Jason Kitcat is a champion for digital transformation and passionate about public services working as an independent consultant. He was previously the award-winning Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, a member of the UK’s first ever Green council administration. Jason sat on the Leading members group for the Key Cities association of 26 mid-size cities and also had a number of roles at the Local Government Association.

 

Jason has been general manager at the Open Knowledge Foundation and was previously Head of Technology at Netmums, a leading grassroots parenting site. He has worked with online communities since the early 1990s and has founded or co-founded a number of technology related companies. He holds a BSc(Hons) from the University of Warwick in Computer Science & Management Science and MSc Technology & Innovation Management from the University of Sussex. Jason spent several years at Sussex studying for a doctorate on online government consultations before choosing to focus his energies on active politics.

 

Before becoming leader of the council, Jason was Cabinet Member for Finance & Central Services. Jason was first elected in a December 2007 by-election. He is a former Chair of Brighton & Hove Green Party and has a track record as a successful campaign manager. He led the local party to success in his own by-election, the 2009 European Elections (with Greens topping the city-wide poll), two other council by-elections and was on the management team for the historic 2011 council election campaign. Jason was a Green candidate for European Parliament in 2009 and 2014. He was a senior part of the campaign management team for Caroline Lucas’ successful 2010 bid to become the UK’s first Green MP.

 

Jason is a prominent digital rights campaigner, particularly with regards to electronic voting and counting. In 2007 Jason completed a part-time contract as e-voting co-ordinator at the Open Rights Group, where he continues to contribute in a voluntary capacity on their Advisory Council. Jason led 25 election observers in monitoring e-voting and e-counting across the 2007 English & Scottish elections. The resulting report helped set the agenda for electoral modernisation with e-voting no longer a government priority.