What concessions did Bristol Lib Dems make to stay in power?

By Sam Rkaina, Local Government Reporter

Bristol’s Liberal Democrats have agreed to a series of concessions to opposition parties in order to keep control of the city council.

Here we look at what they have agreed, and what they haven’t.

Read Full Post »

Re-elected Bristol council leader pledges to “build on success”

By Sam Rkaina,  Local Government Reporter

NEWLY re-elected city council leader Barbara Janke has pledged to “build on the success of the last two years” and continue to fight for Bristol.

Speaking at Tuesday’s annual council meeting, Mrs Janke said her colleagues would not turn their backs on their responsibilities.

Read Full Post »

Lib Dems retain control of council after making concessions to opposition

By Sam Rkaina, Local Government Reporter

THE Liberal Democrats have retained control of Bristol City Council after making a series of concessions to opposition parties.

A vote yesterday confirmed that the current ruling group will continue as a minority administration, despite losing overall control of the authority at the May 5 elections.

Read Full Post »

Concessions expected to keep Bristol Lib Dems in power

By Sam Rkaina, Local Government Reporter

THE future control of Bristol City Council is to be decided today, after nearly two weeks of political negotiations.

Barbara Janke is expected to continue as leader of the authority with the Liberal Democrats running a minority administration.

A rethink on trams, a review of the green-spaces sell off plan and a decisive debate on whether Ashton Vale should be a town green are believed to be among the main concessions that will allow them to remain in power.

Read Full Post »

Fresh faces join Bristol City Council

See the original story on the EP website

By Sam Rkaina, Local Government Reporter

THERE are eight new councillors serving the people of Bristol following last week’s local elections.

Six of them are fresh faces, as they have never served on the city council before.

There are also two former councillors who have been re-elected after several years away from the authority.

The new blood includes Gus Hoyt for the Green Party, who took one of the Ashley seats from the Liberal Democrats.

New Ashley councillor Green Gus Hoyt

Ashley had the highest turnout with more than 49 per cent and Mr Hoyt polled more than 2,200 votes – the largest number for any of the 24 successful candidates.

Mr Hoyt told the Evening Post he had received 1,000 emails within 24 hours of winning the seat.

He said: “I certainly hit the road running with a meeting with the police then parents concerned about primary school places.”

Labour has six new councillors after a successful night in which they won four extra seats.

Mahmadur Khan took the Eastville seat from former Councillor Muriel Cole, after 12 years of Lib Dem rule.

It was the first time the 40-year-old restaurant manager from Eastville had ever stood for election.

New Eastville councillor, Labour's Mahmadur Khan

He said: “I would like to say to the people of Eastville that they have trusted me and I will do my best to serve them.”

New Lawrence Hill councillor, Labour's Margaret Hickman

Margaret Hickman beat Lib Dem candidate Abdul Malik for the Lawrence Hill seat, which was previously held by Lib Dem Sue O’Donnell.

She said: “I’m looking forward to being the councillor for Lawrence Hill and sharing it with Brenda (Hugill, the other Labour councillor for the ward). I look forward to doing more work with people in the community.”

Barry Clark beat Lib Dem Jos Clark to take the Hengrove seat, after 15 years of Lib Dem control.

It was the fourth time the 42-year-old IT administrator from Hengrove had stood for election.

He said: “I have the advantage of living in the ward, I know the people and I know the problems and hopefully that’s the trust the people of Hengrove have given me.”

New Hengrove councillor, Labour's Barry Clark

Phil Hanby held the Hillfields seat for Labour, after previous councillor Martin Golding decided to spend more time with his young family.

New Hillfields councillor, Labour's Phil Hanby

Another first time winner, Mr Hanby is a sales advisor who lives in the ward.

Mike Langley held the Brislington East seat for the party after the previous Labour councillor Simon Crew stood down from local politics.

He is returning to the council after previously representing Frome Vale between 1990 and 1996.

The 55-year-old retired bus driver from Fishponds said Mr Crew will be a hard act to follow. When he was announced as the winner on Friday morning he joked that it was the only time he had been at Ashton Gate and wanted the blues to lose.

