Southmead

There was a city council by-election in Southmead on September 8th 2011.

This was the first time that the Green Party has actively campaigned in Southmead and we were rewarded with an increased share of the vote - 4.93% compared to 2.61% the last time this seat was contested.
 
Our candidate was Chris Millman, until recently a resident of Southmead, who ran an excellent campaign.  This might have produced even better results were it not for the fact that all three main parties had reason to fight hard in this ward.  The Lib Dems hoped to retain the seat, but their vote collapsed allowing Labour to win with a reduced number of votes compared to the last contest, which co-incided with the General Election.  The Conservatives (who hold the parliamentary seat) were the only party to increase their actual numbers, and it seems they inherited the substantial BNP vote from the General Election.  Under the circumstances the Green Party did well to maintain our number of voters (120) and this was enough to comfortably beat the English Democrats, with whom we were previously neck and neck, and who might have been expected to benefit from the absence of a BNP candidate.
 
Chris Millman thanked the Southmead people who had shown him such good will during the campaign, and said that he would contest the seat again.

Chris currently works for the Green Party as a conference organiser and is well known in Southmead. For ten years he was the Warden of Arncliffe Sheltered Housing Scheme.

He became heavily involved in the local community during this time as a member of the Board of Trustees of Southmead Development Trust, a Governor at Badock's Wood School, and Chairman of Southmead Sports Association.

Chris is also well known as a sportsman, having played hockey for Westbury for 35 years and cricket for Westbury-on-Trym (White Horse) and Southmead Cricket Club, of which he was Secretary. Forced to retire due to an injured shoulder, he got more involved in Bristol North Green Party for whom he currently acts as Press Officer. Chris has received much credit for his role in the successful campaign to elect Gus Hoyt as Green Councillor in Ashley, where he acted as canvassing co-ordinator.

You can contact Chris at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Read Chris's leaflet here.

Need to check whether you live in this ward? Click on Bristol City Council's ward finder.

Chris at the Anti-Cuts and Green Spaces sell-off protests at College Green in September 2010.