Seven candidates are standing for two seats in Round Hill 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?
Green candidate Raphael Hill, 26, a receptionist, said: “I am doing this because local politics is the best way for me to channel my energy into something very productive and helpful to wider society.
“I think that energy stems partly from a feeling that the current Westminster-dominated political system is fundamentally broken.
“I feel that effectively run local governments can and do challenge this broken system so that is where I want to be.
“A priority for me is to help residents with the ‘cost of living crisis’.
“I relish the opportunity to represent this new ward which I consider to be a hidden gem in Brighton.
“I want to stand here especially because there is a strong community spirit in the area which I have found very welcoming to all sorts of different people.
“By creating this ward, it will help allow for a wider awareness of Round Hill, as well as a closer relationship between the local council and this community. I am keen to be involved as a councillor in growing that relationship.”
Green candidate Pete West, 58, is the chief executive of a local wood recycling charity who is seeking re-election to the council.
He said: “Most councillors will tell you their primary motivation for being a councillor is helping their communities. That is true for me too.
“I was elected as the first Green councillor in Brighton and Hove and I am proud of our achievement through years of constructive opposition and two Green administrations.
“Despite the severe funding challenges we face, Greens continue to deliver the services people want and need.
“We are determined to transform the city to meet the challenge of climate change. There is much to do and my work to help offer the Green alternative and future is not yet done.”
“I was first elected in 1996 in the St Peter’s ward – subsequently St Peter’s and North Laine ward.
“The new Round Hill ward once again brings together areas of my original ward. It has been an honour to serve so many residents over the past 27 years.
“With their renewed support, I will begin a seventh term, keen to build on the trust and achievement that colleagues and I have consistently developed over the years.
“Greening Round Hill, through tackling rat-running, improving cycle safety, developing community green space and making Round Hill a zero-waste community are top of our latest agenda.”
Raphael Hill and Pete West said: “Air pollution is a key issue in the ward as we have some of the worst air pollution in the city.
“A key cause of this is rat-running. We believe that traffic calming measures should be considered to improve air quality as well as make the ward safer for residents.
“In addition, we are supporting the creation of a pocket park by using councillor ward budgets to improve the bus stop at the junction of Prince’s Crescent.
“We support improving the Lewes Road cycle lane, increasing enforcement and segregation to prevent obstructive parking forcing cyclists into heavy traffic.”
Labour candidate Most Jasmin Ara, 40, is a community activist and manager of a small business in central Brighton.
She said: “I have the enthusiasm and experience to represent the community and ensure the Labour council delivers what is needed.
“I will listen to residents and local business issues and work hard to get people the services they need.
“I am committed to making sure our community has representatives that listen to and work hard on their behalf to deliver the best services possible.
“Each day I am hearing many concerns and interests of local residents from Round Hill.
“As a local resident and active campaigner in the broader community for many years, I believe we can develop a fairer vision for our wonderful city.
“People are experiencing hardship because of the ‘cost of living crisis’.
“I will be campaigning for a safer neighbourhood, reliable council services and quality affordable housing.
“I will be also work with local small businesses to help and promote with a Labour council to make sure our city is thriving with strong financial stability.”
She said that the key issues in the ward were community safety, drug misuse, homelessness, recycling and refuse collections, affordable housing, street parking, lack of green space and increasing traffic and air pollution.
Labour candidate Yassin Hassan, 46, is an employability work technical skills coach and PhD student. He said: “My priority would be to represent residents’ diverse perspectives and interests.
“I am committed to advocating for the community’s needs and ensuring everyone can access the necessary services and resources.
“Whether it is assisting a resident with a specific issue or working collaboratively to develop innovative solutions for the betterment of the community, I am dedicated to serving the public and driving positive change.
“Living in Brighton since 2011 and in this ward since 2020, I know our community’s concerns and challenges. Through my experiences as a resident, I have gained valuable insights into the issues that matter most to the people here.
“I am passionate about using this knowledge to advocate for positive change and ensure our community’s needs are heard and addressed.
“Round Hill has seen rising housing prices and scarce affordable housing, raising worries about displacement and gentrification.
“The Round Hill is near multiple important roads and transportation centres. There is increasing traffic and air pollution.
“People worry about crime and anti-social behaviour, especially around Lewes Road.
“There have been calls to improve and extend local parks and green areas and protect amenities like public toilets.
“Recycling, local waste production and the need for better recycling systems have caused concern in recent years.”
Liberal Democrat Matthew Davies is a charity worker. He said: “Local politics affects almost every part of our day-to-day life so I want to be able to make a real difference for people.
“Before moving to Brighton five years ago, I was previously an elected councillor in London for 12 years, with a track record of getting things done.
“From recycling and rubbish collections to traffic and parking, from local schools and mental health provision to planning issues, housing and sustainability, no issue is too small or too big – your councillors are there to ensure your voice is heard.
“Brighton has been home for me, my husband and our son for five years – although my husband first lived in Round Hill as a student 20 years ago.
“Having a nine-year-old means I have good experience of the school system in Brighton, as well as the need for a city we can all live and work in together – residents of all ages, whether students, commuters, work at homers (like me), retired, working or looking for work.
“Round Hill is a great place to live at the heart of our great city. Let’s make it even better.
He said that the key issues in the ward were
- recognising the need for a good mix of housing, including for families, so we keep our strong sense of community
- anti-social behaviour on The Levels
- the state of the pavements and roads
The Conservatives are fielding two candidates – Tony Meadows and Clare Rogers.
What steps will you take to tackle rough sleeping in Brighton and Hove?
Raphael Hill and Pete West said: “A housing first strategy, supported by early interventions, is the best way forward to tackle this problem.
“One overlooked aspect with rough sleeping is how many LGBTQIA+ people are homeless or rough sleeping. We support more LGBTQ+ night shelters which have just begun in Brighton earlier this year.
