DAVE SEXTON
OLIVER BROOKS
Dave Sexton: a Liberal Democrat Candidate for St Mary's and St James
Dave Sexton is standing for election in St Mary and St James because he believes local politics should start with listening. For him, representation is about treating people as individuals with real experiences, not problems to be managed. His approach reflects core Liberal Democrat values: fairness, opportunity, community, and the belief that power should be used to enable people, not control them.
A Career Built on Public Service
Dave brings decades of experience shaped by service and communication.
Thirty years in the Metropolitan Police taught him how to listen under pressure, assess evidence, and understand how decisions affect people’s lives - especially those with the least voice.
Three years as a tour guide strengthened his ability to communicate clearly, connect with people from all backgrounds, and make complex issues accessible.
He describes his politics as pragmatic and solutions‑focused, rooted in the Liberal Democrat tradition of evidence‑based decision‑making and practical local action.
Listening to St Mary and St James
On the doorstep, Dave hears a wide range of concerns - from the cost of living to housing insecurity to cultural anxieties. His instinct is always to listen first.
“People’s worries often come from uncertainty,” he says. “You don’t dismiss that. You listen and understand what’s behind it.”
He sees St Mary and St James as a ward where working‑class and middle‑class communities live side by side - something he believes should be a strength. A healthy community, he argues, is one where everyone feels they belong and are treated with dignity.
But he also recognises a challenge: too many residents feel disengaged from local politics.
“Democracy only works when people feel their voice matters,” he says. “We need to bring people back into the conversation.”
A Clear Priority: Housing
When asked what the ward needs most urgently, Dave is direct:
“Housing. Housing. Housing.”
He points to long waiting lists, families stuck in temporary accommodation, and an increasingly expensive private rental market. For him, stable housing underpins everything else - health, work, family life, and the ability to participate fully in the community.
Improving housing is not just a policy goal; it’s about fairness and opportunity, and it sits at the heart of the Liberal Democrat offer locally.
Accessible, Accountable Representation
Dave is committed to being a visible and responsive councillor. He plans to stay engaged through regular contact with residents, community events, and social media, working closely with the wider Liberal Democrat team in Bexley.
“People should be able to contact their councillor and expect a response,” he says. “That’s basic respect — and it’s how trust is built.”
For Dave, accountability means being honest about what can be changed, standing by your values, and always putting residents first.
Rooted in the Area
Dave describes St Mary and St James as “suburban without being urban” - a balance he believes is distinctive and worth protecting. He also has a long‑standing interest in history, which shapes his belief that communities thrive when they are open, outward‑looking, and willing to learn from the past.
A guiding principle underpins his approach:
“All parties have their day.”
For Dave, it’s a reminder to stay grounded, focus on service, and never take voters for granted.
In His Own Words
Your vision in three words:
“Listen, listen, listen.”
The first issue you’d tackle:
“Poverty - because it affects everything else.”
What ‘community’ means to you:
“Integration - people feeling connected, not isolated.”
One message to residents:
“Poverty is not permanent. With the right support, circumstances can change.”
A Liberal Democrat Choice for St Mary and St James
Dave Sexton offers a clear Liberal Democrat alternative:
- Respect for individual freedom
- Fairness and opportunity
- Strong, inclusive communities
- Practical action on housing
- A commitment to listening and staying accessible
For residents who feel overlooked or unheard, Dave believes Liberal Democrat representation can make a real difference.
Oliver Brooks: a Life Shaped by Bexley
For Oliver Brooks, Bexley isn’t a political battleground - it’s home in the truest sense. Born at Queen Mary’s Hospital and raised across the borough’s schools, parks and neighbourhoods, he has spent more than 35 years living the everyday life of this community. He learned to drive on these roads, played football on these pitches, and still runs through Foots Cray Meadows to clear his head after a long day.
