Nine former councillors to be honoured for 156 years of service

Nine former councillors will be recognised for 156 years of public service between them at a special meeting this week.

Five Conservatives and four Greens are to be given the title of honorary alderman or honorary alderwoman at a ceremony at Hove Town Hall on Thursday (20 July).

To qualify, they are required to have served on Brighton and Hove City Council for at least 15 years – or 12 years if their service was “notable” such as chairing a committee.

The old-fashioned title does not confer any rights or privileges on the new “elders” – or entitle them to any payment – but it does recognise their years of work and commitment.

Those to be honoured include two former leaders of the council – Mary Mears and Phélim Mac Cafferty.

Mrs Mears, 76, served as a Conservative councillor for 31 years and led her party’s last administration for its final three years from 2008 to 2011.

She had been due to become the mayor of Brighton and Hove just over a year ago but ill health prevented her from taking on the ceremonial role.

The former market trader was first elected to Brighton Borough Council in 1992 and had a keen interest in housing and adult social care. She regularly spoke up for tenants and was a passionate advocate of well-run council housing.

Mr Mac Cafferty, 44, the Green leader of the council until the local elections in May, served as a councillor for 12 years and leader for three.

When he was first elected in 2011, at the age of 32, he stepped up to chair the council’s Planning Committee and went on to become deputy leader of the council.

Others to be honoured include former Conservative councillor Vanessa Brown, 78, who represented Hove Park ward. She was first elected to Westbourne ward on Hove Borough Council in 1995.

During her 28-year tenure, the retired primary school teacher served as the cabinet member for children and young people and deputy leader of the council.

Fellow Conservative Dee Simson, 73, represented Woodingdean on the council for 24 years, from 1999 to 2023, and served as mayor for a year from May 2018.

She chaired the council’s Licensing Committee and was a regular chair or member of licensing panels as well as serving as the deputy leader of the Conservative group of councillors.

Another long-serving Conservative councillor to be recognised for her contribution is Dawn Barnett, 82, a former carer who represented Hangleton and Knoll after winning a by-election in 2004.

Fellow former Hangleton and Knoll councillor Tony Janio, 62, served for 16 years, from 2007 to 2023, while pursuing a career as an engineer, instructor and scientist.

The former Royal Navy officer served as the Conservative group leader for two years until the 2019 local elections. Months after resigning the leadership, he spent three years sitting as an Independent, rejoining the Tories earlier this year.

Another former mayor to become an alderwoman is Lizzie Deane, 67, who won her seat as a councillor in a by-election in 2010.

She took over from a fellow Green, the late Keith Taylor, who resigned his seat in St Peter’s and North Laine to become a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).

Ms Deane went on to chair the Licensing Committee and served as a deputy leader of the council, later becoming mayor for a year from May 2022.

Former Green mayor Alex Phillips, 38, is also in line for recognition, having served on the council for 14 years.

She was first elected in Goldsmid in a by-election in 2009 at the age of 24 before representing Regency ward from 2015 to 2023. She served as mayor from 2019 to 2020.

During her mayoral year, the mother of two spent six months as a Green MEP for southeast England after Keith Taylor stepped down.

Another former Green councillor to be honoured is Leo Littman, 60, a university lecturer who represented Preston Park for 12 years from 2011 to 2023.

Mr Littman chaired the council’s Planning Committee and the Audit and Standards Committee.

The council is expected to show its appreciation to the nine long-serving former councillors at a special meeting at Hove Town Hall on Thursday (20 July). The meeting is scheduled to start at 3pm and to be webcast on the council’s website.