And in St George West, Peter Hammond won back the seat that Labour had lost to the Lib Dems‘ Tony Potter, after former councillor John Deasey passed away in 2008. Mr Hammond was re-elected as leader at the party’s AGM on Saturday, replacing former leader Helen Holland.

New St George West councillor, Peter Hammond

New Brislington East councillor, Labour's Mike Langley

Speaking as he won the seat, Mr Hammond said: “I am very pleased on a personal note to be the occupant of the seat once occupied by the late John Deasey who was a personal friend of mine, highly regarded by the electorate and if nothing else it will be my objective to live up to the standards he set as a local councillor.”

While the Lib Dems didn’t win any new seats on election night, one new member has replaced a councillor who stepped down before campaigning started. Christian Martin, takes over from Mike Popham as the representative for Clifton East. The 41-year-old film maker from Montpelier has been a party activist for 18 years but this is the first time he’s been a councillor.

He said: “I think it’s rather fitting I have retained a seat for the Lib Dems as a new candidate when the press are writing us off.”

The new council is due to sit for the first time on Tuesday at 2pm.

Click here to see videos of councillor’s acceptance speeches on election night

New Clifton East councillor, Christian Martin

Read Full Post »

Bristol Labour elect new leader but no change for Lib Dems

By Lynne Hutchinson and Rachel Clare

CITY council leader Barbara Janke has been re-elected unopposed to head the Liberal Democrats, despite the party losing its majority in the local elections.
Mrs Janke was voted back in at the group’s annual general meeting and will now be its candidate for leader of the council at the authority’s  annual meeting a week tomorrow.
The council’s Labour group has elected Peter Hammond as its new leader, replacing Helen Holland.
And Peter Abraham, currently Conservative group acting leader, looks set to become leader when Cllr Geoffrey Gollop steps down to become Lord Mayor.

Lib Dem leader Barbara Janke

Mrs Janke, who retained her own Clifton seat with an increased majority, said: “I’m delighted to continue to serve the interests of Lib Dems in Bristol as leader.
“Up and down the country we have paid the price for our party’s involvement in the Coalition Government and, in particular, the public spending cuts brought in to pay for the last Labour government’s extravagance.
“I fully expect to regain our majority and win back seats at the next local elections in two years’ time.”
The Lib Dems remain the largest group on the council – with 33 of the 70 seats – even though they lost five seats and their overall majority.
Labour have 21 seats and the Conservatives 14 and the Greens two.
With no party having overall control, the Lib Dems have now invited the other parties to meet to discuss how to run the council. The Lib Dems will meet again on Wednesday (May 11) so members can elect a cabinet.

New Labour group leader Peter Hammond, 59, who was elected in a secret ballot, predicted the party would regain control of the council at the next election in 2013.
The college lecturer from Stapleton first became a city councillor 32 years ago. He has represented St George East, Southmead and now St George West.
He also previously led the group from 2003 to 2005.

In: new Labour leader Peter Hammond

Out: Helen Holland re-elected for Whitchurh Park but replaced as leader

Labour now have 21 councillors after adding another five in last week’s elections.
Mr Hammond said: “Voters in Bristol have not taken to the Lib Dems in government, where ‘savage cuts’ were promised and were more than readily delivered by the Lib Dem administration in Bristol.
“The perception has been that the Lib Dems are Tories in sheep’s clothing. Voters have protested and it’s clear the Lib Dems are in crisis.”

Peter Hammond elected for St George West

Mr Hammond promised to continue to campaign against the sell-off of some of Bristol’s green spaces.
He also said the current primary school places crisis was another issue he and his Labour colleagues would be focusing on.
Acting Bristol Tory leader and former Lord Mayor Peter Abraham said he would like to see some of the current council’s “very unpopular” policies reversed if the party was to negotiate a deal with the Lib Dems.

Read Full Post »

Liberal Democrats Lose Control of Bristol City Council

By Local Government Reporter Sam Rkaina

BRISTOL City Council faces an uncertain future after the ruling Liberal Democrats lost overall control at the local elections.

The Lib Dems lost five seats to Labour and the Green Party, and although they are still the largest party they will no longer have the ability to force through their policies regardless of political opposition.

