The resignation of a Bradley Stoke Town Councillor could lead to a by-election being called, if local political groups choose to force a showdown. Keir Gravil (Conservative), one of four Town Councillors representing the Primrose Bridge parish ward, has resigned his seat because his work is taking him to Australia. His resignation follows that of another Conservative, Barry Mitchell, who
Continue readingCategory: Bradley Stoke Town Council
Town Councillors forced to abandon review of precept decision
A special meeting of Bradley Stoke Town Council scheduled for this Wednesday (6th February) has been cancelled at short notice. The meeting, which had been called by Town Mayor, Cllr Charlotte Walker, at the request of six Councillors, was to discuss a possible increase in the Town’s precept (the Town Council’s component of the Council Tax). However, the Council has
Continue readingTown Councillors have second thoughts on tax freeze
Bradley Stoke Town Council could still increase its precept (share of the Council Tax) for 2013/14 after six Councillors called an emergency meeting to reconsider a decision, made only two weeks ago, to freeze it. A Council press release put out on 17th January boasted of the precept being frozen “for a historic fourth year in a row” following a
Continue readingTory Mayor snubs party’s own MP over office opening invite
Bradley Stoke Mayor Charlotte Walker and local MP Jack Lopresti will perform the official opening of the Town Council’s new office today, despite Ms Walker voting against inviting Mr Lopresti to perform the honour at a recent Council meeting. The Council had already decided that the Mayor should be involved in the official opening but a farcical debate at a
Continue readingPolice give thumbs down to new Town Council office
A local police chief has turned down an offer of free accommodation for the Bradley Stoke beat team in the Town Council’s new office at the Jubilee Centre, saying it would give the police a significantly lower profile than they have at their present base in the Willow Brook shopping centre. The police currently have a base in a small
Continue readingTories hold Meadowbank seat by clear margin from UKIP
Conservative candidate Paul Hardwick has been declared the winner of yesterday’s by-election in the Meadowbank parish ward of Bradley Stoke. Mr Hardwick ran out a clear winner, with a margin of 111 votes over his nearest rival Caroline Sullivan (UKIP). The Labour candidate, Robin Horsfall, finished third. The Liberal Democrats, who held one of the two seats in the ward
Continue readingBig guns brought in for Bradley Stoke by-election
A minor by-election for a vacant seat on Bradley Stoke Town Council seems to have taken on an unprecedented significance for two of the contesting political parties. The vacancy, resulting from the resignation of Barry Mitchell, is being contested by candidates from the Conservatives, Labour and UKIP, with the latter party hoping to increase its representation on the Council following
Continue readingCouncil admits understating cost of new office
Bradley Stoke Town Council has admitted that its latest newsletter understates the cost of building its new office at the Jubilee Centre. The latest edition of the glossy 8-page newsletter, delivered to all homes in the area over the last few weeks, puts the “total expenditure to date” at £293,461 but enquiries by The Journal have revealed that this figure
Continue readingBy-election on the cards for vacant Town Council seat
A by-election is looking increasingly likely for the seat on Bradley Stoke Town Council left vacant by the resignation of a Councillor last month. The Returning Officer at South Gloucestershire Council has today issued a notice of election for the vacant seat representing the Meadowbank parish ward, previously held by Barry Mitchell (Conservative). Mr Mitchell, elected in May 2011, quit
Continue readingThird Conservative Town Councillor defects to UKIP
A third Bradley Stoke Town Councillor has switched allegiance from the Conservatives to the UK Independence Party (UKIP). Cllr Kim Harris, who lives in Kemperleye Way and represents the Meadowbank parish ward, has resigned with immediate effect and joins fellow UKIP Town Councillors Ben Walker and Ed Rose. The latter pair were welcomed into UKIP by party leader Nigel Farage
Continue reading