need to link the Black Rock development plan to developments in the Marina.
Will you vote on issues according to their merit or along party lines?
Not all council matters are along party lines and if other parties and individuals have what I consider to be good ideas, I’d support them.
How willing are you to get out and about in all the communities that make up the ward?
For me, that goes without saying. One idea I have is for public meetings about local development issues across the ward.
What are your views about the way that pedestrians, dog walkers, commuters and cyclists mix on the Undercliff Walk between Saltdean and the Marina?
I regularly borrow a friend’s dog and we usually find ourselves on the Undercliff. It is one of my favourite places and where I always take friends when they visit. We must ensure it feels like a shared safe place for all users.
The Rottingdean Coastal by-election is due to take place on Thursday 5 May, with polling stations scheduled to be open from 7am to 10pm.
How can we trust the Labour party on active travel when they teamed up with the Conservatives to remove the OSR cycle lane costing the city funding on cycle training and risking future projects.
best ever decision by that team of Lab/Con on this issue : the Green are blinded by their own virtues
the Idea you are going to build homes on a gasworks is laughable.
The Ground is massively contaminated by the nature of coal gas https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg13518342-700/
without expensive and extensive work the ground wont be safe
The borrowing cap has been lifted, councils are indeed in charge of the council homes they build, lets call them what they are and stop diluting to social housing, it just means higher rents and normally less rights as tenancies are more often assured shorthold tenancies and not life long tenancies.
Can we also be using terms like truly affordable as affordable is not affordable to most anyway.
Dan. it might be helpful to folk if you could explain succinctly what ‘affordable housing’ is supposed to be in terms of council/government-speak and what you see as truly affordable housing, especially given the current cost-of-living crisis.
Who is he? Have never seen him at a community meeting in Rottingdean.
Great answers, Robert. Best of luck in the election.