Littlehampton Town Mayor leaves Conservative Party for Liberal Democrats ahead of elections

Jill Long has defected and will be standing as a Liberal Democrat for both Arun District Council and Littlehampton Town Council, alongside Dr James Walsh in May.

She said: “This is not a sudden decision but one taken over several months. I have been increasingly unhappy with local Conservative decision making at Arun and West Sussex, and more broadly with Brexit. Liberal Democrats are much better at listening to local residents, and working for the good of the whole community.

“My aim as a councillor and as mayor has always been to truly serve the local community, and I now know that I can do that best as part of the Liberal Democrat team."

The mayor said she ‘particularly values the commitment’ to; keep and upgrade The Windmill; keep the Civic Centre open to the public; demand that Southern Water end sea and river dumping of raw sewage; to stop overdevelopment in Arun; get better GP and NHS dentistry in our town, and get West Sussex County Council to ‘fix the pothole crisis’.

Dr Walsh, Liberal Democrat Leader at the district and town councils, said: “Jill has long had her heart in our local community and is an excellent councillor. I welcome her most warmly to the team, and look forward to working hard with her to get elected / re-elected in May.”

They will be standing in Brookfield Ward, which is part of Dr Walsh’s county council seat of Littlehampton East.

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