Candidates have been nominated for election to the first council for older people in England.

The election to the nine-member Brighton and Hove Older People's Shadow Council will take place at a special event at the Brighton Centre on November 5 and 6.

Any resident of Brighton and Hove who attends and is 60 or over will be able to vote.

The council will operate until the next local elections in 2003, when another contest will be held using the electoral roll.

It will be the key body representing older people in the city, with the right to ask questions of Brighton and Hove City Council and make recommendations to it.

Pensions minister Ian McCartney is opening the event and will speak in the first of four major debates tackling health, income, transport, and community safety.

There will also be activities, exhibitions, advice, information and entertainment.

Voting is on November 5 from noon until 6pm and November 6 from 10.30am until 1pm. The results will be announced on November 6 at 5pm.

The 27 candidates are: Iris Abrahams, Morris Abrahams, David Biggs, Ray Blackwood, Jim Buttimer, Margaret Cayley, Richard Daniels, Bryan Flint, Ted Furey, Bob Gunnell, Marjorie Hampton, Laurence Hill, John Hutchinson, Ruth Larkin, Audrey Milstein, Joan Moorhouse, Peter Neish, Peter Otto, Eric Potton, Doreen Radford, Rhoda Schneider, Beryl Simpson, David Smart, John Smith, Joyce West, Joan Woodley, Ronald Woods.