Two people are vying to be the Labour candidate in the first election for a mayor of Sussex.
One is Worthing and West Sussex councillor Caroline Baxter, who turned 50 last month, and serves as chief of staff to Worthing West MP Beccy Cooper.
Mrs Baxter, a former student at the Brighton Metropoliltan College (Brighton Met) is a partner in garage business SB Motors (Hove) LLP, in Newton Road, Hove, with her husband Shaun Baxter.
She is up against former Brighton and Hove City Council leader Dan Yates, 52, an NHS physiotherapist and senior manager. He was a key figure in the Labour administration from 2015 to 2020, serving as leader in 2018-19.
He was the first council leader in Brighton and Hove to lead his party to re-election for 20 years. He previously served as the Labour group leader on Adur District Council.
He said: “I have worked in Chichester, Littlehampton, Worthing, Shoreham, Brighton, Eastbourne and Haywards Heath.”
The pair were among four people vying to be on the shortlist, including Hastings councillor Margi O’Callaghan and former Adur councillor Cat Arnold.
A vote of Labour members in Sussex is under way, having started on Friday 24 October and running until Friday (7 November).
Mrs Baxter, a former chair of Sompting Parish Council and former leader of the Labour group on West Sussex County Council, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring real decision-making closer to our communities.
“It is a chance to shape a fairer, stronger, more connected Sussex that works for everyone. With joined up leadership, I will connect services, unlock opportunities and strengthen communities from our coast to our countryside.
“This new role is not just about big plans. It is about delivery, trust and standing up for what matters.
“I bring decades of experience running a business, serving as a councillor at every level of local government and leading grassroots campaigns. I am ready to champion Sussex with clarity, energy, care and integrity.”
Mr Yates said: “A mayor for Sussex is a turning point. I believe that the right mayor can deliver the economic growth to make Sussex thrive. We must choose the right person for the job.
“I’ve served as a parish, district and city councillor and as leader of Brighton and Hove City Council – but I’m not a career politician. My passion is improving opportunities for local communities.
“I’ve led campaigns where our main opponents are Conservative, Lib Dem and Green. Now more than ever, we need to build a wide voter coalition to win while remaining authentically Labour.
“That’s a campaign you can be part of and one you can be proud of.”
Mr Yates said that his focus would be on homes, jobs and skills, transport and public safety, with the mayor becoming politically responsible for the police and fire service.
He said: “I commit to double current housebuilding rates with a focus on social and truly affordable housing with the infrastructure to support them.
“I will bring together all transport operators to create a single Sussex approach. I want to see a bus network that connects people to the places they need to go at the times they need to get there.
“I will harness both public and private sector to build an economy that delivers high-quality jobs through high-quality training.
“And I will bring community safety and policing priorities together to create safer communities and a police service we can rely on.
“Let’s make a Sussex we are all proud of.”
