Eight candidates are standing in a by-election in Westbourne and Poets’ Corner for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council on Thursday 1 May.
The seat became vacant when Labour councillor Leslie Pumm resigned because of ill health.
The eight candidates are Gary Farmer (Reform UK), Keith Jago (Independent), David Maples (Independent Socialist), Georgia McKinley Fitch (Independents for Direct Democracy), Tony Meadows (Conservative), Sam Parrott (Labour), Geoff Shanks (Green), Michael Wang (Liberal Democrat).
Each candidate has answered questions about local issues and why electors should vote for them.
Here are the responses from housing and disability campaigner David Maples.
Why do you want to be a councillor?
Being a councillor would give me a platform to stand in opposition to cuts and the war on Palestine and to champion the needs of the community. It is equivalent to being a shop steward for the community.
None of the main parties have put up any serious opposition to the last 15 years of cuts or the senseless wars taking place internationally.
I will fight to defend your services and oppose cuts. I opposed the closure of St Peter’s School, in South Portslade. I will campaign against reduced opening hours at Hove Library and the closure of community libraries.
Why do you want to stand in this ward?
Westbourne and Poets’ Corner shares many of the issues which are common to Brighton and Hove.
Housing is so expensive that families are being forced out. I support rent controls. Falling school numbers should not be used to close schools.
I saw the impact of the closure of St Peter’s School, In South Portslade. I want to use this experience to make sure that the same doesn’t happen in this ward.
Primary school class sizes should be reduced to 25, starting with the Reception in September 2026.
What are the key issues specific to this ward?
The vigorous and successful campaign opposing the transfer of West Hove Infant School and Hove Junior School to Aurora Academies Trust demonstrates a vibrant and engaged community.
But the proposed redundancies at West Hove Infant School show that nothing is protected under Starmer’s government.
It would be a pleasure to work with the community to protect essential services.
How will you ensure residents know who you are and how to contact you, especially the digitally excluded?
I would work with groups and organisations within the ward. If an individual did not know how to contact me, I would hope that someone they trust would be able to guide them.
I have particular experience of special educational needs, adult social care, homelessness and housing issues. These are issues which particularly impact the digitally excluded.
Next year, I would try to organise a conference so we can develop a people’s budget. Campaigns that galvanise the community would give me visibility.
Finding somewhere to park can be hard in Poets’ Corner. How will you help residents and their visitors?
I would campaign to scrap charges on residents for parking outside their front door.
The development of controlled parking zones has not solved the shortage of parking spaces. Residents have cars and other vehicles for a variety of reasons which aren’t met by public transport alone.
I would work with residents to try to democratically develop solutions. This can include safer and more reliable public transport, improved cycling facilities and car clubs
I would oppose increasing parking charges as there is a “cost of living crisis”.
How will you champion the community’s wishes when the King Alfred Leisure Centre is redeveloped?
I box at the King Alfred. Leisure centres typically have a life expectancy of 40 years. The King Alfred is twice that.
Increasingly, it cannot operate because of problems like boilers. It reached the end of its natural life some time ago.
The council needs to mobilise the community to demand back the £110 million taken by central government each year.
Otherwise, it will try to redevelop the King Alfred based upon “enabling development”.
That means building a very substantial amount of housing as part of the development. I am opposed to a tall building on the seafront.
Mr Maples lists his social media as Collective Action’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts which can be found on Linktree. His Bluesky account is @davidmaples.bsky.social.
Polling stations are due to be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 1 May. Valid photographic ID is required to vote.
I don’t feel that a Ward Councillor is an appropriate position to be talking about international politics.
His influence upon international political matters is similar to his chances of being elected. ie zero.
Another candidate who wrongly thinks our local council has any influnce on international politics. Constituents want the bins empty, the streets looking clean and a focus on making Brighton and Hove a success. He didn’t really answer how he would prevent the closure of schools with falling role numbers. Yes you can reduce class sizes, (which will happen naturally), but then you get decreasing funds.
Great that David supports an end to fines for people parking outside their own front doors and he opposes the use of parking fines as a way to solve the transport and parking problems in B&H. Its really out of control. There is nothing socialist about penalising normal people for using cars, which is absolutely essential in a city like ours.
Also rent controls – they are desperately needed, though of course the Starmer government opposes them, as it is full of landlords.
Any councilor that turns a blind eye to the government’s support for the genocide in Gaza would likely turn a blind eye to government attacks on local services. David would oppose the Israeli weapons factory in Brighton and the bombshells of cuts to local services
Any decent Councillor who resists government cuts and who calls for an end to the forever wars that kill is the councillor voters can be proud to vote for.
I don’t understand why people think international politics has nothing to do with local issues. Maples is the only candidate to link the increase in arms spending to cuts in local services and as some of that money already goes to support Israels attacks on Palestinian civilians then of course it’s relevant. The priorities of successive governments have bled local services dry to avoid increasing taxes on the wealthy, why do you think Birmingham bin workers came out on indefinite strike? Because the money is going to the already rich and the council wanted to cut their wages to deal with their deficit.
Good on you David Maples. Standing up for ordinary people, opposing benefit cuts, including to ill people, and being prepared to talk real politics instead of platitudes.