There are six candidates standing in the local election on May 2 hoping to represent the Portswood ward. We reached out to try to find out what they stand for. Read more to find out what they had to say...
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What's the election for and how does it work?
Residents get the chance to decide who will represent them on the city council, and which party (if any) controls Southampton City Council itself, at the May 2 local elections.
The city council is currently controlled by Labour with a large majority of councillors.
Each city ward has three councillors. Usually one completes their term of office each year and the election is for their seat.
In Portswood ward, which includes St Denys and Highfield, John Savage’s (Labour) seat is up for election. He’s standing again, and retained his seat last year in the ‘all-out’ election, when, unusually, all three of the ward’s then Labour seats were up for grabs.
As reported, at that election Katherine Barbour took one of the three from Labour, becoming the city’s first Green Party councillor.
There are also candidates standing on May 2 in the ward representing Reform UK, the Lib Dems, Local Conservatives, and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
What happened last time?
Here are the results of the 2023 'all-out' election in Portswood ward, when voters had the opportunity to elect three councillors.
ADHIKARY, Anthony John, commonly known as ADHIKARY, Tony, Reform UK - 84
BARBOUR, Katherine Jane, Green Party - 1391 Elected
BEAN, Jonathan Simon, Green Party - 866
CLARKE, Paul Alexander, Liberal Democrat - 203
COOPER, Gordon John, Labour Party - 1237
EDWARDS, Karen May, Local Conservatives - 717
FINN, Anne Marie, Labour Party - 1274 Elected
LANGRAN, John, Liberal Democrat - 193
MAKRAKIS, Helen Mary, Green Party - 846
MOULTON, Nicholas, Local Conservatives - 655
O`DELL, Patricia Nellie, Local Conservatives - 623
READ, James Arnold, Liberal Democrat - 218
SAVAGE, John, Labour Party - 1246 Elected
TWINE, Derek Anthony, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition - 76
The turnout in Portswood was 40.28%.
Who's standing this time?
The candidates standing in Portswood ward this time are:
You can jump to each candidate's interview, where there is one, by clicking on their name below, or just scroll down.
JOBSON, Caroline, Reform UK
KELLY, Neil McKinnon Lyon, Green Party
LANGRAN, John, Liberal Democrat
MOULTON, Nicholas, Local Conservatives
SAVAGE, John, Labour Party
TWINE, Tony, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
What do the candidates say?
Here's what we received back from the candidates, in alphabetical order. There was a strict word limit for each (which varied between questions). We didn't edit or 'check their work'. We did our best to contact all candidates and ask them the same questions, but unfortunately didn’t hear back from two by our deadline. We'd like to say a massive thank you to all the candidates who invested their time to take part in, and navigate, our process. It's appreciated.
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
City’s problems are very much Portswood’s challenges. The Labour Council has just about broken the City’s budget with the previous Council Leader leaving her post to focus on her Parliamentary Career! In effect abandoning ship! We need to balance the City’s budget in order to focus on the core issues of services such as bin collections, filling in the potholes, stop wasting money on 20 mph and other traffic “delaying” plans which we simply cannot afford. The current “Broadway” scheme is not wanted, not affordable and will damage businesses. The Labour council claim it has wide support but ignored the 3,000 who wanted the scheme to be stopped. We need better democracy and people should not be steamrolled into schemes they were not fully consulted over. If elected the scheme will be reviewed and with full public consultation. There are many other important issues from anti-social behaviour, poor housing and Housing of Multiple Occupancy which have degraded the Ward. We need to clean up our streets, bring back communities and be proud of Portswood, a major part of Southampton as a City.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
We need to restore the City’s finances after years of mis-management by both the Tories and Labour. The City suffers from a lack of a decent transport network, poor housing, low paid jobs, squalor, and strategic development plans to improve the City. The delivery of the Free Port must be a priority which brings in investment and good jobs, without wealth we will be unable to restore the standards demanded. Reform UK’s focus will be on ensuring the key services are delivered as priority within budget and not squandered on vote catching projects. Reform UK would support business and employment in order to improve the quality of life of the people of Southampton.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
The Broadway Project needs to be stopped, reviewed and better public and business involvement.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
A failed City Council with poor management of the budget and the lack of any strategic plan to enhance and enrich a City that has great potential.
