DEMAND BETTER Focus on Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze for our city’s housing

LOCAL COMMUNITY UPDATES | ISSUE 135 | JANUARY 2019 LIB DEMS’ PLAN TO TACKLE “We want to double the number THE CITY’S HOUSING CRISIS of Bristol buses,” say First Bus Soaring house prices have caused their home. Lib Dem councils, like � lease redundant council land to a decline in living standards: too Eastleigh, have successfully built developers but impose BUT CAN THEY EVER GET THE NUMBER 2 TO RUN ON TIME?! many struggle with increasing many “rent to own” homes. covenants requiring the First Bus say they are aiming to rents, or large mortgage costs, but developer to only build homes to double the number of Bristol bus The West of England Mayor should static wage levels. Sleeping on lease or sell at affordable prices passengers and double the number use his compulsory purchase powers streets has become appallingly of bus services in the city. to assemble sites for housing in a Finally, Bristol Lib Dems want to commonplace. strategic way, and so de-risk them ensure there’s a role for everyone This startling statement was made by There is a lack of affordable housing for developers. (especially children and older people) First Bus boss James Freeman, at a and new social house building has in designing new developments. We meeting with local campaigners The West of England and Bristol Graham Donald and Chris Harris. almost stopped. Owning their own want estates with an inclusive, Mayors should: home is only a dream for many. intergenerational community spirit. Graham and Chris went to see Mr � improve transparency and Freeman to discuss residents’ The government pursues a failed encourage competition, to allow There is a lot our Councils and complaints and concerns, and to pass XXX model, under which developers only Mayors can do to tackle this crisis. smaller builders to compete with along suggestions about local bus build and landowners only sell, when large land speculators and so The Lib Dems will hold them to services. Bristol campaigners petitioning the West of England & Bristol Mayors they expect rising prices. drive down the prices of new account until they deliver far homes. more affordable, secure, homes. First readily admitted that services Bristol’s transport is in crisis. Congestion timetables and fares that work for Bristol Lib Dems have set out a wide had been performing poorly, blaming and pollution are on the rise, meanwhile people, not those that maximise profits. ranging plan to fix the affordability � help small developers to navigate driver shortages and traffic our bus services continue to be poorly crisis. We need to encourage low the planning process to take The invisible Conservative Metro Mayor’s congestion. inaction leaves us stuck with an over- cost homes for rent, but also give the market power away from the big served by First Bus’ near monopoly. priced, dysfunctional system that renters the opportunity to purchase name house builders. Worst in city The Lib Dems have long supported a especially harms the worst off in our city. It will not surprise residents that proper franchising scheme for our city. Mayor Rees stonewalls on “The Golden Goodbye” Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze are Under a franchise system, the regional Demand better for Bristol, sign the served by two of the city’s most authority can choose the routes, petition to take back control. The saga of a former Bristol City Council difference between his former statement BREXIT: poorly performing services, with the CEO’s Golden Goodbye continued at and what the auditors had said – Mayor A NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT Over past months, the Conservative number 2 route winning the dubious December’s full council meeting. Graham Rees then went on to attack the auditors. TAKE BACK CONTROL OF BRISTOL’S BUSES party have been unable to deliver on accolade of the city’s worst, closely Donald questioned discrepancies When Graham asked what lessons had the promises made during the followed by numbers 1, 75 and 76. SIGN THE PETITION tiny.cc/bristolbuses between the mayor’s previous account been learnt, the mayor said how much referendum. and the official position of the auditors. he had improved management and First Bus plan to consult about the problems with the number 2 in the governance and ignored Graham’s Scared that her deal would not pass, City council auditors have stated that the New Year – they are likely to suggest More in our eFocus question. Mrs May delayed the vote and has payment was not required by contract. set about scaremongering with ‘No- splitting the route in two. We gave a detailed account of our meeting with First Bus in our Auditors also revealed that the payment Graham was dissatisfied with this Deal’ scenario preparations. Passenger numbers rising Christmas eFocus. was higher than previously thought – response, especially given council The Lib Dems think that you deserve We discussed: £98k not £70k. officers “forgot” the question at the Despite all the problems, First say the final say. If parliament can not ● services 1, 3 and 4, as well as the number 2 – and the action previous council meeting, failed to that passenger numbers are rising, Graham asked the mayor to explain why, find a way forward then the decision and bus journeys now account for First Bus are taking to try to improve matters provide copies of the question to the when questioned last March, Mayor Rees should be given back to the people. about 10% of all Bristol journeys. First public gallery, and obscured the question ● fast track services had said that the payment was required This is the only way to break this Bus want to raise this to 20% in line failing to display it fully. ● the failure of MYFIRSTMILE and lessons for future trials by the departing CEOs contract; while the Brexit deadlock. with some other major UK cities – an ● pollution caused by idling buses auditors have stated that it was not. Given all this stonewalling and If you agree with us, then add your ambitious aim given the current concealment, you wonder what else name to our national petition: problems with reliability, punctuality Email us if you would like a copy of this eFocus: The mayor’s baffling response to and overcrowding, not to mention the Mayor has to hide! libdems.org.uk/exit-brexit [email protected] Graham’s