The Bradley Stoke Journal

Peter Tyzack, Liberal Democrat candidate for Filton and Bradley Stoke (FABS), called into town on Saturday on a charity walk spanning the breadth of the constituency that he hopes to represent in the next parliament.

The event, ambitiously titled ‘Walk to Westminster’, saw Mr Tyzack set off from Severn Beach at 9am and arrive at Staple Hill by 2:40pm – after passing through Pilning, Easter Compton, Cribss Causeway, Patchway, Bradley Stoke, Frenchay, and Downend.

Some elements of the media are said to have called FABS the ‘mystery constutuency’ because people don’t relate to the name. Prior to embarking on the walk, Mr Tyzack said:

“We are finding residents who insist that they are not part of Filton or Bradley Stoke, so the intention of the walk is to draw attention to the extent of the constituency by walking from one end to the other. My hope is that the media will show a map to help the voters identify with the new area that they are part of. I hope to meet and talk with residents along the way.”

Mr Tyzack was accompanied on the walk by his daughter Rowena and, for the first mile out of Severn Beach, Steve Webb MP.

The walkers made a collection for Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre’s CaRE appeal along the way.

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Work on an extension to Bradley Stoke Library began last week, just days before the end of the financial year in which the Council promised to make the investment.

Money for the extension was allocated in South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC’s) 2009/2010 budget announced in February 2009 and a planning application was submitted in September.

With the end of the financial year looming, it looked liked the Council was going to renege on its promise, but a press release issued by SGC on 17th March announced that the work had “started this week”.

The size of the extension, which will add just 63sqm to the library’s existing 504sqm, is thought to have initially disappointed local Councillors and library staff but they are now said to be “grateful for what they will get”.

The work will see the library building extended by 3.6m at its south-eastern end, over the grassed area that is partly used as an outdoor play area. It is understood that the new space will be used for pre-school age book stock, leaving the existing children’s section to be used for school age children’s stock.

Library to close for five weeks in June/July

Information on display in the library says that the facility will close for a five week period starting on Monday 7th June, to enable the construction work to be completed. The majority of library services will not be affected in the period leading up to the closure.

A wooden screen, visible from inside the library, has already been erected to protect the existing space while work on the extension progresses.

Liberal Democrat Councillors welcome the expansion

Liberal Democrat Councillors on SGC welcomed the start of the work but also expressed disappointment at the limited size of the extension.

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South Gloucestershire councillor Peter Tyzack has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat’s candidate for the new Filton and Bradley Stoke (FABS) parliamentary constituency at next year’s general election.

Cllr Tyzack becomes the third Liberal Democrat to be nominated to fight the seat after the resignations of two previous candidates.

Emma Bone quit “for family reasons” in 2008, while John Kiely stepped down earlier this year saying that he need to give priority to his work on Bristol City Council.

Cllr Tyzack, who represents Pilning and Severn Beach on the district council, has stood for parliament on two previous occasions.

In 1997 he fought the Bristol East seat, where he finished in third place with 14.8% of the vote. More recently, he contested the Bristol North West seat in 2001, finishing with 15.9% of the vote behind runaway winner Doug Naysmith.

In a press release issued by Filton and Bradley Stoke Liberal Democrats, Cllr Tyzack says:

“I am honoured to have been chosen by the Party to represent the people in this new constituency for the next general election. I would like to say thank you for the support that I have already received and the further encouragement since my selection especially from Steve Webb MP.”

“What I would like to do is to offer a real alternative for the people of this new constituency. With just over five months left to run to the general election, FABS is a rare opportunity for us. Local by-election results across the country show a significant move towards the Liberal Democrats, so we should be optimistic.”

Cllr Tyzack has served on South Gloucestershire Council and the previous Northavon District Council since 1994. As a qualified teacher he taught at three Bristol secondary schools before leaving the profession to set up an independent property business and also a small building company.

The new Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency is formed exclusively of wards from the district of South Gloucestershire. The wards that it incorporates previously belonged to the Bristol North West, Northavon and Kingswood constituencies.

Independent website ukpollingreport classifies Filton and Bradley Stoke as a marginal seat but predicts that it will be won by the Conservatives with 35.7% of the vote, followed by Labour on 32.8% and the Liberal Democrats on 27.2%.

Related link:

• Filton and Bradley Stoke – General Election 2010 (The Journal)