Community Engagement Forum

 

Yesterday I attended the latest Stoke Gifford, Stoke Park and Cheswick Community Engagement Forum meeting, as a Stoke Gifford Parish Councillor.

We discussed recent reports of anti-social behaviour and minor crime with our local Avon & Somerset Neighbourhood Police team.

Residents are encouraged to report any and all instances of anti-social behaviour, crime and attempts to commit crime.

We can all play our part in keeping our community safe - it’s just as easy to report online as it is to post on Facebook!

Non-emergency contact form for Stoke Gifford (NOT for reporting crime):

https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/your-area/stoke-gifford/

You can anonymously report any public places where you have felt or feel unsafe - eg as a result of anti-social behaviour, being verbally abused, or lack of street lighting - using the Streetsafe tool:

https://www.police.uk/streetsafe/

Again, StreetSafe is NOT for reporting crimes or emergencies

To report an incident to the police, call 101 or report it online: 

https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/

In an emergency, please call 999

If you have information about a crime but are afraid of recriminations, you can report anonymously to Crimestoppers:

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously

Finally, a reminder that the Stoke Gifford police community beat team hold regular surgeries at Little Stoke Community Hall:

https://www.stokegifford.org.uk/community/community-police-team.php

Play your part in keeping our community safe.

Voice of the People

 

As a local Labour parish councillor in Stoke Gifford, and member of the Filton & Bradley Stoke constituency Labour Party canvassing team, I’m out on the doorstep several times a week, listening to local people, hearing about the local and national issues affecting them and their families.

We’re doing this on behalf of our Labour Parliamentary candidate Claire Hazelgrove, who comes along with us whenever she can, and is keen to listen to and understand the issues that are important to local people.

Conservative MP Jack Lopresti was out on the doorstep recently, too - although I’ve been struggling to find anyone he actually spoke to. 

It seems he and his team were only leafletting, posting his newsletter through letterboxes and walking away, rather than knocking on doors and listening to residents.

Judging by the strength of feeling locally, it’s likely that he and his team are afraid of the reaction they might get - although one lady I spoke to summed things up perfectly.

“He’s not at all interested in listening to us.”

“If he was interested in what we think, he wouldn’t have voted to let water companies continue to dump sewage in our rivers for another 15 years.”

“He wouldn’t have voted against measures to prevent climate change.”

“He wouldn’t have voted for a damaging no-deal Brexit.”

“He wouldn’t have voted for the amendment to protect Owen Paterson when he’d taken bribes to influence policy.”

“He wouldn’t have voted to block the release of school safety reports earlier this year, when they knew about the problems with concrete buildings.”

“He’s not the voice of local people in Parliament - he’s the voice of Westminster, here.”

“… when he is here, that is”.

“That’s why I’ll be voting for Claire Hazelgrove.”

Me too, lady.  Me too.

Councillor Surgery

Many thanks to those residents who came along to our Stoke Gifford Parish Council surgery at Little Stoke Community Hall on Saturday Morning, with Councillors Dave Addison, Sue Bandcroft and myself in attendance.

No surprise that street care issues were top of the list - potholes, road markings, and weeds in gutters - all of which should be reported via South Glos District Council’s Report It page:

https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/report

Make a note of the tracking number for what you’ve reported, and let one of your local Parish Councillors know so we can track progress.

You can contact any of us via the Parish Council Members page:

https://www.stokegifford.org.uk/council/council-members.php

All future Saturday morning councillor surgeries will be publicised via the Parish Council website and on social media.

Reminder that no appointment is required, this is an informal opportunity to meet your local councillors and talk about any issues in your local area.

Not long to go now..

As we approach the local elections on Thursday, we in the Labour Party are up against a combination of fierce competition, dirty tactics, and voter apathy towards local elections - we can’t afford to take anything for granted. 

The Conservatives have discredited national politics by their dishonesty, their cronyism and their lack of integrity.

Some people have never been interested in politics, and some have turned away from politics for their own reasons.

From taking credit for things they haven’t done, to lying about their home addresses so they “look” like they live in our area, the Conservatives can be just as dishonest locally as they are nationally - and that’s before the Lib Dems throw their dodgy bar charts into the equation.

You will often hear people say “I’m not voting, they’re all the same” - but this only serves to preserve the status quo.

So we must continue to knock on doors, make phone calls, and engage with as many voters as possible, to show them that we are not all the same - and that Labour are the party that truly cares about their needs and their future.

Each and every one of us is committed to the values of the Labour Party, and to making a real difference in the lives of people in our communities. And that is what sets us apart from our opponents.

We believe in a fairer society, where everyone has access to the opportunities they need to succeed. We believe in investing in public services, in creating jobs, and in protecting the most vulnerable in our society. And we will fight for these values every step of the way.

So let's go out there and show the world what we're made of. Let's tell them about our vision for the future.

We are here to make a real difference in people's lives. To stand up for what is right, and to fight for what we believe in.

We are Labour 🌹 It’s time for change.

My Parish Council Candidate Bio

 

After a long career in software engineering management within the electronics design, satellite communications and cybersecurity industries across our region, I’d like to give something back to my local community. 

I’ve lived and worked in the South West since 1980, and Stoke Gifford has been home to me and my family for the last 23 years - our children were born and raised here, they went to school here, and our youngest is now studying at university here. 

I walk my dog around our local streets and green spaces every day, and often chat with local residents about their concerns on issues affecting our community, from potholes to speeding, and local facilities to antisocial behaviour.

I would be tremendously proud if elected to serve as a Parish Councillor, and will strive to listen to and represent all sections and areas of our community, keeping the Council focused on what matters to residents, providing good cost-effective services, and doing my best to help maintain and improve the quality of life here in our parish.

Keiron Marsden

Labour Party Candidate for Stoke Gifford Parish Council

April 2023

I’m Still Standing!

I’m incredibly proud to say that this week I received official confirmation that my name will be on the ballot paper on May 4th alongside the Labour Party rose emblem 🌹

I’m standing for Stoke Gifford Parish Council, where I’ve lived for the last 23 years.

Together with several fantastic colleagues from our local Labour Party branch, I’m hoping to give local voters a chance to tell Rishi Sunak that enough is enough, and that they’ve had enough of the Tories.

I’m ready to give something back to my local community.

Recently I asked ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence software that everyone is raving about, to answer the following question:

“Explain in simple terms why labour councillors are better for your local community”

Here’s what it came up with:

“Labour councillors are better for your local community because they are typically more focused on promoting policies that benefit the everyday working people in the area. This includes things like improving public services such as schools, healthcare, and transportation, as well as supporting initiatives that create more jobs and improve working conditions.

Labour councillors also tend to be more attuned to the needs and concerns of disadvantaged groups, such as low-income families, seniors, and minorities, and work to ensure that their voices are heard and their needs are met. They are often more committed to building strong, inclusive communities that are welcoming and supportive of all its residents.

Overall, Labour councillors tend to prioritize the common good and work towards creating a fairer, more equal society, which benefits everyone in the local community, especially those who are most in need.”

What more can I say? 😁🌹