Brighton and Hove City Council is a unitary authority in East Sussex, England. It was created as Brighton and Hove Borough Council on 1 April 1997 replacing Brighton and Hove Borough Councils. It was granted city status in 2001.
Brighton Borough Council elections and Hove Borough Council elections took place in alternating patterns from 1974 when Local Government reorganisation last took place.
The first election to the council was held in 1996, initially operating as a shadow authority prior to taking over from the two outgoing councils on 1 April 1997. Since the first election political control of the council has been held by the following parties:[1]
Party in control | Years | |
---|---|---|
Labour | 1996–2003 | |
No overall control | 2003–2023 | |
Labour | 2023–present |
The first leader of the council following the merger, Steve Bassam, had been the last leader of the abolished Brighton Borough Council. In 2011, Brighton and Hove City Council appointed Bill Randall of the Green Party as leader, being the party's first council leader in the United Kingdom.[2] The leaders of Brighton and Hove since its creation in 1997 have been:[3]
Councillor | Party | From | To | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Bassam | Labour | 1997 | 1999 | |
Lynette Gwyn-Jones | Labour | 1999 | 2001 | |
Ken Bodfish | Labour | 2001 | 2006 | |
Simon Burgess | Labour | 2006 | 6 May 2007 | |
Brian Oxley | Conservative | 24 May 2007 | 15 May 2008 | |
Mary Mears | Conservative | 15 May 2008 | 19 May 2011 | |
Bill Randall | Green | 19 May 2011 | 17 May 2012 | |
Jason Kitcat | Green | 17 May 2012 | 10 May 2015 | |
Warren Morgan | Labour | 21 May 2015 | 17 May 2018 | |
Daniel Yates | Labour | 17 May 2018 | 22 May 2019 | |
Nancy Platts | Labour | 22 May 2019 | 23 Jul 2020 | |
Phélim Mac Cafferty | Green | 23 Jul 2020 | 7 May 2023 | |
Bella Sankey | Labour | 25 May 2023 |
See Brighton Borough Council elections or Hove Borough Council elections for election prior to 1996
Year | Conservative | Green | Labour | Liberal Democrats | Independent | |||||
2023 | 6 | 7 | 38 | 0 | 3 | |||||
2019 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 0 | 1 | |||||
2015 | 20 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 0 | |||||
2011 | 18 | 23 | 13 | 0 | 0 | |||||
2007 | 26 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 1 | |||||
2003 | 20 | 6 | 24 | 3 | 1 | |||||
1999 | 27 | 3 | 45 | 3 | 0 | |||||
1996 | 23 | 1 | 54 | 0 | 0 |
Party | Seats | Council Composition May 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | 2019 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Green | 1 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 11 | 19 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conservative | 23 | 27 | 20 | 26 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Labour | 54 | 45 | 24 | 13 | 13 | 23 | 20 | 38 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Liberal Democrats | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brighton and Hove Independents | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Election | Date | Incumbent party | Result | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wish | 1 May 1997 | Labour | Labour | ||
Hollingbury | 24 July 1997 | Labour | Labour | ||
Portslade South | 7 May 1998 | Labour | Labour | ||
Rottingdean | 7 May 1998 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Tenantry | 1 September 1999 | Labour | Labour | ||
Goldsmid | 7 June 2001 | Conservative | Labour | ||
Patcham | 11 April 2002 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Westdene | 16 May 2002 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Hangleton and Knoll | 7 October 2004 | Labour | Conservative | ||
Regency | 13 December 2007 | Green | Green | ||
Goldsmid | 23 July 2009 | Conservative | Green | ||
St Peter's and North Laine | 8 July 2010 | Green | Green | ||
Westbourne | 22 December 2011 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
East Brighton | 18 October 2012 | Labour | Labour | ||
Hanover and Elm Grove | 11 July 2013 | Green | Labour | ||
East Brighton | 4 August 2016 | Labour | Labour | ||
East Brighton | 8 February 2018 | Labour | Labour | ||
Hollingdean and Stanmer | 6 May 2021 | Labour | Green | ||
Patcham | 6 May 2021 | Conservative | Conservative | ||
