Former mayor resigns from council

A former mayor has resigned as a member of Brighton and Hove City Council almost three months after quitting the Labour Party to sit as an Independent.

Councillor Jackie O’Quinn said today (Friday 1 May): “It is with regret that I am standing down as a councillor after 11 years of being in the role.”

Councillor O’Quinn said that she would step down with immediate effect to focus on family, friends and other interests, with a by-election now expected in Goldsmid ward.

As well as serving as mayor in 2023-24, Councillor O’Quinn previously chaired the council’s Licensing Committee and was, until February, chair of the council’s People Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

She thanked the residents of her ward for their support – voting her in at three successive elections – as well as officials and councillors from across the political spectrum.

Her role on the Licensing Committee involved sitting on numerous licensing panels and having to work closely with Greens and Conservatives in a non-party political way.

Councillor O’Quinn said: “I was elected in 2015 and have been greatly engaged in the all-encompassing role of councillor since then.

“It has been a humbling role from the very beginning as I thought I knew a great deal about how the city operated and the lives of its residents but I quickly realised my ignorance and have been learning ever since – and there’s a lot to learn!

“I certainly would never have guessed that after years of teaching history and government and politics A levels that I would become a semi-expert in the complexities of both the licensing and the taxi trade in my position as chair of licensing.

“I give my thanks here to the licensing manager at that time, Jim Whitlegg, to Andy Peters, the union representative for the taxi trade, and to the police licensing team at that time for their professionalism and support.

“There were many battles fought at licensing panels and at planning committees and I lived to tell the tale.

“Contentious planning applications were definitely something that brought local communities together and I met some exceptionally committed and skilful residents in Goldsmid ward who worked to prevent or ‘encourage’ improvements to developments that would have been a major ‘blot on the landscape’ and harmful to the local community.

“So, thank you to all those who supported Hove Gold and showed what can be achieved when the community comes together.

“I will miss all the residents in my ward and thank them for their support over the last 11 years.

“My time as Mayor of Brighton and Hove was when I met an extraordinary cross-section of people in the city and beyond.

“It was an epic privilege to be mayor of such a vibrant and creative city and to have the opportunity to meet so many people from all walks of life.

“Brighton has many dedicated, hard-working and generous people who are engaged in the creative sector and voluntary sector – the unseen and unsung heroes of the city – but also in business and development.

“It was an honour to engage with these people and to be part of their journey.

“It was also the best fun being mayor and I thank all those who made it such a special year of joy and connection.

“I very much appreciated all the help and support I had from other councillors across the political spectrum over the years.

“My thanks to Amanda Evans for her friendship and co-working in establishing the scrutiny committees of which we were both chairs.

“I have fond memories of Lee Wares, Lynda Hyde, and Lizzie Deane on licensing panels, Pete West on Stanmer Village, and John Allcock and Carmen Appich on ward matters in Hove.

“There are too many more to name but they know who they are.”