The new makeup of the council sees the Lib Dems with 33 seats, Labour with 21, the Conservatives with 14 and the Green Party with two.

Click here for videos of councillors’ victory speeches

Speaking shortly after the last of 24 seats up for grabs was declared yesterday morning, Lib Dem and council leader Barbara Janke said she would have discussions with other political groups to decide a way forward.

Labour took four of the Lib Dems’ seats in Eastville, Hengrove, St George West and Lawrence Hill and the Green Party took one in Ashley ward.

The Lib Dems who lost their seats were Muriel Cole in Eastville, Jos Clark in Hengrove and Tony Potter in St George West .

Tony Potter lost St George West for the Lib Dems

Muriel Cole lost Eastville for Lib Dems

Jos Clark lost Hengrove for the Lib Dems

Shirley Brown and Sue O’Donnell both stood down before the elections in Ashley and Lawrence Hill but their Lib Dem replacements failed to hold onto their seats.

The Tories held onto their three seats but failed to make any gains.

Turnout on the night was 39.9 per cent, with 87,652 people successfully casting their vote.

The lowest ward turnout was in Filwood with just 26.7 per cent of people voting Labour’s Jeff Lovell back in while the highest was Ashley with 49.6 per cent and a Green Party gain.

One former city councillor – Labour’s Peter Hammond – returned to the authority by taking St George West from the Lib Dems.

But three other former members failed to do so – Lib Dem Abdul Malik in Lawrence Hill, Tory Barbara Lewis in Hillfields and Green Charlie Bolton in Southville.

New Hengrove councillor Labour's Barry Clark

New Ashley councillor Green Gus Hoyt

New St George West councillor Labour's Peter Hammond

It was a long night for the hundreds of counters, councillors and candidates who turned out to the local election count at Ashton Gate.

Final results were not declared until after 5am and didn’t finish until after 6am – much later than originally predicted.

Part of this was because the Electoral Commission had decided all AV votes had to be verified before local election results could be counted – even though the Alternate Vote ballots were not to be counted until Friday.

But there were none of the problems of last year’s widely criticised local and general elections, when the votes were misplaced then found, and papers for Bishopston and Bishopsworth mixed up because they sound similar.

It was a long night at Ashton Gate

Lib Dem and council leader Barbara Janke described the result as “disastrous” but felt the party had fared better in Bristol than other parts of the country.

While Lib Dem majorities fell dramatically in some seats they held – Knowle  and  Brislington West included – in others like Cabot, Windmill Hill and Clifton they actually went up.

Lib Dem leader Barbara Janke

Mrs Janke – who retained her Clifton seat with an increased majority – said: “Compared with what’s been happening nationally we’ve done better in Bristol.

“We would like to have kept our majority and we’re very disappointed but we will not walk away from our responsibility.

“We will meet with other parties to look at how best to work with them in what will be a challenging year ahead.

“We will fight back and we certainly want to achieve a majority in the Bristol again as soon as possible.

The Lib Dems took control of the authority in 2009 from Labour, when the Tories sided with them in a row over an incinerator.

Mrs Janke said the Lib Dems would listen to the messages voters had given them during the campaign but felt national issues had played a part in the result.

She said: “There are very different results in different parts of the city – in Windmill Hill we have a majority of 1,000 but other seats we have lost.

“We need to listen to the messages we’ve heard from the doorsteps.”

Labour's Helen Holland

Labour leader Helen Holland – who regained her Whitchurch Park seat with an increased majority – said it had been a good night for her party in Bristol.

She said: “To gain four seats is great but if you look at some of the numbers we’ve run the Lib Dems very close where they’ve been confident of a decent size majority.

“They (the Lib Dems) have found out what it’s like to have to defend the party in government. The people of Bristol have said ‘we don’t trust you’.

“One thing it does show is that they cannot carry on working in such an arrogant manner on things like the parks and green spaces.

“They’ve got to take more account of the views of their communities. Mrs Holland wouldn’t be drawn on what might happen to the leadership of the council now, other than it would be a matter for the next full council meeting on May 17.

In terms of seats there was no change for the Tories, but much like in 2009 they still have the chance to play kingmaker.