Rottingdean Coastal | 5 May 2022 | Conservative | Labour | ||
Wish | 8 December 2022 | Conservative | Labour | ||
South Portslade | 11 January 2024 | Labour | Labour |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 2,054 | 43.5 | -2.3 | ||
Conservative | 1,771 | 37.5 | -2.2 | ||
Hove Conservative | 562 | 11.9 | +11.9 | ||
Green | 255 | 5.4 | -0.8 | ||
Natural Law | 84 | 1.8 | +1.8 | ||
Majority | 283 | 6.0 | |||
Turnout | 4,726 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 1,131 | 60.8 | -6.3 | ||
Conservative | 432 | 23.2 | +9.6 | ||
Green | 101 | 5.4 | -4.4 | ||
Independent | 95 | 5.1 | +5.1 | ||
Liberal Democrats | 68 | 3.7 | -5.7 | ||
Socialist Labour | 32 | 1.7 | +1.7 | ||
Majority | 699 | 37.6 | |||
Turnout | 1,859 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Les Hamilton | 1,290 | 62.5 | +3.2 | |
Conservative | Ted Kemble | 483 | 23.4 | -2.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Nigel Donovan | 217 | 10.5 | -0.6 | |
Green | Nigel Baker | 74 | 3.6 | +0.1 | |
Majority | 807 | 39.1 | |||
Turnout | 1,990 | 30.0 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | David Smith | 1,724 | 58.8 | +6.1 | |
Labour | Mark Bunting | 803 | 27.4 | +3.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Harold de Souza | 319 | 10.9 | -3.3 | |
Green | Peter Poole | 84 | 2.9 | -0.5 | |
Majority | 921 | 31.4 | |||
Turnout | 2,930 | 38.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 789 | 51.9 | -4.2 | ||
Conservative | 383 | 25.2 | +7.8 | ||
Green | 147 | 9.7 | -7.5 | ||
Independent | 117 | 7.7 | +7.7 | ||
Liberal Democrats | 52 | 3.4 | -6.0 | ||
Independent | 33 | 2.2 | +2.2 | ||
Majority | 406 | 26.7 | |||
Turnout | 1,521 | 19.5 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Vincent Meegan | 1,690 | 37.0 | -16.2 | |
Conservative | 1,640 | 35.9 | +0.2 | ||
Liberal Democrats | 577 | 12.6 | +12.6 | ||
Green | 481 | 10.5 | -0.6 | ||
ProLife Alliance | 119 | 2.6 | +2.6 | ||
UKIP | 57 | 1.2 | +1.2 | ||
Majority | 50 | 1.1 | |||
Turnout | 4,564 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Brian Pidgeon | 1,352 | 59.5 | +4.3 | |
Labour | Elizabeth Stewart | 463 | 20.5 | -10.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Trefor Hunter | 336 | 14.9 | +6.6 | |
Green | Elizabeth Wakefield | 107 | 4.7 | -0.9 | |
Majority | 889 | 39.0 | |||
Turnout | 2,258 | 32.1 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Ken Norman | 1,347 | 55.5 | +3.2 | |
Labour | Malcolm Prescott | 645 | 26.6 | -0.9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Don McBeth | 234 | 9.6 | +0.1 | |
Green | Richard Mallender | 199 | 8.2 | -2.5 | |
Majority | 702 | 28.9 | |||
Turnout | 2,425 | 31.0 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Dawn Barnett | 1,535 | 42.1 | +3.4 | |
Labour | Eddy Sears | 1,165 | 32.0 | -8.3 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mark Barnard | 618 | 17.0 | +8.8 | |
Green | Elizabeth Wakefield | 170 | 4.7 | -2.4 | |
Independent | Janet Berridge-Brown | 156 | 4.3 | +1.9 | |
Majority | 370 | 10.1 | |||
Turnout | 3,644 | 35.3 | |||
Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Jason Kitcat | 749 | 41.6 | +8.7 | |
Conservative | Robert Nemeth | 397 | 22.1 | +2.1 | |
Labour | Delia Forester | 376 | 20.9 | -0.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Simon Doyle | 148 | 8.2 | -9.1 | |
Independent | Tony Davenport | 130 | 7.2 | -1.1 | |
Majority | 352 | 19.5 | |||
Turnout | 1,800 | 23.0 | |||
Green hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Alexandra Phillips | 1,456 | 38.5 | +17.2 | |
Conservative | Andrew Wealls | 1,104 | 29.1 | +1.1 | |
Labour | Lis Telcs | 816 | 21.6 | -4.4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Howard Spencer | 280 | 7.4 | -7.8 | |
UKIP | Maria McCallum | 129 | 3.4 | +3.4 | |
Majority | 352 | 9.3 | |||
Turnout | 3,792 | 32.9 | -4.6 | ||
Green gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Lizzie Deane | 1,816 | 56.8 | +2.5% | |
Labour | Tom French | 880 | 27.5 | +4.3% | |
Conservative | Rob Buckwell | 365 | 11.4 | -0.7% | |
Liberal Democrats | Trefor Hunter | 103 | 3.2 | -4.9% | |
Independent | Gerald O’Brien | 32 | 1.0 | -1.3% | |
Majority | 936 | 29.3 | -1.8% | ||
Turnout | 3,196 | 24.1 | -10% | ||
Green hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Graham Cox | 1,027 | 39.3 | +0.9 | |
