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.

A public hearing into the proposed changes will be held in Bristol on Monday/Tuesday 7th/8th November 2011. Comments may also be recorded via the BCE’s consultation website.

More information: Initial Proposals for the South West (BCE) [PDF, 798kB]

The Journal Comments

With the Labour stronghold of Staple Hill being transferred into the Yate constituency and replaced by the two Liberal Democrat controlled wards of Thornbury, the proposed changes appear to represent a blow to the Labour Party’s aspiration of challenging for the local parliamentary seat at the next election.

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

The Editor comments

Here’s a couple of questions for starters:

What action is Cllr Walker taking to ensure that South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) secures Government funding to improve the sub-standard broadband speeds in Bradley Stoke? By its own admission, SGC has done very little to date, but many of our neighbouring Councils have already submitted detailed bids and been awarded funds to help make the necessary infrastructure investment. Has SGC missed the boat?

South Gloucestershire Council is weeks away from making a decision on spending £30.5m of local money on the North Fringe to Hengrove Rapid Transit Scheme, which includes the construction of a Stoke Gifford by-pass and will see dedicated bus lanes installed along the full length of Bradley Stoke Way. A public consultation on the project was held in late 2009 but the scheme has since become significantly more expensive for the local taxpayer while at the same time being reduced in scope. If the scheme is approved and wins Government funding, Compulsory Purchase Orders and a Public Enquiry are scheduled to follow before the end of 2012 [source]. What are the views of the panelists on the scheme and do they agree that the public should be formally consulted on the much-revised proposals before any decision is made?

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)

With 29 candidates contesting 15 seats, this week’s Town Council election could potentially throw up a few changes on the local political scene.

The Conservatives have the greatest number of candidates (15, the same as in 2007) and are the only party with the potential to make a clean sweep.

The Labour Party, not currently represented on the Town Council, puts up a surprising eight candidates (six more than in 2007), while the Liberal Democrats have six candidates (twice as many as in 2007).

The Conservatives had an easy ride in 2007, winning seven seats in uncontested wards. This year all seven wards are being contested so they may find it harder, although they are certain to win at least three seats because the other parties combined field fewer candidates than seats in two of the wards (Woodlands and Lakeside).

Of the twelve current Conservative Councillors, five are not seeking re-election, so a majority of their candidates this time round are ‘new faces’.

The Liberal Democrats are losing one of their two current Councillors, so five of their candidates are newbies, although Meadowbank candidate Sachin Singhal contested a by-election for them in 2009.

As previously reported, four ex-Mayors are amonst the seven Town Councillors choosing not to seek re-election for another four-year term.

A majority (eight) of the current Town Councillors reside outside of Bradley Stoke and the Liberal Democrats have for some years now been arguing for more local representation. It is therefore no surprise to find that all six of their candidates live in Bradley Stoke.

Four of the 15 Conservative candidates are out-of-towners, while the Labour Party tops that with five from eight living outside the parish boundary.

Lists of all the Town Council candidates can be found on our Election 2011 information page. Consult our interactive map to find out which ward you live in.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday (5th May).

Also taking place on Thursday are the South Gloucestershire Council elections and the Referendum on AV.

Local elections on Thursday this week (5th May) see all the seats on South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) and Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) up for grabs.

Electors will also be asked to vote yes or no to the introduction of the Alternative Vote system for choosing MPs.

Most residents will by now have had a fair few election leaflets through the door, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats being, as usual, the most prolific.

Here at The Journal, we wanted to find out what issues the candidates are encountering in their conversations with voters “on the doorstep”, so we contacted the hopefuls in the SGC Bradley Stoke North ward, where each of the three main parties has put up a candidate to contest the single seat.

First to get back to us was Jonathan Moore (Labour), a first-time candidate who lives in Wheatfield Drive. We met up with Jonathan in Stanley Mead, off Ormonds Close, where he and his team were delivering the South Gloucestershire Reporter, Labour’s local election newspaper.

