First hour news review: Eviction at the Bearpit â blocked off now: spice dealers; John and Martin, who lived there, discuss what it was like; vision for the place? Various groups that have tried to help.
Bristol could ban diesel cars from its city centre for eight hours a day under desperate plan to tackle air pollution: The council is in danger of having to pay back £1.65million it has received from government to develop its proposals if it misses another deadline. Bristol Trams; Metrobus; Clean air tax; Fact Check - are diesel cars really more polluting than petrol cars? Bristols clean air plans lack complete information as consultation looms. The councilâs executive director of resources acknowledged that beginning the consultation âbefore we have complete informationâ Mike Jackson, the councilâs executive director of resources, acknowledged that beginning the consultation âbefore we have complete informationâ is a risk. The council is in danger of having to pay back £1.65million it has received from government to develop its proposals if it misses another deadline.
Fears over lack of transparency after councillor suggests there are secretive boards: is the Mayoral system a dictatorship? âBRISTOL IS NOT, AND NEVER SHOULD BE, A DICTATORSHIPâ - By ELLIE PIPE, Friday May 25, 2018 - Changes to Bristol City Councilâs constitution have been branded a âshameless power grabâ that will âeffectively neuter local democracyâ. The Labour administration insists that the move will make the democratic process fairer and more transparent, as it effectively gives elected councillors from the ruling party more opportunity to make their voices heard on behalf of their constituents. Under the changes, Labour will increase the number of its backbench councillors taking chair roles in committees and decrease opportunities for opposition parties to put forward âgoldenâ motions for debate â which will reflect the proportionality of the chamber instead of working on rotation. All three opposition groups slammed the âconstitutional power grabâ as an affront to democracy at a full council meeting on Tuesday, with Tory John Goulandris, councillor for Stoke Bishop, likening the administration to a totalitarian regime. âBristol is not and never should be a one-party dictatorship,â he argued. Labour councillor for Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston Don Alexander argued that the changes will actually give a voice to underrepresented communities in the city, saying that the group is committed to addressing inequality in the city. âOur group will be voting for everyone in this city to have an equal chance â we will not have it dominated by Southville, Bedminster and Clifton,â he said. âItâs telling that the other parties seem to have been united by a shared need to support privilege over democracy on this.â He was met with loud jeers and laughter from the other side of the chamber. Councillors excluded and kept from decisions; problems with the Mayoral system. First Bus up for sale â American hedge fund take over â bus franchising.
Tory leadership debate â will we be able to leave on the 31st? - Boris and Huntsâ answers. PMQs legislation in case of No Deal Brexit â shut down Parliament? A cross between Peter Pan and Uriah Heep. Rory Stewart â was he part of MI6? - former Washington Post journalist Stephen Landrigan, who lived next to Rory in Kabul, discusses his narcissistic neighbour.