But the Bristol Lib Dems will no doubt be mindful that the national coalition with the Conservatives  is one of the main reasons the party has done so badly across the country.

Deputy Tory leader Peter Abraham

Conservative Deputy Leader Councillor Peter Abraham said: “Given the circumstances, the Conservative vote has held up extremely well.

“Our primary aim was to hold all of the seats we were defending.

“At a time when Conservatives are the lead partner in a Government tasked with dealing with Labour’s disastrous deficit  – it was always going to be difficult to make gains but we were delighted with our polling performance across the city.

“The same cannot be said of our Coalition partners the Liberal Democrats.  Locally, they lost five seats but if the whole of the Council had been up for election, this figure would have been far higher.  On my calculations it would have been in the region of 12 to 15 seats, which would have given them a group in the lower 20′s.

“As such, these results have dealt a devastating blow to the Lib Dems in Bristol.  People have clearly lost confidence in their ability to run the city.

“The Conservative Group will be doing everything in its power to ensure that our policies are reflected in or pursued by the new Administration over the next two years.”

And although the Green Party only took one more seat at the elections they still had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The collectively polled 2,000 more votes than when the same seats were contested in 2007, took second place in Southville and third in Bishopsworth,  Cabot, Clifton, Easton, Frome Vale and Windmill Hill.

In victory speeches, a number of Labour and Tory candidates criticised their Lib Dem opponents, alleging they had played a campaign of “dirty tricks” in seats including St George West and Stockwood although they did not go into specifics.

This wasn’t the case everywhere though – and in Ashley in particular, the Lib Dems, Green and Labour candidates praised each other for a “good, clean fight”.

Click here for a full break down of results

Read Full Post »

Bristol City Council Elections – Ward Profile 6 – Cabot

To see the original story on the EP website, click here

On May 5 voters will choose 24 councillors to represent them on Bristol City Council. Over the next month we will look at all of the wards that are being contested, and all the candidates that are chasing your votes. Today it’s Cabot.

IF there’s one ward where the row over tuition fees could play a part, it’s Cabot.

Traditionally a Liberal Democrat stronghold, the party has held the seat for more than 15 years.

Two issues that are beyond the control of local party members could change that.

The increase in tuition fees is the most obvious example, a policy which could be punished by the area’s large student population.

According to the latest statistics there are 13,211 residents, and more than half of them are aged 16 to 29-years-old.

Cabot has the highest number in that age group in the city, with 7,684 living in ward.

That is largely thanks to the high levels of student accommodation and the inclusion of the University of Bristol.

The other national issue is the effect of the coalition government. With many Lib Dem voters angry that their vote last May was essentially used to prop up a Tory government, there could be a backlash in areas such as Cabot.

The ward covers the whole of the city centre, including Broadmead, Kingsdown and Harbourside.

It is bordered by Castle Park in the east to Tyndall’s Park in the west, Cumberland Basin in the south to the edge of Cotham in the north.

Locally the issues are much as you might expect for a major city centre – crime and parking.

Cabot has the highest crime rate in the city. This is perhaps inevitable as it houses the most popular part of Bristol’s night life. But since 2001 crime has dropped dramatically – by a third in less than ten years.

City council plans to cut back on funding for police community support officers may not find favour though.

The authority said it was planning on reducing its £1 million contributions towards PCSOs by £139,000 for the 2011/12 financial years as part of a £28 million programme of cuts.

It is fair to say though that regardless of such cuts most of the police resources in Bristol will always be focused on this part of the city.

The other ongoing issue for the ward is parking. The city’s first Residents Parking Zone pilot was introduced in Kingsdown in January

Last year there was much debate over exactly how many people really wanted it.

Public consultation showing the narrowest of margins of support – 0.6 per cent – but further statutory consultation showed 42 were in support and 995 were against.

There were allegations of fraudulent results and the council rejected a number of the responses before agreeing to go ahead with a pilot.

Despite protests from no to RPZ campaigners at the time, there has been little objection since the scheme was brought in three months ago.

