A former Portswood ward councillor will stand for Labour in Bitterne Park at this year’s local elections.
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Former BBC producer and lecturer Gordon Cooper, pictured above, who lost his city council seat in 2023, said he feels positive about Labour’s chances in the Bitterne Park ward in May.
He told bitternepark.info: “I’m an experienced Southampton city councillor and a passionate campaigner for local communities. I know the city well, having lived here for more than twenty years.”
He added: “Today my focus is on making roads safer in Bitterne Park, helping create more affordable homes in the area and protecting the long-term health of the river Itchen.”
Cooper lost the Portswood seat he took in 2019 when Katherine Barbour stood in the ward and became the city’s first Green Party councillor last May.
Tony Bunday became the first Labour councillor to win a seat in Bitterne Park in 2022. He held on to it in the all-out elections last year, and was joined by two more Labour councillors, Phil Webb and Amanda Barnes-Andrews. But he said he won't be contesting this or any other seat this time round.
As reported, Bunday was stripped of his Labour Party membership last November, and currently sits in the council chamber as an independent.
He said that he has chosen not to appeal his expulsion despite being sad about his treatment.
“I can confirm that I am not intending to stand anywhere for anybody,” he added.
He said that the Labour candidate Gordon Cooper has his full support, and that “he will be an excellent councillor for Bitterne Park”.
Bunday said he will be retiring in May, when he hopes to travel — and get his 1972 MGB Roadster back on the road!
Meanwhile he said he’s putting in a lot of hours “doing his best for the ward until then”.
Other parties’ local election candidates aren’t currently known.