The paper has little to say on local topics, focusing instead on national issues such as “unnecessary” health care reform and increases in student tuition fees. South Gloucestershire’s “biggest ever” drop in Government grant settlement and the Council’s £2.3m “raid on reserves” are mentioned as is Bradley Stoke Conservative Councillor Robert Jones’ infamous “we’re not cutting enough” message on Twitter.

Jonathan himself highlighted concerns over SGC’s closure/privatisation of care homes for the elderly and he questioned Conservative promises to put more police on the beat when budgets are being slashed.

A few days later, we met up with Jon Williams (Liberal Democrat), who currently holds the Bradley Stoke North seat, canvassing in Ottrells Mead.

The Lib Dems have been campaigning on a “let’s keep it local” theme, with a recent edition of their Focus on Bradley Stoke newspaper urging voters “not to take the opportunity to register dissatisfaction with national politics” as this might mean “losing candidates who can make a positive difference in the town”.

Jon’s approach was to show voters a list of topics picked from previous Lib Dem street surveys (faster broadband, part-time lights at roundabouts, better ways to recycle, initiatives to tackle anti-social behaviour, more computers in our libraries, more parking at the Leisure Centre) and then ask if any of these struck a nerve.

Jon says Lib Dem pressure has forced Conservative-controlled SGC into a U-turn over cardboard recycling, for which residents will soon be able to obtain a free weighted bag. He says he would rather see the green bin bought back into use, possibly sectionalised so that it can hold different materials, thus cutting down on the number of collection lorries.

Ben Walker, the Conservative candidate, couldn’t find time to meet up with The Journal, saying that his team had “already canvassed Bradley Stoke North twice earlier this year” but he did send us some comments and a photo by email (he’s on the left of the group in the photo).

He said:

“The responses on the doorstep have been very varied with lots of comment based on the national picture, concerns about Government spending cuts, lack of electorate trust with the Liberal Democrats and a real resentment of Labour’s mismanagement of the economy.”

The main issues that Ben has picked up are:

• Parking throughout the town with special mention of the Leisure Centre and Pear Tree Pavilions
• Facilities at the Leisure Centre
• The disregard that some businesses off Woodlands Lane show residents living adjacent to it
• The speed of vehicles travelling along Woodlands Lane and speed humps throughout the town

When questioned, residents are generally happy with the local councils and the local area itself, says Ben.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday (5th May). The count for the Bradley Stoke district and town wards takes place at the Leisure Centre on Thursday night.

Look out for The Journal’s round up of Town Council election news later this week.

Related link: 2011 District and Town Elections (The Journal)

South Gloucestershire Conservatives promise more police on the beat, the roll-out of superfast broadband and a recycling reward scheme if they win next month’s local elections.

The party’s manifesto was launched in Bradley Stoke’s Town Square on Friday, in the presence of local MP Jack Lopresti and the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries,  Ed Vaizey.

The document, entitled “Making Promises, Keeping Them and Delivering Value for Money”, includes these key promises:

• Keep household bills down by controlling council tax, insulating more homes and investigating a ‘rewards4recycling’ scheme
• Support our local economy and jobs by delivering the flagship Science Park, campaigning for the roll-out of superfast broadband, make small business rate relief automatic and keep car parking free
• Invest in our schools to give our young people the best possible opportunities in life
• Secure the maximum possible health facilities at Frenchay, Cossham, Southmead and Thornbury Hospitals
• More police on the beat by working closer with the council

South Gloucestershire Conservative Group Leader Cllr John Calway said:

“Since 2007, not only have we kept the promises we made, but residents’ efforts have helped us go even further.”

“However, we know there’s more to do, but as we start on the hard road of paying off Labour’s debt, we won’t be able to afford to do everything that we would like to.”

“But, just like four years ago, we won’t make promises we cannot keep.”

