Why stand?

One question I need to answer is why am I standing.

Having been councillor for Southville from 2006 to 2010, I admit to having been a bit knackered by the end of my tenure, and grateful for the rest from there on.

I suppose I have various motivations for standing this time:


Tess - well, she won the seat last May on general election day. I suppose I expected us to be swept away in the general election vote - so more credit to her and to the local party for working there socks off to get the vote out to take the seat. We now have the chance to form a group (something I never experienced) and in Southville and in Ashley, we need to take the chance!

The 'cause' - well I stood in elections for the Green Party for 20 years - joining in the first place because of its unilateralism, then being enticed by its social policies, and only latterly doing the environment bit. Now, the 'environment bit' dominates my thinking - I think I have already played a role in getting Bristol City Council to take climate change seriously, but it needs to keep taking it seriously. I can help with this.

The Cuts - this is an important time for Bristol City Council and public services generally. I register - in case people don't know  my opposition to the cuts, and certainly the pace and scale of them. Unfortunately for Labour, they are tainted by their failure to manage the economy -something we Greens can't be blamed for (if only because we got nowhere near to managing one).

The opposition - I actually feel badly let down by the local Labour Party over the whole Sainsburies issue.  I got on well with Sean Beynon while serving with him, but when I went to the planning meeting about Sainsburies, Tess spoke, Ben spoke, George spoke, I spoke and a whole raft of other local people spoke. Sean batted for Sainsburies. He should have batted for us! That's what he is for!

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the issue, Sainsburies is a multi-billion pound organisation - who does not need little local councillors supporting it. Local people who do this in their spare time need all the support they can get, especially from their elected representatives.


(That is about as negative as  intend to get in the campaign, I think. I intend to campaign on a positive manfiesto of wha we want. Let's see if I do!)