As a resident and election candidate for the Liberal Democrats, I am eager to hear Brighton and Hove City Council's justification for the ever-decreasing parking situation in the West Hill area.

In Buckingham Road and surrounding areas, a number of short-stay public spaces have been changed without any notice to residents' permit spaces.

I received a ticket one Sunday lunchtime when the space in which I was parked changed to a residents' parking and I was then parked illegally.

As a resident, I should welcome this idea but when I attempted to apply for a permit, I was told my name had to be added to the ten-month waiting list.

With that being four months ago, the next six months consists of me "space hopping" every two hours, sometimes spending up to 30 minutes hunting for a precious public space, while the residents' spaces stand empty.

Previously, the balance of permit-versus-public spaces was bearable but the recent reshuffle is causing chaos and makes me dread leaving my parking space.

Surely, if the council is priorities the spaces for residents it had to release more permits to ease the pressure on the residents and the few public spaces that are left.

-Madeleine Hunter, Liberal Democrat candidate for St Peters and North Laine, Brighton