Eastbourne council elections: Liberal Democrat candidates

Voting takes place throughout the day on Thursday May 2 with the election count on Friday May 3 and the results due in the mid afternoon.

The Lib Dems are fielding 27 candidates in the nine wards across the borough.

DEVONSHIRE

Margaret Bannister

Margaret was first elected to Eastbourne Borough Council in June 2004. She is currently the cabinet portfolio holder for tourism and enterprise and former portfolio holder for community. Margaret has lived in Devonshire for the last 40 years. Until a short while ago, she worked at Bourne School and had been associated with the school for more than 34 years, first as a governor and then working in the school office.

Steve Holt

Steve was first elected in May 2015 and is the current cabinet member for finance. He is a member of Devonshire West Big Local, investing £1 million over 10 years in the local area. Steve is also the business development manager for the Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce, supporting new businesses as well as organising many events around the area including Chinese New Year, Eastbourne Carnival, Neon Noel and the Christmas markets.

Steve Wallis

Steve was first elected to Eastbourne Borough Council in May 2006. He has been the Devonshire county councillor since May 2013 fighting against the “Tory cuts to services”. Steve serves as chair of the Driving Devonshire Forward group, overseeing recent investment in the area. Steve was born and raised in Eastbourne, as were generations of his family.

HAMPDEN PARK

Jim Murray

Jim was first elected to the council in 2011 and has lived in Eastbourne for 27 years. He has served as deputy mayor of Eastbourne and is presently chair of the planning committee. He says he is passionate about community and youth projects and has helped set up numerous park groups and youth clubs in Eastbourne. Jim also works in support of green and environmental policies in the town and is keen to see more affordable housing in the Eastbourne. He said, “It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to represent the people of Hampden Park over the last eight years. Hampden Park has a great community feel to it and we are establishing more and more community groups and events every year.”

Dean Sabri

Dean was first elected to the borough council in 2015. He has served the town as deputy chair of planning and is currently chair of the council’s audit committee. Dean attended Ratton school and college in the local area. He has played for several local sports teams often using Hampden Park’s sports facilities. Dean said, “Having attended local schools and college, I am looking forward to leading the community as we enter a very exciting period for the town as a whole. I know how fantastic our area is to live and work in, it’s also a great place to bring up a family. Hampden Park’s strong community links are fundamental to this and, alongside my colleagues Colin and Jim, I will be working to ensure they continue to flourish.”

Colin Swansborough

Colin was elected to Eastbourne council in 2015 and to the county council in 2017. He was born in Polegate in 1949 and has lived in Eastbourne for more than 50 years. He retired recently from the accountancy practice based in Hampden Park, which he started in 1973. His background in accountancy led to him chairing the audit committees of both councils. Appointed to Eastbourne’s cabinet committee last year, he is the lead for core support and strategic services and as such is responsible for the council’s staff. He also represents the council on the Equality and Fairness Group, Citizens’ Advice and the Towner Art Gallery. He says his prime concern is seeing all people are treated fairly and well including those who have disadvantaged backgrounds. Colin said, “I am very pleased to now be able to represent all people of Hampden Park on a full time basis.”

LANGNEY:

Harun Miah

Harun was first elected to Eastbourne council in May 2007 and has served twice as the town’s deputy mayor. Harun has supported numerous community campaigns and community projects in Langney. He has lived in Langney for the last 32 years and works as a local taxi driver.

Alan Shuttleworth

Alan is currently the deputy leader of Eastbourne council and the county councillor for Langney. He was a primary school teacher at West Rise Junior and Ocklynge and a local deputy head teacher. Alan leads the volunteer Langney Community Library as well as being chair of Eastbourne Defibrillator Partnership. Alan has led numerous Langney community projects working with local groups, resulting in “many successful improvements for the Langney community”.

Candy Vaughan

Candy is currently the chair of the Langney Area Panel, Eastbourne Homes and has supported many “superb local projects”. She has served on the board of Eastbourne Homes and previously held senior management roles in the retail sector. Candy has worked on many Langney community projects with local groups, including the popular Family Fun Day event at Sevenoaks Road Rec. She has also worked on several disability projects, such as at Cumbria Court. She was born in Eastbourne and lives in Langney.

MEADS

Peter Durrant No details or picture supplied

Ruth Lintott No details or pictures supplied

Debra Sabri No details or picture supplied

OLD TOWN

Peter Diplock

Peter was born and bred in Old Town, his parents were married in Greenfield Methodist Church and his grandparents live on Bradford Street and Albert Parade. As an Old Town community champion, he says he has worked hard campaigning for Old Town services to be maintained. Among his many priorities, he is concerned about road safety - organising a petition that was presented to the county council for action. Peter has been “passionately working to stop the use of single use plastic”. To help tackle environmental issues he is campaigning to establish local car clubs. He says he has already had some success in this because as a result of his request, Eastbourne council is investigating how to facilitate the formation of such clubs. Peter also recently persuaded Sainsbury’s to install a cycle rack.

Jonathan Dow

Jon has been one of the Lib Dem councillors for Old Town for the last four years. He was born and bred in Old Town and now runs a successful business in Eastbourne. Since being elected four years ago Jon says he has taken a leading role in a number of successful Old Town campaigns ranging from “supporting residents in opposing unacceptable planning applications, to tackling anti social behaviour and the Saving Milton Grange campaign”. Jon is a family man with young children. He says he is very concerned about environmental issues and has worked hard “helping the council to be as environmentally friendly as possible, setting ambitious targets to further reduce the council’s carbon footprint”.

