The Bradley Stoke 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).

Continue reading for more background to the axed visit »

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)

Read on for a review of Labour’s record in Bradley Stoke »

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.”

Read on for six things the Lib Dems say they will fix »

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.

Read on for details of Mr Lopresti’s twice-monthly surgeries »

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)