THREE anti-academy candidates have been voted in as Hove Park School parent governors.


Sarah Arjun, Mark Radcliffe and Andrew Whippey will now sit on the board of governors after they beat six other candidates to the positions.


Parent pressure group Hands Off Hove Park put forward Sarah Arjun and Mark Radcliffe, while Andrew Whippey stood as an independent candidate but also voices his opposition to the academy plans.


Sharon Duggal, who finished fourth in the polls, said: “This sends another very, very clear message to the school that people just do not want Hove Park to become an academy.


“Two of the successful candidates were put forward by Hands Off Hove Park, and the other is anti-academy too – so it’s a big win for us.


“It’s another statement to the governors, and I don’t really see a way that they can justify the decision to convert now.


“The top three candidates got 170, 141 and 134 votes and then I was fourth with 131.


“The next candidates were in the 80s and 70s all the way down to the 30s.”


The three parent governors will now sit on the board as it makes its decision on whether or not to convert to academy status.


A decision is expected on September 22.