Six candidates are standing in a by-election in Queen’s Park for a seat on Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) on Thursday 18 September 2025.
The seat became vacant when Labour councillor Tristram Burden resigned, citing a conflict of interest in his new job as a local authority inspector at the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The candidates are Simon Charleton (Labour), Sunny Choudhury (Conservative), Rudi Dikty-Daudiyan (Liberal Democrat), Adrian Hart (Independent), Marina Lademacher (Green) and John Shepherd (Reform UK).
Each candidate has answered questions about local issues and why electors should vote for them.
Here are the responses from Conservative candidate Sunny Choudury, 65, a retired businessman and former civil servant who has lived in the ward for 35 years.
Why do you want to be a councillor?
Many of our local residents approached me to share their experience and frustration that their voice is not heard by the authority.
It’s all about giving back to your community by bringing, energy and passion, being hard-working and making a real difference to the local community and wider society, representing the vulnerable and the views of local people to ensure the community gets the right services, supporting a resident with an issue, helping and serving the community.
Why do you want to stand in this ward?
I have a close connection with our local community and have lived in Queen’s Park since 1990. Many of my family and friends live in the ward. My children were brought up here and went to Carlton Hill School, as do my grandchildren.
I was a governor of Carlton Hill for many years. The community is extremely important to me.
I believe that if we all played our part and worked together, we would make our ward a better place.
What are the key issues specific to this ward?
Residents have identified serious drug issues, anti-social behaviour issues, social housing, weeds, potholes, bin collections, education, etc.
The number of primary and secondary age children is falling, resulting in a growing number of empty places and reduced funding for schools. What should the council do?
The council should examine the cohorts for each school using an educational consultant who will then propose an action plan.
Depending on the numbers, the educational consultant could propose a merger of two schools which are geographically close to one another.
The council has a duty of care for each pupil and should guarantee that all pupils can have a place at a nearby alternative school.
There is no point in contracting the running of the schools to academy trusts to take over council-run schools if the numbers are falling as the academies are driven by profit.
Brighton and Hove has a housing crisis. Where should new homes be built?
Freshfield Industrial Estate and Buzz Bingo site in the centre of the ward. Rather than selling to a private developer – they will make millions – my opinion is the council should invest and build social, affordable housing.
There are many sites in Brighton owned by Brighton and Hove City Council.
Local government is being restructured in Sussex. New councils will be expected to serve a population of at least 300,000 and possibly 500,000. Brighton and Hove have a population of about 280,000. Should Brighton and Hove expand to the east, west or both?
West Sussex has a population of 892,336. East Sussex has a population of 555,484. My personal opinion is that Brighton and Hove has a closer connection with East Sussex. East may be the ideal.
Who should be the first directly elected mayor of Sussex and why?
Katy Bourne has been elected for four terms as police and crime commissioner. Her name was known to over 60 per cent of the Sussex population.
She has the knowledge, experience and connection with communities. Personally I think she would be the best candidate.
…
Polling day is on Thursday 18 September, with polling stations due to be open from 7am to 10pm.
The polling stations are at
- Craven Vale Resource Centre, Craven Road
- St Luke’s Church, Queen’s Park Road
- Barnard Community Centre, St John’s Mount, Mount Pleasant
- Millwood Community Centre, Nelson Row, Carlton Hill
To vote in person at a polling station, electors must bring photo identification (ID).
More practical than John, and less combative than Marina, but also comes across as vague, safe, and ultimately irrelevant considering the party’s fall from grace and attribution to a lot of challenges now seen in Brighton caused by the Cons policies.
Excuse me sir, conservative have been in government but it was Labour & green that have wrecked Brighton…
The government just hand’s out money to the parties that the people of Brighton vote in.
Now, Brighton has tried moving it’s boundaries to take over up to Newhaven to recover the tax money that they have foolishly wasted , thank gosh Lewes has put their foot down to that.
Have you ever met Sunny? well I have & he is a hard working gentleman.
Everyone is allowed an opinion, but that is just what it is.
Have a lovely evening & weekend, sir x