Next: Clifton and Clifton East

Candidates for Cabot ward

Name: Liberal Democrat

Alex Woodman

Age: 27

Lives: Brislington

Experience: Served as councillor since 2007

Occupation: Caseworker

What difference will you make: I will continue to work hard for people in Cabot, pushing for improvements to the local area and standing up for local residents.

Party: Conservative

Name: Iain Dennis

Age: Not given

Lives: Sneyd Park

Experience: Not given

Occupation: Director of a worldwide recruitment company

What difference will you make: Not given

Party: Green

Name: Ben Appleby

Age: 50

Lives: Kingsdown

Experience: Green Party election agent for Bristol West in the General Election 2010

Occupation: Financial adviser

What difference will you make: I hope to be part of a strong Green group on the council whose positive forward thinking attitude will influence future council decisions.

Party: Labour

Name: Ben Mosley

Age: 24

Lives: Clifton

Experience: First time standing

Occupation: Caseworker for Labour MP

What difference will you make: I will listen to Cabot residents. I’m campaigning for a green Bristol, fairer access to education especially after £9,000 tuition fees, protecting public services, safe streets, and better public transport.

Other candidates – no details given

Chris Farrell – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against the Cuts

Previous Results – 2007

Alex Woodman – Liberal Democrat – 1,005 (47%)

Christopher Gittins – Green Party – 430 (20.1%)

Iain Dennis – Conservative – 374 (17.5%)

Tom Fleuriot – Labour – 327 (15.3%)

Polling Stations

University Indoors Sports Centre, Tyndall Avenue

The Ark, Cotham Road South

Centre for the Deaf, King Square

Central Library, College Green

Spike Island, Cumberland Road

Waring House, Commercial Road

The Register Office, Corn Street

For a detailed map click here

Bristol City Council ward profile

Read Full Post »

Bristol City Council Elections – Ward Profile 4&5- Brislington East and West

See the original story on the EP website

On May 5 voters will choose 24 councillors to represent them on Bristol City Council. Over the next month we will look at all of the wards that are being contested, and all the candidates that are chasing your votes. Today we look at two wards, Brislington East and West.

AS YOU drive into Bristol along the A4 Bath Road, it is hard to imagine that Brislington used to be a village outside of the city.

But now it is part of the suburban sprawl which stretches out from the city centre.

Brislington is divided into two wards – east and west – with Wick Road acting as the main boundary. The A4 therefore lies in Brislington West although it is hugely important for everyone who lives in this area of the city.

Many residents, no doubt, are disappointed that the Government’s spending cuts have seen plans abandoned for a link road between Callington Road and the big roundabout near the Sainsbury‘s supermarket at Sandy Park.

This link road would have utilised the disused railway line and eased the awful traffic congestion, particularly at the junction of West Town Lane with the Bath Road.

This junction has become a notorious bottleneck since the road layout was changed when the Lidl supermarket was opened and several sets of traffic lights were installed within the space of a few hundred yards. But it’s not only these very busy roads which grab the attention.

Just as important is the issue of speeding motorists along many of the residential streets where cars are parked on both sides of the road.

Full-time mum Kelly Boulton, 23, of The Rock, who has three children, would like measures taken to slow down traffic on School Road, a steep and busy road which links the Bath Road with Broom Hill and St Anne’s.

There are also traffic issues in Sandy Park, a popular local shopping centre which can still boast a post office – a service which is sorely missed by residents in Broom Hill.

Dinner lady Lesley Clatworthy, 60, of Eastwood Drive, who has lived in Brislington for most of her life, has seen many changes and said there is still some anti-social behaviour but it has “calmed down a lot in recent years”.

Jason Lear, 32, of Jersey Avenue, Broom Hill, helps to run a five-a-side football centre. He said Brislington fared well compared to other parts of the city. “I think it’s much quieter here,” he said.

No doubt residents in St Anne’s who fiercely protested against plans to sell off a strip off green space behind their homes in Newbridge Road will be making their views clear at the ballot box.

They mounted one of the biggest campaigns against the council’s green spaces strategy which aims to sell off parcels of open land to raise funds to improve parks and open spaces. Their protests led to St Anne’s being taken off the council’s sell-off list.

