The Green Group of Councillors on Brighton and Hove City Council have announced their team of spokespeople for the year ahead. Six of the nine-strong team held positions of responsibility during the Green’s recent four-year term in administration, while their three newly elected colleagues bring fresh experience to the mix.
The Green Group convenor, Phélim Mac Cafferty, said:
“We will do our utmost to ensure that the administration remains accountable and looks forward. Wherever necessary, we will protect our rich legacy of city renewal and regeneration, fairness and environmental protection.
“We fought as the administration for a city which was fairer and more equal and have a long list of wins including keeping every library open, the regeneration of key parts of the city and introducing a living wage which has put £1.5m back into the pockets of working people. We will continue to push against austerity and continue our excellent work on creating a more sustainable city.
“We look forward, with our new team of councillors, and offer a rich mix of experience and fresh energy which will be a great asset to the Council and the city alike.”
Phélim Mac Cafferty: Green Group Convenor and Spokesperson on Planning
Phélim is councillor in Brunswick & Adelaide. During the Green administration he was both Deputy Leader and chair of the Planning committee, leading on regeneration. He was the political architect of the City Plan, which scopes out the development of the city to 2030, and he led on key equalities work such as trans equality.
Cllr. Pete West: Deputy Mayor and Spokesperson on Environment, Transport & Sustainability(ETS)
First elected in 1996, Pete was the Green Party’s first councillor in Sussex. Under the Green administration he was chair of the Environment, Transport & Sustainability committee and was key in ensuring the regeneration of the Level and other green spaces was delivered. Cllr. West is also being put forward as Deputy Mayor for the coming year, which means he will serve as Mayor the following year, from May 2016, twenty years after he first became a councillor.
Cllr. Alex Phillips: Deputy Convenor External Relations) and Spokesperson on Children, Young People & Skills
Alex was first elected as councillor for Goldsmid in 2009 and was recently re-elected for Regency with her husband Tom Druitt. She is a trained teacher.
Cllr. Lizzie Deane: Joint Deputy Convenor (Internal Relations) and spokesperson on Licensing
Lizzie was re-elected for St Peters & North Laine ward with an unprecedented 5,026 votes, the largest for any BHCC councillor ever recorded. During the Green administration she was deputy chair of licensing.
Cllr. Louisa Greenbaum, Joint Deputy Convenor (External Relations)
A new councillor in St Peters and North Laine, Louisa is a passionate and experienced environmental campaigner who works part-time for the Green Party as national event organiser.
Cllr. Ollie Sykes: Spokesperson on Finance
Councillor for Brunswick & Adelaide, Ollie was finance lead under the Green administration and opened up the process for developing the budget to an unprecedented level of transparency and public consultation.
Cllr. David Gibson: Spokesperson on Housing & New Homes
David, a new councillor for Hanover & Elm Grove, has been a community worker and housing campaigner for many years and recently set up the Living Rent Campaign to address insecurity and inflated rents in the private rented sector. He also set up Hanover Action for Sustainable Living (HASL).
Cllr. Leo Littman: Spokesperson on Neighbourhoods, Communities & Equality
Brighton, born & bred, Leo, a councillor for Preston Park, is also an Open University Lecturer in Environment Studies and Developmental Psychology. During the Green administration he was Chair of the Governance Committee, Deputy Chair of Policy & Resources and Deputy Chair of the Children & Young People committee. He was also the Council’s Black & Minority Ethnic communities Champion.
Cllr. Tom Druitt: Spokesperson on Economic Development & Culture
Tom, with his wife Cllr. Phillips, is a new councillor for Regency ward. He heads the Big Lemon bus company which has fleet of bright yellow coaches and buses which run on recycled cooking oil from local restaurants.