Cllr Calway continued:

“We know that over four days, the £120 million a day the country is spending on debt interest is the equivalent of South Gloucestershire Council’s entire annual budget.”

“That debt interest is money that is being paid to foreign creditors for them to spend on their schools and libraries, rather than our own here in South Gloucestershire.”

“In order for us not to pass this debt onto our children, it has to be reduced, and the longer we leave it, the worse it will get.”

“Not long after we formed a Conservative administration after the 2007 local elections, we predicted the tough times that the previous Labour government’s out-of-control public spending would lead us to and so we began to look at ways to reduce costs without reducing services.”

“That earlier work has meant that this council is one of the most well-prepared authorities in the country to deal with its expected and understandable reduction in government funding.”

“In fact, the recent council budget actually saw investment increased in the vital services we all rely on, including youth services and care for the elderly, not to mention a council tax freeze.”

“In the years ahead, we need to eliminate what remains of the waste, inefficiency and duplication in the system in order to continue to protect and improve the services that our fellow residents want.”

“Working together with our fellow residents, we can protect South Gloucestershire, even as we pay off Labour’s debt.”

“At the same time, we are promising to deliver even better value for money and make our district even greener, safer and more prosperous by strengthening our local economy and investing in our schools so our children have the best possible start in life.”

Locally, the Conservatives currently hold four of the five Bradley Stoke seats on South Gloucestershire Council. Cllrs Brian Hopkinson, Sarah Pomfret, Rob Jones and John Ashe are all standing for re-election and are joined by the current Mayor of Bradley Stoke Ben Walker, who contests the Bradley Stoke North seat currently held by Cllr Jon Williams (Lib Dem).

Photo (L-R): Cllr John Ashe, Tom Aditya, Ed Vaizey MP, Cllr Brian Hopkinson, Jack Lopresti MP, Cllr Sarah Pomfret, Cllr Roger Avenin, Cllr Ben Walker.

More info and related links:

• South Gloucestershire Conservative Manifesto 2011 [PDF, 106kB]
• 2011 District and Town Elections (The Journal)

A visit by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to Bradley Stoke planned for today has had to be cancelled “for operational reasons”, according to a Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

The visit first came to light on BBC Radio Bristol news bulletins this morning (Friday 8th), where it was announced that:

“The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is to make a flying visit to the West Country today. The Liberal Democrat leader will be in Bradley Stoke to answer questions from the public in what his party calls a Town Hall-style meeting.”

However, on contacting a local Lib Dem source, The Journal was told that the visit had been cancelled on security grounds because the BBC “shouldn’t have announced it”.

Further investigation by The Journal revealed that the meeting was to have taken place at Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS).

BSCS headteacher Dave Baker later confirmed that Mr Clegg  had been expected but that the meeting had been postponed because of “concerns about the local elections and purdah – nothing to do with security”.

Liz Peplow, a regional Lib Dem spokesperson, later told The Journal that the visit had been postponed “for operational reasons” and that the BBC had been informed of this on Thursday night.

Dave Baker said the school has been told that Mr Clegg would like to re-schedule the visit after the local elections that take place on 5th May.

Related link: 2011 District and Town Elections (The Journal)

South Gloucestershire Labour is the latest politcal group to launch its manifesto for the 70 seats on the district council that are up for election on Thursday 5th May.

The theme of Labour’s manifesto is that the party will be the community’s voice in the tough times ahead. It outlines “the Con Dem Coalition’s harsh treatment of local government, the litany of broken Tory promises” and gives five pledges to local voters.

Launching the manifesto, Labour Group Leader Cllr Roger Hutchinson (Filton) said:

“The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats support massive cuts in council services and their government is taking millions of pounds away from South Gloucestershire. We need to make it clear to voters that only Labour will speak up for local people against this government and the destruction it is causing.”

