Where I Stand: Housing • Transport • Schools (Safeguarding)

I’m standing as an independent candidate for Brighton & Hove City Council in tomorrow’s by‑election. As you decide your vote, here’s where I stand on three major issues: housing, transport, and schools / safeguarding. These are urgent, and often overlooked, issues that shape everyday life in our city — and they demand honest, courageous leadership.

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Housing

• Housing isn’t just about numbers; it’s about who can actually live in homes.
  Too many new developments are pitched as solutions to the housing crisis, yet they deliver high‑end, investment‑grade apartments far beyond the reach of ordinary workers, families, or renters. Simply building more homes isn’t enough if people can’t afford them. (“On the Block”: issue with Edward Street Quarter etc.) adrianhart.com
• Affordable housing must mean affordable to people on local incomes, not simply “affordable” in name. We need housing policy which ties affordability to local wages, not global capital seeking returns. Luxury flats for investors do nothing to ease pressure on working people.
• Development has to serve communities, not just developers.
  I believe in meaningful community engagement—not just perfunctory consultations or PR exercises. When residents produce alternative proposals (as you did with Amex site alternative plans), those deserve real weight. Development should respect sunlight, livability, local character, and daily needs—not just profit margins. adrianhart.com
• Planning must be socially just as well as physically sustainable.
  We must push for mixed‑income housing, good public space, and buildings that enhance quality of life (ventilation, light, green space), rather than “market maximalism” which boxes people in. Developers and planners both need to be held accountable for these standards.

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Transport

• Transport schemes in Brighton & Hove too often ignore people’s real lives.
  Badly designed projects, poor consultation, and patchy implementation leave many residents underserved. Transport and mobility must answer daily realities—how people commute, access work or education, and move between neighbourhoods.
• Public transport should be efficient, reliable, and greener.
  We need frequent, affordable public transit, especially for those who cannot own or maintain private vehicles. That means more buses, improved coverage, and options for people outside central areas.
• Cycle and pedestrian infrastructure must be safe and fair.
  If we build for walking and cycling, we need high‑quality, continuous paths—not “token” bike lanes that abruptly end or duck into unsafe junctions. Safety is non‑negotiable, especially for children and people with disabilities.
• Transport planning must reduce car dependency while recognising real constraints.
  Many people rely on cars (for school runs, for caregiving, for work outside transit hours). Policy should aim to reduce car journeys by better public transport, safer non‑motorised travel, and smarter land use, but with compassion and provision for those who truly need cars.
• Transparency and community input are essential.
  When “big” transport schemes are proposed, residents must be part of the design process early on—not after everything is set. We should avoid top‑down impositions that don’t fit local geography or everyday routines.

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Schools and Safeguarding

• Safeguarding is non‑negotiable.
  Children deserve protection in every setting—home, school, clinic. We are seeing a safeguarding scandal unfolding locally around gender identity services, school guidance, and the pathway from classroom to clinic. This is a serious issue demanding clarity, responsibility, and urgent action.
• Transparency from Council, Councillors, and Schools is vital.
  I believe the public must know what guidance schools receive, how safeguarding policies are crafted, how oversight works—and who is accountable. The silence or deflection from political leaders or institutions is unacceptable. Parents deserve answers; children deserve protection.
• Policies should be driven by evidence, ethics, and children’s welfare — not ideology or politics.
  School guidance on gender identity, healthcare referrals for minors, and related medical support must be handled with care: with full consideration of medical evidence, psychological welfare, ethical implications, and parental involvement. No child should be treated as a political pawn.
• Parents must have a voice.
  As co‑founder of PSHE Brighton, I’ve seen how parents are often shut out of decision‑making about what their children are taught and what medical referrals happen. We need genuine forums, channels, and mechanisms so parents can raise concerns, see the guidance being used, and ensure safeguarding comes first.
• Accountability and redress.
  Instances where children or parents have been harmed or misled must be investigated. Councillors and officials must be held responsible if they fail to act. That means independent oversight where necessary, transparency in findings, and policies enforced, not just promised.

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Why This Matters — And What I Offer

• Cohesive Policy Vision. Housing, transport, schools & safeguarding are deeply linked: where people live, how they travel, where they send their children, and how safe they are are all connected. You can’t fix one without attention to the others. I bring a joined‑up perspective: housing near jobs and transit; transport that supports school access; safeguarding built into planning of public services.
• Real Independence. As an independent candidate, I answer only to you. I’m not bound by party discipline. If policies conflict with community wellbeing or children’s welfare, I’ll speak up—even when it’s uncomfortable.
• Listening and Action. I’m committed to listening to local residents, especially those most affected: renters, parents, people with disabilities, low‑income households. I want your stories, your evidence, and I’ll work to bring them into policy.
• Urgency. These issues are not tomorrow’s problems—they are here now. Children are being let down. Families are paying rent they can’t afford. Transport failures cost people time, money, and sometimes safety. Tomorrow’s by‑election matters for making sure our council leans toward action, not silence.

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My Promise If You Elect Me Tomorrow

1. Affordable and social housing first. I will push for housing that ordinary people can afford—not just for investors. Wherever possible, require mixed‑income developments, set affordable rents or prices tied to local wages, protect green and communal space, and prevent luxury tower blocks being built at the cost of community wellbeing.
2. Transport that works for everyone. I will champion more frequent, reliable buses; safe and coherent cycling and walking paths; better planning of routes; and avoid projects that benefit a few at the expense of many.
3. Children’s safeguarding above all. I will demand thorough, transparent policies. I will ensure parents are heard and that actions happen, not disappear behind closed doors. If there’s evidence of failure or harm, I’ll push for investigation and remedy.
4. Honest, accountable governance. No dodging hard questions. If you or a parent or household raises a concern, I won’t ignore it. I won’t block or erase comments. I believe in openness, in seeing issues through—even when politics gets hard.

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If you care about homes people can live in, transport that moves everyone, and schools and safeguarding you can trust — I hope you’ll vote for me. Brighton & Hove deserves better, and I believe together we can make a council that works for people, not just profit or politics.

Thank you.
— Adrian Hart (Independent Candidate)