What is the biggest single issue facing the country?
Lack of real economic Growth which helps every citizen to manage the cost of living and to improve their lives. Without growth you cannot take the country forward.
Reform UK can be contacted via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
KELLY, Neil McKinnon Lyon, Green Party
No response received by our deadline
LANGRAN, John, Liberal Democrat
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
The first duty of a councillor is to serve local residents. That means assisting them on their issues with the City Council as well as other institutions and businesses.
As a member of the Lib Dem group on the City Council I will ensure that the voice of Portswood is heard in the development and execution of policies across the city. This will ensure that under the umbrella of our city-wide policy, we tailor the detail to the needs of the ward. This includes our focus on vulnerable residents, availability of affordable housing, improving public spaces around the ward and supporting residents where council services do not meet expected standards. I would particularly focus on matters around roads, pavements and access to public transport.
I will also assist residents on planning matters. I may be support their reasonable proposals for development but also oppose those projects which have a negative effect on a locality, their neighbours and the priorities of the city
I would also represent residents in discussions with organisations like utility providers where their services are not meeting the needs of our community or negatively impact on well-being.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
I would push for Lib Dem priorities based on our track record elsewhere. These are difficult times for local councils but previous administrations in Southampton have made bad situations worse by their poorly considered and actioned decisions. We should learn from the success of local Lib Dem councils which are well run and with balanced budgets.
I would then address Liberal Democrat policies in:
• Care for the Vulnerable – particularly Social Care
• Safer Roads and Pavements including 20mph limits in residential streets,
• Investment in Park and Ride and in public transport provision that meets the city’s needs through better planned bus networks
• More affordable housing for our residents
• Addressing the poor condition of our public infrastructure like roads and pavements, social spaces including parks gardens and other public areas
• Ensuring services like refuse collection can be relied on.
We would directly invest in renewable energy to reduce our city’s environmental impact.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
The most contentious issue is Portswood Broadway’s future. The current scheme has listened to some local objections but is unlikely to be workable. We believe that road constraining projects should be halted until we have a proper Park and Ride.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
In my opinion Southampton has a deepening housing crisis. Action needs to be taken to speed up the filling of vacant social housing stock. The council needs to encourage housing development on available sites across the city.
What is the biggest single issue facing the country?
The biggest single issue facing the country is a lack of investment. That includes in the provision of public services like the NHS and Social Care, public utilities like Water, housing stock, sustainable businesses and jobs for our green future.
Information about Southampton Liberal Democrats can be found at www.southampton-libdems.org.uk
MOULTON, Nicholas, Local Conservatives
No response received by our deadline
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
I hope to achieve additional investment from Southern Water to include UV treatment of outflow from the St Denys sewage works, to clean up the itchen, allow greater enjoyment of our blue and green spaces, and protect our valuable biodiversity. I intend to ensure improved travel around the ward and City by whatever means you choose to travel, on foot, wheeling, by car, or public transport. I am committed to making our roads safer.
I will continue to work with local police to tackle ASB and continue my previous work to rid Portswood of flytipping. This will be achieved through use of CCTV, more flytipping investigators and community welfare wardens. The best example of this was the terrible state of Westridge road carpark which is now permanently clear of flytipping.
St Denys has been hit recently by rising water levels. I will work to provide improved flood defences for areas threatened by rising water and poor drainage, and ensure routes like Thomas Lewis Way, work as they should in poor weather.
I will work with the community to ensure proper co-design and planning for the Portswood Broadway scheme including a genuine review of the findings of the trial scheme.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
I hope to achieve a swift end to the recent delays in refuse and recycle collections across the City and work with partners across the county to develop a much more comprehensive recycling scheme. Plans for this are already in the early stages but have sadly been delayed by central government dithering.
