The Bradley Stoke Journal

The parliamentary constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke (FABS) could be renamed Thornbury and Filton if changes proposed by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) remain unchanged after a public consultation period that starts today.

A recent Act of Parliament called for the total number of constituencies in England to be reduced from from 533 to 502 and deemed that each constituency have no fewer than 72,810 and no more than 80,473 electors.

With the current size of the FABS constituency standing at 69,732, i.e. below the lower threshold, the Commission was forced to make changes, explained in its report as follows:

“The towns of Filton and Bradley Stoke, currently located in the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency, are combined with the town of Thornbury and the surrounding area, currently located in the Thornbury and Yate constituency, in our proposed constituency of Thornbury and Filton. The town of Yate is instead combined with the area surrounding Mangotsfield, with which it has close communication links, in our proposed Yate constituency.”

The name of Bradley Stoke first entered the parliamentary vocabulary after the May 2010 General Election, following the creation of a new seat of Filton and Bradley Stoke. The new constituency replaced parts of the Bristol North West and Kingswood constituencies, as well as parts of the former Northavon constituency.

Read on to find out how to comment on the proposed changes »

Bradley Stoke Radio stages its own version of Question Time tonight when a panel of local politicians take part in a live debate on “the key issues facing people in Bradley Stoke”.

The event, compered by Julian Okoye, will hear representatives of the three main parties debate questions sent in by listeners.

Mr Okoye told The Journal:

“The intention is that the debate will cover mainly local issues pertaining to Bradley Stoke and surroundings but inevitably, as people don’t live in a box, some national issues may be touched upon as well.”

The participants in the studio are expected to be (pictured left to right above):

• Cllr Ben Walker (Conservative)
• Jon Williams (Liberal Democrat)
• Jonathan Moore (Labour)

All three panelists contested the Bradley Stoke North ward in the recent district election, which saw Cllr Walker claim the seat by a margin of 139 votes over Mr Williams, the previous holder.

In an email to the panelists, Mr Okoye wrote:

“I will generally be my nice gentle friendly self but I won’t shy away from asking difficult or tough questions and I am sure you won’t expect me to be a soft touch either.”

The public are invited to submit question for the debate to: julian@bradleystokeradio.org.uk

Read on for questions The Editor would like to hear answered »

A newly-elected Bradley Stoke Town Councillor who is a member of the Conservative Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transexual group LGBTory says local MP Jack Lopresti offered to attend the upcoming Pride Bristol event in order to demonstrate that he didn’t consider the young candidate’s sexual orientation an issue.

Writing on the LGBTory blog, Cllr Keir Gravil, who was elected to represent the Primrose Bridge ward, said:

“Being a part of the LGBT community hasn’t affected my experience at all; as long as you listen to people’s concerns and help address them, then the overwhelming majority don’t see it as an issue.”

“I have felt perfectly at home within the Conservative Party at all levels, and feel that the dynamism and optimism shown within its leaders and activists proves that it is indeed progressing onwards and upwards.”

In the article, entitled “The story of a newly-elected councillor“, Cllr Gravil describes his  fellow Conservatives in Bradley Stoke as “a great group of friends and a close-knit team”.

Bristol Pride Day takes place on Saturday 16th July 2011 in Castle Park.

Related link: @CllrKGravil on Twitter

The Conservatives are this morning celebrating a remarkable clean sweep of all the District and Town Council seats in Bradley Stoke.

The town’s five seats on South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) are now held by Conservatives after Ben Walker beat Jon Williams (Liberal Democrat) by a comfortable margin of 139 votes in Bradley Stoke North.

Bradley Stoke Central & Stoke Lodge was held with large margins by Brian Hopkinson and Sarah Pomfret, while John Ashe and Robert Jones comfortably held Bradley Stoke South.

Reflecting a national trend, Liberal Democrat candidates were beaten by both Labour candidates in Bradley Stoke Central & Stoke Lodge and by one of the two Labour candidates in Bradley Stoke South.

In South Gloucestershire Council as a whole, the Conservatives gained one seat, Labour gained six seats and the Lib Dems lost seven, leaving the overall picture unchanged, i.e. no party with an overall majority but the Conservatives having the most seats.

Conservative candidates won all 15 seats on Bradley Stoke Town Council, gaining two seats from the Lib Dems and one held by an independent. Jon Williams (Lib Dem), a Town Councillor for more than 17 years (excepting an 18 month break in 2007/08) failed to gain re-election, losing out to Keith Cranney in the Stoke Brook ward.

Photos from the count at the Leisure Centre: album; slideshow

Full results: Local Election (SGC)

Bradley Stoke has seven polling stations open today for voting in the 2011 District & Town Elections and the national AV Referendum.

The local polling stations (open until 10pm) are:

• Brook Way Activity Centre
• Jubilee Centre, Savages Wood Road
• Holy Trinity Church, Broad Croft
• Baileys Court Activity Centre
• Evangelical Church, Baileys Court Road
• St Joseph’s Centre, Juniper Way
• Church of Christ the King, Mautravers Close

Voters in Bradley Stoke are choosing representatives for both Bradley Stoke Town Council and South Gloucestershire Council, in each case for a four-year term.

For information about the local candidates and their parties’ manifestos, visit our Bradley Stoke Local Elections 2011 page.

The Journal will be reporting LIVE from tonight’s count at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre, starting at around 10:30pm.

Supporters of the NO to AV campaign have been shouting the loudest in Bradley Stoke in an effort see off the possible introduction of the Alternative Vote method for selecting Westminster MPs.

Local MP Jack Lopresti and Conservative activists manned a stall in the Willow Brook Centre on Saturday 16th April, where they distributed leaflets describing AV as a “Lib Dem fix”.

Speaking to The Journal, Mr Lopresti described himself as a passionate supporter of the current first past the post system, saying it is “clear, unambiguous and fair”, adding:

“AV will lead to more coalitions and give the Lib Dems a disproportionate say over who runs the country.”

Asked for the view of local Yes campaigners, Bradley Stoke Councillor Jon Williams (Lib Dem) told The Journal:

“The Lib Dems have made their case quite clearly and without resorting to untruths and personal attacks.”

“A Yes vote will provide Britain with a fairer voting system and one that will make representatives work for the whole community, not just a chosen few. Although not PR, it is a step in the right direction.”

More information and related links:

• No to AV
• Yes to Fairer Votes
• A guide to the pros and cons of AV (The Independent)
• Bradley Stoke Elections & AV Referendum 2011 (The Journal)