Liberal Democrats pick 30 candidates for local elections in Brighton and Hove

The Liberal Democrats have selected 30 candidates to stand in the local elections next month in Brighton and Hove, the party said today (Monday 3 April).

The Lib Dems will contest at least one seat in 21 out of the 23 wards that will be represented on Brighton and Hove City Council after the elections.

The party said that it had chosen “candidates with a wide range of skills and experience, not only in local government but in life”.

They include Robert Brown, in Kemptown, who spent 12 years working as a prison officer, Paul Chandler, in Goldsmid, who has served on county and district councils in the past, and teachers Andrew England and Caroline Ellis.

The Lib Dems said: “Now more than ever we need a truly liberal voice on the city council. For most of the last 20 years, since the city council was formed by joining Brighton and Hove together, there have been Labour or Green administrations.

“We accept they have been operating against a background of deteriorating local government funding but the condition of the city has visibly deteriorated under their rule.

“It need not be so. You can look around the country to see other local authorities operating under equivalent constraints which have done much better.

“Take the example of York, currently led by the Liberal Democrats, a city of comparable size to ours and also a tourist destination. Any visitor to York from Brighton would immediately realise that is a better-run city than ours.

“Lib Dems also have an outstanding record on recycling, with the top four local authorities in England being led by Liberal Democrats.

“Under Labour and Greens, Brighton and Hove is 303rd out of 338 authorities, according to DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).”

Stewart Stone, who chairs the Lib Dems in Brighton and Hove, said: “We are fighting more seats on Brighton and Hove City Council than we have ever done since the combined authority was formed.

“We are standing on our proven track record across the country. Lib Dems make effective and hard-working councillors. You can trust them to look out for your interests.”

Here is the full list of candidates

Brunswick and Adelaide – Claire Lachlan
Central Hove – David Sears
Coldean and Stanmer – Martin Wooller, Jack Moxley
Goldsmid – Andrew England, Paul Chandler, Owen Sharp
Hanover and Elm Grove – Laura Mullin, Samantha Waugh
Hollingdean and Fiveways – Ashley Ridley
Kemptown – Robert Brown, Dominique Hall
North Portslade – Marjorie Leeds
Patcham and Hollingbury – Caroline Brown
Preston Park – Hyder Khalil
Queen’s Park – Thomas Osborne
Regency – Trevor Freeman , Lawrence Parkhouse-Eke
Rottingdean and West Saltdean – Caroline Ellis
Round Hill – Matthew Davies
South Portslade – Ken Rist
West Hill and North Laine – Robert Heale, Anthony Seymour
Westbourne and Poets Corner – Geoff Date
Westdene and Hove Park – Simon Jardine, Andrew Harrison, Carolyn Dunn
Whitehawk and Marina – Stewart Stone
Wish – Stamati Crook
Woodingdean – Ian Newman

To read the Lib Dems local election manifesto, click here.