Alistair McNair has been a Brighton & Hove City Councillor for Patcham & Hollingbury since May 2019.  He is the Conservative Group’s Finance Spokesperson and attends Children, Young People & Skills committee.

Alistair works as a manager and teacher of international students in the tertiary education sector in Brighton.  He previously worked for the British Council - the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities - in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he lived for 8 years, and where he met his wife Tetiana.  Having spent a long time in Eastern Europe, Alistair has seen what can happen to countries and people when there is poor governance and a lack of civic society.  On finally settling down in the city, Alistair felt a strong desire to play a full role in the local community.

Patcham & Hollingbury ward is a very close-knit community, and since being elected Alistair has enjoyed working with lots of community groups such as Old Boat Corner Community Centre, Neighbourhood Watch, Patcham Duck Fayre committee, U3A, Friends of Withdean Park and various church groups.   Alistair is also proud to be Chair of Governors at Carden Primary School.

Alistair has helped residents with concerns ranging from inadequate rubbish collections, fly-tipping, dangerous paving, poor streetlighting and broken playground equipment to those with serious health, housing, planning and financial needs.  In 2022, Alistair was nominated for a Local Government award for his work in helping support Ukrainians across the city.

Alistair, with his colleagues Anne Meadows and Carol Theobald, has helped residents succeed in their fight against the development of land next to Horsdean Recreation Ground; helped residents keep Carden Primary School a two-form entry school; successfully campaigned for Patcham & Hollingbury to remain together as one ward; and is currently fighting the possible Royal Mail development in Vale Avenue.  Alistair has also been very involved in helping the Ukrainian community in Patcham & Hollingbury and across the city.  Alistair wants to help keep the character and community of Patcham & Hollingbury as we know and love it for future generations.

Alistair says:

“I have always been keen to volunteer: teaching English to orphans near Kyiv, Ukraine, and being a church warden in both Kyiv and Hove.  Having spent a year in Poland and eight years in Ukraine, I have seen what can happen to countries and people when there is poor governance and a lack of civic society.  On finally settling down in Brighton and Hove in 2011, I felt I should play a full role in the local community and help stop the obvious deterioration of our city.

“I have represented Patcham and Hollingbury since 2019. I am proud to be chair of governors at Carden Primary School.  I have been on the Duck Fayre Committee since the fayre restarted in 2019. I go to community groups such as Neighbourhood Watch and Friends of Withdean Park and attend all the churches in the ward.  I enjoy helping volunteers look after our new wood in Carden Hill. In 2022, I was nominated for a Local Government Award for my work in helping support Ukrainians across the city.  I would love to continue helping residents, refugees and community groups.

“Over the last four years, Anne Meadows, Carol Theobald and I have had to fight a number of battles to keep Patcham and Hollingbury the place locals love.  We successfully stopped the development of urban fringe land next to Horsdean Recreation Ground. We worked with residents to keep Carden Primary School two-form entry. And we are currently fighting to stop the Royal Mail building a sorting office in Vale Avenue.  We are also fighting for better rubbish and recycling in our ward. These challenges will be ongoing, and only Conservatives have a clear and consistent position on them.”