I will work across the City to rid Southampton of bad Landlords and continue my work in the planning department to deliver more affordable homes, and with my clear commitment to net-zero by 2030, ensuring we develop a prompt strategy to make the majority of homes fuel efficient.
We need to tackle air pollution in Southampton and I hope to introduce new changes to the new “Local Plan” to deliver this.
We need a better partnership with our local bus company. If we are to improve transport across the city we need an improved offer on bus routes. Our buses need to be the “rolls-royce” option so more people are encouraged to use them. We will continue with the £1 evening bus fare. By tackling local neighbourhood issues and protecting street cleaning budgets I hope to get our local streets thriving and bring empty shops back into use.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
It has dragged on too long. Resolving the Portswood Broadway scheme and improving active travel, retail and through-traffic arrangements on residential parallel roads and also Thomas Lewis Way.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
The cost of living. This relates to lack of affordable homes, poor fuel efficiency, shortage of investment in Southampton and a real need for good quality training and jobs for young people coming through our schools and colleges.
What is the biggest single issue facing the country?
The climate crisis. We need to lead on new technologies and green investment to produce a skilled, highly paid workforce of the future. We can then work with other countries to tackle the biggest problem facing the world right now.
Information about about Southampton Labour Party can be found at https://www.southamptonlabour.org/
TWINE, Tony, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
A long-standing problem in Portswood remains the number of HMOS (Houses in Multiple Occupation). Apart from the often neglected appearance of these converted family houses is the fact that many are packed to the rafters with private tenants and students by unscrupulous absentee landlords. The worst cost-of-living crisis in over 50 years has pushed rents sky-high making basic shelter unaffordable for the working-class while sustaining rip-off profits for the parasitic rentier class.
If elected as TUSC councillor I will force a vote to outlaw this obscene profiteering by virtue of rent capping allied to relevant environmental controls across all sectors to avoid overcrowding, homelessness and incipient slum neighbourhoods. I will also oppose selling off of social housing and campaign to renovate and reopen empty properties in Portswood in order to reduce waiting lists.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
Southampton city council suffers from a 'democratic deficit' in that all councillors continue to impose draconian central government cuts across the city which slash spending budgets for essential public services. Thus £240 million has been clawed back by central government over ten years. None of these councillors was voted in to do this!
If elected TUSC councillors, will endeavour to transform this 'democratic deficit' with immediate effect so that internal workings and budget decisions of Southampton city council become laid open, transparent and accessible to city residents - to be challenged if/when necessary.
TUSC councillors will divert tax subsidies away from private developments and into public services thus ending secretive commercial contracts and private finance deals that leave tax payers paying more for less as a result of long-term debts incurred in their name.
TUSC will campaign for return of the aforementioned £240 million axed from city council budgets by central government over ten years.
TUSC councillors will press for an immediate £15 minimum wage for council workers. TUSC councillors will reduce the 10,000- strong waiting list with a crash program of social builds for affordable rent.
TUSC councillors will set up an amenity/assets register to halt private land acquisition.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
A big issue in Portswood is the future of its high-street. If elected as TUSC councillor I will campaign for the entire Portswood shopping precinct to be turned into a 10 mph zone for public transport, cyclists and pedestrians.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
A big issue in Southampton is local government that is unrepresentative, secretive, undemocratic, inaccessible and unaccountable to its electorate. Local councillors should be resisting government austerity measures not passing savage public spending cuts onto their constituents.
What is the biggest single issue facing the country?
There is urgent need to end the disastrous war-economy and restore national and fiscal sovereignty. The UK government must end support for endemic proxy wars in Palestine, Ukraine, Yemen, Iraq and Iran that threaten nuclear catastrophe and terminal climate change.
Information about Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition can be found at https://www.tusc.org.uk/.
Thanks once more to all the candidates for taking part. Polls open at 7am on Thursday, May 2, and close at 10pm. The choice is yours! Police and crime commissioner elections take place at the same time - for more information and a list of candidates click here - and you'll need photo ID to vote in both: more info on what should be accepted is here.