MAY’S city council elections saw the Greens increase their vote and representation in the Fishponds area – but Labour remains the biggest party across the three local wards after losing one and gaining another of the six seats.
Eastville
EASTVILLE ward is now all Green after the party won both seats on May 2.
Sitting Green councillor Lorraine Francis, first elected in 2021, topped the poll with 2,339 votes.
Second was fellow Green candidate Ed Fraser, who received 1,672 votes to take the ward’s other seat from sitting Labour councillor Marley Bennett by 104 votes.
Labour’s Teresa Stratford was fourth, with 1,027, and was the only other candidate to receive more than 300 votes – Conservative Paul Boobyer was a distant fifth with 277.
A total of 3,916 people voted in the election, a turnout of 36.5%.
Lorraine becomes the chair of the council’s new adult social care committee and said the Greens’ “most important priority” was to make sure the new system works.
On ward issues, she said: “As the returning councillor, two of my ongoing priorities will include continuing to work collaboratively with residents to address the issues relating to Eastville Park, as well as work around delivering another defibrillator at the Star pub.
“Together, we will continue to be accessible and work on behalf of all residents in the ward.”
Ed said: “I’m so grateful for the support residents have shown me and I’ll be working hard to repay your trust as your new local councillor.
“From getting on top of fly-tipping to making the school run safer for our children, my priority is working with residents and the council to get the basics right.”
The councillors can be contacted at Cllr.Lorraine.Francis@bristol.gov.uk and Cllr.Ed.Fraser@bristol.gov.uk.
Frome Vale
FROME Vale ward is now all red, after Labour picked up the seat vacated by retiring veteran Conservative councillor Lesley Alexander.
The party retained the ward’s other seat, vacated by previous Labour councillor Amal Ali.
Topping the poll was Labour’s Louis Martin, who received 1,402 votes. Fellow Labour candidate Al Al-Maghrabi won the second seat with 1,339 votes, 440 ahead of the Greens’ Jen Law.
The Conservative candidates finished in fifth and sixth, with highest-placed candidate Pooja Poddar 277 votes behind Green Gabrielle Lobb.
The 3,105 people who voted represented 31.2% of the ward’s electorate.
Louis said both councillors were determined to bring to fruition the ideas and hopes of residents they heard in “thousands of fascinating conversations” during the campaign.
He said: “We will do this by working closely with the community, and by continuing to listen to the different voices that make Frome Vale the vibrant and diverse area that it is.”
Al said: “Our top priorities, which we are both very proud of – include local developments for local people, improved access to education and health care, a reduction in congestion and air pollution and safe and clean streets and parks.”
Al & Louis will hold surgeries on the last Saturday of every month at Fishponds Library from 11am-12.30pm.
They can be contacted at Cllr.Al.Al-Maghrabi@bristol.gov.uk and Cllr.Louis.Martin@bristol.gov.uk
Hillfields
HILLFIELDS was the only ward where the political make-up did not change on May 2.
Labour retained both seats, with Kelvin Blake winning the seat vacated by retiring cabinet councillor Craig Cheney.
Sitting councillor Ellie King topped the poll with 1,155 votes, 74 ahead of Kelvin, who previously served as a city councillor between 1997 and 2003, and polled 1,081 votes.
Green Jon Eccles came third, with 719 votes.
The 2,382 people who cast votes represented 25.8% of the ward’s electorate.
In a joint statement, Ellie and Kelvin said: “Whether you voted for us or not we are now focused on our promise to be active community champions.
“We will do all we can to help people through this cost of living crisis, ensure that the Atlas Place developments take account of residents’ concerns, and address the urgent requirement for infrastructure like additional GP services.
“We want Hillfields to be a safe and welcoming place for all so we will work with the police and the council on antisocial behaviour and road safety improvements. And finally, we will campaign for much needed investment in our green spaces.”
The councillors will hold surgeries on the second Saturday of every month apart from August, at Hillfields Library from 11am-12.30pm.
They can be reached at Cllr.Kelvin.Blake@bristol.gov.uk and Cllr.Ellie.King@bristol.gov.uk.