An essay written as one of many for the Royal Fine Arts Commission’s coronation publication on planning and design https://digital.emap.com/38997/90561/index.html?12731 As we enter the era of Charles III, the best gift for our children would be greater freedom to play, not in civic playgrounds but within and beyond their communities.  Let’s liberate our city streets and spaces for those who have had so much exploration and … Continue reading THE PLAYFUL CAROLEAN CITY

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races Against Time – Chapter 6

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races Against Time – Chapter 5

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races Against Time – Chapter 4

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races Against Time – Chapter 3

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races against time- Chapter 2

Nearly 40 years ago, when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and I was preparing to stand as a Liberal parliamentary candidate in a ‘safe’ conservative seat, I published 6 essays in a booklet entitled ‘Races Against Time’. The sad truth is that much of what I was warning about at that time, when ‘climate change’ wasn’t even a term, is still crying out for action.  I … Continue reading Races against time- Chapter 1

So Bristol has spoken – and the result could not have been clearer with a higher turnout than anyone predicted for a stand-alone referendum. For what was probably a myriad of reasons, both positive and negative, we are to end the city mayoral system and move to a committee and council leader system.  It may surprise many that, as a strong advocate for the mayoral … Continue reading Let’s grasp the opportunity to make a good city for all.

By the end of this week, on Friday 22nd April, we are invited to respond to the ‘Vision for Western Harbour’, the result of a long and expensive exercise commissioned by Bristol City Council from London consultants. This follows the disastrous pre-covid attempt at introducing a highway scheme, including a new 4-lane bridge over the Avon, that would have wrecked one of the most iconic city … Continue reading Is Planning Consultation worth the paper it is written on?

“Don’t vote – Whoever you vote for the Council gets in!” That was the graffiti of despair that I so well remember on a wall in St Pauls in the 1980’s. Bristol is good at ‘firsts’ – after all it’s written in our name, ‘Br1stol’, and it was in 1980 we had the first of the inner-city riots, before Brixton, Bradford and the rest. Not … Continue reading Bristol Mayoral Referendum – 5th May 2022