The five key themes identified in Labour’s document are:

• Support our communities (e.g. Safeguard homecare services)
• Regenerate our town centres (e.g. Target resources to achieve cleaner streets)
• Develop our priority neighbourhoods (e.g. Help local community groups to survive and thrive)
• Improve our transport and highways (e.g. Use existing powers to achieve joined-up integrated transport)
• Secure a sustainable environment (e.g. Increase the amount and range recycled from the doorstep)

In the 2007 district and local elections, Labour failed to win a single seat in Bradley Stoke. They put up five candidates for the five South Gloucestershire seats and just two candidates (in a single ward) for the 15 Town Council seats.

Despite the party’s lack of presence in Bradley Stoke, many residents will be familiar with pro-Labour messages on display at a house in Orpheus Avenue, Little Stoke.

In the run up to the 2010 General Election, an enormous “feeling suicidal vote Tory” message appeared on the side of the house. The stunt didn’t stop voters in the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency returning the Conservative’s Jack Lopresti as a clear winner in the contest but Labour supporters were no doubt pleased to see their candidate Ian Boulton edge Lib Dem Peter Tyzack into third place.

The current message on display at the property encourages students to register to vote by 14th April and urges them to “dump Lib Con traitors and vote Labour”.

More info and related links:

• South Gloucestershire Labour Manifesto 2011 [PDF]
• 2011 District and Town Elections (The Journal)

South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrats fired the opening shots in the 2011 Local Election campaign when they launched their ‘Action for our Area’ manifesto in Bradley Stoke’s Town Square on Saturday morning.

Local MPs Steve Webb and Don Foster joined local candidates and activists to promote the document that promises to “create a Council that works for you … not for the Government”.

Voters will go to the the polls on Thursday 5th May to elect representatives to South Gloucestershire Council (SGC)  and Parish/Town Councils, including Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC).

SGC has been controlled since May 2007 by a minority Conservative administration, while the Town Council currently has a comfortable Conservative majority (twelve seats against the Lib Dem’s two and one independent).

The three SGC wards in Bradley Stoke and Stoke Lodge are represented by five Councillors. Of the current incumbents, four are Conservative and the other a Lib Dem.

In looking to regain overall control of SGC, the Lib Dem manifesto states:

“When we ran South Gloucestershire – and when no party had complete control – things were better. Residents had a real say in things. Now, the local Conservatives are simply doing what they want, irrespective of whether you want it.”

“If you give us power in 2011 we will work with you to help you create the sort of green, clean, fair and safe communities you have told us you want to live in, with a Council that listens to you and gives you real power over your own lives and communities.”

The manifesto highlights six key things that the party will endeavour to fix, under the headings:

• Green (e.g. sort out the current recycling shambles)
• Clean (e.g. Wage war on litter)
• Fair (e.g. Campaign for fairer taxes)
• Secure (e.g. Cut crime by tackling drug and alcohol abuse)
• Open & Approachable (e.g. Listen to you, not only by asking your views but acting on what you say)
• Giving you Power: (e.g. Transfer power to Parish Councils and community groups)

Perhaps inevitably, the document makes a jibe at Bradley Stoke Councillor Robert Jones (Conservative) for his infamous “perhaps we’re not making enough cuts” comment on social networking site Twitter.

“The Tories are nervous about giving away their power to others, on the one hand claiming to want to decentralise while on the other trying to tell local authorities, schools and others what they should do. They risk cutting so much that we lose things we really need.”

“Remember the local Conservative Councillor who announced on Twitter – that if people were not protesting, then they had not cut enough? The Liberal Democrats are all that stands between you, and that sort of Conservatism.”

Local candidates for the May elections have yet to be formally announced but The Journal expects a close fight for Bradley Stoke North seat (the only SGC seat in Bradley Stoke currently held by the Lib Dems), where current Town Mayor Ben Walker (Conservative)  looks likely to stand against the incumbent, Jon Williams.

