City council leader Ken Bodfish, who lives opposite Queen's Park itself, will be among those aiming to stay on the authority after the election.

Normally he would be accompanied by near neighbour Jackie Lythell but she is retiring after many years' service.

There is also no place for the third Queen's Park councillor, Simon Charleton.

Labour reckons this ward, now greatly expanded, should be safe and has found two newcomers who say they will make a difference to the authority if elected.

Simon Burgess, assistant to Kemp Town MP Des Turner, has been a Brighton councillor before and has a good political brain.

Delia Forester, the widow of former councillor Tom Forester, has long connections with the Labour movement and knows how to fight to win.

The other three parties are all putting up three candidates but their chances are slim.

This has never been fertile territory for the Lib Dems but Tories did win a Queen's Park seat in the 1992 Brighton elections.

The Greens are making a point by fielding transgender actress Mjka Scott, equal opportunities campaigner Nigel Tart and Becky Whale, a policy officer for an HIV/Aids charity.

They will be raising gay issues but Labour will counter this by saying it is doing plenty on this front.

Council housing is a big issue in this ward, while parts of it also suffer from increasing traffic and parking problems.

Candidates (three seats):

Labour - Kenneth Bodfish, Simon Burgess, Delia Joy Forester.

Conservatives - Robin Cecil Frank Dean, Patricia Violet Smith, Michael Frederick Williams.

Liberal Democrats - Joseph Alwyn Blease, Douglas Janke, Elizabeth Mary O'Keefe Robinson.

Greens - Mjka Scott, Nigel Tart, Becky Whale.