That deep familiarity gives Oliver a perspective that can’t be faked. He knows the shortcuts, the frustrations, the hidden gems, the places that matter to people because they’ve mattered to him too. When he talks about Bexley, he talks about it with the affection of someone who has grown up alongside it - and with the frustration of someone who knows it could be so much better.
Listening First, Acting With Purpose
Oliver’s professional life has been spent in education, supporting young people and adults through some of the most challenging moments of their lives. Over 15 years, he has worked with families facing real hardship, teenagers desperate for a chance, and adults trying to rebuild their futures.
His approach has always been grounded in one principle: listen completely. He often quotes Hemingway - “Most people never listen” - because he’s seen how true that is in public services. For Oliver, listening isn’t a soft skill; it’s the foundation of good decision‑making. You can’t fix what you don’t understand, and you can’t understand if you don’t listen.
That mindset has shaped his work. When young people at his college couldn’t find apprenticeships, he didn’t shrug and accept it. He picked up the phone, called local employers, and created opportunities where none existed. It’s a pattern: identify the problem, understand it properly, then act decisively.
Why He’s Standing Now
On the doorstep, Oliver hears the same concerns again and again: rubbish piling up, SEND families fighting for support, social care stretched thin, streets that feel neglected, and a sense that the borough is drifting rather than leading.
To him, these aren’t isolated issues - they’re symptoms of a council that has stopped listening and stopped investing. Residents feel like they’re being asked to accept decline as normal. Oliver refuses to accept that.
He believes Bexley is stuck in a cycle of under‑investment and stagnation, and that the borough needs councillors who are willing to challenge that culture. Not with slogans, but with practical, grounded action. He talks about Bexley’s potential with real conviction: the green spaces, the strong communities, the local businesses, the history that gives the borough its character. He sees a place that could thrive again with the right leadership.
A Practical Vision for Renewal
Oliver’s vision for Bexley is rooted in the belief that a council should lead by example. If we want cleaner streets, the council must take responsibility for them. If we want a greener borough, the council should be the first to install solar panels on its own buildings. If we want better opportunities for young people, the council must invest in education and skills.
His priorities for the first year are clear and grounded in what residents tell him matters most:
- Education: ensuring every child in Bexley has the chance to reach their full potential.
- Local business: supporting Bexley’s employers to grow, innovate and thrive in 2026.
- Cleaner, safer neighbourhoods: tackling rubbish, potholes and neglect with visible, measurable action.
Oliver doesn’t believe in grandstanding. He believes in doing the work - and making sure residents can see the difference.
Working With Officers, Not Around Them
Oliver is clear that councillors and officers need to work together, not in opposition. His first instinct is always to listen to the people who run services day to day - to understand their experience, their constraints, and their ideas.
But he’s equally clear that councillors are elected to lead. If residents are saying the borough has had enough of potholes, litter and decline, then councillors must be the ones to insist on higher standards. For Oliver, partnership doesn’t mean passivity. It means collaboration with purpose.
Visible, Accessible, and Straightforward
Oliver has no interest in performative politics. You won’t find him spending hours on Twitter or Facebook reposting statistics to make himself feel productive. He believes residents deserve councillors who show up in real life, not just online.
He plans to hold regular surgeries, attend community events, and remain visible across the ward. And because running is a big part of his life, he even invites residents to join him on his routes — a chance to talk, ask questions, or simply share concerns in a more relaxed setting.
Accountability, for Oliver, is simple: “If you don’t like what I’m doing, throw me out in four years.” That’s democracy. That’s the deal.
A Borough Worth Fighting For
When Oliver talks about Bexley’s future, he often returns to a phrase that captures his whole outlook: Futurum Una Fingimus - we shape the future together.
He believes the borough can turn a corner. That with the right leadership, Bexley can move from stagnation to ambition, from decline to renewal. He wants a borough where children have opportunities, where businesses can grow, where streets are clean, and where residents feel proud of where they live.
His message to residents is direct and heartfelt:
Is this the Bexley you want your grandchildren to grow up in?
If the answer is no, then it’s time for change - and Oliver is ready to help lead it