Labour | Nigel Jenner | 826 | 31.6 | +2.2 | |
Green | Louisa Greenbaum | 645 | 24.6 | +0.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Gareth Jones | 45 | 1.7 | -5.5 | |
UKIP | Paul Perrin | 36 | 1.4 | +1.4 | |
TUSC | Pip Tindall | 20 | 0.8 | +0.8 | |
The European Citizens Party | Susan Collard | 13 | 0.5 | -0.1 | |
Majority | 201 | 7.7 | |||
Turnout | 2,612 | 35.0 | -10.5% | ||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Chaun Wilson | 1596 | 56.1 | +6.59 | |
Conservative | Joe Miller | 531 | 18.6 | -4.36 | |
Green | Carlie Nicole Goldsmith | 456 | 16.0 | -5.49 | |
UKIP | Sabiha Choudhury | 148 | 5.2 | +5.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Dominic Felix Sokalski | 59 | 2.1 | -2.78 | |
TUSC | Jon Redford | 55 | 1.9 | +0.63 | |
Majority | 1,065 | 37.3 | |||
Turnout | 2,857 | 26.2% | -13.3% | ||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Emma Daniel | 1396 | 39.8 | +8.00 | |
Green | David Stuart Gibson | 1358 | 38.7 | -14.43 | |
Conservative | Robert John Knight | 275 | 7.8 | -1.02 | |
UKIP | Patricia Ann Mountain | 250 | 7.1 | +7.13 | |
TUSC | Phil Clarke | 172 | 4.9 | +1.88 | |
Liberal Democrats | Lev Eakins | 56 | 1.6 | -1.56 | |
Majority | 38 | 1.1 | |||
Turnout | 3,520 | 29.2% | |||
Labour gain from Green | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Lloyd Russell-Moyle | 1,488 | 57.5 | +11.1 | |
Conservative | David Plant | 514 | 19.9 | -2.6 | |
Green | Mitch Alexander | 286 | 11.1 | -8.5 | |
UKIP | Leigh Farrow | 152 | 5.9 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Andrew England | 116 | 4.5 | -3.4 | |
Independent | Ramon Sammut | 31 | 1.2 | N/A | |
Majority | 974 | 37.6 | |||
Turnout | 2,594 | 24.48 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Nancy Platts | 1,889 | 67.5 | +10.0 | |
Conservative | Edward Wilson | 481 | 17.2 | -2.7 | |
Green | Ed Baker | 316 | 11.3 | +0.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | George Taylor | 114 | 4.1 | -0.4 | |
Majority | 1,408 | 50.3 | |||
Turnout | 2,800 | 27.34 | |||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Zoë John | 1,542 | 41.6 | +2.6 | |
Labour | Leila Erin-Jenkins | 1,262 | 34.0 | -9.7 | |
Conservative | Emma Dawson-Bowling | 745 | 20.1 | +11.0 | |
TUSC | Rob Somerton-Jones | 54 | 1.5 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Alex Hargreaves | 47 | 1.3 | -4.7 | |
UKIP | Des Jones | 35 | 0.9 | -7.5 | |
Independent | Nigel Furness | 24 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 280 | 7.5 | |||
Turnout | 3,709 | 31.9 | |||
Green gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Anne Meadows | 2,011 | 41.5 | -10.3 | |
Green | Eliza Wyatt | 1,733 | 35.7 | +8.6 | |
Labour | Bruno de Oliveira | 879 | 18.1 | -7.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Madelaine Hunter-Taylor | 174 | 3.6 | N/A | |
UKIP | Charles Goodhand | 50 | 1.0 | N/A | |
Majority | 278 | 5.7 | |||
Turnout | 4,847 | 43.8 | |||
Conservative hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Robert Mcintosh | 1,443 | 29.6 | ||
Independent | Stephen White | 1,355 | 27.8 | ||
Conservative | Lynda Hyde | 1,185 | 24.3 | ||
Green | Libby Darling | 504 | 10.3 | ||
Independent | Alison Wright | 222 | 4.6 | ||
Liberal Democrats | Stewart Stone | 168 | 3.4 | ||
Majority | 88 | 1.8 | |||
Turnout | 4,896 | 44.0 | -1.6 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Bella Sankey | 1,519 | 58.5 | +27.9 | |
Conservative | Peter Revell | 756 | 29.1 | -7.7 | |
Green | Ollie Sykes | 190 | 7.3 | -16.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stewart Stone | 96 | 3.7 | -2.6 | |
UKIP | Patricia Mountain | 34 | 1.3 | -1.6 | |
Majority | 763 | 29.4 | |||
Turnout | 2,600 | 34.24 | -16.89 | ||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.8 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Josh Guilmant | 874 | 54.6 | ||
Conservative | Benjamin Franks | 246 | 15.4 | ||
Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Rist | 186 | 11.6 | ||
Green | Danny Booth | 149 | 9.3 | ||
TUSC | David Maples | 53 | 3.3 | ||
Democratic Liberation Party | Georgia McKinley Fitch | 49 | 3.1 | ||
Independent | Jamie Gillespie | 44 | 2.7 | ||
Majority | 628 | 39.2 | |||
Turnout | 1,601 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |