The Bradley Stoke Journal

Liberal Democrat Jon Williams was last night celebrating his return to Bradley Stoke Town Council after a narrow victory in the Meadowbank parish ward by-election.

Following a recount requested by the Conservative agent, the margin of victory was confirmed at just nine votes from the 458 cast.

Mr Williams was a member of the Town Council from 1992 to 2007, when he decided not to seek re-election. He served as Chair of the Council in 1996-98 and 2000-01. His by-election campaign centred on claims that the current Conservative-dominated Council has alienated sections of the local community, such as the Northavon Bowling Club and the Jubilee Youth Club and that the Council is “more interested in making a profit than providing local facilities.”

His message seems to have struck a chord with voters, although he says he is disappointed that the margin of victory was not larger, “given the positive feedback we have heard on the doorsteps.”

Asked if he thought he could be effective in influencing the direction of the Town Council, Mr Williams said he looked forward to bringing “independent thought and challenging ideas” to the table.

Full result of the Meadowbank by-election 2008:

• Paul Turner (Conservative) 223 votes
• Jon Williams (Liberal Democrat) 232 votes

A further three votes were rejected by the Returning Officer.

Bradley Stoke Conservatives have made an embarrassing public retraction of a statement made in a recent election campaign leaflet. The apology, made in a leaflet delivered to homes in the Meadowbank parish ward yesterday evening, concerns an accusation that Liberal Democrat candidate Jon Williams had “attempted to oppose” plans for a sixth form at Bradley Stoke Community School.

Mr Williams previously told The Journal that the claim was “absolutely ridiculous” and is understood to have taken legal advice on the matter. He says he has always supported the need for a sixth form and did so “from before the school was even built.”

Yesterday’s Conservative leaflet says:

Councillor Williams has asked the local Conservatives to correct the statement and we accept what he says is true.

We would therefore like to retract this statement as Councillor Williams did not oppose this.

Voting in the by-election takes place today, from 7am to 10pm, at the Church of Christ the King, Mautravers Close (off Brook Way) [map].

The main streets in the Meadowbank parish ward are Brook Way, Kemperleye Way and Hawkins Crescent – the detailed ward boundary can be seen in The Journal’s interactive map of the parish wards in Bradley Stoke.

Candidate statements and campaign leaflets can be viewed on The Journal’s Meadowbank By-election page.

The latest Meadowbank by-election campaign leaflet from local Conservatives has appeared today. Under the headline ‘Positive Campaigning Locally’, Cllrs Rob Jones and John Ashe tell voters:

“So many local people [we] have spoken to tell us how badly they feel Labour has let down our area.”

The Councillors go on to highlight local issues on which they claim the Conservatives have successfully campaigned, including plans for a sixth form at Bradley Stoke Community School, an NHS dentist in the new town centre and youth provision in the town.

By-election candidate Paul Turner says of the planned sixth form:

“The Conservative team have been campaigning on this issue and finally, owing to their dedication and commitment we have success. I hope that the learning and skills council are able to back these plans – we could see the new sixth form in place as soon as 2010.”

Voting in the by-election takes place this coming Thursday, 2nd October. The polling station, at the Church of Christ the King, Mautravers Close, will be open from 7am to 10pm.

The past fortnight has seen two further Liberal Democrat campaign leaflets dropping on the doormats of homes in Bradley Stoke’s Meadowbank parish ward, where a by-election takes place this coming Thursday (2nd October).

The first leaflet describes the Liberal Democrat candidate, Jon Williams, as a ‘local champion’ and leads on a promise to “fight hard on behalf of the Bowls Club and our young people”. It also contains a rebuttal of the claim made in a Conservative leaflet that Mr Williams opposed plans for a Sixth Form at Bradley Stoke Community School:

“Not content with ruining the services and facilities of the Town, the Tories are trying to undermine my reputation over my long support for our local secondary school. If the Tory candidate comes to your door, ask him when he has ever written or spoken up for a sixth form?”

On hearing the news that the sixth form plans have been approved by South Gloucestershire Council, Mr Williams told The Journal:

“I’m delighted that planning permission for the new 6th form building at BSCS has been approved. It has been a long term ambition of mine to see our children have the opportunity to complete their schooling within the town and this will allow that to happen. There is now the disruption of the actual construction process, but Head teacher Dave Baker and the Governors are planning ahead to ensure that there is minimal affect on the running of the school. I am confident that the new facilities will be ready in plenty of time for the 1st intake of 6th form students and I look forward to seeing them achieve their full potential at what is already a high achieving school.”

The leaflet goes on to claim that few of the Tory Councillors on Bradley Stoke Town Council actually live in the town and that many of them also serve on other Parish Councils.

The second leaflet repeats many of the claims made in earlier leaflets and accuses the Conservative administration of being “more interested in making a profit than providing local facilities”.

The Journal is not aware of any further leaflets being delivered by the Conservatives, after their first leaflet appeared at the start of the campaign.

Conservative supporters are most likely hoping that a “significant announcement” in connection with Bradley Stoke’s new town centre development, expected to be made on Tuesday evening after a Special Meeting of the Town Council, will sway the vote in favour of their candidate, Paul Turner.

Candidate statements and campaign leaflets can be viewed on The Journal’s Meadowbank By-election page.

Campaigning for the upcoming by-election in Bradley Stoke’s Meadowbank parish ward has got under way, with the first party political leaflets being delivered to homes in the area.

The by-election, now officially confirmed for Thursday 2nd October 2008, sees one candidate from each of the local Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties battling for the seat that became vacant after Caroline Charlton (Conservative) resigned after just 18 months in office.

Despite numerous attempts by phone and email, The Journal has been unable to contact Ms Charlton, but a spokesperson for Bristol and South Gloucestershire Conservatives informed us that Ms Charlton had stepped down “because she was finding it increasingly hard to balance her work responsibilities with the council work.”

The Liberal Democrat’s “Focus on Bradley Stoke” leaflet leads with an article titled “Bowls Club – The Fiasco Continues”, referring to the ongoing dispute between the Conservative-led Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) and North Avon Bowling Club (NABC). The row hit the national headlines in April when the Council called in the police as Bowls Clubs members staged an impromptu match at the Baileys Court Bowling Green despite being banned from using it by the Council. The two parties subsequently failed to reach agreement and the Bowls Club was finally evicted from the Council premises in May.

The article claims that the Council is now losing bowling green revenue amounting to £2,000 p.a. and that further public money is likely to be wasted in a “pending court case”.

A contact at NABC confirmed to The Journal that the Club is considering court action against BSTC, but added that they were unable to disclose any further details at the present time.

Elsewhere in the leaflet, the Liberal Democrats criticise the Council for allegedly making cutbacks in funding for young people’s activities in the town.

The Conservative’s “in touch with Bradley Stoke” leaflet highlights progress in plans to build a new sixth form centre in Bradley Stoke, which it is claimed is the result of petitioning by local Conservatives. A planning application for the £5 million centre has been submitted and a decision is expected in October.

The leaflet criticises Liberal Democrat by-election candidate Jon Williams for allegedly “attempting to oppose” the sixth form plans.

The Conservatives also give prominence to their successful campaign for a “local residents (sic) competition to name the new town centre”, referring to the fuss they kicked up after Tesco claimed in April that it was too late in the project to stage such a competition, despite having promised one before the project got under way.

Asked about the allegations that he opposed the sixth form plans, Mr Williams described the claim as “absolutely ridiculous”, adding that he has always supported the need for a sixth form and did so “from before the school was even built.”

“I have expressed my concerns about the plans for our sixth form in as much as it will only cater for 50% of the students when there is a strong likelihood that there will be a greater demand.”

Contesting the Meadowbank by-election are:

• Paul Turner (Conservative)
• Jon Williams (Liberal Democrat)