Brislington West is a safe Lib Dem seat but Brislington East has been somewhat of a battleground in the past. The Tories were stunned to lose the seat which was contested last year (there are two seats in each ward) and Labour will find themselves in a scrap to hold on to this one which was last fought in 2007. It was won by Labour’s Simon Crew but he took it with only 85 votes so the Tories have all to play for.

Next: Cabot ward

Candidates for Brislington East

Party: Labour

Name: Mike Langley

Age: 55

Lives: Fishponds

Experience: Councillor before at Frome Vale 1990 to 1996

Occupation: Retired bus driver and union rep

What difference will you make: I’m backing local people to save our green space especially between Broomhill and Victory Park and to convert the old Mission building in Rochester Road as a community centre.

Party: Conservative

Name: Lara Cozens

Age: 42

Lives: Brislington

Experience: First time standing

Occupation: unemployed

What difference will you make: By winning the seat I would make sure the voice of Brislington East is heard clearly, and spoken in Bristolian.

Party: Liberal Democrat

Name: Pauline Allen

Age: 57

Lives: Kingsdown

Experience: Second time standing

Occupation: Rsearech scientist

What difference will you make: Fight on behalf of the citizens of Brislington East, on issues that concern them. Do all I can to preserve and enhance the community.

Other candidates – no details given

Robin Whitlock – Green Party

Martyn Ahmet – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

Mark Smith – UKIP

Previous Results – 2007

Simon Crew – Labour – 1,258 (42.1%)

James Stevenson – Conservative – 1,173 (39.2%)

Roger Norman – Liberal Democrat – 286 (9.5%)

Ruth Cormack – Green – 271 (9%)

Brislington East Polling Stations

Brislington East: St Anne’s Infant School, Langton Court Road entrance; St Anne’s Park Primary School, Lichfield Road; St Peter’s Methodist Church Hall, Allison Road; Holymead Infant School, Hollywood Road.

Brislington West: St Anne’s Junior School, Langton Court Road; Holymead Junior School, Rossall Road; St Christopher’s Parish Hall, Hampstead Road; Bristol Sports of Performing Arts, White Hart Lodge, Brislington Hill; Hungerford Community Centre, Hungerford Road.

To see polling stations on a map

Bristol City Councils ward profile

Brislington West Candidates

Party: Liberal Democrats

Name: Jackie Norman

Age: 60

Lives: Brislington

Experience: Ward councillor since 1999

Occupation: Part time market research interviewer

What difference will you make: Within the Brislington Neighbourhood Partnership, I’ll continue to listen to how local people think we should spend local money.  On the council I’ll represent Brislington West residents’ priorities.

Party: Labour

Name: Liam McDonough

Age: 34

Lives: Brislington

Experience: Second time standing

Occupation: Works in catering

What difference will you make: Councillors should be more responsive to local people – footpaths at Water Lane need repair – long overdue, a wheels park at Arnos Court, restore the cuts to PCSOs.

Philip Collins
Party: UKIP
Age: 47
Lives: Brislington
Experience: Second time standing
Occupation: Driver
What difference will you make: I will put the local community first. We need to stop putting so much money into Europe – charity begins at home.

Other candidates – no details given

John Yeandle – Trade Unionists and Socialists Against the Cuts

Lucy Mackilligin – Green Party

Colin Bretherton – Conservative

Previous Results – 2007

Jackie Norman – Liberal Democrat – 1,150 (41.5%)

Colin Bretherton – Conservative – 807 (29.1%)

David Naismith – Green – 451 (16.2%)

Brian Mead – Labour – 362 (13%)

Brisington West Polling Stations

St Annes Junior School, Langton Court Road

Holymead Junior School, Rossall Road

St Christopher’s Parish Hall, Hampstead Road

Bristol Sports of Performing Arts, White Hart Lodge, Brislington Hill

Hungerford Community Centre, Hungerford Road

To see polling stations on a map 

Bristol City Council ward profile

Read Full Post »

Bristol City Council Elections – Ward Profile 3 – Bishopsworth

See the original story on the EP website

On May 5 voters will choose 24 councillors to represent them on Bristol City Council. Over the next month we will look at all of the wards that are being contested, and all the candidates that are chasing your votes. Today is Bishopsworth.