Amanda Morris

Amanda Morris has lived in Old Town and is well known. She says she works hard taking up and tackling issues which local residents have concerns about including cars causing an obstruction to getting overgrown downland foliage cut back and campaigning to have parks well maintained. Amanda, as a mum, says she is very aware of the needs of Old Town children and is concerned about all the throw away plastic used and is an active supporter of the campaign for a plastic free Eastbourne.

RATTON

Rebecca Maddell

Rebecca moved to Eastbourne with her husband in 1997 and has extensive political experience having been an Eastbourne borough councillor in the neighbouring Upperton ward and serving as chair of the council’s planning committee for four years. Following that, as heritage and design champion for Eastbourne council since 2007, Rebecca says she has applied her talents to maintaining good architecture and planning within the town and worked hard to keep Eastbourne special. She said she recognises Ratton ward needs to maintain its particular downland and urban qualities for the benefit of all the residents.

Hugh Parker

Hugh is a senior manager with a well known local motor dealer group and has more than 45 years experience in local politics including previously serving as an Eastbourne councillor for Hampden Park ward. He is widowed with two daughters and three grandchildren. He says he has many friends and colleagues living in the Ratton area and both his daughters and two grandchildren attended Ratton School. The District General Hospital falls within the Ratton ward and Hugh is a trustee of the popular and respected charity the Friends of the Eastbourne Hospital. He believes Ratton is a great place to live with a diverse community and says he will work hard to keep up the investment in the ward to help ensure quality of life is maintained.

Blash Rassekh

Blash has a Bsc degree in architecture and agriculture and moved to Eastbourne 14 years ago because he was looking for somewhere with a “high quality of life, culture and good access to nature”. In the last 10 years he has worked for several local companies and is involved in local politics and campaigns because he says loves the town so much. He volunteered for East Sussex Disability Association and for the last two years for Eastbourne and Willingdon Lib Dems HQ, gaining “vital knowledge and information about Eastbourne and its constituents’ needs and issues”. He says he was part of Upperton Lib Dems’ successful recent campaigns and “brings that experience to Ratton which he believes has its own unique qualities and abilities to flourish and prosper”.

SOVEREIGN

Sam Browne No details or photograph supplied

David Edwards No details or photograph supplied

James Prime No details or photograph supplied

ST ANTHONY’S

Helen Burton

Helen has been a community campaigner in Eastbourne for many years. She wrote a weekly ethical lifestyle column in the Herald newspaper and then launched the Eastbourne Volunteers project in 2017 to promote volunteering and community involvement. Helen frequently volunteers in their community hub in Eastbourne town centre. Helen grew up in St Anthony’s and says she has many family and friend connections here so is “particularly passionate about the ward”.

David Tutt

David is an experienced councillor at both borough and county level. David has lived in the ward nearly all his life and says he has tirelessly campaigned on a wide range of issues on behalf of local residents. He says he has always believed it is vitally important to maintain the open Eastbourne Park space which borders on much of the ward, as this helps protect many local homes from flooding. David says he is “proud of the fact Eastbourne council has managed to protect the services it provides against cuts and wishes the county council would do more to protect the vital services for which it is responsible”.

Rebecca Whippy

Rebecca is the co-founder and CEO of Embrace East Sussex. Her 12-year-old son Harry has autism. She is an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and represents parents at special educational needs and disabilities tribunals. Rebecca says her vision is to see a world where special needs and disability are “no longer sidelined and where Embrace children are readily accepted in the local community”. Rebecca lives in St Anthonys and says she knows the local issues and is keen to support local residents.

UPPERTON

Sammy Choudhury

Current councillor Sammy is a well known former Eastbourne restaurateur and his children went to local schools. One is now a solicitor and another is an accountant. Sammy can frequently be seen around Upperton “dealing with local issues and ensuring parks and play areas are safe and tidy”. A keen sportsman, Sammy enjoys football, badminton and bowls. As an avid reader of history and politics, Sammy says “decisions are best made when we listen to local people and give them a greater say in the decisions that affect them and their local area”.

Robin Maxted

Community campaigner Robin is a former mental health nurse and nursing home owner. He moved to Upperton five years ago. Robin is the co-ordinator of Community Speed Watch and says he is determined to “tackle speeding in our area and promote safety for pedestrians and cyclists”. He works as treasurer of the Friends of Gildredge Park and Manor Gardens because he admires their hard work and dedication. He relaxes by playing the piano, motorcycling and taking part in pub quizzes. Robin said, “Upperton is a great place to live. As a councillor I will work all the year round to ensure Upperton remains the lovely place it is.”

Pat Rodohan

Pat, who previously had a business in the Upperton ward, is currently a borough and county councillor for the ward and says he has provided 40 years of service to the community. He chairs the borough Conservation Advisory

Group which helps protect Eastbourne’s fine architecture. He says he is also leading the battle with East Sussex Highways for safer pavements. Pat is an active member of the Federation of Small Businesses. A keen follower of sport, and previously a runner and footballer, he now enjoys walking, yoga and reading. Pat says he has “proved over many years that he cares for our area and always puts the interests of local residents first”.