Cllr Walker, a resident of Stoke Gifford and not currently a South Gloucestershire Councillor, featured extensively in a recent (Conservative) South Gloucestershire Matters newsheet, being described repeatedly as a “Bradley Stoke North campaigner”.

More info and related links:

• South Gloucestershire Liberal Democrat Manifesto 2011 – 2015
• 2011 District and Town Elections (The Journal)

Local MP Jack Lopresti has opened his new constituency office in Bradley Stoke’s Almondsbury Business Park.

The official opening took place on Friday (3rd September), attended by Cllr Janet Biggin, Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, and Cllr Ben Walker, Mayor of Bradley Stoke, along with other local councillors and supporters.

The MP for the constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke, who entered Parliament on the back of a 6,914  majority in the 2010 General Election, told The Journal:

“After searching for many weeks, it was great to find somewhere accessible and within budget in Bradley Stoke, which was always my preferred location for a constituency office.”

The MP is understood to have initially sought an office at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre, but had to drop the plan because the rents asked exceeded his parliamentary allowance.

His chosen office is in the same complex as that of Bradley Stoke Town Council, which, ironically, is currently examining the possibility of moving to a more central location in the town.

The constituency office will house two members of staff – an office manager and a case worker – and will initially be open from 9am to 5pm, although there are plans to introduce a later closing time from 1st October.

Mr Lopresti continued:

“The office will also be a drop-in centre where people can come and see myself or my team if they need help or would like to bring a local issue to my attention.”

“Meeting with people face-to-face is something I really enjoy and discussing the issues that are affecting their lives is an important part of my job; I will do whatever I can to help.”

The address and contact details of the constituency office can be found on The Journal’s ‘Contact your Concillors, MPs and MEPs‘ page.

Despite the opening of his new office, the MP says he will continue to hold his twice-monthly surgeries:

“I look forward to meeting with as many people as possible. I hold my surgeries all around the constituency and am more than willing to meet people at their home should they have any difficulty in getting to see me.”

Mr Lopresti’s next surgery will be on Friday 10th September at the Staple Hill branch of the Royal British Legion, between 4pm and 7pm.

The MP says he is also prepared to meet constituents in their own homes, should they prefer.

Photo: (L-R) Cllr Brian Hopkinson, Cllr Tim Bowles, Cllr Roger Avenin, Cllr Janet Biggin, Jack Lopresti MP, Cllr John Ashe, Cllr Sarah Pomfret, Cllr Trevor Jones.

More photos: album; slideshow (PicasaWeb)

Jack Lopresti, recently elected Member of Parliament for the new constituency of Filton and Bradley Stoke (FABS), has made his maiden speech in the House of Commons.

Mr Lopresti’s big moment came during a debate on the Strategic Defence and Security Review on Monday (21st June), in which he urged the government to do more for the welfare of soldiers returning from conflict zones around the world.

The new MP, who took his seat in the chamber at 2:30pm on the day of the debate, described the wait before he was called to speak at 7:50pm as “nerve wracking” and says he was anxious “not to let anyone down”.

As tradition dictates, he opened his seven-minute speech with a message of thanks to his predecessor(s) – in his case, Doug Naysmith (Bristol North West) and  Roger Berry (Kingswood).

Mr Lopresti then went on to reference some of the defence industries active in his “wonderful” constituency, including EADS, Airbus, Rolls Royce and GKN.

There was particular praise for the “new and fantastic” A400M military transport plane being developed by Airbus, which Mr Lopresti noted will have its debut in the south-west at the Royal International Air Tatoo at Fairford on 16th July.

Also warranting a mention were the University of the West of England (UWE) and Frenchay Hospital (of which Mr Lopresti said he would “continue to fight for its existence as a community hospital”).

Returning to defence matters, the new MP said  (of soldiers returning from war zones around the world):

“… it is time for this country, and this Government, to take seriously the ongoing issue of the welfare and, in particular, the mental health of so many of our returning heroes.”