question was that there was no buses “hunting in packs”. Page 4 Please recycle after reading Working for YOU - all year round! Published and promoted by Bristol Liberal Democrats, printed by KingPrint, all at 55 Greenleaze, Bristol, BS4 2TL. Successful legal action wins more Government cash for Special Educational Needs FixMyStreet update… We promised an update on the problems which Graham had reported using The Government has made “FixMyStreet” on the Bristol City Council website. £350million of additional funding available for special education, Automated emails from "FixMyStreet” are far from following the High Court case enlightening – back in October Graham was told that brought by Bristol parents and a To: Graham Donald Canford Cemetery hedging had been “fixed” yet the ugly council motion by Liberal Democrat From: FixMyStreet temporary fence is still in place. councillors. New updates on Graham asked the Mayor how “FixMyStreet” reports are prioritised and actioned at In our autumn 2018 Focus, we Broken stretch of hedge outside Canford cemetery the Full Council meeting in December, but we are none the wiser about why some reported that, an illegal cut of £5 needs replacing. reports are followed up and others appear to be ignored. Graham specifically asked million by Bristol’s Labour Mayor to “Your enquiry has now been closed. the mayor about the missing hedging outside Canford Cemetery, and we have the SEND funding, had been halted by a State changed to: Fixed” following updates: successful court case brought by Bristol City Council Bristol parents. This was followed up Parents and campaigners force council to re-think SEND funding by a council motion and agreement Epicormic growth on a tree in Stoke Lane an extra £250 million for schools’ high proportion of students with special that the money which had been (by the roundabout in the centre of needs budgets, with a further £100 needs will lose out. unlawfully cut would be restored. Westbury Village) – fearing the council million creating more specialist school We estimate that Bristol will benefit by would never act, Graham and the Lib Dem Now the Tory Government has reacted places. However, the money will be around £500k per year from this Focus team took action to prune (and to the court case by “finding” distributed on the basis of population, additional cash. recycle) the excess growth. additional money for special needs – not need, so areas with a high The missing, flashing 30 mph sign - broken Introducing Lib Dem Campaigner Chris Harris off the column by Canford Cemetery - had still not been repaired when social policies and genuine Services Scrutiny Panel and of its Graham went to check, commitment to the environmental Corporate Parenting Panel, which he despite two city council agenda. He is particularly chaired from 2010 to 2011. emails saying that it had! knowledgeable about, and interested in, housing and children’s issues. Colleagues from Reading days The missing hedging outside Canford Cemetery, damaged by a lorry – describe Chris as someone who was Graham asked the Mayor about this who said that he would “ask the Team to take a look”. Chris worked as a Senior Housing assiduous in helping people with the We think the Mayor needs to fix FixMyStreet, so residents know what is going on. Assessment Officer (Homelessness, problems they brought to him. We understand that some reports can’t be actioned immediately, but we do expect to Housing Advice & Housing Options) for be kept informed of progress. Borough Council. In Reading, If you would like Chris to assist you he was a Liberal Democrat councillor with something, don’t hesitate to Chris was born and brought up in for Tilehurst ward from 2007 to 2011 contact him: STILL no coherent strategy for Bristol libraries Bristol but lived in Berkshire from 1993 where he took a particular interest in [email protected] or to 2011. Chris returned to Bristol in housing, education and children’s 07788 106 069 FURTHER DELAYS IN COUNCIL CONSULTATION CAUSE CONCERN 2011. He joined the Liberal Democrats services. He was a member of Reading In a Statement to full Council in The city council is organising libraries in 1992 because of their progressive Borough’s Education and Children’s December, the Bristol Libraries Forum engagement meetings, the ones for our Contact Us said: area are at the Greenway Centre: Graham Donald “We believe that a city-wide Libraries Wed 6 March, 10am to 12pm 07980 191 933 strategy is required and this appears Graham wins national award for Transfusion Medicine Sat 9 March, 10am 12pm Graham Donald has been awarded [email protected] to conflict with the Council’s the 2018 Percy Oliver award for Chris Harris approach of ‘community-led Places must be booked online: Transfusion Medicine. 07788 106 069 development not council-led options.’ tiny.cc/BristolLibraryConsult [email protected] … Without this city-wide direction, the “He continues to tirelessly support the There will be an online consultation form engagement promises to be an ad interests of patients,” said Jo Martin, of Twitter for those who do not attend a meeting. hoc series of meetings with little @WOTnHlibdems the Royal College of Pathologists. prospect of generating an adequate If you contact us, the Liberal Democrats, Facebook locally and nationally, may use information In response to the award Graham said, long term model for a sustainable provided, including your political views, to “My aim is to understand the aspirations @WEHLibDems Library Service in Bristol.” further our objectives, share it with our of a community and enable them. I elected representatives and/or contact you in Website We strongly agree and feel total future using any of the means provided. Some enjoyed being able to bring my skills, bristollibdems.org/weh frustration – other Councils such as contacts may be automated. You may opt out honed as a senior civil servant, to the Graham became a lay member of the can achieve such a model, so what of some or all contacts or exercise your other Email legal rights by contacting us. Further details National Blood Transfusion Committee role, and hope to bring the same to local [email protected] is holding Bristol’s Labour Mayor back are in our Privacy Policy at politics.” (NBTC) in September 2008. on this issue? www.libdems.org.uk/privacy. Page 2 Liberal Democrats DEMAND BETTER for Bristol Page 3