POPULAR Kings Head Park in Bishopsworth was in danger of being one of those green spaces where some of the land was at risk of being sold off to developers.

But last December, the park was one of nine green spaces which was removed by the ruling Liberal Democrats from the council’s sell-off list.

Residents who live near the park were understandably relieved but they are under no illusion that green-belt land near their homes is under increasing threat from the bulldozer.

You only have to look out over the border into North Somerset to see where developers wanted to build a new mini-town with thousands of homes, something akin to Bradley Stoke on the green fields below Dundry.

Yet there was probably a bigger issue for people in Bishopsworth, many of whom commute daily to work in the city.

They were furious when bus operator First removed the 52 service a year ago which provided such a transport lifeline. The axe fell on the route after the city council decided to withdraw its subsidy.

Bus users were delighted when private bus operator Andy Fear, who runs Citistar, stepped in to run the service. But he found he could not make it pay and it has now been taken over by Abus, which has altered the route and extended it to incorporate Imperial Park.

Bishopsworth is a typical Bristol suburb, mostly residential and with a mix of private and council housing. It has one of the lowest number of residents from ethnic minorities in the city. Most residents are therefore white British.

The main A38 Bridgwater Road runs diagonally across the ward while Bishopsworth Road also provides one of the key routes.

The council slapped a weight restriction on Bishopsworth Road some years ago to stop heavy lorries thundering through the residential area but many HGV drivers now use Highridge Green as an alternative route.

The issue has been raised at local Neighbourhood Partnership meetings and now the council is planning to monitor the frequency of heavy lorries on the route to see if another weight restriction is justified.

The increase in traffic on all our roads has seen the main Bridgwater Road become even busier. So much so, that people have spent several minutes waiting for a lull before crossing.

A new traffic island has now been installed near the South Bristol Crematorium to help people, especially the elderly, to cross the road.

There are five schools in the ward: the only secondary is Bedminster Down, which has been rebuilt and is now looking at the possibility of becoming an academy.

The four primaries are Bishopsworth CE VC juniors, Cheddar Grove primary, Four Acres primary and Highridge Infants.

There are some issues with drugs and anti-social behaviour which is mostly confined to the Highridge area. But generally speaking, crime figures are below average for the city.

In a council survey, 92 per cent of Bishopsworth people said they were happy while three-quarters said they were satisfied with their lives.

Next: Brislington East and West

Candidates for Bishopsworth Ward

Party: Conservative

Name: Richard Eddy

Age: 45

Ward: Bishopsworth

Lives: Headley Park

Experience First elected to serve the ward in 1992-95 and again in 1999 to the present.

Occupation: Freelance financial advisor

What difference will you make: I was raised, educated and live in the locality.  I understand, and have always represented, the views of Bishopsworth people.  Their priorities are my priorities.

Party: Labour

Name: Darren Lewis

Age: 28

Lives: St George

Experience: Second time standing

Occupation: Barrister

What difference will you make: People have to decide whether they want someone who just works hard or who offers a fresh perspective. They Tories have had their chance and failed.

Party: Green

Name: Barrie Lewis

Age: 64

Lives: Withywood

Experience: Has been standing for the Green Party for 25 years

Occupation: Voluntary work in mental health area

What difference will you make: I’m a local person so I know what’s going on and becoming a councillor will help me get things done in the community.

Party: Liberal Democrat

Name: Ian Campion-Smith

Age: 64

Lives: Redland

Experience: Has stood for council twice in Bristol

Occupation: Retired software and management consultant

What difference would you make: I have a vested interest that no other candidate has, I live here and therefore know the issues that need sorting first hand.

Previous Results – 2007

Richard Eddy – Conservative – 1,611 (57.8%)

Munawar Gondal – Labour – 653 (23.4%)

Barrie Lewis – Green – 347 (12.4%)

Lena Wright – Liberal Democrats -  172 (6.1%)

Polling Stations

Bedminster Down Secondary School, Tyntesfield Road entrance

Cheddar Grove Primary School

Bishopsworth Children’s Centre, Lakemead Grove

Withywood Centre, Queens Road

For a more detailed map click here

Read Full Post »