“We can end the blight of young and vulnerable LGBTQIA+ people being kicked out of their homes and forced into rough sleeping and deprivation.”
Most Jasmin Ara said that she would
- work with multiple agencies including homeless charities
- organise appropriate emergency shelter facilities
- look into and understand why more people are rough sleeping
- provide mental health support
- ensure essential health care services are available
- engage with the rough sleeper community and involve the wider community to provide support
…
Yassin Hassan said: “Provide immediate shelter. Ending rough sleeping starts with shelter. This includes emergency, hostel, night shelter and long-term accommodation.
“Address root causes. Poverty, mental illness and addiction can disrupt sleep. Addressing these reasons can avoid homelessness.
“Work with homeless charities and advocacy groups to identify needy individuals and build individualised treatment plans.
“Provide healthcare. Physical and mental health issues keep many rough sleepers homeless. Healthcare benefits homeless individuals.
“Engage the community. Difficulty sleeping needs community-wide solutions. Involve people, businesses and stakeholders to promote homelessness solutions.”
Matthew Davies said: “Solving the immediate rough sleeping issue lies in a much quicker throughput for those living on the street into supported accommodation and from there into permanent tenancies.
“The problem lies in the lack of permanent tenancies that are either affordable or who have landlords that accept people on benefits which means they get stuck in supported accommodation for much longer than is needed.
“So the solution is more affordable housing that allows people in supported / temporary accommodation to move on within a reasonable period of time, freeing up spaces for the current homeless.”
Too many roads are in a bad way. What will you do to make sure white lines are clear and potholes repaired?
Raphael Hill and Pete West said: “Fading white lines reduce road safety and potholes create hazard for cyclists and damage to motor vehicles.
“While we will continue to help residents report defects, the long-term neglect of road maintenance we see is a direct consequence of 13 years of government funding cuts that a sticking plaster approach cannot overcome.
“So we continue to argue that government austerity is a false economy and proper investment in road maintenance is vital.
“Round Hill ward suffers from rat-running which, if tackled, will also reduce wear and tear on residential streets.”
Most Jasmin Ara said: “Prioritise road inspections to reveal potholes and faded white markings and schedule repairs.”
Yassin Hassan said: “Road inspections reveal potholes and faded white markings and schedule road inspections.”
Most Jasmin Ara and Yassin Hassan said: “Prioritise repairs. Once found, local authorities can prioritise repairs by severity and public safety. Fix potholes and other imminent dangers to cars, bikes and pedestrians.
“Give funds. Road maintenance costs money. Road rehabilitation requires funding, people, equipment and materials.
“Improve public road maintenance and repair communication by alerting neighbours and road users on repair work, seeking opinions and quickly responding to public complaints.
“Explore creative solutions. Modern materials and technologies improve road durability and reduce maintenance expenses.”
Matthew Davies said: “Maintaining our roads, pavements and cycle lanes to a safe standard is an important responsibility of the council.
“The work needs to be properly funded and efficiently carried out. We would review the current contracts and methodologies and reassign them as necessary.”
How do you plan to deal with the growth in short-term holiday lets which has reduced the number of homes available to local people?
Raphael Hill and Pete West said: “We support the principle of a small tourism tax for people staying in short-term holiday lets.
“Additionally, we support charging double council tax on short-term lets (and second homes) which the council plans to introduce once allowed to. However, we need to see a change in national legislation for us to take these actions.
“Working within current national planning laws, we will work on ensuring that we use our current powers to regulate short-term and holiday lets to the maximum degree.
“We will contact and support the local police if there are instances of anti-social behaviour in relation to these.”
Most Jasmin Ara said: “Explore how to reduce holiday rentals. Possible options may include issuing of permits, limiting rental days, with penalties for disobedience.
Yassin Hassan said: “Reduce holiday rentals. Permits, limiting rental days and punishing disobedience are examples.
Most Jasmin Ara and Yassin Hassan said: “Licensing. Short-term vacation leasing owners may be required to offer insurance, maintain safe and well-maintained dwellings and reduce noise and disturbance.
“Raise taxes and fees to counteract the damage of the short-term holiday lets housing market. Tourism, second-home, and short-term rental licence taxes are examples.
“Provide inexpensive housing. Examples are developer incentives, better affordable housing finance and inclusionary zoning that requires a certain percentage of new housing units to be reasonable.
“Airbnb lowers short-term rental housing market impact. Platforms may exchange rental data with local authorities, automate compliance monitoring or promote responsible tourism with the media.”
Matthew Davies said: “Low-rented accommodation is being lost to Airbnb and so we propose to license all short-let accommodation, including Airbnbs, and limit the number of licences within each ward of the city (except for individuals renting out rooms in their own homes).”
Polling day is Thursday 4 May. Photo ID is required for those voting in person.
Pete West – why not tell us about your fantastic cycle lane at the Pier that caused so much congestion, that the bus company complained and you were forced to remove it- at a vast cost to the taxpayers?
And you then had a tantrum about it!
Please do not re-elect Pete West, the damage he has inflicted on our city has been catastrophic.
Is this the Green who has consistently OPPOSED Park and Ride Schemes?!
Pete West is standing again?
Doesn’t he realise how much damage he has inflicted on Brighton already, and how much his dogma driven foolhardy schemes have cost the taxpayer? He could have at least dressed in full clown garb for the photo.
Pete West – I wouldn’t have believed this but I heard you say it live on Radio Sussex – Can you please explain to me how, after completely shutting off one lane of car traffic from the palace pier heading westwards, for the exclusive use of cycles who already had an adequate pavement cycle lane, that you thought adjusting the traffic lights would solve the enormous and catastrophic traffic congestion that resulted from this single act?