Mr Lopresti went on to relate some of his experiences as a serving Territorial Army soldier in Afghanistan before calling on the government to “honour their commitment to renew and strengthen the military covenant”.

Related links:

• Full text of Jack Lopresti’s maiden speech (TheyWorkForYou.com)
• Video of Jack Lopresti’s maiden speech (TheyWorkForYou.com)

Conservative Jack Lopresti has run out the clear winner in the vote for the Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency.

Labour’s candidate Ian Boulton defied the bookies’ odds to clinch second place by a narrow margin over Peter Tyzack of the Liberal Democrats.

Full result:

• Jack Lopresti (Conservative) 19,686
• Ian Boulton (Labour) 12,772
• Peter Tyzack (Liberal Democrats) 12,197
• John Knight (UKIP) 1,506
• David Scott (BNP) 1,328
• Jon Lucas (Green Party) 441
• Ruth Johnson (Christian Party) 199
• Vote Zero-None-Of-The-Above 172

Photos from the count: album; slideshow (PicasaWeb)

How the count unfolded at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre

A sterling performance by the count team from South Gloucestershire Council saw the result declared by just after 1:15am, well in advance of the 4am estimate of the Press Association. This was despite the constituency registering a massive 70.1% turnout, compared to the national average of around 65%.

Ballot boxes began arriving at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre within minutes of the polling stations closing at 10pm and the majority had been delivered within the first half hour.

With the count taking place in the main sports hall, cars delivering the boxes were directed to the rear of the Leisure Centre, from where the boxes and sacks were carried into the hall via the back door.

The team of 84 counters then got to work, first checking that the number of votes in each box tallied with the number given by the Presiding Officers. The papers were then sorted according to chosen candidate and collated into large boxes in the centre of the hall.

An army of party supporters observed the count, attempting to keep their own tally of the votes cast for each candidate.

Seven of the eight candidates arrived at the count within the first hour, leaving favourite Jack Lopresti to complete the line up shortly before midnight.

A Conservative victory could be foreseen from as early as 11pm, when observers estimated Mr Lopresti’s share of the vote at around 40%.

By 11:30pm, the boxes in the centre of the hall were showing the Conservatives as having claimed 16,000 votes with the other two main parties trailing on 9,000 votes each.

Shortly before 1am, the Conservatives had reached 18,000, with Labour and the Lib Dems fighting it out for second place on 12,000 apiece.

The candidates soon began to assemble for the formal declaration of the result by the Returning Officer, which came just after 1:15am.

Supporters politely saved their cheers until the Returning Officer completed her speech, which was then followed by Mr Lopresti thanking all and sundry in the time-honoured manner.

Second-placed Ian Boulton couldn’t resist a jibe against Mr Lopresti for his support for the re-introduction of fox hunting and he called on the new MP to do his utmost to support the aerospace industry in the constituency.

As might be expected, Zero None-Of-The-Above made the most of his few minutes in the spotlight with a lengthy speech calling for reform of the voting process.

The BNP representative, who was last to speak, was noticeably snubbed by the other candidates, who left the ‘stage’ en masse as he began to talk.

It was then left for Mr Lopresti to complete the obligatory round of media interviews before heading off to celebrate with his supporters.

Bradley Stoke has seven polling stations open today for voting in the 2010 General Election.

Voters have a choice of eight candidates vying to be the first Member of Parliament for the newly-created Filton and Bradley Stoke (FABS) constituency.

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

Bradley Stoke Mayor Mark Forsyth (Conservative), pictured acting as a teller outside the polling station at the Brook Way Activity Centre, told The Journal that he had seen a healthy stream of voters throughout the morning, which he attributed to the interest generated by the televised Prime Ministerial Debates.

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

Officers at South Gloucestershire Council have said that they are unable to predict when the result will be announced but the Press Association estimates it will be at around 4am.

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More Information: FABS General Election 2010 (The Journal)