Departing Brighton and Hove city councillor Lee Wares epitomises the pragmatic approach and values of our Conservative group at Brighton and Hove City Council.

As Lee moves to the West Country to look after his elderly parents, it is worth reflecting on his contribution to the city over the past six years as it serves as a reminder of the importance of having people like him at our city council.

Lee first got involved with the Conservative group after getting in touch with his local ward councillors as a member of the public on a local issue.

Our councillors were impressed with Lee’s approach as they worked together on resolving the issue.

Lee joined the Conservative Party soon after and was quickly selected as a Conservative councillor candidate for Patcham in 2015.

His contribution to his ward and the city has been highly regarded. Lee delivered with a significant contribution to tackle climate change with his project to plant 8,000 trees in Hollingbury now under way.

He also campaigned against building on precious green land on Patcham’s urban fringe.

The Conservatives have become the principal voice of conservation on Brighton and Hove City Council, with the other parties having demonstrated that they will prioritise development over the environment when it comes to our city’s urban fringe.

Lee’s contribution to the city as Conservative transport spokesman was significant and epitomised the vital role Conservative councillors are undertaking in holding this administration to account.

He tenaciously highlighted and stood up for people affected by poor council decisions, including disabled people and small businesses which suffered as a results of poorly thought-out transport policies.

He is perhaps best known for bringing the scandal of the home-to-school transport service to the public eye.

After an epic failure of the council left families of disabled children in the lurch, Lee demanded answers, pushing through political and council resistance to force a genuine inquiry to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

It is timely that this week, as reported by The Argus, the barrister’s report into the home-to-school transport failings was handed down stating that a change in culture is needed at the council to stop what went wrong from happening again.

It is thanks to the tenacity of Lee Wares and Cllr Mears that this inquiry was undertaken and completed.

We wish Lee Wares good luck and know that he will approach the future in the same professional, considerate and dedicated way that he has during his time as a councillor.

As Conservatives we must now look to the future ourselves in Brighton and Hove – in particular the two upcoming by-elections in the city.

I am delighted that Brighton and Hove Conservatives have selected two candidates very much in the same vein as Lee – experienced people who work in the real world, driven only by a wish to see the performance of Brighton and Hove City Council improved for its residents.

Anne Meadows, our candidate hoping to succeed Lee Wares in Patcham, works in the NHS while Emma Hogan, our candidate in Hollingdean and Stanmer, is a doctor.

Our team will be out over the weekend delivering leaflets as we support our candidates for these by-elections.

The council has a budget of over £1 billion a year and it’s vital that members of the council have broad experience, background and the necessary expertise to manage such a big budget.

If elected, Anne and Emma would join our team of councillors who have this broad experience. Dawn Barnett and Mary Mears are former green grocers and shopkeepers, Vanessa Brown is a former school teacher and Samer Bagaeen and Alistair McNair work in education. Nick Lewry works at The Martlets hospice and Robert Nemeth is a beekeeper.

Dee Simson has worked in catering, Garry Peltzer Dunn is a former chartered surveyor and Carol Theobald has been a GPO telephonist, worked in accounts, been self-employed, and also an “Argus girl” delivering newspapers to the city’s residents.

Joe Miller is a barrister in training. My own experience comes from my time in the Queen’s regiment of the British Army.

The Conservatives have become the last voice of reason at city council.

If you share our values and want to make a difference to our city, please follow Lee Wares’ example – get in touch, join the local party and even become a Conservative candidate in 2023.