The Sussex And The City Podcast

– Episode 11:
Why I Want To Be Mayor (Part One)

Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Sally-Ann Hart – former MP for Hastings & Rye

This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Digital Islands – Delivering fully funded business support to small firms across Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since 2017.
👉 digitalislands.co.uk

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🔍 Episode summary

This week, Richard meets someone who actively wants to lead devolution in Sussex and Brighton. Sally-Ann Hart, the former Conservative party MP for Hastings & Rye, is seeking her party's nomination to become the first directly elected mayor for the region.

They discuss why she wants the job, what she learned representing one of the UK’s most deprived constituencies, and her priorities for a region grappling with inequality, infrastructure gaps, and identity.

Sally-Ann reflects on her time in Parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic, her passion for early intervention, and how she thinks coastal towns like Hastings have been misunderstood and overlooked for too long.

🎯 Why this matters for devolution

This is the first time on the podcast we’ve heard directly from someone who wants the mayoralty – and the power that comes with it. Sally-Ann outlines how she’d approach leadership of a 1.7 million–strong region, and makes the case that:

• The mayor must unite coastal, urban, and rural communities

• Economic growth and job creation must be priority one

• Existing skills strategies can be scaled, not reinvented

• Private investment and local pride are key tools for regeneration

• Data and accountability must be baked into the new system

 

🧠 Topics include:

• What a regional mayor could do that councils can’t

• Lessons from Hastings and the challenge of changing culture

• Coastal regeneration, the blue economy, and green jobs

• The need for tailored plans, not blanket policies

• Dealing with political division and bringing partners together

• Building trust, dashboards, and visibility for the mayor’s office

 

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📚 Further reading and references:

• Sally-Ann Hart (Wikipedia)
• Sally-Ann Hart (They Work For You profile)
• All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities (APPG)
• Levelling Up the South East – APPG Inquiry Report

 

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🎧 Production credits

Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Sally-Ann Hart
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton

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📣 Get involved

Want to help reimagine democracy, identity and regional change in Sussex?
Join the conversation and find resources at sussexandthecity.info