Mayor Dee Simson

Born in Woodingdean

Councillor Dee Simson is the current Mayor of Brighton & Hove. She was elected by her fellow councillors at the Annual Council meeting on 17 May 2018.  Councillor Simson was born in the house in Woodingdean built by her father in the 1930s. where she lives to this day. She went to Woodingdean Primary School and Westlain Grammar, leaving at 16 to become a tax officer.

Twenty years a councillor

Dee Simson is married to Paul, who will be her consort for her mayoral year. She has three daughters and five grandchildren. Her mayoralty comes almost 20 years after she was elected, when her former ward colleague Pamela Stiles persuaded her to stand for the seat.

The Mayor’s charities

Her focus has been on the role of the community and voluntary sector and services for young people she said “those are the things closest to my heart”. Each year  the mayor chooses local charities for which she will fundraise. Dee Simson has chosen four – the Martlets Hospice, Rockinghorse, Off The Fence and the Grace Eyre Foundation. She said: “I’ve chosen four but it doesn’t mean I’m not there for all the others. I want to get out and support as many of them as I can.”

Plans for the coming year

In her first speech as mayor Councillor Simson explained why she was breaking with tradition by holding her reception on the beach rather than in the Royal Pavilion.

“It’s part of Brighton’s identity”, she said, adding: “If you go anywhere in the world people say Brighton is by the sea. “I plan to take advantage of the seafront where I intend to hold my fundraising events.”