Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce chief executive to run for councillor
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Christina Ewbank, who has been with the chamber of commerce since 2002, will be running in the Devonshire ward as a Liberal Democrat candidate.
She said: “The reason I am standing is because when I started to coordinate the Levelling Up Fund bid for Eastbourne, because I chaired that, I learned that four locations in Eastbourne are in the most deprived areas in the country. That is Devonshire ward, Langney, Shinewater and Hampden Park. Not the whole areas, but pockets of those areas are in the bottom, I think, 12 per cent of the most deprived areas in the country.
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Hide Ad"I said as a throwaway comment to a colleague: 'Gosh, perhaps I should stand as councillor to actually try and do something about it.”
Ms Ewbank said she only wanted to run for councillor if it was in Devonshire, Langney, Shinewater or Hampden Park.
She added: "The party is not as important as doing the best for Eastbourne and the best for the people in that ward and that is why I am standing there and why I am standing as a Liberal Democrat, because I think that I can make the most difference in Eastbourne that way."
Ms Ewbank said one of her main priorities if she were to be elected would be to try and bring more year-round jobs to the town.
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Hide AdThe chamber of commerce chief executive, who said she would continue in her role if she were to be elected, explained that she is hoping to increase the number of digital jobs in the town from 3,000 to 10,000.
Ms Ewbank said: “As politicians, whether they are Conservative, Labour or Liberal [Democrat], we all want what is best for the town. We all want to make sure that Eastbourne works for all the residents and for everybody who lives and works here. There is no reason why we cannot work together across party lines for the benefit of the town, and that is what I intend to do."